Welcome to the YOUTH BASEBALL COACHING CLINIC. Our site features free articles, tips, and drills related to the successful coaching of youth baseball teams. Our information is useful to Little League, Dixie Youth, Babe Ruth, and Cal Ripkin baseball coaches.
Monday, July 8, 2013
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
Sunday, July 7, 2013
A Baseball Coach's Responsibility
A Baseball Coach's Responsibility
By Jim Bain
The headline " A Coach's Responsibility " is very ambiguous as it could, or should, compose a list of at least 200 items, which increases as his players' age and skill level increases. I'm going to exam 1 responsibility that very few coaches actually perform, but it's mainly due to unawareness, not shirking the duty.
I have always been a blue collar worker so I'm relying on my white collar friends to have given me the straight scoop on the procedure of getting raises.
The job performance evaluation an employee periodically endures is intended to give the person a non-bias and honest evaluation of how others perceive they perform their job. It should offer assessments of tasks the employee excels at, lacks achievement and suggestions to improve.
A coach has the responsibility, much as the employer, to have an honest face to face evaluation meeting with each player in order to let the player know how they are performing.
This evaluation process must not be entered into lightly as there are huge ramifications should a coach not do it right.
(1) The first decision is at what age do you begin these meetings? This is an individual decision as some may feel 10 years old is too early, when others coaching an elite travel team may think it's too late. Analyze your players' and their parents' maturity before implementing anything. You're intentions are to improve the players, not create a mass rebellion from thin skinned parents.
(2) When to do it? I suggest mid-season and then again at the end of the season. This will give you 3 benchmarks on which to evaluate the player, the beginning of the season, midway and final.
(3) Decide on a set goal you want to address and maintain that goal for every player. In other words, restrict the evaluation to baseball which only the player has control over. Suggest the player throw more, but don't get into the parents always bringing the player late to practices. The player has no control over the parents.
(4) Write down the comments and suggestions for each player. Unless you have a written guide it becomes too easy to wander off subject and that's not the goal. Also, keep these individual written guides in order to show any irate or inquisitive parent this was not a witch hunt and you weren't singling their kid out. Some coaches will give a copy of the evaluation to the player.
(5) Examples of a player's evaluation sheet.
Player One:
(a.) Great hustle... never gives up.
(b.) Need to work on improving bunting skills.
(c.) Good range to ball.
(d.) Get better lead off first base.
Player Two:
(a.) Excellent attitude... always trying to get better.
(b.) Very coach able... listens.
(c.) Could work on hitting the curveball.
Presentation is a key to these evaluations. Always let the player know how proud you are of him and his progress. They say Corrective criticism doesn't hurt, but it does.
"With your speed I need to get you a bigger leadoff at first so I can have you steal more."
"You cost us a game because your leadoff was too short."
Whole different approach.
I know coaches have their plates full and time is a premium asset, but consider this suggestion of holding evaluation meetings. They don't have to be long and they can be very enlightening for both the player and coach. You may learn the player refuses to get a good leadoff because his father told him he'd better never get picked off first base.
Jim Bain, former Minor league baseball player and member of "Baseball Coaches of America" shares his advice on baseball coaching baseball drills on his exciting info packed website: http://www.learn-youth-baseball-coaching.com
Be sure to check out his 2 books on Amazon, "The Pitch" and "Season of Pain". Great reading about baseball.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Bain Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7815372
By Jim Bain
The headline " A Coach's Responsibility " is very ambiguous as it could, or should, compose a list of at least 200 items, which increases as his players' age and skill level increases. I'm going to exam 1 responsibility that very few coaches actually perform, but it's mainly due to unawareness, not shirking the duty.
I have always been a blue collar worker so I'm relying on my white collar friends to have given me the straight scoop on the procedure of getting raises.
The job performance evaluation an employee periodically endures is intended to give the person a non-bias and honest evaluation of how others perceive they perform their job. It should offer assessments of tasks the employee excels at, lacks achievement and suggestions to improve.
A coach has the responsibility, much as the employer, to have an honest face to face evaluation meeting with each player in order to let the player know how they are performing.
This evaluation process must not be entered into lightly as there are huge ramifications should a coach not do it right.
(1) The first decision is at what age do you begin these meetings? This is an individual decision as some may feel 10 years old is too early, when others coaching an elite travel team may think it's too late. Analyze your players' and their parents' maturity before implementing anything. You're intentions are to improve the players, not create a mass rebellion from thin skinned parents.
(2) When to do it? I suggest mid-season and then again at the end of the season. This will give you 3 benchmarks on which to evaluate the player, the beginning of the season, midway and final.
(3) Decide on a set goal you want to address and maintain that goal for every player. In other words, restrict the evaluation to baseball which only the player has control over. Suggest the player throw more, but don't get into the parents always bringing the player late to practices. The player has no control over the parents.
(4) Write down the comments and suggestions for each player. Unless you have a written guide it becomes too easy to wander off subject and that's not the goal. Also, keep these individual written guides in order to show any irate or inquisitive parent this was not a witch hunt and you weren't singling their kid out. Some coaches will give a copy of the evaluation to the player.
(5) Examples of a player's evaluation sheet.
Player One:
(a.) Great hustle... never gives up.
(b.) Need to work on improving bunting skills.
(c.) Good range to ball.
(d.) Get better lead off first base.
Player Two:
(a.) Excellent attitude... always trying to get better.
(b.) Very coach able... listens.
(c.) Could work on hitting the curveball.
Presentation is a key to these evaluations. Always let the player know how proud you are of him and his progress. They say Corrective criticism doesn't hurt, but it does.
"With your speed I need to get you a bigger leadoff at first so I can have you steal more."
"You cost us a game because your leadoff was too short."
Whole different approach.
I know coaches have their plates full and time is a premium asset, but consider this suggestion of holding evaluation meetings. They don't have to be long and they can be very enlightening for both the player and coach. You may learn the player refuses to get a good leadoff because his father told him he'd better never get picked off first base.
Jim Bain, former Minor league baseball player and member of "Baseball Coaches of America" shares his advice on baseball coaching baseball drills on his exciting info packed website: http://www.learn-youth-baseball-coaching.com
Be sure to check out his 2 books on Amazon, "The Pitch" and "Season of Pain". Great reading about baseball.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Bain Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7815372
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
How to Hit a Baseball
How to Hit a Baseball demonstrates the key elements of the proper swing. This is proper instruction for a baseball player, based on how hitting is actually done, not on folk wisdom.
Bob Caswell has worked as a hitting instructor for professional teams, college teams and leagues, and has coached amateurs at all levels. He's providing some great baseball hitting tips to help you succeed.
Bob Caswell has worked as a hitting instructor for professional teams, college teams and leagues, and has coached amateurs at all levels. He's providing some great baseball hitting tips to help you succeed.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Youth Baseball Bats - How Do I Choose the Right One?
Youth Baseball Bats - How Do I Choose the Right One?
By guest author: Jeff Heitz
When purchasing a youth baseball bat, there are a number of important things that need to be taken into consideration. The bat's weight, length and barrel width are very important and must be selected based on your league requirements. Some leagues will only allow a 2 ¼" barrel and this will change how you choose the proper bat verses leagues that allow 2 ¾" barrels. Wood bats are still available and make an excellent choice for all of your cage work as it helps to develop a proper swing and gain an understanding of the sweet spots on wood verses aluminum or alloy bats.
The most popular choice for youth baseball bats are aluminum or alloy. The technological advancements in these bats have come a long way and they keep improving from year to year. A basic rule for selecting the right bat is to choose the lightest bat for its length in order to fully maximize your swing power. In a lot of cases, lighter youth baseball bats are just as costly as some of the heavier ones, but with so many quality suppliers, you are sure to find one that will satisfy your budget.
When choosing a longer bat, you are insuring more plate coverage; but it might cause the bat to be too heavy and slow down or alter the mechanics of the proper swing. Not a good idea! Shorter, lighter bats will cause the player to crowd the plate a little more but will definitely create more bat speed. Bat speed is essential and choosing the right bat is very important. It would be best to have a bat that is a little too light than to choose one that is too heavy.
Barrel size has become the talk of the dugout. A larger barrel will produce more power and have a bigger sweet spot allowing the hitter to drive balls that would otherwise be harmless outs. Choosing the proper youth baseball bat is an imperfect science. If you are playing in a league that will allow 2 ¾" barrels, I would always recommend choosing bat speed over any other factor. Players come in all shapes and sizes and all have different strength levels...this complicates the process when choosing. Before purchasing, you might talk to your coach or a youth baseball bat representative and get information based on your players age and size and what the general trend is.
The rules for Little League Baseball differ from most all other youth organizations on their bat requirements. A 2 ¼" barrel and a maximum length of 33 inches is all that is allowed. Little League bats are required to have a taped handle up to 10 inches. Youth bats are measured in inches for the length and ounces for the weight. Negative or minus numbers are used to determine the bats weight. For example if a bat is 29" long and has a -10 rating the bat will weigh 19 ounces. The bat would be referred as a minus ten negative ten or a drop ten bat. The higher the negative number the lighter the bat is for its length.
For more detailed information on choosing the right baseball or softball bat visit http://youthbaseballbats.ws
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeff_Heitz
=======================
Thanks to our sponsors:
www.BatAction.com
---BatAction Machine at CoachesBest.com
---BatActionMachine on Ebay.com
---BatAction Machine Video Clips
---BatAction Trainer - 15 Reasons Why You Must Own This Machine
---Message to Parents From Coach Nick
---If you are looking for BatAction Replacement Balls or Power Bands Click Here
By guest author: Jeff Heitz
When purchasing a youth baseball bat, there are a number of important things that need to be taken into consideration. The bat's weight, length and barrel width are very important and must be selected based on your league requirements. Some leagues will only allow a 2 ¼" barrel and this will change how you choose the proper bat verses leagues that allow 2 ¾" barrels. Wood bats are still available and make an excellent choice for all of your cage work as it helps to develop a proper swing and gain an understanding of the sweet spots on wood verses aluminum or alloy bats.
The most popular choice for youth baseball bats are aluminum or alloy. The technological advancements in these bats have come a long way and they keep improving from year to year. A basic rule for selecting the right bat is to choose the lightest bat for its length in order to fully maximize your swing power. In a lot of cases, lighter youth baseball bats are just as costly as some of the heavier ones, but with so many quality suppliers, you are sure to find one that will satisfy your budget.
When choosing a longer bat, you are insuring more plate coverage; but it might cause the bat to be too heavy and slow down or alter the mechanics of the proper swing. Not a good idea! Shorter, lighter bats will cause the player to crowd the plate a little more but will definitely create more bat speed. Bat speed is essential and choosing the right bat is very important. It would be best to have a bat that is a little too light than to choose one that is too heavy.
Barrel size has become the talk of the dugout. A larger barrel will produce more power and have a bigger sweet spot allowing the hitter to drive balls that would otherwise be harmless outs. Choosing the proper youth baseball bat is an imperfect science. If you are playing in a league that will allow 2 ¾" barrels, I would always recommend choosing bat speed over any other factor. Players come in all shapes and sizes and all have different strength levels...this complicates the process when choosing. Before purchasing, you might talk to your coach or a youth baseball bat representative and get information based on your players age and size and what the general trend is.
The rules for Little League Baseball differ from most all other youth organizations on their bat requirements. A 2 ¼" barrel and a maximum length of 33 inches is all that is allowed. Little League bats are required to have a taped handle up to 10 inches. Youth bats are measured in inches for the length and ounces for the weight. Negative or minus numbers are used to determine the bats weight. For example if a bat is 29" long and has a -10 rating the bat will weigh 19 ounces. The bat would be referred as a minus ten negative ten or a drop ten bat. The higher the negative number the lighter the bat is for its length.
For more detailed information on choosing the right baseball or softball bat visit http://youthbaseballbats.ws
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeff_Heitz
=======================
Thanks to our sponsors:
www.BatAction.com
---BatAction Machine at CoachesBest.com
---BatActionMachine on Ebay.com
---BatAction Machine Video Clips
---BatAction Trainer - 15 Reasons Why You Must Own This Machine
---Message to Parents From Coach Nick
---If you are looking for BatAction Replacement Balls or Power Bands Click Here
Thursday, October 27, 2011
3 Drills to Improve Your Ability to Catch Fly Balls
3 Drills to Improve Your Ability to Catch Fly Balls
By guest author: Jim Bain
Just like any other position in baseball, playing the outfield is not nearly as easy as it appears, and just like any other position, there are drills which are intended to teach players how to properly execute their responsibilities. We'll briefly look at three drills which will increase your skills to catch a fly ball.
When someone says "The outfielder caught the fly ball," we normally visualize a player standing in one place, moving slightly to the flight of the ball, and easily catching the ball above their head with two hands. This type of play happens 1000s of times a day through out the youth ball parks of America, however just as many 1000s of times a day the player has to go get the ball, and those are the situations we'll review.
*** Whether a fly ball will be caught for an out or not is often determined in the initial reaction of the outfielder, his determination of what he must do before he even begins to move from his position, and should he determine wrong, well... he'd better hope he's extremely fleet a foot.
The Which Way to Turn Drill at first glance may appear rather odd, but the disciplines taught by this drill are extremely serious. Ever see a player going back on a fly ball only to realize the ball is on the wrong side of his body in order for him to catch it, then attempt to turn, tangling his feet and falling. That mistake was created by turning the wrong way when he initially began giving chase to the ball.
For this drill the coach will hit fungos, (fly balls) to the outfielders, but with a twist to the normal fielding exercise. The outfielder will be instructed to look down at the ground instead of at the coach or flight of the ball, until the coach yells "Now!" At that instant the player is to locate the ball, determine which way to turn, then attempt to field the fly ball.
The intent of this drill is two fold, forcing the fielder into instantly deciding on the proper way to turn and quickly reacting to give chase, which is a real plus when the ball is lost in the sun or lights, then relocated.
*** TheFootball Drill is a takeoff from the "Turn Drill" as the fielder will be running after the ball, as if choosing the correct direction to turn, and will catch the ball over his shoulder similar to a football receiver.
In order to correctly utilize this drill, unless the coach is very accurate with his hitting of fly balls where intended, it's better to loft the balls by hand. The intent is to familiarize the player with catching the fly ball while running sideways looking back, not to chase balls hit well beyond his reach.
*** The third drill is Turn and Go Drill. This drill is intended to teach players to anticipate the flight of the ball, run to an anticipated spot, then relocate the ball and catch it.
Let's assume the player is stationed in left field, the coach will indicate to the fielder he's going to hit the ball to left center field. Once the coach hits the ball, the player is to quickly analyze where he thinks the ball will land, run to that spot, then turn, locate, readjust and catch the ball.
These are extremely difficult drills intended for higher skilled players, but just another stepping stone in the long baseball education.
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
=========================
Thanks to our sponsors:
The 4 Best Batting Tees in Baseball:
Advanced Skills Tee
Stay Back Tee
Hands Back Hitter
5 Position Batting Tee
By guest author: Jim Bain
Just like any other position in baseball, playing the outfield is not nearly as easy as it appears, and just like any other position, there are drills which are intended to teach players how to properly execute their responsibilities. We'll briefly look at three drills which will increase your skills to catch a fly ball.
When someone says "The outfielder caught the fly ball," we normally visualize a player standing in one place, moving slightly to the flight of the ball, and easily catching the ball above their head with two hands. This type of play happens 1000s of times a day through out the youth ball parks of America, however just as many 1000s of times a day the player has to go get the ball, and those are the situations we'll review.
*** Whether a fly ball will be caught for an out or not is often determined in the initial reaction of the outfielder, his determination of what he must do before he even begins to move from his position, and should he determine wrong, well... he'd better hope he's extremely fleet a foot.
The Which Way to Turn Drill at first glance may appear rather odd, but the disciplines taught by this drill are extremely serious. Ever see a player going back on a fly ball only to realize the ball is on the wrong side of his body in order for him to catch it, then attempt to turn, tangling his feet and falling. That mistake was created by turning the wrong way when he initially began giving chase to the ball.
For this drill the coach will hit fungos, (fly balls) to the outfielders, but with a twist to the normal fielding exercise. The outfielder will be instructed to look down at the ground instead of at the coach or flight of the ball, until the coach yells "Now!" At that instant the player is to locate the ball, determine which way to turn, then attempt to field the fly ball.
The intent of this drill is two fold, forcing the fielder into instantly deciding on the proper way to turn and quickly reacting to give chase, which is a real plus when the ball is lost in the sun or lights, then relocated.
*** TheFootball Drill is a takeoff from the "Turn Drill" as the fielder will be running after the ball, as if choosing the correct direction to turn, and will catch the ball over his shoulder similar to a football receiver.
In order to correctly utilize this drill, unless the coach is very accurate with his hitting of fly balls where intended, it's better to loft the balls by hand. The intent is to familiarize the player with catching the fly ball while running sideways looking back, not to chase balls hit well beyond his reach.
*** The third drill is Turn and Go Drill. This drill is intended to teach players to anticipate the flight of the ball, run to an anticipated spot, then relocate the ball and catch it.
Let's assume the player is stationed in left field, the coach will indicate to the fielder he's going to hit the ball to left center field. Once the coach hits the ball, the player is to quickly analyze where he thinks the ball will land, run to that spot, then turn, locate, readjust and catch the ball.
These are extremely difficult drills intended for higher skilled players, but just another stepping stone in the long baseball education.
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
=========================
Thanks to our sponsors:
The 4 Best Batting Tees in Baseball:
Advanced Skills Tee
Stay Back Tee
Hands Back Hitter
5 Position Batting Tee
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Correct Batting Practice Methods For Little League Baseball Teams
Correct Batting Practice Methods For Little League Baseball Teams
By guest author: Marty Schupak
In my eighteen years of coaching youth baseball, I am always looking for the most efficient practice methods for every aspect of baseball. It took me only a few years to realize that most youth baseball coaches and myself were running batting practice, not incorrectly, but not efficiently. From what I have seen with the typical batting practice, a coach will pitch a predetermined number of balls for each batter with the fielders fielding the hit balls and throwing them to first base. Usually the coach will yell something like "run the last one out", and the batter does just that. If the ball is an infield hit, they try to throw him out at first. If it is hit into the outfield, he usually runs until he is thrown out. This is all well and good intentioned, but it is wasting valuable time when a coach wants to run an efficient practice.
Here is the most efficient way of running a batting practice that I've come up with. First of all, let me say this. Batting practice is just what it is, batting practice. Batting practice is not fielding practice or base running practice. So all youth coaches and parents should really define what a youth batting practice is and what they want to get out of it.
Most of my youth practices do not run more than one hour. Every minute of wasted time will affect all other aspects and time of any other drills or techniques I want to accomplish. The first thing a coach needs to have is an over abundance of baseballs. The league will provide baseballs but I always make sure I purchase a few dozen extras. I try to work with three-dozen and keep an extra dozen in my trunk. And don't think I'm not frugal accounting for every baseball at the end of practice. I try to make sure we find each one, and after practice, we comb the field to make sure we got them all. Usually we find extras and end up with more than what we started with.
Now, here is the actual logistics and set up that I do about 95% of the time I run batting practice. I'm a big proponent of bunting. I set up two cones on the third base line, about six feet apart, approximately where the bunt is suppose to go. I set up two empty buckets, one about three feet behind second base and the other one at the far base of the mound toward second. I have another bucket with the baseballs on the mound easily accessible to me. Now, this is a key. As a youth coach who wants a well-run practice and a lot of repetitions for the kids, I move up almost to the front base of the mound to pitch. I do this mainly so I can throw strikes consistently. For safety purposes, an "L" screen would be required from a shorter distance for safety. If your league doesn't have any, make them get them.
I have the first person up at bat with the 2nd and 3rd player ready to go. I have the 3rd hitter (or double on deck hitter) on the outside of the screen hitting balls on a batting tee using pickle balls (plastic) or wiffle balls with another parent feeding the balls on the tee. I always have the number 2, or on deck hitter, ready to hit.
The batter bunts the first to pitches. For each successful bunt, the player receives an extra swing. I usually give a player five swings besides his two bunts. So if a player lays one bunt between the cones, he get six regular swings. If he lays both bunts between the cones, he gets seven swings (the maximum per hitter). Now, there are certain things that have to happen to make this work. Remember there are two buckets strategically located. After the bunts, when the hitter swings away, wherever the ball is hit, the fielder tosses it into the bucket closet to him. If it is hit to the outfield, he will throw the ball as close to the bucket behind second base. If he hits it to the infield, the fielder will toss it to the bucket behind the pitcher's mound. Reinforce to the players that they must toss to the bucket on one or two bounces or they will tend to play basketball with the baseball and bucket.
Now the point here is that the fielders do not make a play to first and the hitter does not run the last one out. We get more repetitions in a short period of time. The players are always facing the hitter. One might ask, isn't this boring for most of the players in the field? Well, not really. Because of the amount of balls hit in a short period of time, the ball is usually hit all over the place. And the coach throwing batting practice will keep one or two extra balls in his glove and is ready to pitch the next ball right away. When out of baseballs, have the players in the infield hustle to gather up the balls, combine buckets, and we're ready to go again. This works great!
Batting practice is a favorite of any baseball player at almost every level. Do not deny batting practice at any practice. And always look for the most efficient, safest procedure to help enhance your whole practice.
http://www.YouthSportsClub.com
http://www.VideosForCoaches.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 a principle for Videos For Coaches and 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
==========================
Thanks to our sponsors:
www.BatAction.com
---BatAction Machine at CoachesBest.com
---BatActionMachine on Ebay.com
---BatAction Machine Video Clips
---BatAction Trainer - 15 Reasons Why You Must Own This Machine
---Message to Parents From Coach Nick
---If you are looking for BatAction Replacement Balls or Power Bands Click Here
By guest author: Marty Schupak
In my eighteen years of coaching youth baseball, I am always looking for the most efficient practice methods for every aspect of baseball. It took me only a few years to realize that most youth baseball coaches and myself were running batting practice, not incorrectly, but not efficiently. From what I have seen with the typical batting practice, a coach will pitch a predetermined number of balls for each batter with the fielders fielding the hit balls and throwing them to first base. Usually the coach will yell something like "run the last one out", and the batter does just that. If the ball is an infield hit, they try to throw him out at first. If it is hit into the outfield, he usually runs until he is thrown out. This is all well and good intentioned, but it is wasting valuable time when a coach wants to run an efficient practice.
Here is the most efficient way of running a batting practice that I've come up with. First of all, let me say this. Batting practice is just what it is, batting practice. Batting practice is not fielding practice or base running practice. So all youth coaches and parents should really define what a youth batting practice is and what they want to get out of it.
Most of my youth practices do not run more than one hour. Every minute of wasted time will affect all other aspects and time of any other drills or techniques I want to accomplish. The first thing a coach needs to have is an over abundance of baseballs. The league will provide baseballs but I always make sure I purchase a few dozen extras. I try to work with three-dozen and keep an extra dozen in my trunk. And don't think I'm not frugal accounting for every baseball at the end of practice. I try to make sure we find each one, and after practice, we comb the field to make sure we got them all. Usually we find extras and end up with more than what we started with.
Now, here is the actual logistics and set up that I do about 95% of the time I run batting practice. I'm a big proponent of bunting. I set up two cones on the third base line, about six feet apart, approximately where the bunt is suppose to go. I set up two empty buckets, one about three feet behind second base and the other one at the far base of the mound toward second. I have another bucket with the baseballs on the mound easily accessible to me. Now, this is a key. As a youth coach who wants a well-run practice and a lot of repetitions for the kids, I move up almost to the front base of the mound to pitch. I do this mainly so I can throw strikes consistently. For safety purposes, an "L" screen would be required from a shorter distance for safety. If your league doesn't have any, make them get them.
I have the first person up at bat with the 2nd and 3rd player ready to go. I have the 3rd hitter (or double on deck hitter) on the outside of the screen hitting balls on a batting tee using pickle balls (plastic) or wiffle balls with another parent feeding the balls on the tee. I always have the number 2, or on deck hitter, ready to hit.
The batter bunts the first to pitches. For each successful bunt, the player receives an extra swing. I usually give a player five swings besides his two bunts. So if a player lays one bunt between the cones, he get six regular swings. If he lays both bunts between the cones, he gets seven swings (the maximum per hitter). Now, there are certain things that have to happen to make this work. Remember there are two buckets strategically located. After the bunts, when the hitter swings away, wherever the ball is hit, the fielder tosses it into the bucket closet to him. If it is hit to the outfield, he will throw the ball as close to the bucket behind second base. If he hits it to the infield, the fielder will toss it to the bucket behind the pitcher's mound. Reinforce to the players that they must toss to the bucket on one or two bounces or they will tend to play basketball with the baseball and bucket.
Now the point here is that the fielders do not make a play to first and the hitter does not run the last one out. We get more repetitions in a short period of time. The players are always facing the hitter. One might ask, isn't this boring for most of the players in the field? Well, not really. Because of the amount of balls hit in a short period of time, the ball is usually hit all over the place. And the coach throwing batting practice will keep one or two extra balls in his glove and is ready to pitch the next ball right away. When out of baseballs, have the players in the infield hustle to gather up the balls, combine buckets, and we're ready to go again. This works great!
Batting practice is a favorite of any baseball player at almost every level. Do not deny batting practice at any practice. And always look for the most efficient, safest procedure to help enhance your whole practice.
http://www.YouthSportsClub.com
http://www.VideosForCoaches.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 a principle for Videos For Coaches and 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
==========================
Thanks to our sponsors:
www.BatAction.com
---BatAction Machine at CoachesBest.com
---BatActionMachine on Ebay.com
---BatAction Machine Video Clips
---BatAction Trainer - 15 Reasons Why You Must Own This Machine
---Message to Parents From Coach Nick
---If you are looking for BatAction Replacement Balls or Power Bands Click Here
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Why Youth Baseball Players Should Get Hitting Instruction
Why Youth Baseball Players Should Get Hitting Instruction
By guest author: Chip Lemin
Happy Spring training to all coaches!
I never gave professional hitting instruction for youth baseball players much thought until my child started playing travel baseball. I then noticed that many teams did indeed use paid instructors to help players learn proper fundamentals. After I attended my first lesson, I realized what I thought I knew didn't amount to much in the big picture.I was giving instruction such as, keep your elbow up,and keep your eye on the ball.I don't think too many kids go up to the plate with their eyes closed. I was completely underwhelmed by my knowledge of hitting instruction.
I remember the instructor talked about the grip first. I didn't know about lining up the middle knuckles on each hand when the bat is gripped. He showed us(me included) how these knuckles will end up in this position as the player swings anyway.It was explained that the bat doesn't have to be held in a death grip.The bat should be held as loosely as the batter can tolerate.This helps keep the hands flexible during the swing. He also showed us how to choose the right length and weight of bat for each player. He discussed what a "long swing" was,and how it hurt the player's bat speed.
The instructor took the players through a couple fun drills to show us what he meant. The players have not even taken a swing at a pitch yet,and I had learned a lot. Some players will not like a different approach to hitting. They are comfortable with their current swing. A good instructor will not blow up a kid's swing in the first lesson. They will a take a small part of the swing,and modify it. Then at the next lesson, something else is introduced to help the hitter.Many players are doing a lot right in their swings to begin with. A smart instructor will take care not to overload, or completely change a player's swing right away. A good instructor should give fun "homework" in the form of drills to help the players develop their swings. This gives you the "coach" something concrete to work with. Be sure to take notes so you can use this great information at practice. This will help you to provide variety at practice. Bored players are much harder to motivate.
So don't hesitate to get professional instruction for your players. Most qualified hitting instructors will charge anywhere from 30-75 dollars per hour. It is worth the money when the players and the coaches use the information during practice.It also takes more than one lesson the make a difference. Plan on a series of lessons with no more than one week in between sessions. The less time off the better to enhance muscle memory. So ask around, or get out the phone book, and get some quotes. Then actually go watch some lessons in person. Don't be afraid to interview the instructor to see if you like their style.Do some homework like any other investment to get the best return on your team's hard earned money. Your coaching ability will grow as you learn more about hitting. You don't have to "know it all" ahead of time. Go soak up all the knowledge you can with professional hitting instruction for youth baseball players.
Thanks
Coach Chip
Chip Lemin has been a promoter of youth baseball since they started using aluminum bats. That's a long time. I have witnessed many good people get into coaching without solid coaching skills and it is not fun for them or the kids.Today's newer coaches are also being shortchanged on sportsmanship, like there is none. Visit my site to sign up for a insightful, informational, free coaching e-course at http://www.baseballecourse.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chip_Lemin
===========================
Thanks to our sponsors:
Check us out on Twitter:
Blog4Coaches
Blogs4Coaches.com
By guest author: Chip Lemin
Happy Spring training to all coaches!
I never gave professional hitting instruction for youth baseball players much thought until my child started playing travel baseball. I then noticed that many teams did indeed use paid instructors to help players learn proper fundamentals. After I attended my first lesson, I realized what I thought I knew didn't amount to much in the big picture.I was giving instruction such as, keep your elbow up,and keep your eye on the ball.I don't think too many kids go up to the plate with their eyes closed. I was completely underwhelmed by my knowledge of hitting instruction.
I remember the instructor talked about the grip first. I didn't know about lining up the middle knuckles on each hand when the bat is gripped. He showed us(me included) how these knuckles will end up in this position as the player swings anyway.It was explained that the bat doesn't have to be held in a death grip.The bat should be held as loosely as the batter can tolerate.This helps keep the hands flexible during the swing. He also showed us how to choose the right length and weight of bat for each player. He discussed what a "long swing" was,and how it hurt the player's bat speed.
The instructor took the players through a couple fun drills to show us what he meant. The players have not even taken a swing at a pitch yet,and I had learned a lot. Some players will not like a different approach to hitting. They are comfortable with their current swing. A good instructor will not blow up a kid's swing in the first lesson. They will a take a small part of the swing,and modify it. Then at the next lesson, something else is introduced to help the hitter.Many players are doing a lot right in their swings to begin with. A smart instructor will take care not to overload, or completely change a player's swing right away. A good instructor should give fun "homework" in the form of drills to help the players develop their swings. This gives you the "coach" something concrete to work with. Be sure to take notes so you can use this great information at practice. This will help you to provide variety at practice. Bored players are much harder to motivate.
So don't hesitate to get professional instruction for your players. Most qualified hitting instructors will charge anywhere from 30-75 dollars per hour. It is worth the money when the players and the coaches use the information during practice.It also takes more than one lesson the make a difference. Plan on a series of lessons with no more than one week in between sessions. The less time off the better to enhance muscle memory. So ask around, or get out the phone book, and get some quotes. Then actually go watch some lessons in person. Don't be afraid to interview the instructor to see if you like their style.Do some homework like any other investment to get the best return on your team's hard earned money. Your coaching ability will grow as you learn more about hitting. You don't have to "know it all" ahead of time. Go soak up all the knowledge you can with professional hitting instruction for youth baseball players.
Thanks
Coach Chip
Chip Lemin has been a promoter of youth baseball since they started using aluminum bats. That's a long time. I have witnessed many good people get into coaching without solid coaching skills and it is not fun for them or the kids.Today's newer coaches are also being shortchanged on sportsmanship, like there is none. Visit my site to sign up for a insightful, informational, free coaching e-course at http://www.baseballecourse.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chip_Lemin
===========================
Thanks to our sponsors:
Check us out on Twitter:
Blog4Coaches
Blogs4Coaches.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)