Youth Baseball Coaching Challenge - Developing a Coaching Philosophy

Youth Baseball Coaching Challenge - Developing a Coaching Philosophy
By guest author: Larry Miljas

Developing a coaching philosophy is an often overlooked yet very important aspect of coaching. Many youth baseball coaches have an idea of their philosophy, but never take the time to write it down or convey it to their parents and players. By doing so you will be helping your team understand you and your expectation and believe me, this will make your job A LOT easier.

Your philosophy is a collection of principles that you will use to run your team. The principles that you have will guide you in creating your team policies and these policies will guide your coaching decisions throughout the year. If parents and baseball players know what your philosophy is, what your policies are and what you expect from them, you will be ahead of about 90% of all youth coaches in heading off potential disasters. However, let me make one thing clear. If your philosophy and policies should change during the season, you MUST communicate this as early as possible.

It's not as complicated as it may seem. To break it down -- Your coaching philosophy is made up of your principles, your principles will drive your policies and your policies will drive your decisions. As stated earlier, all coaches have an idea of what their philosophy, principles and policies are, but by organizing, clarifying and communicating them, you will increase your coaching effectiveness.

Step 1 -- Organize. Think about what is important to you as a baseball coach and write it down. Create a spreadsheet or word document of what you feel is important for you as a coach to do for your players. Make a list.

Step 2 -- Clarify. Once your list is finished, go through and make sure you didn't miss anything. Also, look for things that appear contradictory. If you find some, think about what the differences are between the two and then remove one, or clarify it if need be. Once you get a clear understanding of what is important to you as a coach, you should have a good list of principles to use to develop your policies.

Step 3 -- Communicate. Clean up and edit your document and then use it as a handout at your first practice, or attach it to your introductory letter. At your parent meeting (yes you should have one of these), go over it with parents and let them ask questions. This should put everyone on the same page. By communicating your philosophy and policies at the beginning of the season, you will save yourself headaches and distractions later on.

In closing, here are some sample principles that I have heard other coaches incorporate into their philosophy.

* Doing your best is more important than success.
* Coaches, Players and Parents should be positive at all times.
* Good sportsmanship is mandatory.
* Players and Coaches should have fun.
* Players and Coaches should be disciplined.
* Players and Coaches should be enthusiastic.
* Always keep a good attitude.

There are probably hundreds or thousands more, but this should give you a good start. I wish you success in your youth baseball coaching endeavors. Make it a great season!

Larry Miljas believes that coaching youth is very important as it gives us a chance to influence tomorrow's leaders. He is a martial arts instructor and little league baseball coach that wants to provide baseball tips, drills, and information on techniques for hitting, pitching, coaching, and training through his website at http://www.TheYouthBaseballCoach.com

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Little League Digest - 2 Free Baseball Batting Tee Drills That Produce Incredible Results

Little League Digest - 2 Free Baseball Batting Tee Drills That Produce Incredible Results
By guest author: Nick Dixon


Many people underestimate the versatility and effectiveness of the baseball batting tee. The batting tee can be used in a variety of locations and heights. Improve your Little League Team hitting success with these two recommended hitting drills for coaching Little League batters. The two batting drills are the "High Tee Drill"and the "Low Ball Tee Drill". Each of these drills allows the batter to practice hitting a specific pitch location that is often difficult to practice hitting.

High Tee Drill

The purpose of this drill is to allow the batter practice repetition at hitting the high fastball. The high fastball is the most difficult pitch to hit. Extending the batting tee to its highest level and placing the tee over the middle of the plate allows repetitive practice at hitting this pitch location.

The high tee drill makes the batter use more muscles to swing the bat than a lower setting. Keeping the target ball high makes the batter control and drive the bat without the use of gravity that can be used on a lower ball target setting.

Low Ball Tee Drill

The most difficult pitch location to hit is the low and away strike. By lowering your batting tee you give your player practice repetition at hitting the most difficult pitch location. You may place the tee inside, away and on the middle of the plate to give the batter practice at hitting all possible low strike locations.

I hope that you found this article informative and useful. Thanks for taking the time to read it. Good Luck to you and your team. Have a great day, Nick

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Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine and the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

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Intricate And Advanced Hitting Skills

Intricate And Advanced Hitting Skills
By Jim Bain


At times there seems to be such a tremendous amount of information pertaining to how to play baseball we become literally overwhelmed and shut down. We don't seem to know which drill or exercise to perform in what order.

I've found that sometimes just throwing a few drills, tips or advise out and letting the player choose which to take first lends to getting back on track and that's exactly what I have done here by offering various hitting drills from which you may choose.

1. Batting Gloves It seems somewhat out of place listing batting gloves as a way to hit as it really has nothing to do with mechanics. However, the use of batting gloves have become so popular it's worth a mention.

When buying batting gloves, only buy gloves that do not wrinkle. They will be more expensive, but ironically batting gloves were first used to keep players from developing blisters due to extended batting practices. Now ill fitting or wrinkling gloves are producing the blisters they were intended to prevent.

2. Batters Box We are constantly drilled to keep our head still as we swing in order to maintain eye / bat contact with the ball, but we never stop and think about always standing in the exact same spot in the batters box. If we constantly change where we stand in the batters box, it changes the perception of the oncoming ball and produces muscle confusion, which will prevent us from ever being able to consistently hit a breaking ball.

Unless you're changing your batting location in the box permanently, take your stance in the exact same spot every bat, every game. If the catcher's squeezing you, crowd back...he'll move.

Follow Through We're always hearing the Coaches yell "Follow Through" to their pitchers. Maybe we ought to start doing the same to hitters. We say we want to Hit the ball, but actually that's not quite correct. What we should be saying is we want to Hit Through the ball.

When finished swinging a hitter's bat should be high over and behind his head. Just as there is a beginning to a swing there is an ending and swinging through the ball is where the power originates. Have you ever seen a golfer stop his swing immediately after he hit's the ball? Be sure to finish your swing.

Bringing the Knob Thru the Zone You've probably heard the saying "Throw the Bat head thru the zone." What they are referring to is bringing the barrel of the bat, the sweet spot, in front of your hands. This offers a quick bat and power when good contact is made.

I'd like to offer a different theory. In order to maintain better bat control, which means more hits, but not necessarily of the power type, we lead with our hands. Another way of saying this is we lead with the knob of the bat.

In order to do this we control the bat with our top hand (on the bat). When we bring the bat thru the strike zone the top hand must be palm up. This guides and controls the bat towards the ball. Using this technique will make you a better hitter as far as contact.

Jim Bain - Former Minor league baseball player, who since retiring has dedicated his life to teaching baseball to youth. Visit his exciting info packed website: http://www.Learn-Youth-Baseball-Coaching.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Bain

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Little League Digest - Proper Baseball Swing Mechanics and the "Belly Button" Rule of Hip Turn

Little League Digest - Proper Baseball Swing Mechanics and the "Belly Button" Rule of Hip Turn
By Nick Dixon
Little league Digest: Baseball Batting Coaching Tips: Teaching Hip Turn Mechanics and Using the "Belly Button" Rule to Improve Baseball Swing Quality

The hips play an important part in the baseball swing process. The turn of the hips helps to generate power and bat speed. There are several important coaching points about the involvement of the hips in the swing. The "B B" rule is one good way to teach young players the degree of hip turn on various pitch locations. This article presents several coaching points and explains the "B B" rule.

Here are 10 Coaching Points related to Hip Movement Mechanics:

1. The degree of hip movement is determined by the location of the pitch.

2. The hips must turn more when hitting an inside pitch.

3. The hips will turn less when hitting a pitch away.

4. The hips should not move before the hands and bat.

5. To free the hips, the back foot must spin, rotate or turn onto the toe.

6. The hips follow the barrel. The hips should open behind the barrel, not before it.

7. Premature front side or hip movement will cause a batter to pull the head and to pull of pitches.

8. The correct hip movement is a spin. Lunging or sliding the hips forward is not acceptable.

9. The hip movement should be a thrust or fast rotation. The faster the rotation of the hips, the faster the bats speed.

10. The degree of hip rotation can be taught by teaching the "Belly Button" rule as explained below.

The "Belly Button Rule" is explained as the following:

The Belly Button should follow the barrel of the bat through the baseball swing process. The location of a pitch determines hip turn. The degree of hip turn determines where the belly button is pointing when the batter finishes the baseball swing. The belly button should always finish in a position that points toward the direction in which the baseball was hit.

For example, when a ball is hit to the opposite field, the batters "Button" should point or be directed toward the opposite field when the swing is completed. If a batter pulls an inside pitch, the belly button should follow the ball and point toward the direction in which the ball was hit.

Coaching Point: For right and left handed batters, if the ball is hit through the box, up the middle, the belly button should "shine" or point toward second base when the swing is complete. For right handed batter, is a ball is pulled, the belly button should finish pointing toward third base. If a right handed batter hits the baseball down the right field line, the button should point toward first base when the swing is completed. If a left handed batter pulls the baseball, the hips should turn completely and the button should finish pointing at first base. If a left handed batter hits the ball to left field, the hips should turn less and the belly button should finish the swing pointing the 5-6 hole or between 3rd and 2nd base.

I hope that you found this article to be informative and helpful. Thanks for taking the time to read it. I wish you and your team good luck this season! Have a great day, Nick.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Dixon

Baseball Coaching Tips - Swing, Drive, Stroke

Baseball Coaching Tips - Swing, Drive, Stroke
By guest author: Joe Brockoff

Swing, one of the most common phrases heard on baseball fields around the world. And we hear it in both negative and positive ways. Coaches, dismayed by a batter who takes a swing at every pitched ball, shout "Swing at the good ones" to players frustrated by their lack of ability to make contact with the ball. What do they hear in response? "I don't know when to swing."

Here's how coaches can help young baseball players improve contact with the ball. Visualize a bat swinging. The club head is moving and arching as it approaches the ball for contact. This is what most people visualize when they think about "swinging." However, swinging is just not a good idea. It doesn't allow for the hitter to have the best chance for maximum contact. Even the word swing, gives the impression that the bat makes a long arc as it goes to the ball.

Introducing the Drive. First, eliminate all references to a swing from batting practices. Instead, teach youth or older baseball players to drive the bat in a straight line to make contact.

In other words, we don't swing the bat to hit the ball-we DRIVE the bat to the ball in a straight line to get contact. We make contact, and then the bat swings! The bat should not arc until after contact. So a batter doesn't swing the bat, he STROKES it.

The hitter who uses this stroke sends the bat in a straight line to connect with the ball, which produces better contact and distance. This is what we call the "pro stroke.".

Hi. I'm Coach Joe Brockoff, a Division I Head Baseball Coach for Tulane University for more than 19 years, and former minor league player for the New York Yankees. Over the years, I've taught thousands of baseball players how to increase batting speed and improve their overall performance on the field. In fact, my proven training system has sent 45 baseball players to the pros. I hope you'll visit my web site, the Super 8 Baseball Hitting System at http://www.learnbaseballhitting.com to watch some of my free instructional videos.

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Learn Baseball Hitting - Baseball Practice Plans

By Guest Author: Tracy Young

When you set for baseball practice plans, there should be an outline of the activities that you and your team are going to undergo. What is important there is to use the same routine during each practice but with a variety of drills. You must take note that practice lengths and frequency of practice will vary according to age of the players.

Click Here For Learn Baseball Hitting Instant Access Now!

The baseball practice plans should include the warm up, base running, throwing, stations and team work activities. The warm up exercises include slow jogging, stretching of legs, stretching of torso and stretching of arms. These exercises should all have 10 minutes duration. Base running exercises include infield hit, round first, run for a double and run for a triple. All should be done in 10 minutes duration. Do take note that after each sprint to a base you must jog back to home plate.

Practice throwing is done by two players; with one partner on the foul line and the other in the outfield. These should have 10 minute duration as well. The stations have a total of 40 minutes, with 10 minutes for each. These exercises are the ground balls, the pop ups or fly balls, hitting on field or in batting cages and fielding balls hit by batter or hitting off of batting tees. The ground ball and fly ball stations need to be outside of the playing field if the players are hitting on the baseball diamond.

The team work exercises include scrimmage, cut offs or relays, run downs, pitching drills, base stealing and base running or tagging up etc. This activity has 50-minutes duration.

These baseball routines are very essential for players to master. A lot of practice is what a player needs to perfect the skills in a baseball game. And another important thing to remember when practicing is to always employ the correct form.

Click Here For Learn Baseball Hitting Instant Access Now!

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Tracy Young - About the Author:

This author writes about Learn Baseball

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The Delayed Steal in Little League Baseball

The Delayed Steal in Little League Baseball
By Guest Author: Marty Schupak

The delayed steal is one of the better strategic and fun plays in youth baseball. Players on your team will love this when it works correctly. It is an aggressive way of advancing to an extra base. It is a strategy that should be practiced, but is unfortunately disregarded by many coaches. And though it is not full proof, I'll go over some key things to look for to keep the odds in your favor of succeeding. Let's go through the key indicators for the delayed steal to succeed.

As a coach, there are usually three key indicators I look for to determine if we should try the delayed steal. Any one, two, or all three that a coach observes being done, plus, depending who the base runner is, will determine if the coach should attempt the delayed steal. The first thing and probably the most important thing to look for is to see where the pitcher stands to retrieve the ball when there is a man on base. If the pitcher stands on the spot where he released the ball or goes back to the top of the mound to retrieve the ball from the catcher, this is a great indicator for a possible delayed steal. The further the pitcher is from the catcher when retrieving the ball, the more time the base runner has to steal a base. The second thing we look for is if the catcher drops to his knees when he throws the ball back to the pitcher with a man on base. The catcher that drops to his knees will not have a lot on the ball, and it is not moving very "speed like" back to the pitcher. This will also give the base runner more time to get to the next base. The third thing we look for, similar to the pervious, is if the catcher throws a rainbow type of throw back to the pitcher instead of a line drive. The looping throw, just like throwing from his knees, will not have a lot on the ball. Now, in a lot of situations you will have a catcher who does both, throws from his knees and also throws rainbows back to the pitcher. This is really a great advantage.

The base runner is also a determining factor. Youth coaches must be able to grasp the fact that the fastest player on your team is not necessarily your best base runner. I've had players that were among the fastest in the league but were not great base runners. Conversely, I've had players with only above average speed who were terrific base runners, and at 11 and 12 years old, had instincts beyond their age.
The job of the base runner is to not make his move too obvious to the other team. He kind of sneaks off the base in a subtle manner with his knees bent, and once he sees the catcher let go of the ball, he should turn toward the base he is running to, and once it is within reach, he must slide.

We practice the delayed steal at almost each practice. When your team gets a reputation for doing this, other teams will become very aware and make certain adjustments. This isn't to say that as a team after a few games with successful delayed steals, you shouldn't try it. But you should pick and chose your moment. Another residual benefit is that spending time practicing this will make your players pay more attention to the field of play when they are on base and this can result in getting extra bases via an overthrow from the catcher to the pitcher or a wild pitch.
The delayed steal is one of the more exciting plays that will help your team gain base running awareness and result in getting extra base running. But this must be practiced rather then just instructed your team to do it during the game.

http://www.YouthSportsClub.com

Marty Schupak has coached youth baseball for 18 years and is the video creator of "The 59 Minute Baseball Practice", "Backyard Baseball Drills","Winning Baseball Strategies","Hitting Drills & Techniques" and author of the popular book, "Youth Baseball Drills". He is also President of the Youth Sports Club, a group dedicated to making sports practices and games more enjoyable for kids.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marty_Schupak

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Baseball Coaching Tip - How to best use your time.

Wasting time is something that baseball coaches should avoid. There is nothing more precious to a player, to parents, or to assistant coaches than time. Time spent at the baseball field must be considered valuable or constructive time. We are coaches because we love the game and we want to help young players grow up to great adults. We help nuture that process by teaching good morals, good values, and good habits. There is no more important thing for a kid to learn than the value of time and the importance of always being punctual.

The key to showing that you value someones time is to have your team practices, meeting, and other acitivites planned and organized.

Here are my 10 tips for showing the value of time:
1. Be punctual at all times. If a practice is schedule to start at 3:00. You should start it eactly at 3:00. Not one minute arly or one minute late. If the practice is set to end at 5:00, end the practice on time. A coach that is constantly running practices over is showing little regard for time and family life. If you do not end it on time. Why should you start it one time. You running a practice is not different than a player arriving 10 minutes late.
2. Stop drills when the alloted time is up. Do not run over.
3. Do not waste practice time having coaching conference. Have your coaching meeting after practice or 30 minutes before practice.
4. Have a practice schedule. Have every minute accounted for and planned. Use odd minutes in drills such as 7.5 minutes. This emphasizes the value of time.
5. Have agenda for team meetings. If you have a team meeting without a purpose or agenda, you may be wasting time. If you have a team meeting and ramble on and on talking in “circles”, you are wasting valuable time.
6. Have a designated place in the dougout for each player’s belongings. Make sure every players name or number is clearly visible on their glove, batting glove and bat. This saves time when a players has to find a glove, a bag, or a bat.
7. Do not talk through the fence with a parent or friend during practice. Kids should not do it and coaches should not either. You are showing a definite lack of respect for practice time. Make sure that you make it known that you will not have discussions or converstations with anyone during practice time.
8. Set all training equipment up before practice. Do not wate valuable practice time assembling, locating, or moving practice equipment.
9. Always disassemble and pack the training equipment up after the designated practice time is over. Do not waste valuable practice time packing way equipment.
10. Do not talk all night after a game. Set a time limit to post-game or post-practice meetings. If you can not say it in 5 minutes, they are not going to remember it anyway. Younger kids are going to “turn you off” after about 5 minutes. Save some of your talk for the beginning of your next practice.

Baseball Coaching Tip: Why batter/baserunners should always run through the bag at first base.

"A True Story That Shows The Importance
of Running Out Everything To First Base."

It was a high school game. The home team was batting, down one run, 3-1, with bases loaded and two outs. The count was 3-2 and runners were moving on the pitch. The batter, who was the home team's #2 hitter, got a fastball on the outter half. He was expecting it and he got "all of it"! He ripped a hard linedrive right at the second baseman's open glove.

The batter seeing the ball go into the fielder's glove immediately slumped in disappointment half way to first. He goes down to his knees with his face in his hands. He was basically "feeling sorry for himself". In the meanwhile he wasn't aware that the ball went through the webbing of the secondbaseman's glove. The secondbaseman had to look behind himself, go get the ball and throw to first for the out. The secondbaseman was quick as a cat so this didn't really take long.

However, the batter has great speed and would have been safe at first. The saddest fact of all is that the two runners moving on the pitch crossed homeplate. They both would have scored and the home team would have won the game if the batter would have just done what his coaches had told him hundreds of times since his Little League days, "Run Everything Out, Don't Assume Anything & Don't Think Until You Know!

Have a great day,
Nick

Baseball Coaching Digest: Trick Play Alert: Switched Base Runners

Baseball Coaching Digest: Trick Play Alert: Switched Base Runners


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Baseball Coaching Digest: Trick Play Alert: Switched Base Runners

Some baseball trick plays are shady. Some baseball trick plays are just bend the rules a little while others are absolutely underhanded and are a true display of bad sportsmanship. This is just such a play.

This play is a illegal play used by teams on unsuspecting teams during a time out. Most teams use this ploy when the defensive team is making a pitching change and the 3rd base coach has called the runners over for a conference while the new pitcher is warming up. This article explains the situation, the details of how the play is run and how to prevent this trick play from being run against you.

Name-"Switched Base Runners"

Type Play-Offensive

Situation-Two or more runners on base.

Objective-The offense will actually switch the position of two or more base runners to give them an advantage.

Details-This play is one of the most "under-handed" or "dirtiest" tricks in baseball. It is an example of pure cheating. The offense will normally attempt this play when the defense is "struggling". The defense has called a time out and the defensive coach has gone out to talk to his team.

While the defense is having a "discussion on the mound" or changing pitchers, the 3rd base coach will call all of the base runners over for a discussion at the 3rd base coaching box. The offensive coach will actually tell the base runners to which base he wants each to go back to in order to give his team a "cheating" speed advantage. The offensive coach will "reposition" his base runners to a different location than where they were. The coach will change their "base positions" to take advantage of the faster runners speed. For example, with no outs he may put his fastest runner at third to make it easier to score on a tag-up or to beat the infield throw to the plate on a ground ball. If the tying or winning run is at second, he may put his fastest runner at second base.

The "underhanded" coach that runs this play, and gets away with it, does so because unsuspecting coaches and teams never look for such trickery and therefore never catch it. To help prevent detection, the offensive coach will delay the runners returning to the bags until the umpire warns or tells the coach to do so. The base runners will hurriedly sprint to their new assigned base and the impatient umpire puts the ball in play without hesitation.

Once the ball is put back in play, the attention is focused on the problem of stopping a rally and getting an out. It never crosses the defensive coaches' minds that they should check to make sure that the right base runners went back to their correct bases.

How do you stop it? You must always be alert for this type of trickery. Make sure that your score bookkeeper always checks the numbers on each base runner after a defensive or offensive timeout to make sure that they go back to their correct base. This type of trickery makes it imperative that you always keep an accurate score book with names and numbers of each starting player and sub.

Points to Remember: This play is an example of poor sportsmanship and cheating. Always be aware and check for such trickery.

The CoachesBest Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. Check out the BatAction Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Dixon

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Baseball Coaching Digest - The Top 10 Worst Youth Baseball Coaching Excuses of All Time

If you coach baseball, you are going to hear your share of excuses from other coaches. If you are like me and most coaches, you absolutely hate to hear anyone make an excuse for bad behavior or poor performance. But, it really make me furious when I hear a coach make an excuse. Coaches are in the job of teaching kids to be accountable and responsible. They should never try to justify a mistake or poor team performance by making an excuse.

Most coaches refuse to make excuses. They understand that behavior and actions have consequences. However, there is that small percentage of coaches that are always ready with a reason or excuse for poor team performance.

The Baseball 2Day Coaching Journal surveyed baseball coaches. One of the questions was "What was the worst excuse you ever heard from a coach?"

Here are the top 10 worst coaches excuses of all time:

#10..."I forgot how many outs there were. The umpire should have told me"

#9...."They are only kids... they don not know any better. They are not a very smart bunch."

#8...."You should give up your practice time because I scheduled a game on this field without consulting the field schedule because I helped found this league."

#7...."I Can not get my short stop to come to practice. He has not practiced in 2 weeks." (shortstop started the game and made several crucial errors)

#6...."That kid is not coachable. He knows it all at the age of 12." (When talking of a kid)

#5...."I was too busy talking to my wife to watch that play." (coach missed a great defensive play by his third baseman)

#4...."I was riding around town and I did not know what time it was." (assistant coach missed a scheduled practice)

#3...."I thought the game was canceled because of the rain." (Assistant coach arrived late for the game because he assumed that the game was rained out - it rained at his home, but not at the field.)

#2(tie)...."We do not play good in early games" (youth coach after losing a Saturday morning game)

#2(tie)...."We do not play good in late games" (youth coach after losing a Saturday late night game)

#1(tie)...."I was talking on my cell phone."(Coach of the batting team did not get into the third base coaching box until his team had two outs in the inning)

#1(tie)...."I was texting my wife" (Coach failed to shake hands with the opposing coaches after the game.)

I know that you feel like I do. I feel that many of these guys are wasting their time attempting to coach youth baseball. If their excuses are true indications of their level of commitment and dedication, they need do what is best for the team and resign.

Have a great day, Nick.

The CoachesBest Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. Check out the BatAction Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Dixon

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The Categories they have are: Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!
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Baseball Tips on Hitting - How to Stride When Hitting

By Larry Cicchiello

Just so we are all clear, the stride is when the front foot of the hitter steps toward the pitcher, just before the hitter is getting ready to swing at the ball.

Exactly when you should start your stride varies among hitters. Usually, the stride begins a fraction of a second before the pitcher releases the ball and that's my preference. Many teach that the stride should start when you see the pitcher pivot on the rubber and the hitter can see the pitcher's rear end. That is NOT my preference. I think it's too early and leaves the hitter in a little bit of a "pause" mode and hinders momentum into the pitch. I like the swing to take place immediately after the stride.

Whether you stride when the pitcher pivots or a split second before the pitcher's release is a personal preference. On the other hand, it makes no sense at all to stride very late and have to rush everything after that. The stride is actually a weightless step that is used for timing. You should pretend that you are stepping on a sheet of ice and don't want to slip and fall. No transfer of weight should take place when striding.You should land on the ball of your foot.

You should stride with your front foot and toes pointing straight across from your body. If you have a tendency to "fly open," I would highly recommend pointing the toes slightly inward. In other words, slightly back toward the catcher. This will encourage you to "stay closed." Opening any part of your front side too early will create many baseball hitting problems. One, your head will go along for the ride and you will be looking at the baseball out of the corners of your eyes. Two, any power you have will be lost because the hitting is not taking place out by your third base coach if you are a right-handed hitter or by your first base coach if you are a left-handed hitter. Lastly, low and away pitches will be almost impossible for you to hit successfully. Stay closed!

Always remember that the stride and the swing are two separate movements. There is a fine line between them and only a fraction of a second, but they must be separate and preferably smooth movements. The stride must be completed BEFORE the ball is in the hitting zone. The length of the stride varies from none at all to a couple of feet. The average stride is about four inches.

Some believe that the shorter the stride is the better it is. Some very good hitters take no stride at all. They simply pick up their front foot and then put it back on the ground in the same spot. My personal preference is about a 4 inch stride and it will be your shot to call on this one, as to which YOU prefer.

An advantage in keeping the stride short is that it encourages your head to "stay quiet." In other words, a long stride may possibly cause your head to move around more and make it more difficult for your eyes to actually focus on the baseball.

Remember, it is absolutely necessary to keep your weight back when you stride! "Foot forward, weight back." Some youngsters have a hard time with this. When they stride and their front foot goes forward, they have a strong tendency to shift their weight forward also. This is NOT what you want to do.

Larry Cicchiello is the successful author of several very user friendly eBooks covering 320 topics on playing or coaching excellent baseball. ANY player, coach or parent who wants to help their child will be fully equipped! Check out some FREE baseball tips on hitting and FREE baseball pitching tips at LarryBaseball.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Larry_Cicchiello

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How to Take an Energy Packed Pre-Game Infield Practice

AdvancedSkillsTee.com
By Jack Perconte

Pre-game infield practice can be extremely useful for youth baseball, where kids are still learning to play the game correctly. However, I've never understood the traditional infield practice routine. Hitting the ball to a player that knows the ball is coming is not very game-like. Of course, we want our fielders to expect and want the ball hit their way. In games though, players never know the ball is coming to them for sure, like it is done in the traditional infield practice method.

The traditional way of taking infield, where coaches begin by hitting the ball to the third baseman and continuing position by position, is often boring and "energy lacking" for players The traditional way serves to get players' arms loose and ready for the game, however, it can be done in a much more useful way. With a few modifications to the traditional infield practice routine, infield practice can be used to help youth baseball players learn the finer points of the game much quicker. With these modifications, more energy is created, as players become more alert fielders and more knowledgeable players.

Here are the modifications that may add a spark to infield practice. Adding the new dimension of hitting the ball to any position randomly, and at any time, makes players much more alert. This random infield practice method keeps players on their toes because the ball may be hit to them at anytime, as well as putting their mind in a game-like state. Additionally, coaches can call out where runners are on base and instruct players how to adjust their positioning depending upon the called-out situation. Over time, coaches will begin to see players know how to adjust their positioning on their own, which will carry over into games. Of course, having players learn the game and how to adjust on their own, until it becomes second nature, is the objective of good coaching and why this modified pre-game infield practice is so valuable.

Of course, this random approach can be done with outfielders also, where the ball can be hit to any field at anytime, and with called-out situations. When this is done, infielders will be learning how to line up correctly for cut-offs also. Outfielders will have to be thinking game-like also of where to throw the ball and of hitting the cut-off man. This alternative infield/outfield practice can be a valuable learning time. Coaches may find that it takes up more time than available. When that is the case, coaches can use this method in practice until their team is ready to use it pre-game.

Coaches do not have to totally abandon the traditional way of taking infield, but using this method can infuse energy into a team and help players learn the game much better. Finally, I have seen this pre-game infield practice get the competitive advantage over the opposing team. Often, this modified infield practice gets the attention of the opposing team and may served to psyche the opposing team out with the increased energy and innovative approach. Seeing players automatically reposition themselves and know where to throw balls depending on the situation will definitely impress the opposition.

Former major league baseball player, Jack Perconte gives baseball hitting tips and batting practice advice for ballplayers of all ages. His baseball playing lessons, books and advice can be found at http://www.baseballhittinglessons.com/baseball
Jack is the author of two books, The Making of a Hitter and Raising an Athlete - his positive parenting advice and books can be found at http://positiveparentinginsports.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jack_Perconte

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The 10 "Must Do's" of Coaching Baseball and Softball

The 10 "Must Do's" of Coaching Baseball and Softball
By Nick Dixon

I have compiled my list of the "MUST DO'S", that I feel every coach must coach by! These reflect the duties and responsibilities accepted when one becomes a coach. Here are my "MUST DO'S":

1. I MUST..."Always remember that I am a role model, on and off the field, for all players and kids. I must remember that everything I do is observed. Everything I say is heard.

2. I MUST..."Always remember that something I say or something I do not say can have an profound positive and negative affect on a player. I am a coach because I care! I care about the game. I care about my players. I must act like I want to be there! My player will observe and emulate my attitude. My attitude must show my dedication, excitement, and enthusiasm!

3. I MUST..."Constantly remember that the safety and well-being of my players is my responsibility and the old saying, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure", is never truer than when it applies to sports accidents. Youth coaches should apply a team rule that that at practice no player should swing a bat, unless the coach has given them permission to do so.

4. I MUST..."Be fair to every player. I will treat every player equally with the same respect. I will always be honest with my players. I will be mindful that praise is a great motivator. I will at times use constructive criticism but I will always maintain a balance between correction and praise. I will speak "one-on-one" with every player, every day. This may be something as simple as the question, "Jon, how is your day going?".

5. I MUST..."Demand and receive respect from every player at all times. Disrespect will not be tolerated. I will remember discipline is a vital part of the game. Team and self-discipline is something I must teach and reinforce. Kids expect and love discipline. Many players do not get enough discipline at home."

6. I MUST..."Dress and look the part of a coach. I will keep a clean and neat appearance at all team practices and games."

7. I MUST..."Remember that to be a good coach, I must first be a good teacher. It is my responsibility to teach the fundamentals, rules and skills of the game. I will structure and organize every practice and pre-game ritual so that my players will know what to do, will know what to expect, will be focused and stay busy." I must remember "idle" time is "trouble" time when one is dealing with kids. I will always be the first to arrive and the last to leave all games, practices, meetings, and all other team events!"

8. I MUST..."Coach the details during the game to help my players learn and perform to their highest level". I will work hard at all times during practice and games. I will instill in my players the value of hard work and preparation.

9. I MUST..."Remember that character development and self-confidence are what youth sports is all about. Kids do not have to play. They play because they want to have fun! I must have fun, know how to laugh, and enjoy every minute along with my kids!"

10. I MUST..."Remember, that "WINNING is NOT EVERYTHING" but "EXPECTING to WIN" is. I must instill hope and confidence as I prepare my team for each game!

Visit BaseballCoachingDigest.com for a great selection of Baseball Coaching and Training Articles. Check out the BatAction Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Dixon

The CoachesBest Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. Check out the BatAction Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Dixon

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The Categories they have are: Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!
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Youth Baseball Coaching Blog: Free Coaching Articles for Our readers

Good Wednesday Morning to you. Here are 4 articles that I recommend.
Have a great day. Nick

Coaching Baseball - Two True Base Running Blunders That Teach a Lesson

We all know the importance of good base running. We know that "solid" base running scores runs and wins games. We also know that poor base running can easily cause a team to lose a game. The following two stories are true stories of base running mistakes that cost the team a win. All the team had to do to win was to have the base runner advance to the next bag. These two stories are great stories that you can tell to your players to teach young players two important rules of base running.


Coaching Baseball - Strategies For Facing Overpowering Pitchers

Every one of us has at one time or another, either as a player or a coach, had to face what is considered the "unhittable" pitcher. You know what I mean, the pitcher that is undefeated because he has an overpowering fastball, nasty curve ball, and a 3 pitch arsenal of potent pitches that intimidates the average team while he is just warming up. Coach Dixon discusses is strategies that can used when your team faces a dominating and overpowering pitcher. The main strategy in this situation is that you must have a "strategy" that you and your kids believe will work. The trick is have several scenarios and plans that you will apply as the game progresses.


Youth Sports Coach - Watch What You Say

Volunteering to coach youth sports can be one of the most rewarding experiences in your life. It is a privilege to spend time teaching, coaching and mentoring youngsters in one of the most critical stages of their mental and physical development. Many kids do not have positive role models in their life. Many kids do not get the attention and the discipline that they need and desire. The main thing I want to discus today is the importance of thinking before you speak and the fact that your words greatly affect the self esteem of your players.


Coaching Baseball Pitchers - Two Windup Variations Used to Disrupt a Batter's Concentration

There are two simple actions that a pitcher can use to distract or disrupt a batters concentration. The two actions are the "double pump windup" and the "start over" pitch deliveries that are done to change a pitchers regular windup. Both of these actions are used when there are no base runners on base. They both serve as effective ways to disrupt the concentration of opposing batters.

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Five Drills to Do When Hitters Pull Their Head

Five Drills to Do When Hitters Pull Their Head
By Jack Perconte

One of the most common hitting problems involves hitters taking their eye off the ball before making contact. Solving this problem is rarely as simple as just telling a hitter to "Keep your eye on the ball" or saying, "See the ball hit the bat." Usually, hitters pull their head and subsequently their eyes off the ball because of an incorrect hip turn or having a long arm swing, failing to use their hands and forearms.

Having said that, there are some good hitting drills that baseball coaches can have their players do that will help ballplayers keep their eye on the ball. Also, by controlling their head throughout the swing, it will help all the other hitting fundamentals, which is an added bonus of these drills.

Head Control Drills that will help hitters keep their eyes on the ball:

1. During batting practice, place an object to the opposite side of home plate from where the hitter stands and a few feet in front of home plate. This object (player's glove, pop can, etc...) should be in line with hitter's eyes at contact with the ball. The object of drill is to have batters keep their eyes on this object after contact is made and until the completion of their swing.

2. Along the same lines and when performing tee, flips or dropped ball drills have the coach, who is standing off to the side, flash a number down with his fingers immediately after contact. The hitter is required to read the number before looking for the hit ball.

3. Behind the hitter flips are great for keeping a hitters head in on the ball. The coach kneels a safe distance behind the hitter where the catcher usually is and the coach flips balls forward into the hitting zone. Hitters watch the ball being released from the coach's hand and swings when the ball reaches the hitting zone. With this ball coming from behind, it will force the hitter to keep their head and eyes on the ball.

4. Writing a decent size number on a few baseballs during batting practice and having hitters try to read the numbers when hitting is also a good drill. This can be extremely challenging, of course, but will make the point of how well hitter's need to watch the ball.

5. It is important to realize that balance comes from the hitter's head. Practicing hitting on a balance beam or similar balancing object, can greatly help hitters keep their eye on the ball, as well as helping all swing fundamentals.

Finally, a habit that I use to incorporate in major league baseball was to watch the ball all the way to the catcher's glove on pitches that I did not swing at. Baseball coaches should teach young hitters to do that also. It will help them keep their eye on the ball when they do swing as well, which is the obvious goal.

Former major league baseball player, Jack Perconte gives baseball hitting tips and batting practice advice for ballplayers of all ages. His baseball playing lessons, books and advice can be found at http://www.baseballhittinglessons.com/baseball
Jack is the author of two books, The Making of a Hitter and Raising an Athlete - his positive parenting advice and books can be found at http://positiveparentinginsports.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jack_Perconte

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Baseball Coaching Digest - Team Making Too Many Errors? Two Great Mid Season Team Defensive Drills

Baseball Coaching Digest - Team Making Too Many Errors? Two Great Mid Season Team Defensive Drills
By Nick Dixon

Team defensive baseball drills should be a daily routine for your baseball team. Team defensive drills make your players execute and perform under pressure more than regular ground ball drills. These two team defensive baseball drills are excellent ways to build defensive skills, build confidence, and to improve mental concentration. The two drills are: 1) Infield Live Batting Drill 2) Live Game Action Drill.

If you incorporate these two drills into your baseball practice routine, I am confident that you will see an improvement in your team defensive play and a reduction in errors.

Infield Live Batting Drill - Your infield players will be in their regular positions and they will be making the plays. Your outfield will be the base runners. The coach hits the ball. When the coach hits the ball, the base runners will run to first. If the runner is safe, the runner is on first base. You will keep hitting balls until the infielder record three outs. The infielders must talk during this drill to make sure they know where the runners are, how many outs there are, and where the play should be made. For example, with bases loaded and two outs, the players will say "take it to the easiest base or that the play is at one".

This baseball drill has multiple purposes. The outfielders can improve their base running skills also. You will clear the bases after each three outs. The coach can also lay down bunts to check bunt coverage. Make sure to mark a starting spot for the base runners. Make sure that the runners wear helmets during this drill.

It is recommended that you perform this drill for 21 outs at least two days a week.

Live Game Action Drill - This drill is performed with all players at their defensive positions. You will have 5 or 6 players running the bases while your infielders make plays. The coach will hit the ball in this drill with the base runners going as far as the hit ball will allow them. The players must execute, communicate, and stay alert mentally during this drill. You will clear the baseball after each three outs. Normally you will require your team to do this drill for 21 outs two days a week. Make sure to mark a starting spot for the base runners. Make sure that the runners wear helmets during this drill.

I hope that these two drills prove to be useful in helping your team improve defensive play. Thanks for taking the time to read this article. For more articles like it, you can visit the Baseball Coaching Digest, Youth Baseball Digest, and Little League Digest. Good Luck to You and Your Team. Have a great day, Nick

The CoachesBest Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. Check out the BatAction Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Dixon

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Baseball2u.com/CoachesBest.com is the ultimate online baseball training and coaching store. With over 1400 products organized into categories Baseball2u.com makes finding that baseball training product easy and simple. Order securely online or by phone. Baseball2u.com is a fully licensed company and has a full time staff available from 8:00 to 5:00 CST. Their toll free customer service number is 1-877-431-4487.

The Categories they have are: Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!
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5 Expert Tips About Baseball Hand Signs

By Stan E Quin

Giving baseball indicators is a crucial part of the game. Here you'll study extra about signs and performs, catcher and pitching hand indicators as well as followers signs.

If you happen to be the coach of a Little League team, of course crucial factor is for you to ensure that the kids are pleased and doing their best. Once you're dealing with youngsters on a Little League team, things are a lot different. That features baseball signs that are used so that players on a workforce can talk effectively with each other without anyone on the opposing group understanding what they're saying. In any case, the most important thing is that these youngsters are going to have enjoyable and never have to spend the whole sport racking their brains attempting to figure out what their teammates are attempting to say to them.

A baseball sign may discuss with anything from a touch of the hat to a slide of the foot. Greater than something it's important to keep issues simple. Just ensure to keep issues simple because even for youngsters ten and over it may be a battle to memorize a bunch of different indicators particularly in the event that they're quite complex. Start off by maintaining to a minimal of ten perhaps twenty indicators, and follow having only some strikes concerned in each signal at the most so that the youngsters can nonetheless have enjoyable and never be spending the entire game racking their mind on which indicators are which.

You want to ensure that issues are actually basic and that you are not going to be complicated the little ones. You should also have different baseball signs for sure gamers, as this can preserve the opposing team guessing even more. This fashion the opposing group shall be more confused and have much less likelihood of figuring out what indicators it is that you're using. When developing with baseball indicators for your Little League team, know that getting the youngsters to review the completely different signs is so important.

The most effective manner is for youths to take the indicators dwelling in order that they can study them like homework. These youngsters are used to homework, so go over it with them within the locker room on the end of the day. Write the different baseball signs that you really want them to be taught on a chunk of paper, and have the youngsters take this residence and examine them at evening before going to bed. Do pop quiz a number of occasions earlier than games to be sure that the kids are on level and are ready to enter the game.

Chances are you'll discover that there are particular children who are finding it tougher to remember these signs. When you could have effective baseball indicators and the players on the workforce know learn how to use and understand them correctly, you'll start winning games. Little League is plenty of enjoyable and the children are going to be happiest when they're working together efficiently and winning. These are a few great ideas on easy methods to get your workforce coming collectively and learning the indicators that may help them to win games.

There may be a lot more to study baseball catcher signs. Read these suggestions on baseball hand signs for an knowledgeable resolution.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stan_E_Quin

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