Berry’s Method: Reducing Mistakes Through Intentional Teaching
Spring Training isn’t for survival it’s for construction it’s where habits get built, language gets standardized, and expectations get programmed. The best teachers in the game understand that improvement isn’t accidental it’s engineered by Coaches. And they’re constantly refining how they deliver information to players.
Yet whenever someone introduces a new method or we look at new models for coaching, the pushback is predictable.
“That’s eye wash.”
“That’s minor league stuff.”
“That won’t play at the big leagues.”
Let’s be honest resistance to change in coaching is real, but growth rarely requires a full system overhaul. It comes from small, deliberate adjustments to daily teaching. Better questions with cleaner feedback and more intentional structure.
Video usage is a perfect example.
There isn’t a clubhouse in college baseball or in Major League Baseball that doesn’t rely on video now at some point. It’s everywhere and for good reason. The ability to replay a rep immediately to freeze, rewind, compare, and clarify is one of the most powerful teaching tools we have.
On the team side of things coaches can present plays situations and curated clips that help palyers connecct what happened to what we want to happen in the moment. They close the gap between intention and execution, when used correctly, video doesn’t just show what happened it accelerates teaching and learning.
When we hear “teaching,” we often default to a classroom image. Indoors. Chairs. A screen. Controlled environment. And yes there’s value in that it’s something I’ve talked about alot in this space. Inside removes distractions, it sharpens focus, it centralizes attention. Still, perfection can become the enemy of progress.
Spring offers something different: Flow. Energy. Movement. There are moments outside on the field, before a drill begins where a two-minute teaching intervention can elevate the next 20 minutes of practice. Sometimes the best instruction is quick, targeted, and immediately applied.
One coach who models this well is Quentin Berry with the Chicago Cubs. He’s consistently pushed how film can be integrated into on-field teaching, not separated from it. Before a Spring Training drill, Berry gathered players around a screen positioned right on the field with a tight group, clear voice, focused message. It is a great model for us to watch and learn from.
The structure and set up here matter.
The screen is visible to everyone.
The group is close enough for hear and watch.
Leadership is obvious.
Attention is directed.
There’s no wasted motion no eyewash.
Original Clip (Substack Doesn't Love Twitter Links)
In the clip, Quentin Berry is walking through line drives to center field just before the group transitions into baserunning drills focused on reading trajectory off the bat. The sequencing is intentional, he isn’t just telling players to get better reads he’s defining the picture for them. They see the height of the ball, the initial angle, the carry, and the subtle differences between a true line drive that stays flat and one that begins to rise or sink. They probably even are talking through what is happening, and what they want to happen in the moment.
Then they immediately move into drills that demand they apply that visual information in real time.
That connection matters. It highlights the difference between talking about performance and modeling it. Players don’t improve because we describe outcomes, they improve when they can attach our expectations to a clear standards. This is classic pre-teaching. Strong teachers show prime examples they surface common mistakes. They dissect why those mistakes happen. They often will make the invisible visible before asking for execution.
Instead of correcting reads after the fact, Berry addresses the decision making process before the rep ever happens. He gives players the blueprint, not just the grade after the fact. That’s efficient teaching that reduces noise during the drill, sharpens attention to the right cues, and aligns the group around a shared understanding of what “right” actually looks like.
This approach not only reduces mistakes in practice and in games but also keeps sessions flowing more smoothly for everyone involved. The principle is simple: teach first, then let players go execute. It’s something every coach can relate to and integrate immediately.
It doesn’t require an elaborate setup with multiple cameras or a TV. Even a quick, clear pre-teach before a drill can set expectations and prime players for success. Taken a step further, coaches can leverage asynchronous teaching by sending short, curated video clips to players before they even arrive at the complex. A “60-Second Scout” video sent via text or a team app the night before pre-loads a player’s brain with the visual blueprint of a drill, turning the locker room or the commute into a low-stakes classroom.
By providing a 20-second quick look at a common mistake, and a clear “why” behind the movement, you eliminate the fog of “What are we doing?” that often eats up the first five minutes of practice. When players step onto the grass, they aren’t just hearing instructions for the first time they are confirming a mental image they’ve already processed.
On the field, high-impact teaching doesn’t need an elaborate set up and production it can still thrive on intentional, low-tech structure. By front-loading the technical “why” through these pre-planned and pre taught concepts, coaches protect the energy and flow of the session, transforming themselves from lecturers into foremen who are fine tuning a construction site that’s already moving.
The value here isn’t just making sure players understand expectations before they get going. It’s putting the picture in front of them right before they step onto the field to execute.
This is about pride in instruction it’s about caring enough to refine how you teach, not just what you teach. It requires stepping outside of what’s comfortable, outside of what you’ve always done, and being willing to adjust in small but intentional ways.
If we’re serious about pushing the needle, it starts there. Not with massive overhauls or changing everything you do. Small marginal changes that help players understand and execute better. Improve the instruction by two percent, and you improve every repetition that follows. Over a spring, that compounds and over a season, that separates. This is what makes great coaches stand out.