Getting Ahead of the Game: Inside HitStreak's Winter Training Program
Building Complete Athletes Ready to Take on the Season
As Colorado's winter winds sweep across the south metro Denver area, hundreds of dedicated youth baseball and softball players are hard at work inside HitStreak Baseball and Softball Academy. The facility has become a winter training hub not just for youth teams, but also for several prestigious high school programs such as Regis Jesuit and Rock Canyon High School to prepare for their spring campaigns.
"Winter training isn't just about staying warm – it's about getting better," says Ty Jacobs, who oversees HitStreak's youth program. "Our indoor facility allows players and teams to focus on fundamentals and skill development without the distractions of weather or field conditions."
HitStreak Baseball and Softball players hone their games during the winter months in preparation for a fun and rewarding spring.
Daron Schulthies says, “It's a family feel. It's having a place to call home, and it’s those values I'm putting into our HitStreak teams. I want to create a program to where when you come in and you walk through those doors, I know your name. I know your parents' name. I know issues that are going on. We're helping you fix those issues. I want that tight-knit feel and HitStreak has allowed me to create that and that's why I think it's something special.”
Players move purposefully through specialized training stations each evening, maintaining high engagement while building fundamental skills that translate directly to game-day success.
A Complete Approach to Player Development
HitStreak's winter training program is carefully structured to develop complete players. Each week, athletes participate in both offensive and defensive focused sessions, ensuring balanced development across all aspects of their game.
During hitting nights, players rotate through stations that include live batting practice, tee work, front toss and fundamental drills building confidence and refining their approach at the plate. With hundreds of quality swings in the winter months of January, February and March, our players are building the foundation that will set them up for consistent success for the upcoming season and many more to come. Small group settings ensure each player receives individual attention and immediate feedback from our experienced coaching staff. Plus, all players receive access throughout the year to the ProBatter machine.
Defensive sessions are equally thorough, with a strong emphasis on proper throwing mechanics across all positions. Infielders and outfielders hone their fundamentals through position-specific drills that emphasize proper form and technique, while our pitching program focuses on building arm strength safely and efficiently. Through careful progression and monitoring, players develop proper mechanics from the ground up, incorporating lower body drive and core engagement to reduce stress on the throwing arm. Catchers work on their craft through specialized drills focusing on blocking, receiving, and throwing mechanics, with particular attention paid to transfer and footwork efficiency.
Our coaching staff places special emphasis on injury prevention, teaching players how to maintain arm health through proper warm-up routines, recovery protocols, and throwing programs tailored to their age and position. The indoor setting allows for repetition and precision that's difficult to achieve in outdoor winter conditions, enabling coaches to break down movements frame-by-frame and correct subtle mechanical issues before they become habits.
Building Complete Athletes
HitStreak's program goes beyond just baseball and softball skills. The strength and agility component focuses on sport-specific movements and overall athletic development. This comprehensive approach helps prevent injuries and builds the physical foundation players need for long-term success.
Perhaps most uniquely, HitStreak emphasizes the mental and character aspects of player development. Regular classroom sessions cover baseball philosophy, strategy, and leadership principles. Teams have dedicated meeting times to build camaraderie and develop the interpersonal skills that make great teammates.
Ty Jacobs says this component is vital: “When we started teams, I really wanted it to be different so we build in character training and leadership training to all of our kids. I think that's just a really important aspect where —at the end of the day—all these kids are going to be done playing baseball at some point…then what type of person are you? That's really what matters in life is what kind of son are you? What kind of friend are you? What kind of husband are you going to be? I think taking that a step further and really developing the person at the same time as the baseball player is really important.”
Why Indoor Training Makes Sense
Colorado's unpredictable weather makes consistent outdoor training challenging (to say the least) during winter months. Indoor training at HitStreak offers several key advantages:
Consistent training environment regardless of weather
Focused skill development without environmental distractions
Opportunity for more repetitions in a controlled setting
Regular access to experienced coaching staff
Access to specialized equipment such as the ProBatter
As spring approaches, teams transition to a hybrid schedule with both indoor and outdoor practices, allowing players to apply their refined skills to game situations. All HitStreak teams will also receive an outdoor field assignment for practices March through June.
By then, the foundation built during winter training becomes evident – sharper skills, stronger bodies, and more confident players ready to compete at their highest level. Simply put, we want our players to love the game. Success and improvement breed confidence, and confidence breeds passion.
For youth players serious about their development, HitStreak's winter training program offers the perfect blend of skill work, strength training, and character development. It's not just about getting through the winter – it's about emerging stronger and better prepared for the challenges ahead.
To learn more about HitStreak's youth baseball and softball programs, contact Ty Jacobs at tjacobs@hitstreak.com.