Instructors - what do you charge and ....

[CoachHenry]

how do you structure the number of lessons. For instance do you go lesson by lesson or do you make the player get a package of 5 or 10?

On well respected local instructor has you come in for an evaluation and if you agree he has you sign up for a package of 10. His reasoning to the parents is that the vast majority of kids need just more then one or two and if they come in for a few then expect their kid to suddenly hit then they are mistaken. They need time to unlearn a few things, acquire the proper "whatever" then ingrain them into themselves over a period of time. Ten lessons gets them to the point to where they are ready to start the season, etc. I've seen what he has been able to do with countless players and this approach works for him. On occasion he is able to get a player that just needs a minor adjustment and doesn't require the 10 package. His charge for the 10 lessons is $350. He has three students at a time and has a helper instructor there. He rotates them on a series of drills and each player gets a small break then is back at it. Very nice setup if you got the chance to see it.

How do you structure yours? Do you like his approach or not? Why on each? What do you charge?

[BallCoach06]

I do lessons on the side and do pretty much the same thing. I charge $30/per lesson (45-50 minutes), 5 for $125, 10 for $200. I usually recommend a player to take 5 or 10, but some take only 1 lesson.

To be honest, I very rarely charge for the first lesson if they only want to take one to try out. If they take one lesson, I look at it as if they have taken a trial of what I have to offer, and if they liked what they got, they will want to come back.

I do mostly infield and catching lessons with a little hitting mixed in as well. There are quite a few hitting/pitching instructors in my area, so i wanted to specialize in areas that are often neglected.

[CoachB25]

This is why I'm probably not going to give lessons anymore. I can't speak for anyone else. I live in a small community and I just can't sleep charging what I need to in order to pay for my cage and backup area without bringing more kids in at one time. I just can't say to two kids, go over there and hit and I'll be with you in a minute. Our area has 2 facilities that I worked at by the good graces of those that owned those places. Both have asked me to sign on as their primary instructor for next year. However, cage time is $20/ half hour and then my fee is $30. (One on one!) Heck, at the end of last year, I just had the parents pay for the cage. I couldn't charge them. In doing that, I then took 3 students per hour. I always have so much I want them to do and then I want to have them have some BP also. Well, that's always been a big problem for me. My Dad always said give people more than they want and do it graciously. They might not remember what you gave them but they'll remember the person you are. Guess that's done my business in.

BTW, if the fee sounds high, my daughter was trying to get into a pitching coach that charged $40 per half hour with 3 throwing AND he has a waiting list. So, while I think I'm high, it still isn't high for this area.

[CoachHenry]

Specializing is good. I've done hitting all the way through high school and youth pitching and catching. After they are so far along in the pitching and catching I'll send them to another guy who does great from there on.

There is a small facility being put in on an area that used to be a speed and conditioning place and I'm going to give lessons out of it along with some other coaches I have lined up. Like the person I mentioned in my example, and BallCoach06 I'll do the evaluation lesson for free and then if they need anything other then a tweak I'll only do the 5 or 10 week block, and maybe only the 10 week. I think it would depend on how much work the player needs.

I like having 2-3 players at once. I've done that before for an hour block. The kids can't take swings constantly for an hour anyway and keep good form so them waiting and watching in rotation is something I think works well.

[CoachHenry]

This is why I'm probably not going to give lessons anymore. I can't speak for anyone else. I live in a small community and I just can't sleep charging what I need to in order to pay for my cage and backup area without bringing more kids in at one time. I just can't say to two kids, go over there and hit and I'll be with you in a minute. Our area has 2 facilities that I worked at by the good graces of those that owned those places. Both have asked me to sign on as their primary instructor for next year. However, cage time is $20/ half hour and then my fee is $30. (One on one!) Heck, at the end of last year, I just had the parents pay for the cage. I couldn't charge them. In doing that, I then took 3 students per hour. I always have so much I want them to do and then I want to have them have some BP also. Well, that's always been a big problem for me. My Dad always said give people more than they want and do it graciously. They might not remember what you gave them but they'll remember the person you are. Guess that's done my business in.

BTW, if the fee sounds high, my daughter was trying to get into a pitching coach that charged $40 per half hour with 3 throwing AND he has a waiting list. So, while I think I'm high, it still isn't high for this area.

The fees DO sound high no matter where you go, but as you know, all over the country it's the same and it has to be that way for everybody to be compensated even if just a little.

I give plenty of lessons free for kids on our teams or parents that I know. Those lesson are when I can fit them in or after a practice if they are willing to stay a bit extra.

As for the fees, I know the times that I have given more and done the 10 week think the parents are thrilled with the results and often say it is WELL worth it when their son or daughter has more success and therefore enjoys it more. The ones that don't think it is worth it are the ones that only came for a lesson or two and think that everything should now work. That is why I am shying away from singular lessons. Not to force income my way, but to ensure some level of success for the player and to have parents happy they spent the money.

[Slapper23]

I live in a small community and I just can't sleep charging what I need to in order to pay for my cage and backup area without bringing more kids in at one time.

Heck, at the end of last year, I just had the parents pay for the cage. I couldn't charge them.

Darrell

In regard to the subject of charging kids, you and I share an identical philosophy. In my case over the past 12 years, I have run weekly pitching/fielding/hitting clinics during the summer...free of charge.

Mike

[Encinitas]

I try to get them to buy me something that I can use with my own kids/other hitters. In some cases that isn't possible. I recently took on a little guy whom I happen to know mom (single, no support) is broke but she cleans houses so I bartered for a house cleaning or two (makes the wife happy).

I have a tough time charging. One guy in my town played catcher in the bigs for quite a few years and he charges $60/half-hour, but I have a feeling his fee is high because he's renting a cage facility.

[LAball]

My local batting cages has instructors working for the facility I think. They charge $80 per hour. $45 for half hour. I think the price is high. Gymnastatics around here cost $50 for an hour and I thinks thats a reasonable price.

[BoardMember]

I haven't charged for a single hitting lesson in over 20 years.......

It ain't about the money......It's about the faces.........

Darrell

In regard to the subject of charging kids, you and I share an identical philosophy. In my case over the past 12 years, I have run weekly pitching/fielding/hitting clinics during the summer...free of charge.

Mike

[Swing Coach]

tough call here...I give plenty of lessons for free to my players and people I know....but parents see value in a good hitting lesson and want to pay. Many times when I haven't charged, they insist they give me something.

I paid $70 for a golf lesson with video analysis and got better...so I paid for three more golf lessons last summer. THis is really a personal decision...no right or wrong here in my opinion.

SC

[jofus13]

Just for a comparison, my DD's pitching coach is $45 per hour and half lesson (one student at a time).

I think he recently raised it, but we got grandfathered in at our old price.

[CoachHenry]

I just can't say to two kids, go over there and hit and I'll be with you in a minute.

I can see that. However with the way I've seen it done and the way I like to do it I don't see it as them being ignored. Where around here $35 gets a half hour of private instruction they instead get an hour (in a ground of three) for the same money (if that same amount is charged). They rotate through and get the benefit of watching and listening to others.

I take my own daughter to him because when I instruct her, she cries. Doesn't like to disappoint dad, etc. However when she goes to him and I work with her on the side it really works. I feel she gets a greater value in a group of three with the way he does it then she would if it was a half hour personal lesson.

I've also seen a group lesson where there are kids standing around and it doesn't work. So if the instructor can do it right, great, if not, then it won't work for them.

[CoachHenry]

Just for a comparison, my DD's pitching coach is $45 per hour and half lesson (one student at a time).

I think he recently raised it, but we got grandfathered in at our old price.

That's a long lesson! Do the kids stay focused for that long?

[jofus13]

Yeah, it goes by fairly quickly. She's 13, but I think he suggests 90 minutes regardless of age.

That includes warming up, then working on established pitches, then new pitches that she may be working on, then some game-type situation pitching (I as the catcher call different pitches), then some conditioning drills at the end, then a cool-down period, with a couple short water breaks thrown in.

[Ifubuildit]

Having paid as much as $60 an hour to a pitching instructor here I promised when I started giving lessons that I would not rape the people who came to me for instruction. :eek:

I give one on one instruction for one hour and charge $20 for either hitting or pitching. Its an open ended schedule. Come and go when you want. You be the judge of the instruction. A few have left but not many.

Elliott.

[new2thesport]

To the instructors who have posted a response here on the subject:

It is people like you that are an asset to your communities and are great ambassadors to the sport of baseball and in life.
I am positive that because of your big hearts, your love of the game , has been passed down to the children that you teach. In turn, when they are adults, they may share that with other children just like your did. So many lives will be touched and it all started with you folks!
I wish I had people like you where I live. God Bless You All!

[CoachHenry]

Yeah, it goes by fairly quickly. She's 13, but I think he suggests 90 minutes regardless of age.

That includes warming up, then working on established pitches, then new pitches that she may be working on, then some game-type situation pitching (I as the catcher call different pitches), then some conditioning drills at the end, then a cool-down period, with a couple short water breaks thrown in.

Ah. That's more then the standard pitching lesson gives.

[CoachHenry]

Having paid as much as $60 an hour to a pitching instructor here I promised when I started giving lessons that I would not rape the people who came to me for instruction. :eek:

I give one on one instruction for one hour and charge $20 for either hitting or pitching. Its an open ended schedule. Come and go when you want. You be the judge of the instruction. A few have left but not many.

Elliott.

Do you have several kids at once in there? Sounds like a focused "open hitting" type thing, right?

[Ifubuildit]

My feelings are if I am going to charge someone for lessons thier child deserves my undivided attention. One student at at time for one hour. I have made exceptions for a family situation where they have 2 or more kids and they are at an equal starting point with learning what I teach. I generally try to split them out at some point becasue they never develop equally.

Every student is different.

Elliott.

[Drill]

$150/hr

this may seem high but i give them a $150.00 rebate.


drill

[jofus13]

A guy I work with does pitching instruction for baseball (HS level) and batting for both baseball and softball, and has for several years, and was shocked when I told him I pay for pitching lessons for my DD. He has never charged, even refusing when people have tried to "tip" him. I tried to buy him dinner for working with my DD and her batting and he was offended :)

Well, he did let me buy him a Diet Pepsi :)

[Dirtberry]

If I am giving the lesson alone with the kid it’s 40.00 a ½ hr.
If the father sits in and helps I charge $60.00 a ½ hr.
If the father and the kid talk about how they added some thing they saw on TV I charge $80.00 ½ hr.
If the dad is on the bucket tossing me I charge $100.00 ½ hr.

There is nothing better in life than taking a kid who has never touched a pitch with his bat and get him to make consistent contact!

[callyjr]

The 7 day Epstein program runs anywhere from $400.00 with some instructors to as much as $1500 form Mike himself for the 7 day program.

I only deal in HS and College kids and they have to be they way I want them on film with a ball coming or they keep coming back each day until I get them there.

Cally

[CoachHenry]

My feelings are if I am going to charge someone for lessons thier child deserves my undivided attention. One student at at time for one hour. I have made exceptions for a family situation where they have 2 or more kids and they are at an equal starting point with learning what I teach. I generally try to split them out at some point becasue they never develop equally.

Every student is different.

Elliott.

Sure, understood. But there is also value in having the open hitting like I was asking about. Maybe not charge $20 but something to cover expenses. This might not be called a "lesson" but more of "supervised" or whatnot. Especially in the off season when it's hard to get practice space.

[CoachHenry]

$150/hr

this may seem high but i give them a $150.00 rebate.


drill

I'd like to see the taxes on that.

[Ifubuildit]

If a coach approaches me about giving a hitting clinc to his team I will do that at no charge. I figure if I do it right and can show the kids and the parents I know what I am talking about and doing, them some of them might want to take lessons from me.

I have never really advertised that I am an instructor. Most of my students have come from word of mouth and I keep pretty busy.

Elliott.

[Drill]

I'd like to see the taxes on that.


yea i can deduct my car and all baseball equipment.


drill

[CoachHenry]

If a coach approaches me about giving a hitting clinc to his team I will do that at no charge. I figure if I do it right and can show the kids and the parents I know what I am talking about and doing, them some of them might want to take lessons from me.

I have never really advertised that I am an instructor. Most of my students have come from word of mouth and I keep pretty busy.

Elliott.

That's a good way.