KC FITNESS ARTICLE
YOUTH BASEBALL IN KC

In 1996 former Royals pitcher and current Royals hitting coach, Kevin Seitzer teamed up with Royals catcher Mike “Mac” Macfarlane to create ‘Mac-N-Seitz’, a baseball school dedicated to teaching the fundamentals of baseball to little leaguers of all ability levels, and to field teams at all age levels. Mac-N-Seitz teams provide players in the Kansas City area an opportunity to play for one of the most competitive and best coached organizations in the country.

Located in South Kansas City, Mac-N-Seitz’ supermarket-sized building boasts 47,000 square feet devoted to the pursuit of America’s greatest pastime. The facility Includes a major league-sized infield, two full size bullpens, six hitting tunnels and four batting cages of varying pitch speeds for baseball and softball. There’s even a concession stand and coffee shop to complete the big-league experience.

Seitzer and Macfarlane are dedicated to supporting young athletes. Their goal is simple: for kids to play with the same wide-eyed excitement and confidence at 18 that they started playing with at eight. Having fun is what keeps kids in the game. It keeps them learning, wanting to do their best and be driven to succeed.

To help spread their message, Seitzer and Macfarlane are developing a guide on how to foster an environment where kids can reach their full potential, without the added pressure of overbearing parents and coaches. “The Mac-N-Seitz Way” is a working document for coaches, players and parents with lessons that extend beyond the field.

According to Seitzer and Macfarlane, 70 percent of kids quit a sport before they are 14 years old. The majority quit because the game “just isn’t fun anymore”. “When a kid makes a mistake on the field, the first person he looks at is his coach, the second is his dad,” says Seitzer. “When that kid sees his dad roll his eyes back and look disgusted, he doesn’t want to play anymore.”

To put it in perspective: 20 percent of American kids play little league. Only 1 percent of those little league players go on to play college baseball. Of that 1 percent, only 1 percent of college players go on to play major league baseball.

Parents should keep in mind the odds against their child becoming the next Zack Greinke. That said, for kids to play to their full potential, parents must learn to be supportive, regardless of the outcome of the game. “It’s not about wins and losses. It’s about developing these kids. I have so much more satisfaction in a team that plays average baseball, but represents us in a first-class fashion with their sportsmanship and conduct, than a team full of stinkin’ superstars that act like prima donnas. That’s not our heart, that’s not what we are about,” says Seitzer.