Coaching Little League Baseball - A Guide to Keeping Young Players Focused

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Coaching Youth Baseball - How to Keep Youth Baseball Players Focused

By Guest Author: Jack Perconte

Keeping young players focused is a challenge in any sport but can be especially challenging in baseball because of the amount of time players stand around. There is not constant action or as much physical exertion in baseball as there are in other sports. Because of the amount of time in between pitches and the amount of pitches that are not put in play, it is easy for players' minds to wander. Coaching little league is a constant process of reminding young players to "keep their heads in the game." This is easier said than done, of course. Some young players have great sports instincts and are very focused and others are not mentally in the game at all. Most little league players are somewhere in between, where their focus comes and goes.

This is the reason why coaching little league baseball can be more challenging than coaching any other youth sport. Because of the lack of good little league coaching, many of the good athletes gravitate to other sports after playing little league baseball. It is a shame when good athletes choose another sport because coaches do not know positive coaching practices that will help young players stay focused. Following are good positive coaching practices that will help players remain focused during games.

First though, good coaches run fast moving practices with lots of attention given to each player and to the fundamentals of the game. Good little league coaches do not miss opportunities to teach game strategy during practice, as well as in games.

For keeping hitters focused, coaches should:

1. Never teach mechanics during a game at-bat.
2. Simply remind hitters to "see' the ball.
3. Teach the mentality to expect every pitch to be their pitch unless they see otherwise - with this in mind little league coaches should use a take sign sparingly, if at all.
4. Remind hitters they can only control one thing when hitting - talking good swings at good pitches.
5. Never get upset when players are aggressive and swing at bad pitches, just remind them to learn from that the next time.

For keeping fielders focused, coaches should:

1. Teach little league players how to get into ready position as the ball is being pitched.
2. Teach players to think two things before each pitch: what am I going to do with the ball if it is hit to me and what am I going to do if the ball is hit somewhere else. Of course, practice time is where players are taught the responsibilities at the various positions.
3. Teach pitchers to get in a quick rhythm, this will keep fielders on their toes and not allow minds to wander in between pitches.
4. Get in the habit of asking players, "Who wants the ball hit to them?" This mentality is slightly different than expecting the ball to be hit to them. I want players to want the ball hit to them.
5. Practice communication methods so players can remain aggressive, but safe, when going for batted balls.

For keeping pitchers focused, coaches should:

1. Explain to pitchers the importance of working quickly. After receiving the ball from catcher and taking a deep breath, pitchers should pitch the next ball. (Have pitchers watch Chicago White Sox pitcher, Mark Buerhle, to get the idea.)
2. Teach pitchers to focus on the glove and not the batter.
3. Teach pitchers what poise is about - the ability to stay in the moment and only worry about the things they can control - the next pitch.
4. Remind pitchers that they are a fielder after releasing the ball. Good fielding pitchers can help win games.
For keeping base runners focused, coaches should:

1. Remind players to be attentive to the scoreboard at all times - the score of the game, the count on the hitter and, most important, the number of outs in the inning.
2. Allow base runners to make their own decisions during games. This will force them to focus on the situation more, knowing they cannot rely on the coach to make decisions for them.
3. Work-on game-situation base running, rounding and leadoff technique as often as possible in practice.

Finally, it is always a good idea for coaches, before and after practices, to give players in-game scenarios and ask players what they would do in those situations. Players will begin to draw up the scenarios in their heads and will be more focused and prepared for those situations when they happen in games. This type visualization-challenge process is a good first step for players to focus their mind on baseball even when away from practice.

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.baseballcoachingtips.net and at http://jackperconte.com
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Top 10 Ways Baseball Coaches Ruin Their Players

By Guest Author: Jake Bryan

Coaches are always looking for new ways to help their players become better, when the fact is that often times they're ignoring the ways they're actually ruining their players. Below are ten ways that Baseball Brains has seen coaches ruin players.

1. Use Negative Directives

This is one of the worst things a coach can do, luckily it's also one of the easiest to fix if a coach makes a dedicated effort to do so. This refers to a coach telling a player "Don't swing at the high pitch!" Another example would be "Whatever you do, just don't throw it down the middle." These are negative directives, and they should be avoided at all costs. Always remember to tell a player what you DO WANT him to do, not what you DON'T WANT him to do. When you tell him not to strike out, the thing that sticks in his head, every single time, are the words strike out. It introduces failure and diminishes the players confidence.

"Don't swing at a high pitch" becomes "Swing only at pitches that are in the strike zone". This simple change makes the directive to the player much more affirmative and positive, much more like what we're looking for. "Don't throw it down the middle of the plate" becomes "Focus on working the edges of the plate". Simple changes that will make a huge difference in the mind of your athletes. It's more positive, it sounds like success, it breeds a greater confidence, and it will result in what you want far more often than what you don't.

2. Change Their Swing

Many coaches just simply cannot resist the temptation to teach a whole team an entirely new way to swing the bat. Every hitter needs to hit the same way, and the coach has the perfect way. This is a very complex issue as hitting is a very complex mechanic, however this approach to coaching hitting is almost always wrong. Hitting should not be over coached no matter the age level of the players. Of course very young players need to learn how to swing effectively, and players throughout baseball need drills and reminders of the small fundamentals of good hitting. However, coaching a swing to the team as a whole and demanding conformity to a new style is wrong, and will often have terrible results.

It takes thousands of swings to change a swing from a player's natural form and mechanics to some "perfect" form. That's just a fact. Numerous studies have shown that it takes at least three thousand repetitions to break a physical habit. Even if a coach had time in a season to force thousands of swings from each hitter on his team, the whole season would be lost to an ever changing swing in search of a new style which was never fully achieved. Two batters rarely look identical to each other, and this is a good thing.

This doesn't mean that hitting mechanics and fundamentals can't be coached, it simply means that one size fits all hitting systems never work. They result in season long inconsistency, frequent slumps, a drop in confidence, and often times a player will end up worse at hitting than before he received the coaching. There simply isn't enough time in a traditional amateur season to change a team's swing, stick to the mental approach to hitting and largely allow the players' natural swing to remain.

3. Try To Change Mechanics During a Game

This happens all the time, and it'll ruin a player in the game. Most of the time this occurs with pitchers. A coach will notice that the pitcher isn't striding fully and he'll go to the mound to tell him to stride better. This is a dangerous practice. First of all, if a pitcher's mechanics have gone away from him, it almost always means he's fatigued and should probably come out of the game. The second thing this does, is it gets him out of his "focus zone" and causes him to focus on some specific physical action. He'll go into the next pitches thinking "stride more fully", and the result will be lackluster performance in most other mechanics while he strives to achieve the one he's concentrating on. It'll also cause his mind to be on his legs rather than his job. As coaches, this isn't even close to what we want the pitcher to be thinking about. It'll lower his confidence, cause the other mechanics of the motion to break down, and take his focus off of the hitter and the job he needs to do to get him out.

This goes for all players on the field, and hitters also. The important thing for a player to do during the game, is focus on the moment and perform the best he can in that moment. Know the situation, know his role, do everything he can right then and there to help the team win. A pitcher needs to be thinking "What's the best pitch to throw here" far more than "Stride further". One will help the team win and the other will ruin your player. Keep coaching the mental side of baseball during the game, if the players are performing their duties incorrectly, such as not striding far enough out, work on it in practice where it belongs.

4. Don't Respect Them

Coach's believe sometimes that respect should be given to them by their players unconditionally. This never happens in real life, and it doesn't happen on the baseball field. Respect is earned, and the best way to earn respect from your players is to show some for them. Understand they will make mistakes, reward them for hard work, give them opportunities to win and succeed in practice.

There's tons of ways to show your players that you respect them. Another great thing that coaches can do is to do some of the conditioning drills with them. Get out there and run with them, let them see that you know that what they're doing is difficult and that you're willing to try some of it with them. Let them earn things in practice, and call them over now and then when nobody is watching and tell them thanks. It's amazing what a little "Thank you for the effort, you're a good ballplayer and I really appreciate and respect your attitude out here", can do. That literally can be the difference between a good and bad season for some players, never underestimate a compliment.

5. Don't listen To Them

This goes along with the one above, but it happens enough and it's important enough to warrant its' own number. Coaches believe often times that if they allow their players to have influence on the team or if they are allowed to make suggestions, then he loses his power over them. This couldn't be further from the truth. Now, we're not advocating turning a whole practice over to the players, although doing that a few times a year never hurt either. The goal here is to make the players feel like they have an investment and some influence in their own development.

It doesn't take a whole lot for a player to feel like he has some responsibility and ownership, just a couple simple things now and then. Ask the player what he thinks he should work on, what he thinks his weaknesses are, let him do the drills that he wants to do for a practice. Let the players decide what team drills they should do for an entire practice. Don't get this wrong, players need discipline and they need structure, but allowing input now and then is a great thing. It'll cause the players to feel like they have some skin in the game, some power in their play, and it'll make you seem more humble and, dare we say, respectable to them.

6. Give Them Unrealistic Goals

This list is about ways to ruin players and this will certainly do it. The fastest way to ruin a player is to destroy his confidence, and one of the best ways to do that is to cause him to repeatedly fail. Coaches often times won't even notice that this is happening, unfortunately this is true with a lot of the mental game which is why we put lists like this together in the first place. Since goals should be hard, they will sometimes be failed. This is not a bad thing in itself. The problem is that when they're too hard, they are failed too often.

Baseball Brains believes very strongly that goal setting is an extremely valuable tool and we advocate the use of goals throughout every practice during the entire season. However, they must be done correctly, and monitored closely. That second part is very important, they must be monitored constantly to make sure players are not becoming frustrated by losing or failing too many times in practice. Don't be afraid to modify goals if they aren't quite working out like you thought they would. Hard enough to make succeeding meaningful, but achievable enough so that failure doesn't become the norm.

7. Expect Them To Do Things You Haven't Taught Them How To Do

Never assume that a player knows how to do something if you haven't taught him how to do it. Now it goes without saying (but we'll say it anyway) that most of your players should know how to throw and catch and perform the basic skills of baseball. This is referring more to things like cutoff procedure from the outfield, double play turning at second base, hips closed mechanics for hitting to the opposite field, and things like that. Things which are not overly complicated, but things that not all players will always know, and this applies to almost all age groups.

There will almost always be players, even if it's only a few, which don't know how to do something that you think they should know how to do. If a coach berates or disciplines or becomes angry with a player for not doing something that has never been taught to them, that player will become resentful and frustrated. It's one thing to do something wrong when you know you did it wrong, it's a whole different ballgame to be punished for not being taught something. Again, this goes to the psychology (there's that word again) of the player. It isn't necessarily something the coach will see, but the drop in morale and the frustration toward the coach will be very real, and very detrimental to the player's performance. If you haven't showed them how to do it, don't expect them to do it right.

8. Be a Bad Sportsman

The job of a coach is to keep his players focused and intensely concentrated on the moment they are performing in. One of the greatest ways to destroy that and ruin your player, is to start yelling at umpires and displaying a bad attitude toward the other team. Sometimes in MLB a manager will get thrown out for the sole purpose of firing up his team and increasing their passion for the game. Needless to say, some things don't translate from MLB to lower levels of baseball, and this is one of them. It should be a constant reminder that you're giving your players to be good sportsmen, to respect the game and thus respect the other players, coaches and umpires. Bad calls, bad attitudes on the other team, opposing coach's who are behaving badly, these are all distractions which can take away from your players' focus on their job. Your job to is to remove as many distractions as possible, not become one.

9. Abandon You Own Methods

For a player in any sport to effectively learn and become good at a system, he first has to 'buy-in'. Once the player does this, he believes in it and he's willing to dedicate himself to it. Too many things go into getting a player to 'buy-in' to a system to discuss them all here, but one of the best ways to get players to believe in your approach and dedicate themselves to it, is to do those things yourself. Players will start out wanting to believe, wanting to believe that you're right and that they should follow you. However, they won't do it without skepticism. They'll watch you, and they'll gauge your conviction for it. Why should they be passionate and faithful if the guy teaching it doesn't even believe in it?

Coaches often do this without even realizing it. They'll preach things in practice and then panic when something isn't working in the game and change their approach. They'll receive attitude or resistance from a player or two and change how they coach. This is different that changing 'what' you coach, that's just fine most the time to evolve the areas of baseball that you cover throughout the season. However, if you change 'how' you coach and cave on your principles, the players will not give you anywhere near the dedication and effort you're looking for. Pick the right approach, be firm in your principles, be flexible if you're wrong, and fully dedicate yourself to your system. Your players will do the same.

10. React Emotionally

A lot of this list is related, and this one can be put in to a bunch of the categories above. What we'll talk briefly about here though, is coaches who react out of frustration and anger and issue bold proclamations. We've seen it in coaches in all sports, baseball perhaps the most. A player will talk back or do something the coach hates, and the coach's anger will boil up and you'll hear "That's it! You're on the bench for the rest of the tournament!". Then a game or two later the player is back in the lineup because the coach never meant that, he never wanted the player to sit out the last four games just for mouthing off a little.

Reacting emotionally can take many forms, but most of the time it causes the coach to say things that he doesn't mean, he won't live up to, and he wishes he could take back. The result is a coach that looks immature, spineless, reactionary, and unapproachable. Whenever a coach acts this way, he diminishes his players' confidence in him, and causes them to take his ultimatums and decrees much less seriously. Obviously these are not desired outcomes, unless your goal is to ruin your team.

Jake Bryan is a lead author in the Baseball Brains training system. There are numerous resources available at the website, including the full training manual for the system, drills, links and videos, and a Baseball Brains blog.

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Youth Baseball Clinic - Baseball Tips on Hitting - The Most Common Hitting Problems at Any Level of Play!

Baseball Tips: Correcting the Most Common Hitting Problems at Any Level of Play!

By Guest Author: Larry Cicchiello

If you have what is referred to as a "quick hip," please forgive my bluntness but you will have no chance of being a successful baseball hitter. Only on an inside pitch, can you get away with opening the front hip a little bit early. A "quick hip" is when the front hip opens a fraction of a second early. It is a common hitting problem and a very serious one for many hitters at all levels of play. One of the most important baseball tips on hitting is to remember that the swing itself should force the front hip open. If the hip is a fraction of a second too quick, it forces your front side to open too early and this is a recipe for disaster for a baseball player at any level of play.

Three Major Problems Occur if You Have A Quick Hip:

1. You will not see the ball well. Your head will go along for the ride with your "quick hip" and you will be looking at the ball out of the corner of your eyes when the moment of truth arrives and you attempt to actually hit the ball.

2. Your power will be lost. You will be leaning toward third base if you are a right-handed hitter or toward first base if you are a left-handed hitter. That is not where the hitting is taking place. The hitting is taking place in front of you, not to the left or right of you.

3. Your plate coverage will be poor. The only pitch you'll be able to hit with any success at all is the inside pitch and low and away pitches will cause many baseball hitting problems for you.

I wonder how much young players who are struggling at the plate would improve considerably if they made this fairly simple adjustment at the plate.

Keeping the front hip and the entire front of your body closed is one of the most important baseball tips on hitting. How common is the baseball hitting problem of having a "quick hip"? You can check it out for yourself. When watching a game live in person or on TV at any level of play, observe the weaker hitters. (The ones who are batting .220, .230 or .240.) Keep an eye on their front hip. In almost all cases, it will be opening too early.

On the other side of the coin, you can also check out the better hitters. They will be keeping their front hip closed!

Larry is the successful author of several very user friendly eBooks and CD's 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.

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Youth Baseball Mental Training

Youth Baseball Coaching

By Guest Author: Miles A Noland

The game of baseball cannot begin without the action of one position.

In basketball there is a lot of focus on the point guard. In football there is a lot of focus on the quarterback.

These are important positions, but there is no position that is more important than a pitcher in baseball.

There is so much responsibility that involves a pitcher. From throwing different pitches, knowing the various hitters, fielding their position, pickoff moves, to controlling the running game, to dealing with adversity, mental focus, and dealing with fatigue, a pitcher has a lot to deal with. If one of these important parts of pitching is missing, you do not have a complete pitcher. Missing one of these components negatively affects all of the other components. Most pitchers are not advanced to be good in all of these areas, however, when you realize what areas a pitcher is weak in you can begin to attack it and improve. The mental game in pitching is so important, oftentimes more important than the physical part. Andy Pettitte, great guy who I hung out with in the Dominican

You must teach your pitchers to think one pitch at a time. It is very easy to think about the past or future, and this inhibits your ability to be best the possible in the present. Cues such as get to the top of the baseball, or take a deep breath and focus on executing the pitch, create movement at release are great for creating the right type of focus. Attempting to throw harder in times of struggle or getting mad at infielders or the umpire are typical things that make a pitchers struggle even worse. Teach your pitchers how to coach themselves and watch them develop right under your eyes.

P.S. One pitch at a time, one pitch at a time. Oftentimes a mound visit is very effective in calming a pitcher down. Tell him to step off the mound and focus on dominating the things he can control. What can he control?

1. His focus
2. Executing each pitch
3. Attacking the strike zone
4. Taking deep breaths
5. His body language
Things he can't control?

1. Where the ball is hit
2. What the umpire calls
3. If his fielders catch the ball
4. The mound conditions
5. Bad luck

Get your pitchers to focus on the controllables and they will deal with failure and adverse conditions much better.

Coach it up,

Miles

http://www.iybca.org/gift

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Youth Baseball Clinic: Explosive Rotational Hitting for Beginners thru High School

Explosive Rotational Hitting for Beginners thru High School for more info buy "Beginners, thru Little League, Explosive Rotational Hitting dvd" $10.00 + sh www.sportstechnique.com Using the rotational power of the hips, exerpts from this 60 minute dvd, show 4 drills and help parents and athletes undertstand powerful hitting in easy to follow terms. For baseball and fastpitch

Infield Drills For Softball and Baseball Players - Get the Outs Your Team Needs!

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Infield Drills For Softball and Baseball Players - Get the Outs Your Team Needs!
By Dennis McCurley

Some old expressions just get better with time. To be any good at almost any sport you must "keep your eye on the ball". This is especially true when it comes to playing an infield position on any softball or baseball team. To fully live up to this statement you must practice, practice, and practice some more.

Someone once said that practice makes prefect. I totally disagree. However, prefect practice will make one prefect. Playing any of the infield positions on a baseball diamond requires many skills and some talent. To improve at the skill level one must participate in the drills of practice.

The first drill that most coaches and players work on is simply ground balls. Here it is important for the fielder to ensure that he/she is in front of the ball as it approaches. In youth ball it is recommended that the player actually go down on his/her left knee for right handed, opposite for left handed, and field the ball. The reason for going down on one knee to make sure the glove is on the ground so the ball will go under the glove and into the outfield. It is easier for a young player to drop to one knee than it is to lower the butt to allow the glove to be on the ground.

After all players have fielded several ground balls now it is time to begin situational drills. No body is on base, the ball is hit on the ground to third, the third baseman scopes up the ball and throws to first. This drill is repeated until all infielders, including the catcher, fields several ground balls hit to his/her area and successfully throws to first.

Now then the situation changes. Here you have a runner on first so the intent is to make sure you prevent this runner from advancing to second. So, wherever the ball is hit the first throw is made to second base. If the ball is hit to the left side of the infield then the second baseman covers the bag. If the ball is hit to the right side of the infield then the shortstop covers second. After several of these situational plays have been made it is time to step it up just a bit.

Once again you have a runner on first with less than two outs. Now you will still be concerned with preventing the runner from advancing to second but also want to attempt to throw out the batter at first base. This is call a double- play and is very important in the games of baseball and even softball.

If the ball is hit to third base, the infielder fields the ball, he is to throw to second base which will be covered by the second baseman. Here it is very important for the third baseman to make sure he steps directly towards second. If his step is more towards left center then the ball will tail in that direction and pull the second baseman off of the bag therefore preventing the first out of the double-play. If his step is more towards right cent or even right field then the ball will tail in that direction causing the second baseman to be pulled into the base path and possibly causing a collision between the fielder and the runner. Even if the second baseman is able to apply the tag the umpire might rule runner interference and award the base to the runner. This is why it is imperative for the third baseman to work on his footwork so that he/she will be able to make a true throw to begin the double-play.

Assuming that the third baseman delivered the ball to the second baseman without pulling the player in any direction it is now time for the second part of the double-play. If the second baseman was at the bag when he/she caught the ball all that needs to be done is the bag needs to be touch by either shoe, a step backwards is taken, then step and throw to first. This is the ideal way in which to turn a double-play. If the second baseman receives the ball as he/she is approaching the bag then the base must be touched and since the forward progress will take the player towards third the fielder would then jump in the air, twist his/her body around in the direction of first base, and then attempt the throw. I am sure that you can easily see why being at the base before the throw is the best way to complete this type of double play.

Now then if the ball is hit to the shortstop a simple relay toss needs to be made to the second baseman. Here it is important to make sure that the shortstop does not throw the ball in the same manner as if he was throwing to first base. While a quick throw is important, throwing the ball too hard for such a short throw will probably end up with the ball being missed or dropped by the second baseman. Again it is best for the second baseman to be at the bag awaiting the throw so he/she can then pivot and make the throw to first.

If the ball is hit to second the fielder must set his/her feet to make a clean toss or throw to the shortstop so that the throw to first can be made quickly and accurately. If the second baseman fields the ball as he/she is headed towards second then a simple underhand should suffice. If the fielder is moving towards first then the fielder will have to set his/her feet to enable an accurate throw to second which normally will be a sidearm throw.

Now then, if the ball is hit to the first baseman he/she will need to make sure that the lead foot is inline towards second base so the shortstop can then relay the ball back to first. The same manner as the third baseman the footwork must be correct. Again if the lead foot is more towards left field the ball will tail in that direction and if the foot is more towards center field the ball will tail that way. After making the throw the first baseman must then turn and return to first so that the relay throw from the shortstop will have a chance of completing the double-play.

After these situations have been covered and fully explained it is now time to work on the pop-up. Here it is important for the fielder to position themselves under the pop fly. They should make the catch with both hands to assure that the ball will not be able to spin out of their glove. If games will be played during the day then each fielder will need to practice shielding the sun from their eyes by using their glove to block the sun. This is not as easy as it appears but with practice the skill is obtainable.

By working on these drills one can only hope that the learned skills will equate into the outs that are needed to be reached in every game. Remember, practice does not make one prefect;however, prefect practice does enable one to be prefect.

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Youth Baseball - Solving Youth Baseball Hitting Problems

Youth Baseball Training - Solving Hitting Problems
By Jake Wyatt

In youth baseball training, hitting the baseball is often the most practiced skill. Every kid lives for the "crack" sound when the bat meets the baseball perfectly and sends the ball flying over the fence!

But many kids have yet to experience this thrill. With proper coaching and training, you can give your players the best possible chance of hitting a home run. Here are some hitting problems and potential ways to correct them:

Striking Out Too Much

Every team has a player that almost never hits the ball. The coach needs to play him, but doesn't know where to put him in the batting line up. With some special coaching, this player just might become a top hitter.

Here are some things to consider with a strike-out player:

1. Have his eyesight checked.

2. Make sure he isn't swinging too hard - if he is losing his balance after each swing, he is swinging too hard.

3. Tell him to adjust his goal from an over-the-fence home run to a nice even line drive.

4. Make sure the bat isn't too heavy for the player.

5. Have him develop a two-strike approach to guard against a strikeout (change his stance, change his grip on the bat, something different than the prior two strikes).

6. Encourage extra "hitting off the tee" practice.

Trouble With Inside Pitch

Some kids are scared of the inside pitch - with good reason. In youth baseball, pitcher inexperience causes many more players to be hit by pitched baseballs.

1. The most common cause of having a hard time hitting inside pitches is standing too close to the plate. Have the player move away from the plate a bit.

2. Have the player overcome his fear of being hit by tossing balls at him (slowly) and having him dodge them, so he can get his confidence up that he can avoid a direct body hit from an inside fast ball.

3. Again, additional practice off the tee setup inside the base can help improve this problem.

Hitting Too Many Pop-Ups.

All players love to hit the ball, but the pop-up is almost always an out. Preventing pop-ups is important in youth baseball.

1. Pop-ups are caused by hitting under the ball. Have the player practice hitting high pitches, to help them stay on top of the ball and learn how to hit it down.

2. Locking hips can cause pop-ups as well. Have the player practice a smooth stride and weight transfer.

These are some of the biggest hitting problems seen in youth baseball. With a little extra work, the coach can mitigate these problems and help lead the team to victory!

In order to be the best possible baseball player, training should happen year-round and be a joint effort between the coach, the player and the parents. Get more free tips to improve baseball performance, reviews of e-products related to baseball, and links to training resources at http://youth-baseball-training.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5754397

Youth Baseball Coaching Tips, Techniques and Strategy

Youth Baseball Digest: 10 Things Every Youth Baseball Coach Should Know About Bunting
Bunting is an important aspect of the game. Every youth baseball coach must be able to properly teach the techniques and skills related to bunting. You must also be able to "sell" your kids on the importance of learning, practicing, and properly executing both the sacrifice and base hit bunt. This article list 10 important coaching points that every youth coach should be familiar with.

Youth Baseball Digest: The 3 Absolutes of Coaching Youth Baseball
Baseball is one of the most demanding sports to coach. The purpose and function of youth baseball is to provide a quality sports team experience that builds baseball skills, teaches team-first attitudes, builds a respect for authority and regulations, and develops an appreciation for the value and consequences of hard work. To be a successful baseball coach, you must have an understanding how the game is taught, played and practiced. There are three absolutes that every youth baseball coach should remember when they plan, organize, and prepare their "game plan" for the coming season! This article outlines those three absolutes.

Baseball Coaching Digest - Coaching Young Baseball Pitchers With the 1, 2, 3 Pitching DrillQuality pitching is one of the keys to winning baseball games. Regardless if you are coaching a Little League, High School or College baseball team, it is difficult to consistently win with a weak pitching staff. Quality pitching staffs are made not made through hard work, off season training, and a commitment to detail when it comes to baseball pitching instruction. Learning to pitch a baseball requires a lot of practice repetition and drill work. The player must learn to control both his body and the flight of the baseball.

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Coaching Youth Baseball - Preventing Injuries

By Jake Wyatt


Youth baseball coaches have many duties. An important one is to reduce the risk of injury to players during practice and games. There are several things a youth baseball coach can do to help prevent injuries in their players. Some involve practice and pre-game routines, other involve teaching the players what they can do on their own time to keep their injury risk low.

The coach should require the following before all practices and games:

1. Significant stretching. The coach should establish a stretching routine for his team early in training so that players will know what to do before practices and games. The coach should ensure that adequate effort is put into the stretching routine by all players.

2. Running. The coach should require a certain amount of running at every practice and before every game. This cardiac warm-up will get the players ready for the physical activity that is to come.

It is important that the warm-up routine be well defined and communicated to the players. All players should start at the same time. The coach needs to be involved in these activities, not spending this time visiting with parents.

During practice, the coach should always watch a player's form in all activities. Improper form should be addressed and worked on until corrected. Proper form in pitching, hitting and throwing the ball will substantially reduce the potential for injury.

The coach should encourage, and perhaps require, the players to do some training on their own. This could involve the following:

1. Age appropriate weight training or band work.

2. Calisthenics, such as sits up, pull ups and push ups.

3. Cardio work, such as jumping rope or bicycling.

4. Yoga. Most kids will think this is silly, but yoga can increase flexibility and therefore reduce the risk of injury.

If a coach is diligent, he can reduce the risk of injury to his players significantly. This will lead to more enjoyable games for all involved - players, coaches and parents!

In order to be the best possible baseball player, training should happen year-round and be a joint effort between the coach, the player and the parents. Get more free tips to improve baseball performance, reviews of e-products related to baseball, and links to training resources at http://youth-baseball-training.com.

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

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Coaching Youth Baseball - Tips to Be Successful Without Alienating Parents

Coaching Youth Baseball - Tips to Be Successful Without Alienating Parents
By J Michael Wright

Every parent wants their child to be successful in sports. Youth baseball is normally the first sport in which a child participates. After all, baseball is "America's Game". Youth baseball presents a unique challenge to those that choose to coach. In addition to the task of teaching young children the sport and its many facets, the coach of a youth baseball team must also interact with the parents of the children on the team.

Children are introduced to this team sport as early as five years of age. Parents often become coaches at this time because they feel their child will get a better opportunity to play. Every parent, whether a coach or not, wants their child to be the team's star player. This will undoubtedly cause conflicts between coaches and parents.

Tips to be Successful Without Alienating Parents

1. The purpose of the coach in youth baseball is to teach children how to play the game of baseball and to work together in a team setting.

2. You should have a thorough knowledge and understanding of the rules of youth baseball and the league in which you are coaching.

3. Treat every child on your team fairly and give each an equal chance to play every position.

4. Do not show favoritism to any of the players on your team, especially your own child.

5. Understand that winning is not everything. It is more important that the children participate and have fun instead of worrying about the final outcome of a game.

6. Always maintain your focus on teaching the fundamentals of the game.

7. Plan your practices and the fundamentals you intend to teach at each in advance and stick to your itinerary.

8. Make your practices educational and fun. You will keep your players attention and help them learn and retain the lessons being taught.

9. Instill a sense of discipline and pride in your players. Teach them to listen, follow instructions and take pride in their accomplishments both on and off the field.

10. Offer encouragement and support to your players when mistakes are made. Keep criticism to a minimum.

Following these tips will help you be successful as a youth baseball coach and will prevent alienating the parents of your team members. Your success as a coach should be measured by the knowledge and appreciation of the game you instill in your players, not by the number of games won. Remember that your role as coach is to educate, promote enthusiasm for the sport and, above all, to have fun. In doing so you will find that conflicts with your players' parents will be kept to a minimum and create a more enjoyable experience for everyone involved.

(C) J Michael Wright

J Michael Wright is the proud parent of two children, has 12 years experience in coaching youth sports teams and has served on the boards of multiple youth sports organizations.

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

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Seven Tips on How to Hit a Baseball

Seven Tips on How to Hit a Baseball
By Daniel J Cogan

Trying to hit a baseball is one of the toughest things to do in sports. Not many people can go out with a bat and hit a baseball that is moving all different directions while coming in at a high speed. It takes a lot of determination and focus to hit a baseball and most do not succeed because they are not willing to put the time and practice in. I am going to tell you seven steps that will teach you how to hit a baseball if you are willing to put the time in.

1. Find the bat you would like to use. It should not be too heavy or too light, you want a bat that you can get around to strike the ball with the most power.

2. Find a comfortable grip around the base of the bat. Most people grip the bat as tight as they can, but that is incorrect. You want to hold the bat loosely right around the base of your fingertips, but not the palm of your hand.

3. Get into a comfortable stance. Spread your feet about shoulder length apart, bend your knees and crouch over a little bit. Then bring the bat up to a comfortable spot to where you can bring it down to hit the ball at a direct angle. Most people have their own individual stance. As long as it feels comfortable to the hitter, it can be worked with.

4. Being in the batter's box can be very stressful. It is important for the hitter to stay focused. As long at the hitter can stay relaxed and go through the proper motions the hits will start to come. But if the hitter gets up to the plate very tense it is going to be tough to get a hit.

5. The hitter should know his strike zone. The ideal pitch is right down the middle of the plate, but that isn't going to happen very often. So the hitter should find a zone usually from his chest to the knees, where he has the ability to hit the ball.

6. While in the box there is a process to go though, when the pitcher is in his wind up, the hitter should get in his stance and bring the bat back. Then he should load his weight onto his back foot. This allows the batter to use his whole body to hit the ball instead of just hit arms. Once the hitter has loaded up, and the pitch is on its way, the hitter should step then swing. The hitter should keep his eyes on the ball so he should watch the ball connect off the bat.

7. The last step is to practice. When trying to hit a baseball you can never have enough practice it is all about muscle memory. The more you practice the more you will become comfortable with seeing the baseball come in and you will be able to hit the pitch in your strike zone.

Just remember hitting a baseball can be very frustrating most of the time the pitcher has the upper hand and the batter will fail, but as long as you follow these seven steps and continue to practice, hitting a baseball will become a lot easier than it once was.

Dan Cogan

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

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Baseball Coaching - Developing a Philosophy

Baseball Coaching - Developing a Philosophy
By Kenny Buford

The key to successful baseball coaching is developing a philosophy. A baseball philosophy should encompass your approach to the game, how you want your team to play, and how you want others to perceive your team. If you are able to effectively communicate your philosophy to your team, then everyone - coaches, players, and parents - will be able to work together towards the same goal.

Where to Begin

The first step in developing a baseball philosophy is considering your past experiences. Think back on your growth as a player and a coach and remember who had an impact on you and why you wanted to play. Try to define the style of baseball you like to play.

In baseball coaching, especially when first developing a program, it is important to remember that baseball will not always be the number one priority for your players. Other factors, like family, school, and church, will be - and should be - more important to them. When developing your philosophy, try to use baseball as a way for players to round out their established priorities.

Remember the Past

When looking back at past experiences in baseball, it is important to remember both the good and the bad. What made something a positive or negative experience? How did your coach's interaction with you make you feel? Use these memories to determine how you want to treat your players - or those you have to cut from the team.

Keep in mind that being a successful coach is less about being a good player and more about being a good teacher. Good players can't always explain how they play so well, but a good teacher should be able to explain any skill in a way the players can understand.

Learn from the Present

A good baseball coach is willing to learn from others and adjust to make necessary changes. Use every interaction with other coaches and teams as a means of expanding your understanding of the game. Everyone has a different approach and style, and if you find some new way that works, you should feel free to incorporate it into your coaching. Ask questions and let coaches know that you admire what they are doing.

Look to the Future

The final step in developing a baseball philosophy is setting goals. What do you want to accomplish with your team? A good goal is to get to the point where every player is playing to the best of his ability. This would mean your team is successful, even if you don't have a winning season.

For more youth baseball coaching ideas and practice planning tips, go here to watch a free video:

http://www.baseball-tutorials.com/vid/
Kenny Buford is a youth baseball coach, and the owner and publisher of Baseball-Tutorials.com, the web's #1 resource for youth baseball drills, tips, and practice ideas for coaches.

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

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Youth Baseball - Tips for Young Catchers

On http://ClubHouseGAS.com , former MLB player, Russ Dickerson gives tips for youth baseball catchers. Also check-out http://YouthSportTravel.com.

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Youth Baseball Coaching Tips
By Joseph Harrison Jr

Many new coaches would like nothing more than to simply jump right in with both feet and begin having their team play the game without teaching them youth baseball drills. Of course, this can simply be the absolutely worse thing coach can do.

As a coach, it takes hard work and even harder work to come up with a practice game plan. Going in completely unprepared is basically setting both you and your team up for a big fall. First of all, there are numerous places that a coach can explore to find drills to teach their team. And, there are many different drills out there that a coach can employ too. Therefore, specific drills cannot be stressed enough. But, with younger children, especially concentrate on the three main areas which are namely hitting, catching, and base running.

When using or creating drills that pertain to hitting, certain aspects will need to be considered. Items such as the player's stance, their swing, and even what they do with their feet are all equally important and must be addressed.

Keep their stance as wide as their shoulders and this will be a good start. This will allow the younger player to be able to balance properly as well as comfortably. Show them not only how to hold the bat, but also explain why they need to hold the bat a certain way.

When exploring these aspects, there is a drill that can be quite useful. It is primarily a way for both you as well as the player to be able to understand their swing. Stand on the mound and pretend like you are pitching to the player in the batting box. Go through the wind up and the pitch. The player is then expected to pretend like they are hitting the ball. All the while, maintain and stress the importance of the player being aware of how they are actually swinging the bat. This ensures that the player will see where they will need improvement.

Running the bases can be the fun part of learning the game of baseball. And, it may even allow the player the chance to get dirty too.

Certain drills are able to teach the finer points of base running. One very good drill is to have all the players line up at home plate and subsequently run after the coach calls out the type of hit that was made. For example, by calling out a single, the base runner would be expected to stop at first base. While a double would have them running to second base and so on and so forth. This can open a door for explaining the importance of how the player should turn after getting past first base and can even include a sliding drill on the other bases.

Catching a little white ball is not as easy as it seems, especially for younger players. The youngest players are usually quite afraid of getting hit with the ball and they will have a tendency to avoid any throws. This problem can probably be solved by one single drill. Have the player stand a short distance from you and easily toss the ball back and forth. While tossing the ball, explain how to properly hold the glove and to always watch the ball. Before long, the young player will gain confidence and will eventually lose their fright of getting hit with the ball altogether. Basically, they will realize that they are actually able to catch it and they will certainly do so.

Many younger players are quite familiar with the art of playing baseball. But, by using youth baseball drills, this can only improve.

I am Joseph Harrison, a baseball coach since 20 years ago. I love baseball since I am young, especially the feeling when you know you will absolutely crush the ball. Training your kid to gain interest in baseball will benefit him from both mentally and physically. In with he will gain team spirit, learn how to cope with teammates, and at the same time train up his physical, and concentration (to have good eye and hand coordination and the ability to use both at once). Go through my article and you will know all the benefits of baseball.

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

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The Perfect Baseball Hitting Drill?

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The Perfect Baseball Hitting Drill?
By Jack Perconte

The sign of a good baseball hitting drill is one that forces the correct hitting fundamentals and that over time, causes the correct hitting action when a hitter goes without the drill. With that in mind, some drills are obviously better than others. The drill below does just that. It forces of the correct action and works on all the important hitting fundamentals of staying back, compact swing, weight shift, hips opening and follow through.

Because this drill combines all the correct baseball hitting fundamentals into one drill, it makes teaching hitting easier and quicker, as long as it is performed correctly. It is a little complicated and requires some hitting tools that one does not usually have in the basement, or backyard. The local batting cages though will have the things needed - balls, protective screen, batting cage.

Here is the perfect baseball hitting drill:

1. The hitter stands very close (within six to 10 inches) from a net, facing the pitcher with the net being behind the hitter where the catcher stands. The hitters rear foot and hands should both be this distance away from rear net. Make sure a home plate is set and hitters stand their normal distance from the plate.

2. The coach sets up behind a protective screen with a bucket of balls in front of the hitter, beginning at twelve to fifteen feet away.

3. The coach flips balls to the outer half of the plate - firm underhand flips are best from this distance, trying to keep the ball level with no rise or drop on the flipped ball.

Result you are looking for? Because the ball is on the outer half of the plate, hitters should drive the ball to the opposite field by missing the net on the initial portion of the swing but hitting the net on the follow through.

Note: Hitters may graze the net on way forward and come up a little short of hitting net on follow through and this is acceptable.

Why is this the perfect baseball hitting drill?

1. One of the main fundamentals of hitting is "staying back" - if the hitter jumps forward (lunges or over strides) they will not be able to hit the net on the follow through.

2. Another goal of hitters is to have a compact swing - when a hitter's swing is long, in anyway (upper cutting, casting, dropping barrel behind them) they will be striking the net on the initial portion of their swing.

3. Another objective of a good swing is to have the hands in a power position (palm-up, palm down) at contact. By hitting the ball to the opposite field on this outside pitch, this drill will guarantee that the hitter is in this correct contact position.

4. Another component of the perfect baseball swing is that the hitters' weight transfers while their hips open - missing the net on the way forward will promote weight shift and the only way to hit the net on the follow through, or get close to it, is to open the hips.

5. Another ingredient of good hitting is that hitters' keep their eye on the ball; thus, the reason for working on the outside pitch. It is further recommended that hitters keep their eyes in the direction of where they ball is hit, while trying to hit the net on the follow through as hard as possible.

As hitters begin to perform the drill with some consistency (frequent line drives with back-spin to the opposite field), the coach can begin to back up until eventually doing the drill from regulation, hitting distance.

Is the drill the perfect hitting drill? Maybe not, but if done correctly, it works on all the necessary hitting fundamentals all at once. Finally, I am sure that I have not been the first one to discover this drill, but it is one of my favorites while teaching hitting over the last twenty-two years.

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 Categories they have are: BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, 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, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

Batting Average - How to Increase It

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Batting Average - How to Increase It
By Bryan Ciconte

So you want to learn how to raise your batting average as a hitter. Well you came to the right article. I will keep it short, simple and to the point. I will cover a few tips and topics to raise your average 50-100 points.

Tip 1) Develop a game plan. So what do I mean by developing a game plan. I want you to develop an approach that you use every single time you step up to the plate. A good approach would consist of understanding how to count hit. By count hitting you will be able to anticipate what type of pitch you may see roughly 80% of the time.

Advantage Counts: 0-0, 1-0, 2-0, 3-1, 3-0
Approach: In these counts your goal is simple, look for something you can hit hard. If the pitcher throws you a pitch in an area that is not in your hot zone, don't swing. Do not swing at off-speed pitches during these counts, look for fastballs. Reality is if the pitcher throws an off-speed pitch during these counts more often than not it's going to be a ball and put you in a greater advantage. Of course there are exceptions. The only time you may want to swing at an off-speed pitch during this count is if relates to one of your strengths or the pattern percentages anticipate one.

Neutral Counts: 1-1, 2-1, 3-2
Approach 1: In these counts neither the hitter nor pitcher has an advantage. As I talked about earlier this is where having a good game plan is going to pay off. In these counts you should be able to anticipate what you may see. So trust your percentages and instinct in these counts.

Approach 2: If you are comfortable in hitting with 2 strikes you can treat these counts as an advantage count, hitting to your strengths. Both approaches are great, but which one you choose is your personal preference.

Defensive Counts: 0-1, 0-2, 1-2, 2-2
Approach: This is where you need to develop your 2 strike approach. In these counts the pitcher has you at his mercy leaving you with about a 20% chance of getting a hit. Your goal here is to battle at the plate by putting the ball in play or working the count neutral. A good mental approach for hitting with 2 strikes is thinking about hitting a pitch which speed is between the pitchers fastball and off-speed stuff. By doing so, your reactions will take over and adjust to the movement or lack of movement of the pitch. A good physical approach would consist of shortening your swing or choking-up on the bat.

These are just a few ideas on how to hit in an advantage, neutral, or defensive count. Throughout your career as a hitter you may find something else that works for you.

Tip 2) If your a good bunter and have speed utilze it, By either showing bunt or by bunting, more often than not you will put the 3rd of 1st basemen in a position that will create more holes in the infield creating a better chance for getting a hit.

Tip 3) Hit to your strengths not your weaknesses. Understand that by doing so you will enable yourself to be more confident at the plate and be more aggressive. Leave your weaknesses at practice.

I hope the few tips helped improve your game!

Thanks and good luck Bryan @ [http://www.hittingmadesimple.com Hitting Made Simple]

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

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How to Create Consistent Hitting Mechanics

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Article Title: How to Create Consistent Hitting Mechanics
By Nate Barnett

I'm sure you know from experience that hitting a baseball consistently for any length of time is one of the most difficult and frustrating things to do in sports. There are two areas of your overall baseball preparation you'll need to develop on a regular basis if you want the most consistency possible as a competitive athlete - the mental game of baseball, and proper hitting mechanics. If you're interesting in learning more about baseball psychology there are quite a few resources online as well as my blog. This article is reserved for teaching a little on the topic of hitting mechanics.

I get the chance to work with dozens and dozens of athletes individually each year. It's truly a rewarding experience much of the time, though at times it can be extremely frustrating to see such talented athletes fail to put in the necessary work to achieve some consistency in their swing. I never have a tough time getting the athletes to work hard when I work with them in the cage. It's when athletes have to motivate themselves to work outside of their practice days when their work habit breaks down.

In order to become a highly consistent and effective hitter, I prescribe the following "medicinal procedure" to be used away from practice:

1. Dry Drills: These are hitting mechanics related drills that are meant to reinforce muscle memory. It is impossible to only put in two to three days on a specific hitting technique and make it stick long-term. The problem you'll run into is that during a game your focus will be placed on the pitcher and not your mechanics. If you have failed to put in the necessary time to build quality muscle memory, you'll revert back to the problems you were initially trying to fix.

2. Mental Rehearsal: The mind is a powerful tool for good or evil. When you use your mind for positive imagery or visualization you will increase your effectiveness as a hitter. If your mind pollutes your body with thoughts of failure, your body will respond in a negative way. Lack of confidence and fear can destroy a good hitter. To make sure you are conditioning your brain in the right way, it's highly important that you replay mental video clips of yourself succeeding offensively. This is easy to do, many of you do it all day long in other areas. Sometimes your mind wanders in church or school and you lose focus as to what is occurring around you. If you can slip into this mode and daydream about your performances, you can truly become a master of the mental game of baseball.

Nate Barnett is owner of BMI Baseball. His website is devoted to teaching the mental game of baseball and hitting mechanics. After finishing a professional career in the Seattle Mariners Organization, Nate pursued his coaching and motivational training career.

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

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