“Try, try and try again otherwise you never get to realize what true greatness lies within,” wrote 31-year-old Baseball and softball Coach David Beard from Brea, California.
As the founder of the LXA- Legion of Xtraordinary Athletes program and travel coach, Beard, understands that it is okay to fail as long as you brush yourself off and try again. He strives to teach all his young athletes to give it their all, and to always look for a better way. His dedication to helping youth athletes find their true potential is what makes him our Coach of the Week.
For over 10 years, Coach Beard has been dedicating his life to coaching and helping players improve their abilities by providing an outlet that will give them every opportunity to pursue their goals. He is the founder of the LXA academy in Southern California. LXA offers kids up to age 18 a way to improve outside of their regular school season. Coach Beard accepts youth athletes with various levels of drive and dedication - if they want to play, there’s a spot for them at LXA.
When he is not dedicating his time to running the Academy, he’s the manager and president of the Black Sox travel baseball and softball program. The Black Sox program provides youth athletes an opportunity to play on a travel team and participate in tournaments with professional instruction. Both of Coach Beard’s programs live by the motto, “Talent is overrated”. The LXA mantra is that strong players are not born, they are made.
Coach Beard and his wife Stephanie, a former softball fastpitch star, have sincere faith in the LXA Academy and development of the Black Sox travel team. Pulling from their backgrounds in strength training and skill mastery, they surely are on their way to success. Along for the ride is Allison Jaye, their 2-year-old daughter. It’s all about family and coaching - and Coach Beard loves every moment of it!
Coach Beard’s Keys to Success:
Always look for a better way even if your way is a better way, otherwise you'll lose your creativity and the enjoyment of being a coach. Always go back to the drawing board to better yourself every week or even every day if you need to.
Know why you're teaching something and explain it, and make sure to let your athlete know when you have found a better way if there are changes to be made, you weren't wrong- you just found a better way.
Be honest with your athlete, don't sugar coat what challenges that he/she will be facing- help him/her through them to better understand and come up with solutions to beat those challenges.
