Coaching Youth Baseball

Baseball Discussion Group - Baseball Discussion Group - A very disturbing trend

2011-11-16T16:29:00.001-05:00

Check out what I found at baseball-excellence.com

Forum Discussion on coaching youth baseball.. very interesting.
For coaching youth baseball tips see http://coaching-youth-baseball.com/

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Youth Baseball Drills | Free Baseball Drills and Tips: Common Sense Coaching, Five Myths In Youth Baseball - Sports - Baseball

2011-11-09T02:31:00.001-04:00

via youthbaseballdrillsonline.blogspot.com

Read the truth about some common myths in youth baseball and be the smartest baseball mom or baseball dad in town

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Ripken Baseball - Nore games may not be the answer

2011-10-22T23:21:00.001-04:00

By Cal Ripken, Jr.

I’ve had a glove and a bat in my hands since I can remember. But my dad, just like any dad, wasn’t always there to give me instruction every day.

So, my brothers and I, we just played.

I started playing organized baseball with a team called the Angels when I was eight years old. We played a total of eight games. That was it for our entire season. The rest of the time, Billy and I played our own pickup games with other kids in the neighborhood.

That’s a far cry from many youth leagues today, which include as many as sixty games or more in one spring and summer.

I don’t know if playing sixty games a season is such a great idea.

When my son Ryan was younger, one of his coaches explained to me that he believed more and more games are scheduled simply because kids today don’t go out on their own and play pickup games like we did when we were growing up. As a result, the only way that youngsters can truly improve and hone their skills is by having more scheduled games to play in.

I certainly appreciate that approach, but I wish kids today would play more pickup games. An organized game structure does not allow kids to experiment with different approaches. Youngsters might want to switch-hit, or maybe try a different position, or change their batting stance or the way they pitch a ball - all things they could do easily in a pickup game.

That type of experimentation isn’t really encouraged during the course of a formal game, and kids miss out. Experimenting is great fun for kids. It allows them to be, well, kids.

I have heard that the coaches of youth club teams in Europe emphasize practice sessions much more than games. For every three practices, they will have one game. That’s a lot different than youth teams here in the United States, which might have a handful of practices before diving into a season with dozens of games and very little practice time.

When kids have more practice time, they have a better chance of developing their skills by experimenting with their approach to the game. That practice-to-game ratio of three to one makes a lot of sense to me. It could be baseball, basketball, hockey, you name it - every coach will tell you that the more you practice, the better you will become.

Game situations tend to restrict kids. Youngsters don’t want to make a mistake in a real game, so they become much more tentative in their play. They’re less likely to try something new because they’re fearful that they may fail and thus risk the reprimands of their coach and even their mom or dad. Conversations like this happen all the time:

DAD: Why’d you try to stretch that single into a double?

SON: I dunno... I guess I just thought it would be fun to run fast all the way to second and surprise the outfielder and beat the throw.

DAD: Well, it wasn’t a good play. You were out by a mile.

What’s the chance of that youngster ever trying to stretch a single into a double again? Pretty much zero. But how else in the world is that young ballplayer going to develop his skill at running the bases unless he gets the chance to go out and experiment and push his limits every so often?

Perhaps next season you should consider replacing some games with more practice sessions, if possible. Finding a balance between trying new things in practice and then trying them out in a game is a wonderful way to allow a youngster to polish his or her skills without risking a negative reaction from a parent or coach.

via ripkenbaseball.com

The season does go by quickly in youth baseball, thus we travel and play select ball. But, it can be overdone.
More about coaching youth baseball at http://coaching-youth-baseball.com/

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Youth Baseball Pitchers and Rest

2011-10-22T23:18:00.001-04:00

For pitchers, rest is essential

By John Habyan

Pitchers of all levels need to take some time off to rest their arms after a spring and summer of playing baseball. These days it seems there are more and more factors intervening that either prevent pitchers from resting properly or make them feel that they can’t take the time to rest properly.

We’ve all heard about the young professional pitchers who throw a full season of minor league innings, progress to the fall instructional league and then play winter ball before heading to spring training and starting all over again. Often times we read about these young up-and-coming players getting “dead arms” or developing arm problems the following season that can haunt them off and on throughout the rest of their careers or even prevent them from advancing to the next level.

Just like starting pitchers need three or four days to rehab their arms after a starting assignment during the season, pitchers of all ages need to set aside time in the off-season to take a break from throwing and strengthen their shoulder muscles, specifically the rotator cuff, for the season ahead. This absolutely must take place during the off-season, because once the season begins and young players are practicing and playing several times a week while going to school and trying to have a social life, there really is little or no time for strength or conditioning work outside of what is done on the field. Once the new year rolls around, most pitchers will be concentrating more on their baseball training, so the strength and conditioning work that they do in the off-season has to last them, in reality, up to six months.

In this age of specialization and increased opportunities, however, many young pitchers don’t get much of a chance to rest. As a high school coach, this really scares me.

At the pre-high school levels, more and more travel teams are holding fall tryouts and playing in fall – and even winter – tournaments. Once players get to the high school level there are fall teams to play on and “showcase” events for those who hope to get seen by college coaches and professional scouts.

Parents of young players – and the players themselves – worry about missing out on opportunities, falling behind and losing spots on competitive teams. No young person wants to sit at home while his friends are playing in a baseball tournament somewhere. This may lead young pitchers to feel the need to throw often and at 100 percent throughout the fall and into the winter.

Pitchers at the high school level also don’t want to get left behind and hope to expose their talents to as many college coaches and pro scouts as possible. This quest may lead them to pitch in many highly competitive fall games or to attend as many “showcase” events as possible.

I know from experience that it is best for young pitchers to take at least two full months off from throwing. That is the time that they should be working on the strengthening exercises that can help them rehabilitate their arms from the previous season and help them prevent injuries in the season ahead.

Fall tryouts and “showcase” events can really create a dangerous situation for young pitchers, because many times they will go into these events cold after having not thrown for many weeks. Mid-summer “showcase” events are fine, because the pitchers are still in their normal throwing routines. Even “showcases” in August or September are okay, because the pitchers can keep throwing after their seasons in preparation for those events. Their rest period can come after they participate.

On the other hand, tryouts or “showcases” that occur in October, November or even December can be very dangerous to a pitcher’s health. While the need for pitchers to allow their arms to rest some in the off-season is well-documented, a pitcher who rests for a month or more and then tries to throw at 100 percent for a weekend tryout or event is risking injury. Coaches should make sure that pitchers prepare for at least three weeks leading up to these events by long tossing, doing flatwork and having three or four mound sessions. Young pitchers also should be instructed about how to warm up properly at the showcase or tryout, because many times they are shuttled through a line and have to pitch cold.

It’s okay for pitchers to keep throwing through the late summer into September and early October, as long as they are able to take two months off to rest their muscles and train them adequately for the year ahead. That rest time, or “active rest,” should include a mixture of distance running, sprinting, exercises to strengthen the legs, exercises to strengthen the core, flexibility work and rotator cuff exercises.

John Habyan has been Ripken Baseball’s lead pitching instructor for 13 years after pitching for 11 seasons at the big league level. He is the head coach at St. John the Baptist High School in New York.

More about youth baseball pitching

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Coaching Youth Baseball: Baseball Hitting Tips| Youth Baseball Hitting Tips

2011-09-25T15:17:00.001-04:00

Looking for some baseball hitting tips for your youth baseball player ? Check out the new article for youth baseball hitting tips. It explains the importance of seeing the ball and not only telling players to see the ball , but how and where to look. These are important youth baseball hitting tips and are just as important as the hands and swing to hit the ball hard and get more base hits and extra base hits.
http://www.coaching-youth-baseball.com/article100.html

via coaching-youth-baseball.blogspot.com

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Baseball Hitting Tips| Youth Baseball Hitting Tips

2011-09-25T14:53:00.000-04:00

Looking for some baseball hitting tips for your youth baseball player ? Check out the new article for youth baseball hitting tips. It explains the importance of seeing the ball and not only telling players to see the ball , but how and where to look. These are important youth baseball hitting tips and are just as important as the hands and swing to hit the ball hard and get more base hits and extra base hits.

http://www.coaching-youth-baseball.com/article100.html

East Texas Youth Sports | Response to post made at East Texas Youth Sports Website

2011-07-20T15:17:00.001-04:00

Jeff put a post on his website concerning some fun stuff he gets to hear. The conversation is a text between Amy a youth baseball parent, and Jeff the owner of the website East Texas Youth Sports and President of a local youth baseball association. There is a link to the post at the bottom of this article.
We would like to give some background information and the reason for the conversation.

Financial Strain
Our local league constantly nagged about money, blamed their dire situation on the previous board members. We understand and want to help, money is tight for a lot of folks, but it became a constant threat of needing more money. Including texting some of the coaches about forfeiting games unless 100% of fundraiser goal was met. We have had conversations with numerous past board members that are unaware of how they have gotten in such financial strain.

The Fundraiser
First of all the fundraiser was double from past years. I as a coach collected more than ever as a recreational league youth baseball coach. Not a problem , the money is probably needed ,
but..A fundraiser is an event to raise money to help aid a cause. It is not meant to be the primary revenue source. Amy and myself shielded the board and Jeff from most of the parent complaints also, giving the excuse of bad finances from previous board members.
What was it you ask? A Discount Card. Not a bad idea except the company sells email address. The company that owns the card gets compiles marketing lists and sells them to companies, and we are actually paying them to sell our email address. Terrible idea.

All Stars
Jeff failed to tell local east texas youth sports all stars that they would be paying for their participation in local recreational league all star tournaments until after their selection. Now , historically the league pays for the youth all stars as recognition for their hard work and participation, this allows representation from our community that we can be proud of. Jeff made it a pay to play which now means you cant be an all star without enough money for the additional expense..
The league charges fees , has sponsors and held the most expensive fundraiser in history and still is having shortcomings with finances. Still understandable,money is tight. Then why would our recreational league offer to pay for a Deep East Texas Select Team for the fall? Now I'm having concerns about how recreational youth baseball money is being spent if i am being asked for more every few weeks.
We are proud of our team though. It was one of the best group of boys and parents I have got to spend time with in an all star competition.

Cussing
The harsh language is result of a buildup of concern over the children playing in the league and their future in local recreational baseball. I think every one can agree the conversation did get a little immature , as most of us have acted at some time or another, but i dont think that should give Jeff the right to threaten a woman. "Keep pushing me ,Amy"
Really ? Or what?
I got a couple of unmodifed colorful words for you..

Note: Here's a link to the original post made by Jeff
http://www.easttexasyouthsports.com/?page_id=13

Runner on third - trick play | Coaching Youth Baseball

2011-07-17T02:40:00.001-04:00

Here is a trick play we can use on defense when there is a runner on third and we have less than two outs.

When the opposing team has a baserunner on third and less than two outs, many times we can expect a bunt with the runner bouncing off off third base and running toward home on the release of the ball by the third baseman. The defensive team can try something to get the runner out. Have the shortstop cheat toward third. If you are pretty sure the opposing team will bunt, you can have your third baseman cheat in toward home.

The next pitch should be a pitchout. Now, when the batter shows bunt, the third baseman rushes in, and even though it is a pitch out, the baserunner will probably be instinctively bouncing off the base toward home. The shortstop comes quickly and quietly to cover third from his position and the catcher throws to the base after the pitch out.

Get more free youth baseball coaching tips and drills at Coaching Youth Baseball

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Better Baseball Hitting | Youth Baseball Hitting

2011-06-29T12:49:00.001-04:00

Ever notice some kids hitting the ball hard in baseball practice , but once in a youth baseball game they can't seem to make hard contact or contact at all? This is actually pretty common in youth baseball hitting. Baseball hitters tend to relax during batting practice. They know strikes and good pitches are coming and they want to to hit the ball hard, so their mind is clear and ready to go.

During a youth baseball game the pitcher is trying to get them out now. A hitter can overcomplicate things by putting too much pressure on themselves, thinking too hard about every thing he has been told, or simplyt losing confidence in their hitting ability. The mental side of hitting can be the hardest to overcome,sometimes it just takes more time, more batting practice,more at bats. My oldest son once told me I need to be moved down in the lineup because I haven't been hitting well. I told him thats the coaches job to move you. You want as many at bats as possible to try and come out of the slump. Players nearer the top of the lineup will get more plate attempts. Of course, everything worked out fine, and his hitting worked out.

Mental mistakes are often the most challenging to overcome, and sometimes they just take time. I like to go back to making it simple. Focus on the ball, quick hands,hit the ball hard. Sometimes thats all it takes.

You just have to empty your head, have confidence in your own ability, and go up there and just try to hit the ball hard. Trying your best is all I ask of my players.

More youth baseball hitting tips and drills at
Youth Baseball Drills | Youth Baseball Tips , Instruction and Drills

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Sliding Head First

2011-06-29T12:34:00.001-04:00

By Cal Ripken, Jr.

Bill and I love hearing from readers of the Clipboard. It reminds us that we have a community here that genuinely wants to have a positive impact on the kids who are playing ball today.

So it was great hearing from so many of you in response to what I wrote about Josh Hamilton and the ultra-aggressive style of play that landed him on the DL for 6-8 weeks. A lot of you just wanted to express how much you agreed with my assessment that aggressive players should stay aggressive - there is no on and off switch. But there were quite a few of you who questioned Hamilton's choice to slide headfirst, and showed some concern that I might be condoning a more dangerous style of play.

If you haven't had a chance to read the article, you can check it out here. For now, let me address those concerns of yours.

Feet-first is always the first choice.

A feet-first slide is always the safest option when the circumstances call for a runner to slide in order to avoid a tag. It is the safest and easiest way to slide into a base while lowering the chance of an easy tag by the man covering the bag.

At the youth level, the feet-first slide should be used exclusively. Even up to more advanced levels of youth baseball, players should rely on the headfirst slide only when diving back to the bag on a pick-off attempt. Other than that, the feet-first slide is safest and generally gives you a great chance at being safe.

In fact, many youth leagues have rules against sliding headfirst. In those cases, players that use the headfirst slide are called out on the spot. It's a rule designed to protect young players from the increased risk of injury that comes with sliding headfirst.

When players transition from the formative years of youth baseball into the more competitive realms of baseball as adults, the style of slide becomes an individual choice based on the player's ability, his comfort-level with the headfirst slide, and of course the unique situation of the play that demands a slide.

Why would you ever slide headfirst?

Sliding headfirst is faster. Not by a lot, but in a game of inches, the slight difference can be all that a runner needs.

How is a headfirst slide faster than a feet-first slide? Consider momentum.

A feet-first slide is basically a controlled "fall" as the runner approaches the base. The runner leans back and "sits" as he goes into the standard bent-leg slide. So, while this is the safest way to slide, the runner is actually taking some of his momentum away as he leans backwards - away from his target base.

On a headfirst slide, the runner throws all of his momentum forward, toward his target base. It's similar to an outfielder diving to catch a ball. In fact, on a headfirst slide, you don't want to be "sliding" much at all. You're really almost diving to "catch" the bag and hold onto it before the defense can catch the ball and place a tag on you.

The difference in speed isn't a big one, but it's there. Players that are comfortable sliding headfirst just have that as an added weapon. In close-play situations, where a fraction of a second might make the difference, they can use the headfirst slide to gain that split-second advantage.

At the youth level, that tiny advantage is not worth the risk.

We always talk about emphasizing good player development and safety over winning at the youth level. And that's why young players should stick to the feet-first slide - it's safe and fundamentally sound. When dealing with kids, we're not worried about gaining a tiny advantage for the sake of winning. We're not worried at all about winning. Our only job as coaches in youth baseball is to make sure the kids develop good fundamental skills in a fun and safe environment.

For professional ballplayers, it's a different story. Winning does matter. And as professionals, they frequently weigh risk against reward in the name of winning.

That's why I can't criticize Hamilton's decision to slide headfirst. He's comfortable sliding headfirst, he's used it effectively in the past, and he's a professional who knows the risk.

Would a feet-first slide have saved him from the injury? Probably.

Could Hamilton have injured himself just as badly sliding feet-first into home plate? Of course - there's a possibility for injury whenever someone slides.

The biggest danger in sliding is indecision.

Sliding is an inherently dangerous part of baseball.

But what we hate seeing is when players hurt themselves on the base paths because of indecision. They're approaching a base, and they want to slide, but they hear their coach yelling "UP!" because there's no throw. In that split second, the runner tries to change his mind and ends up somewhere between a slide and staying in stride to the base.

That's a dangerous place to be, and it's how a lot of leg strains and other injuries occur.

That's why we've always taught, "When in doubt, slide."

If a player is stealing a base, or if a play has the slightest chance of being contested, the runner's safest bet is always to slide.

For the pros, that means sliding whichever way gives them the best chance of beating the defense.

For young players, that means sliding feet-first, always.

via ripkenbaseball.com

This is a really good article on sliding head first and sliding feet first. It tells why , and addresses concerns for sliding in youth baseball.
more about youth baseball and youth baseball drills at
http://coaching-youth-baseball.com/topics.html

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All Star Practice Plans | Coaching All Stars Youth Baseball Practice Plans - mcclure's posterous

2011-06-12T02:25:00.001-04:00

Check out this website I found at coaching-youth-baseball.com

Coaching youth baseball all stars
http://www.coaching-youth-baseball.com/article97.html

via mcclure.posterous.com

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Trevor Mcclure Pitches A No Hitter| Sulphur Springs Wildcat Pitcher Trevor McClure

2011-04-25T22:45:00.001-04:00

via mcclurecentral.com

Great job for a youth baseball pitcher

Who wants to be a better hitter in a week?
http://www.coaching-youth-baseball.com/youthbaseballhittingdrills/index.htm

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Cool Baseball Quote

2011-04-19T00:19:00.001-04:00

No game in the world is as tidy and dramatically neat as baseball, with cause and effect, crime and punishment, motive and result, so cleanly defined. ~Paul Gallico

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Youth Baseball Curveball - Should a youth pitcher throw curveballs?

2011-04-06T17:24:00.001-04:00

Check out this website I found at coaching-youth-baseball.com

Interesting article on arm injuries in youth baseball pitching. I was surprised by the answer of where the most arm injuries in pitching come from.
http://coaching-youth-baseball.com/

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Finding the Right Catchers Mitt

2011-02-23T21:39:00.001-05:00

Free Article Index | Finding the Right Catchers Mitt

Finding the Right Catcher's Mitt

Coach Blake Barthol

Choosing a catcher's glove is a very individual thing. Be sure to try many different models on before you make a decision. Whenever I was choosing a glove, I always tried to stay away from the really big gloves. If you are using a big glove, there is more room to catch the ball, but there is a lot more room for the ball to get lost in when you are trying to throw runners out. Throughout my 9 year professional career, I only used 2 different models of gloves. I started with a Wilson model and then about 4 years in, I switched to using an All-Star model.

A few of the decisions you have to make are;

Do you want a single hinge or a double hinge?

How big of a glove do you want?

What color of a glove do you want?

What kind of pocket do you want?

These are just a few things to think about. The biggest thing about getting a new glove is not the decision on the actual glove, but how you are going to make the pocket. Take notice to how you receive the ball. If you mainly give your target with your thumb up and receive the ball with your thumb up, you would want you pocket going up and down. If you are the type of catcher who gives a target and receives most of the pitches with your thumb down, then you want your pocket to go side to side. I was a thumb up kind of catcher. Therefore, when I broke my gloves in, I would have the pocket going up and down.

Again, choosing a glove is a very personal decision. Each person should make their glove their own and make their glove fit their hand. Be sure you are comfortable with your glove and take care of it. Tightening the strings and keeping balls in the pocket while its in your baseball bag are 2 essential things.

Related Tips and Lessons

· Coaching Youth Baseball

via aa

Choosing the right youth baseball glove is important. Here are some key points on choosing a catchers mitt

For information on choosing the right youth baseball bat check out this page
http://youth-baseball-bats.youth-baseball-equipment.com/

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Coaching Youth Baseball - How to Increase Base Running Speed in Players

2011-02-14T22:57:00.001-05:00

Coaching Youth Baseball - How to Increase Base Running Speed in Players

Edit Article | Posted: Feb 11, 2011 |Comments: 0 |
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Youth baseball coaches spend a lot of practice time focusing on batting, throwing, and fielding skills. Speed training often consists of just having the kids run the bases as fast as they can a few times. Coaches that take the time to work with their players on their base running speed will make their teams more competitive.

Here are some specific tips to use to help your players run faster. Working with each player individually to help them increase their speed will have the most benefit, as each player will need different improvements.

1. Arm position. The runner's arm position should be close to the body at a 90 degree angle and about waist high. As the player runs, the arms should be moving front to back. Sideways movements will slow the runner down. The shoulders and hands should be relaxed. Have players practice the correct movements in slow motion until they develop the appropriate muscle memory.

2. Focus. The runner should be looking at his destination, not at the ground in front of him. For baseball players this means the next base. However, the player does need to be aware of what's going on around him, so he doesn't get tagged on the baseline or run into another player.

3. Foot position. Keep runners OFF their heels. The proper foot position for the fastest speed is to land on the ball of the foot and push off, rolling forward to the toes. Professional running shoes have the cleats only on the front of the shoe, because this is where a runner's power comes from.

If a coach spends a few minutes every practice working with his players on their running form, his team will be faster overall. And a faster team wins more baseball games!

Base running is often overlooked in youth baseball practices. it is a very important part of the game. the author is correct..just a few minutes every practice
http://youthbaseballdrills.youth-baseball-equipment.com/

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Little League Confidential | Coaching Youth Baseball

2011-02-10T23:20:00.001-05:00

Little League Confidential is a must read . You will find yourself unable to put this book down as you read about this coaches youth baseball season and compare to some of your own. Its hilarious . Little League Confidential was written Bill Geist, who is familiar to viewers of the CBS Evening News, used to be a Little League coach in New Jersey. And he somehow lived to tell about it. Little League Confidential assumed cult status as a baseball classic, though some just considered it one very funny book. Geist reveals the ups and downs (well, mostly downs) of coaching a local youth baseball team sponsored by a local beauty salon. His portraits of players and parents and his thoughts on competition in small town New Jersey are heartfelt and hilarious. Little League Confidential is a youth baseball coach's account of his woes, travails and soul storms in the course of one season is side-splitting. He describes the draft system for securing players and a shrewd angle-worker who rigged the system. He analyzes the four major types of coaches: "It's only a game, so let's just have fun" (the nerd, according to the kids); "Win or I'll kill you" (the asshole, according to the kids); "We're here to build character, to learn life's lessons" (the despicable preacher, according to Geist); "I pick the kids with the best-looking mothers" (attribution superfluous). He writes of the games, with pitchers flinging balls three feet over the batters' heads, outfielders aiming for third base but throwing to first and a few tyros who are actually good. For anyone in need of a good laugh you must read Little League Confidential, especially if you are a youth baseball coach.

Youth Baseball Drills | Youth Baseball Tips , Instruction and Drills

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Coaching Youth Baseball-Free Drills and Youth baseball Tips for Parents and Coaches - Youth Baseball Pitching Drills

2011-02-01T20:22:00.001-05:00

Check out this free youth baseball pitching video clip. Find out what you need to know for your youth baseball pitchers youth baseball pitching drills

Youth baseball Pitching drills are very important and need to be done correctly
http://www.coaching-youth-baseball.com/article96.html

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Coaching Youth Baseball-Free Drills and Youth baseball Tips for Parents and Coaches - Top 20 Reasons to coach Youth baseball - Humor

2011-02-01T07:58:00.001-05:00

CoachMc writes "We all love baseball and enjoy teaching and coaching youth baseball. It is a very rewarding feeling to have a youth baseball player actually follow thru in a game with what you have been teaching and coaching. For instance a kids first strikeout or a fly ball being caught. However, there are some things that come along with it not so rewarding. The following list is for humor purposes but does reign true. :)

Best Deals on youth baseball bats http://youth-baseball-bats.youth-baseball-equipment.com/

Tee Ball Coaching Tips, Drills That Work, Practice Plans
Helpful Coaching Forms and More!
Learn to effectively coach Tee Ball now

"

via coaching-youth-baseball.com

More free coaching youth baseball drills and tips
http://coaching-youth-baseball.com/

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Coaching Youth Baseball-Free Drills and Youth baseball Tips for Parents and Coaches - What makes a good coach | Coaching Youth Baseball

2011-01-11T23:41:00.001-05:00

Check out this website I found at coaching-youth-baseball.com

What makes a good youth baseball coach ?coach

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Coaching Youth Baseball

2011-01-01T22:28:00.001-05:00

via hubpages.com

Coaching Youth baseball has a hub page now.
You can check it out here
http://hubpages.com/hub/coachingyouthbaseball

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Pitching Drill | Fun Youth Baseball Pitching Drill | Youth Baseball Drills | Youth Baseball Tips , Instruction and Drills

2010-12-24T13:26:00.001-05:00

King of the Mound | Youth Pitching Drill

First have all your players line up on the pitcher’s mound. The first player will step on the rubber and attempt to throw a strike. If he throws a strike, he goes to the back of the line.
If he misses, he is on the hot seat ( you can actually put out a bucket to sit on or just have the player stand near mound).

If the next player throws a strike, he is out of the game. If the second player throws a ball, the first player goes to the back of the line and the second player is on the hot seat. Keep going until only one player is left. That player is the king mound. Winning this drill should earn a player some pitching time in the next game.

You can actually give a few more places to allow some success for your players that do not pitch often but want a chance. This game gives them something to strive for. We hope they will practice before/after practice , or at home so they can win King of the mound and get some game time.

Purpose of this pitching drill

This is a good game for those kids that want to pitch but have not yet practiced enough to take the mound. It offers an opportunity for all players to pitch and explains the why for you as a coach. You can actually have this as a station and leave your normal starting pitchers out(doing a different drill at another location) so that others have a chance for the reward.

Players learn the game in practice. However, practice does not have to be drudgery. If you turn the drills into games you can keep your player’s attention and that will allow them to focus better and learn more. Keep drills and practice games short and competitive will help youngsters get the most out of their time on the practice field.

via youthbaseballdrills.youth-baseball-equipment.com

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Should a child play up in youth baseball | Coaching Youth Baseball

2010-12-21T19:22:00.001-05:00

Check out this website I found at coaching-youth-baseball.com

You may be thinking of playing your child up in youth baseball, or as a coach you may have been or will be asked if a child should play up. Here are some things to consider to ease any concerns about playing up in youth baseball

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Coaching Youth Baseball-Free Drills and Youth baseball Tips for Parents and Coaches - What makes a good coach | Coaching Youth Baseball

2010-12-21T18:54:00.001-05:00

Check out this website I found at coaching-youth-baseball.com

Here are some key points to remember coaching youth baseball. This is how you determine if you are a good youth baseball coach. Hint: Its not always winning.

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Coaching Youth Baseball Pitchers|Coaching Youth Baseball

2010-12-15T19:13:00.001-05:00

We are true believers that developing a strong midsection, including the abs and lower back have a great impact in developing the torque needed to deliver the ball with high velocity. This commonly called the core.This can be started as a youth baseball pitcher. Even though a solid core is important for all baseball players,It is a necessity for pitchers.

Once that landing foot hits, the rotation begins and the energy begins to be transfered into the midsection(the core)

Coaches Club members can go to the conditioning department to see 8 effective exercises to help strengthen the core. Play Ball Academy | Coaching Youth Baseball>

I'd advise incorporating some of these movements into the regular routine of youth baseball pitchers.

You can get some free youth baseball drills and youth baseball tips at coaching youth baseball

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Bryce Harper Scouting Report | Project Prospect

2010-12-12T20:35:00.001-05:00

via projectprospect.com

heres a link to the article..some really good hitting points made here

Posted via email from youth baseball

Youth Baseball and getting good grades

2010-12-12T20:31:00.001-05:00

Here are two reasons why you should care about your grades of you're a youth baseball player or athelete.

1. Getting good grades in most public high schools comes down to nothing more than organization, focus, and follow through. Of those three, are any unimportant for an athlete to possess? You're right, all of them are important. What message are you sending a college coach or pro scout if you can't manage your academics? How about the message that you are really just a talented athlete just like the thousands of others like you out there who are in the market to play collegiate or professional athletics. There are too many talented slackers; if you're one of them, you'll be easy to pass up because you lack the LONG TERM desire to expand your skill sets.

2. On a related point, getting good grades demonstrates responsibility. The last thing a college coach or professional organization wants to deal with is an athlete who continually puts himself in stupid situations. They are not running a babysitting service. Again, there are others out there who are as talented as you. YOU ARE EXPENDIBLE ALWAYS until you prove you are not. This proof has nothing to do with what you did last game, week, or year. Good athletes don't live in the past and always seek to improve upon their craft. Daily.

For more coaching youth baseball tips

Youth Baseball Bats

Youth Baseball Drills | Youth Baseball Tips , Instruction and Drills

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Play Ball Academy | Coaching Youth Baseball>

2010-12-08T22:43:00.001-05:00

Check out this website I found at coaching-youth-baseball.com

Over 500 audio and video lessons !

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Coaching Youth Baseball | Are You Working Hard Enough ?

2010-12-08T21:04:00.001-05:00

Here is a coaching youth baseball story I wanted to share. Its about work ethic in youth baseball and achieving your goals.

I was a bit early so I got see the end of a core strengthening workout. The guys (mostly 9th graders) were beat. Legs shaking, core fatigued, and sweating rolling off them like crazy. It was great to see. At the end of the practice one of the coaches asked, "Who gave 100%?" Many raised their hands. The reply came, "That's all I ask for."

I know there are quite a few guys on this particular team I've mentioned who have dreams of playing collegiate baseball and beyond. Who knows if that will happen or not. The decision to be selected for a high level baseball team is completely out of your hands, so stop worrying/thinking about it. Instead, place your time and energy into increasing your work habit to where it needs to be, now.

The nice thing is that work habit is not age specific or talent dependent. You can bust your butt at age 8 just as well as you can at age 16. It's all relative.

Are you working harder/smarter RIGHT NOW than 90% of the athletes in your home town?

How about your state? What about your nation? The globe?

IF your dream is to play professional baseball, your work habit better match what it takes to get there.

Learn more about coaching youth baseball

Free youth baseball drills

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Rotational Hitting | Rotational Swing | Rotational Hitting Baseball Swing

2010-11-21T01:06:00.001-05:00

via coaching-youth-baseball.com

video clip of rotational hitting and rotational swing and tips on power hitter
http://www.coaching-youth-baseball.com/article90.html

Posted via email from youth baseball

First Base in Youth Baseball |2 Rules for First Base in Youth Baseball

2010-09-24T14:14:00.001-04:00

Tips on Playing First Base in youth baseball coaching-youth-baseball.com

Here are some tips and key points to playing first base in youth baseball that players and coaches need to recognize.

Posted via email from youth baseball

Untitled

2010-09-15T17:51:00.001-04:00

You be the Coach !

Analyze this coaches swing!

http://j.mp/ckX6j0

Coaching Youth Baseball

Posted via email from youth baseball

Fun Youth Baseball Practice

2010-09-14T01:27:00.001-04:00

Youth Baseball Practice should be fun. You can have a fun baseball practice with fun youth baseball drills and be more effective at teaching the skills needed for the game.
Fun Youth Baseball Practice Drills

We have all seen the dull boring 2 hour youth baseball practices. A player batting while usually a coach pitches to them and the rest of the team is in positions. Not a lot getting done and when a ball is hit, nobody is ready. The players are just waiting for their turn at bat.

You can break the kids into groups and get a lot more accomplished in a shorter amount of time and have fun. Watch your players get better and show up on time with fun youth baseball practices

Get free youth baseball drills and more at
coaching-youth-baseball.com

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World Wide Joke: Why The Little League World Series on ESPN Is a Farce

2010-08-13T17:30:00.001-04:00

via google.com

Posted via email from mcclure's posterous

Youth Baseball Hitting | Youth Baseball hitting drills and tips

2010-08-03T15:37:00.001-04:00

CoachMc writes "Everyone loves big hits and getting on base in youth baseball. Here are some tips from Coach Brockoff to help your youth baseball player be a better hitter.
I've studied hitters during practice practices (BP) for years and come to the same conclusion each time. Hitters who take every pitch in this manner get pops, chops, and routine ground balls with every pitch. In fact, the going rate of hard hits is three or four out of ten.
Who Else Wants To Be a Better Hitter in 1 Week ?
Explosive Hitting Package
Instead, try my proven Power-10 baseball hitting drill, which will help players hit the ball hard with super contact every time. Power-10 drills used in batting practices will train hitters to hit each ball well, making practices more meaningful. Hitters will concentrate more on hitting the balls hard and sharply, rather than hitting everything deep. As you see below, this method is proven by improved batting averages.
Efficiency at least 80%: batting average over.400
Efficiency at least 70-80%: mid.300 batting average
Efficiency less than 70%: .280-.300 batting average
Here's how the Power-10 drill works:
A hitter chooses which pitches to hit. But call a strike if he takes a good pitch.
Scoring:
Hard Hit = 1 point
Week hit = 0 points
Swing and miss/foul/strike = (-1)
A hitter strives for a minimum 7 out of 10 (70%). If a hitter is not at that level, he needs to work for that. If time permits, players can do more than one Power-10. With these batting drills, they look forward to the challenge of getting better each time.
EXTRA TIP -- Is 'Stride' Important?
What causes a player to sacrifice power when hitting? Several reasons:
Hitting for power has always been associated with the big strong player. But our research reveals that it's not so much the size of the player, but rather the strength of his hands.
Many young players are taught to just "meet the ball" rather than hitting through the ball.
And some hitters let go of the top hand too soon, resulting in a less-than-powerful performance at the plate.
Lastly, many players are taught to place their hands out over the plate on contact. Sometimes this is a result of being taught incorrectly to get extension over the plate.
My Solution:
This proven method for how to hit a baseball will increase batting speed and power by up to 30-40% if used correctly. Here's all it takes:
Strong, quick hands, quick hips, and an agile body
Hands out front on contact
Hitting through the ball
Controlled aggression
To achieve maximum hitting force and greatest distance, both large and small players must learn to develop a quick pivot and quick hands while in the stroke. Power hitters have learned to use hips first, and hands last, with a powerful snapping action. Getting the hands out in front of the body to contact with the ball, with the top hand over the bat, and the bottom hand under that bat, converts a mediocre hit into something like a hammer hitting a nail with full force. This type of "controlled aggression" while still maintaining balance, will finish the stroke with both hands, allowing the batter to hit through the ball with maximum strength. It's important to remember not to let the top hand go too soon.
Extension does not occur on contact, but rather after contact. When hitters try to extend on contact, it is like sawing wood, using too much arms and shoulders. This method will not power the ball. In order to learn how to hit for power in baseball the hitter has to get his hands out in front of the body to contact the ball, with the top hand over the bat, and the bottom hand under the bat. The top hand is then like a hammer on contact. Tip: Hitting is controlled aggression, while maintaining balance and control.

Hi. I'm Coach Joe Brockoff, a Division I Head Baseball Coach for Tulane University for more than 19 years, and former minor league player for the New York Yankees. Over the years, I've taught thousands of baseball players how to increase batting speed and improve their overall performance on the field. In fact, my proven training system has sent 45 baseball players to the pros.
As a coach committed to continuous improvement, I share my baseball drills, tips, and techniques here so that you will, in turn, inspire and motivate young players to improve their game. I hope you'll visit my web site, the Super 8 Baseball Hitting System at
Super Eight System
"

via coaching-youth-baseball.com

A new article with some great youth baseball hitting drills and tips has been published at http://coaching-youth-baseball.com/

Posted via email from mcclure's posterous

2011 Combat B3 Da Bomb | Combat Youth Baseball Bats 31/19, 29,19, 29/17 and more

2010-06-23T18:32:00.000-04:00

2011 Combat B3 Da Bomb | Combat Youth Baseball Bats 31/19, 29,19, 29/17 and more

Find the best deals on the new 2011 Combat B3 Da Bomb youth Baseball Bat

Who Else Wants To Be a Better Hitter in 1 Week ?
Explosive Hitting Package

Coaching Youth Baseball | How To Be A Good Youth Baseball Coach

2010-06-12T00:28:00.000-04:00

There is not a magic way to perfectly coach youth baseball or even how to be a good youth baseball coach. The keys to being o great or good youth baseball coach is having the desire to help kids succeed , learn and grow , and to properly manage your teams time effectively as well as your own. Here is a list of some best qualities for coaching youth baseball and being a good youth baseball coach

http:coaching-youth-baseball.com

Warning

This Baseball Hitting Package won't make you popular with opposing coaches. How to WIN more games, have more FUN, and be the kind of youth baseball coach your player"s will LOVE and their parents will BRAG about.

Finally , A baseball coaching package that has it all

Approaches To hitting In Youth Baseball

2010-05-11T16:44:00.000-04:00

A new article about the different approaches to hitting in youth baseball has been published at http://www.coaching-youth-baseball.com/

You read the article here http://www.coaching-youth-baseball.com/article83.html and learn more about rotational hitting and linear hitting for youth baseball players and what you should be teaching as a youth baseball coach.

We see a lot of linear hitting in youth baseball but what do we see the bigger players do?
http://www.coaching-youth-baseball.com/article83.html

Who Else Wants To Be A better Hitter In A Week?
Explosive Hitting Package!

Home Run Power This Season! Bat Speed Training That Will Add 100 Feet Of Hitting Distance - And More! Get noticed for your talents and ability!
Become a Power Hitter!

How to hit the Ball | Youth Baseball Hitting

2010-05-06T22:51:00.001-04:00

CoachMc writes "When I ask youth baseball hitters, what is the first step to get prepared to hit the ball hard? I get several different responses and for the for the most part they realize that it is something we do to get our bodies prepared to hit. The key is when do we as youth baseball hitters do it? I like to use a term “Early Load” and the key word is, early. When is early? I have a little saying, once pitchers get some where in the leg raise portion of the windup, a hitter needs to be doing something to get their body prepared to hit. Because the hitter who is standing in the box and is not prepared will have a tough time being a successful
hitter.
I personally think the “Early Load” is one of the most important segments of hitting, that is why I place such an emphasis on it. Before we can ever hit, we must have our body prepared to hit.

Who Else Wants To Be a Better Hitter in 1 Week ?
Explosive Hitting Package

"

via coaching-youth-baseball.com

We all want to see our youth baseball players hit better. Where do we start in youth baseball hitting?

Posted via web from youth baseball

Base Running Youth Baseball | Base running important part of youth baseball

2010-05-01T02:37:00.000-04:00

Base Running Youth Baseball | Base running might be the most important part of youth baseball

Coaches often avoid base running because it might seem boring, but usually coaches don’t totally understand how to teach base running . But if you think about it, base running is critical to winning games – the goal of a baseball game is to score runs, and base running is the means by which we do that.

So here are some youth baseball base running tips to help you get your team running and thinking about how to run the bases the right way.

Contact – Getting out of the Box/ Run Thru First
Whether you’ve tapped one off the end of the bat or raked a hard line drive down the line, your first goal is always to get out of that batter’s box in a hurry. There’s no excuse for not hustling, so run hard down the first base line.

1) If it's a dribbler or or a play can be made by the defense ..run as hard as you can to first base , stepping on the bag on the side closest to home plate, and do your best to beat the defense.
If it’s a solid base hit, run hard and move gradually into foul territory in order to make a smooth turn at first base. Whatever you do, don’t get caught watching the ball for too long – that only slows you down.

2) It’s a Hit – What Now?
If you’ve earned a hit, round first with the full intention of going to second. Quickly find the ball on the field and make another decision – is the defense in control of the ball? If not, decide whether you can make it to second base and go! If the defense has the ball and is in a good position to throw you out at second, stop and return to first base. As a coach I like to say "turn and look" defense could make an error..As a coach I will help too if I see it first or see a weakness in the defense.

A good rule to follow: “Run until the defense stops you.”

3) Get a Good Lead (Open Bases) / (proper lead)
Two and a half steps or a body length), that’s a good guideline to follow when taking a lead. Keep your eyes on the pitcher and never cross over your feet – you want to be vigilant in case the pitcher makes a sudden move and you want your feet to be ready to change direction quickly. Take your lead off the back edge of the base – that increases the distance any pickoff throw must go and also makes it harder for the first baseman to tag you. Every little advantage helps including lead with your right foot not left.

4) Keep up with the Pitch
On every pitch, you should generate momentum towards the next base in a secondary lead. Think of shuffling with three hops and count them in your head – one, two, three. As the pitcher starts delivery to the plate you begin advancing towards the next base in the form of those three hops. You want your youth baseball players feet to come down on “three” just as the ball enters the strike zone. You can't start to early. Good pitchers will pick you off.

Based on what happens—a strike, a passed ball, a hit—make a decision on whether to advance or return.

5)Third Base – The Walking Base
The shuffling method of taking a secondary lead works for first and second, but when you’ve reached third base, it’s time to take a different strategy. Now you’re going to walk towards home with three steps – right, left, right, counting in your head, "one, two, three."
Just as in the shuffling secondary lead, when you get to “three,” your right foot should be coming down and the ball should be entering the strike zone. React quickly to whatever happens and focus on taking advantage of every opportunity to score.

6) When in Doubt, Slide
No matter what base you are approaching (except for first base), if there’s even a slim chance of a play, slide. Too many injuries occur because runners are indecisive. Sliding is always a safer alternative to slamming on those breaks.
And you never want to be tagged out standing up when simply sliding could have saved your team an out.

7) Don’t Let Up
You should always hustle, everything you got..but when it comes to first base and home plate, you absolutely need to run straight through those bases. Nothing feels worse than to let up on your way to first only to realize the defense has made an error on what seemed a sure out.

Your team will also be pretty upset with you if you fail to run hard through home plate, even when the defensive play may be at another base. Fail to cross home plate before the third out is recorded and your run simply doesn’t count.

Conclusion :
When looking at the square created by the base paths, as a youth baseball coach you should really picture a circular path for base runners. This saves time, increases speed, and helps prevent injuries that can occur when trying to make sharp turns at full-speed.

We see many base running errors simply because it is not practiced ..be sure to include base running and incorporate it into your youth baseball practices.

Baserunning: Basics Of Stealing 3rd

2010-05-01T01:25:00.001-04:00

home | Baserunning | Baserunning: Basics Of Stealing 3rd

Baserunning: Basics Of Stealing 3rd

Description: Coach Merlet demonstrates the basics of stealing 3rd base. You don't need to be super fast to steal 3rd, you just need to be smart.
Length: 2 min. 18 sec.
Lesson Level: Intermediate

Related Tips and Lessons

· Baserunning Lesson- Lead From 2nd Base
· Baserunning Lesson- Lead From 3rd Base

via playballacademy.com

Base running - Some tips on stealing third base

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Ever Disagree with An Umpires Call ?

2010-04-30T23:49:00.000-04:00

Disagree with an umpires call

Ever Disagreed with the Umpire's Call? Of Course You Have! MLB Players Share Advice on How to Handle the Frustrating Calls and disagreeing with the umpire.

Ever been in a game where the runner was clearly out but the umpire called him safe? Have you ever seen the ball seemingly 15 feet above the plate but still called a strike? Of course you have. We all have, including Major League Baseball players. They will be the first to tell you that sometimes getting along with umpires can be tough. We have all disagreed with an umpires call at some time or another.

But the advice from MLB players on dealing with the officials is pretty consistent: you need to respect the ump in order to play the game, and it doesn't do you any good to freak out in the middle of the action.

Philadelphia Phillie pitcher J.A. Happ has learned how to keep his cool when he disagrees with umpires, but he admits it took him some time to get to that point.

"When I was younger, I wasn't the best," he said. "But maybe between innings, you can ask them politely where they think the pitch was. For the most part you have to shake it off."

Minnesota Twin reliever Clay Condrey admitted youth baseball is different in dealing with umpires than when you get to the Big Leagues. Once it's your profession, it can be more difficult, he said. But he also admitted it's hard for the umpires to always get it right.
"It's a game of human error," he said. "Making a bad call goes with the game."

When emotions get going it can be tough keeping that in mind, but controlling those emotions is key to succeeding in baseball.

Phillies closer Brad Lidge was on the hill to record the final out when the Phillies won the World Series in 2008. Having patience with the umpires is something he says is necessary to stay focused.
"I think the only time it can be a problem is if you let it take you out of your game," he said. "The most important thing is to say to yourself, ok, that happened, now I have to move to the next pitch. "

Lidge's teammate, All-Star Second Baseman Chase Utley, agreed.
"There are always times where you lose your temper, but you learn from those times," he said.
Utley is known for his cool demeanor on the field. He doesn't allow the umpire's actions to change his disposition and he rarely argues. It might have something to do with his experience behind the backstop: in college he did some Little League umpiring himself.
"At that level the umpires are learning. They're trying to improve as well," he said.

Most arguments can be made effectively by your manager which allows you to keep your cool to stay in the game. If he does, Lidge said you have a better chance to handle your frustration in a productive way.

The challenge, of course, is adjusting to an umpire's strike zone. They are not all going to call the same balls and strikes and at times, you may feel they're not staying consistent. That's one of the biggest complaints pitchers usually have. But Lidge was firm in his approach to those moments.
"You have to realize that each pitch is an opportunity to reset things. Start over from where you want to be. Come to terms with your situation and just think of what you need to do next," he said. "If you get really heated, it's something you're not going to be proud of the next day."
And, as he also reminded us, it's not all about you when those times happen. "You might hurt your team," he said.
Additionally, Condrey pointed out that you've got to set an example for the guys you're playing with.
Utley explained that the player/umpire relationship is delicate and comes down to one important factor.

"The more you respect umpires, the more they'll respect you," he said.

In baseball, the calls are made and they don't get overturned. The bottom line is to not allow it to affect your performance or you could hurt your chances of bouncing back. And the team is counting on you to do just that. No matter what umpires do, you have to stay strong mentally.

"Always look forward, never look back. If you keep looking forward, then whatever happened has happened. There's no reason to go back to it in your head," he said. "Just focus on the next thing you need to do with your situation."
This article has been re posted from Junior Baseball
For more great youth baseball articles check out Junior Baseball Now !

Baseball Hitting Mechanics and Destroying Baseball Swing |

2010-04-29T14:05:00.001-04:00

via thepitchingacademy.com

http://j.mp/cpJg4Z
I think that the lesson here is quite clear. While there are a wide range of hitting styles in MLB, there are some core hitting mechanics that remain consistent between all great hitters. None of those hitting mechanics have anything in common with those who teach swing down to the ball mechanics.
http://j.mp/cpJg4Z

Posted via web from youth baseball

In The Dugout | Youth Baseball Players in the Dugout

2010-04-19T00:13:00.000-04:00

If you or your kid seems to be in the dugout to much, there is some very important things youth baseball players can do while in the dugout to make them better players and a bigger part of the youth baseball team.

Check out the article on My kid is in the Dugout Too Much and see how important the dugout really is in youth baseball.

Youth Baseball Coaching | Tips on being a good youth baseball coach

2010-04-03T19:06:00.000-04:00

How to be a Good Youth Baseball Coach | Coaching Youth Baseball
After years of coaching youth baseball, creating select youth baseball teams, creating a new league even !.. We still see the same mistakes made over again. We come across an article that had many key points of being a good youth baseball coach and thought we should let everyone in involved in coaching youth baseball to see for themselves. Read more and find out our most important rules of coaching youth baseball.

There is no magic way to coach youth baseball or even to be a great youth baseball coach. The keys to being o good or great youth baseball coach is a true desire to help the kids succeed , learn and grow , and the discipline to manage your teams time effectively as well as your own. Here is a list of some best qualities for coaching youth baseball.

1) Teach during practice - review and work on weaknesses from previous practices and games

2) Motivate - Its not about coaching youth baseball..its about the players

3) Teaching how to win - It is more important than winning. I know everyone hears that crap..But if the effort is there..the wins will come. You should teach your kids to strive to excel and do their best as a part of the team.

4) Baseball is a Game - Games are supposed to be fun. Make practice hard work and fun. Then you don't have to work during the game..the game is a game and games are supposed to be fun, right ?

5) Be a student - There are many educational resources available..not to mention rule changes every year.

6) Bad things - The bad things..errors and other negatives can be made into positives. I relate this to" learning by doing."If you did it wrong ..now you know that doesn't work, what do we do right?

The Most Important Rules of Coaching Youth Baseball

1) Positive Example - You are a role model and this can transgress into all aspects of a child's life. Players will remember you the rest of their lives. Let's make sure it is a good one.

2) Establish Rules - Three good reasons for authority.. Safety , Direction , Correction

3) Be Organized - Write out practices and games, use help if offered..find a place for other parents willing to contribute. Know what you want to review and improve, and introduce new in practices. Know where your kids are going to play.

For a free youth baseball field diagram to help in assist in organization and more check out
Coaching Youth Baseball Free Account..Free Downloads.

Coaching Youth Baseball-Free Drills and Youth baseball Tips for Parents and Coaches - new coach needs HELP

2010-04-03T18:31:00.001-04:00

springtree writes "i just switched from pony to ll. my son is 8 and playe pretty good and the league that i am in did not have a coach so i said that i would help. but it seems that i am the one who needs help. at this age they start to pitch which is not a problem because i have another older son who plays. but more than half of the kids on my team have never played. i am at a loss
the kids love me and practices are going well but how do i teach these guys( in 2 weeks) what to do? i have no asst coach. so it is me and my 12 year old son out there. i know drills but they are for more exspirenced kids. PLEASE anything will help.
i want these guys to have a good year(i do not mean winning all the games)to have fun and learn more.
fusterated and overwelmed
PLEASE anything will help.
i want these guys to have a good year(i do not mean winning all the games)to have fun and learn more.
fusterated and overwelmed
Who Else Wants To Be a Better Hitter in 1 Week ?
Explosive Hitting Package
Warning
"

via coaching-youth-baseball.com

See more at
http://coaching-youth-baseball.com/article78.html
about youth baseball coach needing help

Posted via web from mcclure's posterous

Youth Baseball Hitting Drills| youth baseball drills | Mcclure Central

2010-03-10T23:57:00.001-05:00

Baseball Hitting Drills are very important for everyone in youth baseball. The proper baseball hitting drills can help make any player a better youth baseball hitter. However the wrong baseball hitting drills can cause years of practice to correct.

One of the best underused baseball hitting drills is the batting tee. Pros and college players use them, thus our youth should be doing youth baseball hitting drills from the tee also.
See the proper way to use a tee and become a better, more powerful hitter with baseball hitting drills.

via mcclurecentral.com

As a youth baseball coach for many years, the easiest thing in practice is to teach hitting . All the kids want to hit, parents want to see them hit, and it is fairly easy to teach youth baseball players to hit the baseball hard. Nice introductory article to hitting for youth baseball players

Posted via web from youth baseball

Youth Baseball Hitting | Increase Your Batting Average | Mcclure Central

2010-03-04T23:21:00.001-05:00

Youth Baseball Hitting | Increase the batting average for youth baseball hitters.

Much of a hitter’s success comes from being smart and staying within the strike zone. Hitters who are selective and can patiently wait for a good pitch to hit will greatly increase his chances of having a successful at bat.

Hit Home Runs This Season!
Bat Speed Training That Will Add Hitting Distance.Get Noticed For Your Ability To Make Consistent, Hard Contact With Our Highly Regarded And Proven Guaranteed Program. Become a Power Hitter! Hit the ball HARD!

Be selective and aggressive as a youth baseball hitter. Do not let the pitcher expand the strike zone. A youth baseball pitchers goal is to get you to swing at bad pitches and expand his strike zone. The goal is to get on base. nothing wrong with walks. If you can’t get on base you are not doing your job. Remember the more pitches you see the better youth baseball hitter you will be. Also, Go up to bat with a purpose. What kind of pitch are you looking for? Is anyone on base? Be selective and look for the pitches you can drive somewhere. I think this simple tip can be introduced to youth baseball players as early as ten years old.

Hit the Ball Hard !

Be patient and look for a good pitch to hit !

Who else wants to be a better hitter in less than 1 week?
The Super Eight Hitting system

via mcclurecentral.com

Learn to be a better hitter

Posted via web from youth baseball

Coaching Youth Baseball: Louisville Slugger H2 Youth Baseball Bat ...

2010-02-25T22:45:00.001-05:00

Louisville Slugger H2 Youth Baseball Bat | Youth Baseball Bats | Choose a Youth Baseball Bat
Learn more about the 2010 louisville slugger tpx H2 youth baseball bat senior league baseball bat
Determined baseball players have discovered that stiff handled baseball bats are better than bats with handles that bend. Stiff handles mean power and performance, the very reason the majority of Major League Baseball® players today choose stiff handle maple bats over pliable ash. Louisville Slugger TPX’s H2 stiff handle bats create more barrel flex, resulting in maximum trampoline effect and superior overall performance. Louisville Slugger TPX was the earliest baseball bat manufacturer to identify that stiffness as well as strength equals power and also performance. It revolutionized beginner baseball with its hi tech stiff handle technologies and powerful alloys and composites, initially with the popular Omaha®, Dynasty®, and Catalyst® models. Then came the Exogrid, the stiffest handled bat made right until today. TPX’s latest youth baseball bat, the tpx H2 Hybrid, is even stiffer, giving serious players a great new power and perrformance bat option.

via coaching-youth-baseball.blogspot.com

This is a great baseball bat for youth high school baseball players. Nice pop and great feedback. If you liked the exogrid you will probably love the H2 -3 baseball bat bat Louisville Slugger especially for high school baseball players

Posted via web from youth baseball

Coaching Youth Baseball- Infield Fly Rule | the Infield Fly Rule for Coaches and Parents

2010-02-22T19:26:00.001-05:00

Infield fly rule explained coaching-youth-baseball.com

Infield fly rule | It does not happen very often but when it does coaches and parents need to know the official rulings because many umpires in youth baseball do not. You might be surprised..http://coaching-youth-baseball.com/article76.html

Posted via web from youth baseball

Coaching Youth Baseball-Free Drills and Youth baseball Tips for Parents and Coaches - Infield Fly Rule | the Infield Fly Rule for Coaches and Parents

2010-02-22T19:23:00.001-05:00

The infield fly rule explained http://coaching-youth-baseball.com/article76.html

Infield Fly rule. It doesn't happen much but when it it does it is important to know the official rulings. You might be surprised..http://coaching-youth-baseball.com/article76.html

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Coaching Youth Baseball-Free Drills and Youth baseball Tips for Parents and Coaches - 2 simple Tips for Improving Youth Baseball Hitting

2010-02-21T20:10:00.001-05:00

Check out this article I found at coaching-youth-baseball.com

2 simple Tips to improve youth baseball hitters

Posted via web from youth baseball

Big Barrel Baseball Bat | Youth big Barrel Baseball Bats | Youth Baseball Bats | Choose a Youth Baseball Bat

2010-02-21T20:04:00.001-05:00

Copyright � 2010 Youth Baseball Bats | Choose a Youth Baseball Bat - All Rights Reserved
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Looking for the best deal on a youth big barrel baseball bat?

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Cheap Youth Baseball Bats | Pick the right youth baseball bat

2010-02-21T20:01:00.001-05:00

Check out this website I found at coaching-youth-baseball.com

A good youth baseball bat does not have to be expensive. this baseball mom lets us know where and how to find quality cheap youth baseball bats. My son and I actually was at a store and found a Louisville Slugger TPX for sale for $299. After reading this article we actually found one for $149 !! Many youth baseball bats can be found for even much less.

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Ready Position youth Baseball

2010-02-14T03:49:00.001-05:00

via associatedcontent.com

The proper youth baseball position as demonstrated by Trevor Mcclure

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Youth Baseball Bats: TPX Baseball Bats | The H@ TPX Baseball Bats by Louisville Slugger for Youth Baseball

2010-02-13T23:55:00.001-05:00

via baseball-bat-youth.blogspot.com

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Youth Big Barrel Baseball Bats | New Youth big Barrel Baseball Bat | Youth Baseball Bats | Choose a Youth Baseball Bat

2010-02-13T21:28:00.001-05:00

New youth big barrel baseball bats are here. Louisville Slugger Youth Big Barrel Bats , Demarini Youth Big Barrel Bats , Rawlings Youth Big Barrel Baseball Bats and more! Find the best youth big barrel baseball bats here.

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Best deals on youth big barrel baseball bats

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Coaching Youth Baseball: Louisville Slugger H2 Youth Baseball Bat | Youth Baseball Bats | Choose a Youth Baseball Bat

2010-02-13T21:25:00.001-05:00

Louisville Slugger H2 Youth Baseball Bat | Youth Baseball Bats | Choose a Youth Baseball Bat
Learn more about the 2010 louisville slugger tpx H2 youth baseball bat senior league baseball bat
Determined baseball players have discovered that stiff handled baseball bats are better than bats with handles that bend. Stiff handles mean power and performance, the very reason the majority of Major League Baseball players today choose stiff handle maple bats over pliable ash. Louisville Slugger TPX%u2019s H2 stiff handle bats create more barrel flex, resulting in maximum trampoline effect and superior overall performance. Louisville Slugger TPX was the earliest baseball bat manufacturer to identify that stiffness as well as strength equals power and also performance. It revolutionized beginner baseball with its hi tech stiff handle technologies and powerful alloys and composites, initially with the popular Omaha, Dynasty, and Catalyst models. Then came the Exogrid, the stiffest handled bat made right until today. TPX%u2019s latest youth baseball bat, the tpx H2 Hybrid, is even stiffer, giving serious players a great new power and perrformance bat option.

via coaching-youth-baseball.blogspot.com

Posted via web from youth baseball

Louisville Slugger H2 Youth Baseball Bat | Youth Baseball Bats | Choose a Youth Baseball Bat

2010-02-13T21:19:00.000-05:00

Louisville Slugger H2 Youth Baseball Bat | Youth Baseball Bats | Choose a Youth Baseball Bat

Learn more about the 2010 louisville slugger tpx H2 youth baseball bat senior league baseball bat

Determined baseball players have discovered that stiff handled baseball bats are better than bats with handles that bend. Stiff handles mean power and performance, the very reason the majority of Major League Baseball® players today choose stiff handle maple bats over pliable ash. Louisville Slugger TPX’s H2 stiff handle bats create more barrel flex, resulting in maximum trampoline effect and superior overall performance. Louisville Slugger TPX was the earliest baseball bat manufacturer to identify that stiffness as well as strength equals power and also performance. It revolutionized beginner baseball with its hi tech stiff handle technologies and powerful alloys and composites, initially with the popular Omaha®, Dynasty®, and Catalyst® models. Then came the Exogrid, the stiffest handled bat made right until today. TPX’s latest youth baseball bat, the tpx H2 Hybrid, is even stiffer, giving serious players a great new power and perrformance bat option.

Youth Baseball Drills | Toss from Second to Shortstop | Youth Baseball Drills | Youth Baseball Tips , Instruction and Drills

2010-02-06T20:52:00.001-05:00

Youth Baseball Drills | Toss from Second to Shortstop

December 5th, 2009 by admin

Youth Baseball Drill | Hot Potato Youth Baseball Drill

This youth baseball drill is a youth baseball fielding drill to develop soft hands and quick under hand soft throws as though the team member tossing the baseball was a 2nd baseman making a short close toss to the shortstop or vice versa. Another instance is the first baseman tossing to the pitcher covering first. Another real game example for this youth baseball drill is the catcher tossing a passed ball to the youth baseball player covering home.

Hot Potato Youth Baseball Drill

The whole team stands in a circle about 15 ft. in diameter around the pitcher’s mound to prepare for this youth baseball drill.
Using their bare hands, each team member must under hand toss the ball to a random team member in the circle.
The team member catching the ball must catch with their bare hand and throw to another random team member in the circle.
If a team member drops the ball or makes a bad toss, they are out of the circle. The baseball coach is the referee in all cases.

After a few practices of doing this drill, you then let them add their glove to the drill. I use bare hands in many cases with youth baseball players, getting them use to catching the ball properly.
Another addition to enhance the youth baseball drill is while the team members are tossing the baseball to and from each other.. the coach can chant “faster, faster” to add pressure to the situation just like in a game.

As a coach be sure and demonstrate the proper way for a toss. We don’t won’t the hand to go to high causing a lob with the ball. Step toward the player short quick toss with the tossing hand extended toward the target.

More Free Youth Baseball Drills at

Coaching Youth Baseball
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Youth Baseball Drills | Youth Baseball Tips , Instruction and Drills

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Baseball Practice Drills | Fun Youth Baseball Drills »

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Youth Baseball Preseason | What youth baseball players should be doing for preseason

2010-02-06T14:29:00.000-05:00

Youth Baseball Preseason

For those of you lucky enough to live in warm weather climates where baseball can be played year round, youth baseball preseason / off season probably does not hold great importance. However, for many, the cold and snow of January and February do make the coming of baseball season seem light years away. For those of you in those climates, please, keep the faith! Baseball will be here soon. Note that the big leaguers are beginning their Spring Training seasons in Florida and Arizona by the end of next week, which means that the snow will eventually melt and baseball will be played in your neck of the woods in a matter of a few short months.

Who Else Wants to be a better hitter in less than a week?

The Super Eight Hitting system

To help keep the mind sharp and hopes up for the upcoming baseball season, you can use the coming of big league Spring Training as a time to make sure you are getting your own game in gear for the coming year.
For the youngest players, baseball spring training / off season is good time to find your glove and make sure it is in shape, break the bat out of the closet and practice gripping the ball. For those who do not have equipment yet but are excited to try baseball this spring, this time of year is a good time to begin thinking of getting your equipment situation in order.

For the intermediate players, this would be a good time to sneak out and have a game of catch with a friend or your dad when the weather permits. While running around on the field isn’t possible yet, there’s surely a driveway or a street path that can allow a quick game of catch that can get the eyes, arm, and body used to the movement of the ball and the excitement of playing once again.

Baseball Hitting Drills Be an Explosive , more Powerful Hitter

For the advanced player (anyone in high school or in advanced travel leagues), you will probably want to be able to get outside and play some catch come heck or high water. Your arms and legs will need some conditioning before the season starts, and this is the time of year to get the blood flowing and the muscles ready for action. In addition, any open space that can allow you to get some ‘dry swings’ (swinging at air) in would be great. An average professional or collegiate player would be getting 100-300 swings per day throughout January and February, so you should strive for at least 50-100 swings at air per week.
Most of all, keep the spirits up and get ready! Baseball season is on its way.

Check out Youth Baseball Drills | Youth Baseball Tips , Instruction and Drills for more youth baseball tips and drills

Coaching Youth Baseball | First Time Coaching youth Baseball

2010-01-24T17:13:00.000-05:00

Coaching Youth Baseball

Coaching kids, especially for the first time in youth baseball, can be a pretty interesting task. It can be a lot of fun and very rewarding coaching youth baseball, but also it requires plenty of time. So, to have less stress as a coach, it is important to try to learn how to run practices so that the coach and the kids are happy and productive. There is no reason why coaching youth baseball and the normal drills cannot be both fun and productive. The most important thing is to keep practices interesting or at least somewhat exciting for the kids and to keep the kids learning at least a little something.
Coaching Youth Baseball is a free site for youth baseball parents and coaches to help make any season a fun and educational experience. They have lots of free youth baseball drills and tips for everyone.

You can also find more free youth baseball drills at Youth Baseball Drills

Infield Fly Rule | What is the Infield Fly Rule

2009-12-25T22:32:00.001-05:00

Official Baseball Rules - Illustrated

coaching-youth-baseball.com/ has published a new article on the infield fly rule. If you want to know what the infield fly rule is or why the infield fly rule was called in a game you were watching or coaching, this article is for you. Learn why there is an infield fly rule and when it is in effect at
Infield Fly Rule

Fun Baseball Practice Drills | Youth Baseball Drills

2009-12-25T18:34:00.002-05:00

Youth Baseball Drills - Make it fun

If you're coaching a little league, high school, or college team, it doesn't matter; make youth baseball practice drills should be fun for your players. Do your youth baseball practice drills, situations, etc. but then play a live game, set up some competitions, or play some stickball. There are many ways to work on the skills and have fun in the process.

Find more fun youth baseball practice drills at
Youth Baseball Drills | Youth Baseball Tips , Instruction and Drills

Free coaching youth baseball newsletter

Youth Baseball Hitting Drills|How to use A tee In baseball hitting drills

2009-11-15T19:55:00.001-05:00

Baseball Hitting Drills are very important for everyone in youth baseball. The proper baseball hitting drills can help make any player a better youth baseball hitter. However the wrong baseball hitting drills can cause years of practice to correct.

One of the best underused baseball hitting drills is the batting tee. Pros and college players use them, thus our youth should be doing youth baseball hitting drills from the tee also.
See the proper way to use a tee and become a better, more powerful hitter with baseball hitting drills.

Youth Baseball Drills| Bunt Defense youth baseball drills

2009-11-15T19:47:00.001-05:00

Youth Baseball Drills|Basic Bunt Defense

You can see the full article with two youth baseball drills on bunting and bunt defense at youth baseball drills.

Who Else Wants To Be A Better Hitter In Less Than 1 Week?
Youth Baseball Hitting Drills

To begin this youth baseball drill, first we put a pitcher on the mound, a catcher behind the plate (in full gear), a runner on first base, and/or second base.
We then need fielders at each of the infield positions and a batter in the box (with his helmet on). Extra players will be the bunters and base runners.
Pitchers work on holding runners and getting off the mound quickly to field bunts.
Catchers practice receiving the pitch and fielding bunts.
Infielders practice charging the bunt and cover the right base according to where the ball has been bunted.
Also in this youth baseball drill our offense will do some work as well.
Base runners work on seeing the bunt on the ground before breaking and the batter should work on recognizing the game situations that could call for a bunt.
As a youth baseball coach you can make this a competition. The offense gets 1 point every time a runner moves over and defense gets a point for getting the out at first. You could even give an additional point for getting the lead base runner. This competition makes the youth baseballs drills more fun and puts a little game pressure on.
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This baseball coaching package won''t make you popular with opposing coaches. Finally, A baseball coaching package that has it all! How to WIN more games, have more FUN, and be the kind of youth baseball coach your player's will LOVE and their parents will BRAG about.

Youth Baseball drills | Free Coaching Youth Baseball drills

2009-10-30T12:22:00.001-05:00

We should try and split our players into groups for the biggest part of our practice section. It is much easier for coaches to provide youth baseball instruction with youth baseball drills with just a few players instead of the whole team. It is also much better for the players, they get more repetitions for each skill more quickly and their attention span is held more easily.

There are times we need a situational practice. There are several instances in youth baseball where we need to know why , how, and where to go with the baseball.
Cutoffs is one of those instances we need to have a full field on the field with base runners to teach cutoffs in youth baseball. Learn more at youth baseball drills
Get the free cutoff youth baseball drill at coaching-youth-baseball.com

Youth Baseball Drills |Coachdeck Cards

2009-10-16T23:48:00.001-04:00

For youth baseball drills , http://youthbaseballdrills.youth-baseball-equipment.com/ reviews a great tool created for parents and coaches that work on the field or in the backyard with youth baseball drills is coach deck cards . CoachDeck cards were created to assist the millions of hard-working youth sports volunteers and parents who would like to help players learn important skills and fundamentals though fun youth baseball drills and games.

Designed by professional coaches, the youth baseball drills can be performed by players from 6-16 and are laid out in a fast, easy-to-understand format that allows you to conduct an extremely effective practice with little or no preparation.

For FREE Youth Baseball Tips, Instruction, and Drills Go To
Coaching Youth Baseball
Free Drills and Youth baseball Tips for Parents and Coaches

Coaching 7 & 8 year olds|Skill expectations for 7 & 8 year olds in youth baseball

2009-10-10T02:39:00.002-04:00

Baseball practice for 7 & 8 year olds

coaching-youth-baseball-com has posted a new article on skill expectations for 7 & 8 year olds playing youth baseball. Great article for parents and coaches.

It is a list of skill expectations for 7 & 8 year old youth baseball players
You can find the link to the free article by visiting

Baseball practice for 7 & 8 year olds

Why kids stop playing youth baseball | #1 reason kids stop playing baseball

2009-09-13T20:06:00.005-04:00

To: Parents and Coaches of Youth Baseball:

Ever notice as kids get older there are fewer and fewer teams and kids playing? There are several reasons kids stop playing youth baseball. One, is the increase in select , or traveling teams. This obviously pulls from the local recreational leagues. But even many of those teams have problems retaining and filling out rosters. There is also the increase of opportunities available for our youths in recreational activities. I think most parents and coaches will agree there is no shortage of some type of activity for our youths toaday to participate in. But the #1 reason kids stop playing is boredom. Who can blame them. We all have seen those teams where kids just sit in the field for an hour waiting on the ball to be hit to them.

Many of us now realize the best practices divide the kids into groups doing various drills. They get more repetitions on the basics that are the core of youth baseball. Ready position, catching, fielding, and throwing. You can even do hitting stations to where your kids are getting lots of swings focusing on their mechanics. This makes the live pitching go much faster and the kids are still getting a lot of swings.

If you want to learn more as a parent or as a youth baseball coach on how to effictevly increase your childs skills or the whole teams we recommend going to Coaching Youth Baseball for free youth baseball tips, drills, and downloads.

Another great site that is serious about youth baseball is PlayBallAcademy with a Free Coaches Kit.

Mental Side of Youth Baseball

2009-08-23T13:23:00.003-04:00

As youth baseball coaches we are helping are youth baseball players develop their mental side of playing baseball. Most of us have heard that baseball is 90 % mental. The mental side of baseball can be described as knowing what the situation is , and knowing where to go with the ball. Being a smart player and knowing where to go with the ball is important but youth baseball players need to understand the situations in baseball and approach each situation with confidence.

If a youth baseball player knows where to throw the ball if it is hit to him, but is hoping it will not be, he is already being programmed to fail mentally. As a coach we need to do our job teaching youth baseball players to mentally be prepared on the field.

Whether you realize it or not, as a youth baseball coach you are influencing the way your players develop mentally.

Renegade Mindset Techniques For Baseball - Mental Game Mastery.
Cutting-Edge Baseball Psychology Technique.
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How to WIN more games, have more FUN, and be the kind of youth baseball coach your player's will LOVE and their parents will BRAG about. Finally, a baseball coaching package that has it all!

How would you like to suddenly be the most feared and respected coach or player in your league?- Using this information will improve your team's performance
on the field 100%...If it doesn't, you'll get a full refund.
You can even keep the book just for taking a peek.
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7 Reasons to Listen to this High School Pitching Coach

2009-07-18T19:18:00.004-04:00

Here is a reprint from Dick Mills on youth baseball pitching. There are some very valid points being made on youth baseball pitching.

Get More free tips and drills on youth baseball.
Get the FREE Coaching Youth Baseball Newsletter.
It's Great for Coaches and Parents

7 Reasons Why You Should Listen To This High School Coach About Pitching

by Dick Mills on June 26, 2009

Warning…
This baseball coaching package won't make you popular with opposing coaches.
How to WIN more games, have more FUN, and be the kind of youth baseball coach your player's will LOVE and their parents will BRAG about. Finally, a baseball coaching package that has it all!

I feel an obligation to give these kids their best chance to be successful in baseball. I know that I've given my sons that chance, but I'm lucky because I've coached them for much of their youth baseball, and I'll be their h.s. coach.

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Dear Coach Mills:

Greetings again from Lake Forest Academy and Lake Bluff, Illinois!

You may remember that I've been using your program for six or seven years now with my h.s. players at Lake Forest Academy, my youth players in Lake Bluff, and my two sons (13 and 14). I can respond to the frustration the parent in your newsletter is feeling with coaches who want to change his son's delivery.

I've been fortunate enough to coach my sons on many of their youth teams, so I had control of how they developed as pitchers, and I taught them (and all my players) your system because it's based on evidence. Unfortunately, the two or three seasons that I couldn't coach their youth teams resulted in problems.

It took me about two years to correct what an incompetent coach had taught my 14 year old when he was 12--he added a balance point and had his lead leg swinging out and around. Now, however, my son is really doing well with the momentum pitching delivery, and he's on track to be one of my top varsity pitchers next year. He has surprised even me with his velocity and his control on our summer team.

My younger son (13) has been struggling a bit with his delivery, but he's finally getting it and had a very strong outing as recently as last night using his momentum delivery. The funny thing is that his coach wanted him to add a balance point a few weeks ago, but my son told him that he was learning momentum pitching which has no balance point. To the coach's credit, he has not tried to change my son's delivery since then. (That coach, by the way, is a former minor league player.)

How would you like to suddenly be the most feared and respected coach or player in your league?- Using this information will improve your team's performance
on the field 100%...If it doesn't, you'll get a full refund.
You can even keep the book just for taking a peek.
See my 30-day RISK-FREE SUPER-GUARANTEE!

Head Baseball CoachLake Forest AcademyLake Forest, Illinois 60045

_________________________________________________________________________

To the parent in your newsletter, here's my list of advice:

Be proactive with your son's coaches by asking them to explain their pitching philosophy before the season starts. That'll tell you right away if they know what they're talking about. Explain to them that you follow the Dick Mills' system, and send them to Dick's website. Initiate a dialogue. See if they're willing to do their homework. If the league has a director of coaching, initiate the same dialogue with him.
Avoid private pitching instructors. You will do better studying Dick's DVDs, videotaping your son, and studying the newsletter than you will by hiring any private instructor, no matter what his credentials. Credentials mean nothing. High school coaches and private instructors are the worst offenders. They refuse to do their homework and study the evidence. (I tell all my players and their parents that what separates me from other coaches is that I'm willing to do my homework.
Consider yourself lucky if your son plays for someone who doesn't coach the pitchers, like a volunteer dad. Better to have a coach who knows nothing about pitching and doesn't try to coach it.
Prepare for the inevitable: travel coaches, h.s. coaches, etc., who will try to change what's working for him and want him to stretch his arm before throwing, lift weights, etc. I've instructed my sons, if they play for someone like that, to "fake" the stretching and the lifting. In other words, go through the motions of stretching without actually stretching, and if they are forced to lift, stick to leg work only and always with the lightest weights possible, or try to substitute med ball routines.
Volunteer to coach your son's team or at least assist. That will allow you to have more control over what he learns.
Tell your son how to respond to incompetent coaches. Tell him to be polite and respectful, but also firm in telling the coach that he's learned this system and it's working for him.
Don't send your son to pitching clinics. You'll save money and he won't be exposed to incompetent coaches.

I've worked with many of my h.s. pitchers for months on developing a momentum delivery only to have them work with a private instructor in the off season and come back to me in February with their old, bad habits, and I have to start all over again.

I'm proud to say that after 28 years of h.s. coaching, I'm willing to keep doing my homework and change anything that I'm doing wrong.

Thanks again for your great program.

Dave Wick

Get More free tips and drills on youth baseball. Sign up for the
FREE Coaching Youth Baseball Newsletter. It's Great for Coaches and Parents

Warning…
This baseball coaching package won't make you popular with opposing coaches.
How to WIN more games, have more FUN, and be the kind of youth baseball coach your player's will LOVE and their parents will BRAG about. Finally, a baseball coaching package that has it all!

Over Coaching Youth Baseball

2009-07-08T22:56:00.000-04:00

Coaching Youth Baseball has just published a new article on simply letting our boys play youth baseball. Yes we need to teach and guide them in the right directions , but sometimes they just need to play. Over Coaching Youth Baseball - Let them play ball !

How would you like to suddenly be the most feared and respected coach or player in your league?- Using this information will improve your team’s performance
on the field 100%…If it doesn’t, you’ll get a full refund.
You can even keep the book just for taking a peek.
See my 30-day RISK-FREE SUPER-GUARANTEE!

Here is a short exerpt from the article..
“Most coaches, especially those coaching youth baseball at the younger levels tend to insert themselves into the youth baseball game more than is necessary. We do not have to be teaching or calling all the shots at every opportunity that becomes available. This is what we call over coaching and gives our youth baseball players too much information to process , thus they do not perform to the best of their ability.” Click Here to read the rest of the article and find out specific situations where it is best just to let them play ball.

Combat B2 | The popular Combat B2 Youth Baseball Bat

2009-06-17T23:31:00.002-04:00

The Combat B2 and B1 are some of the most popular youth baseball bats on the market today. The ball flies off of these bats with larger sweet spots and the proper weight to allow bat speed and hit the ball harder.

We are seeing more and more of these Combat B2 and Virus youth baseball bats every game in all age groups. Learn more about the Combat B2 here.

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The Lost Secrets of hitting finally revealed. How did Babe Ruth, Micky Mantle with no steroids Blast the Ball farther than Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa? Their little-known swing technique is about to be revealed. And if you can keep a secret, you can use it to.
Hitting Secrets Revealed!

The Combat B2 has quickly became one of the most popular bats on the market today.
You can find the best deals on a Combat B2 at http://baseball-bat-youth.blogspot.com/

Blogged with the Flock Browser

2009-05-13T21:51:00.001-04:00

Pitchers' Tell-Tale Signs: How to Tell What's About to Be Thrown
How can youth baseball pitchers give away the pitch? Why should coaches and youth baseball hitters watch the pitcher?
http://www.associatedcontent.comarticle/479021/pitchers_telltale_signs_how_to_tell.html

Demarini Voodoo Baseball Bats | Demarini Big Barrel Bats - Voodoo

2009-04-26T22:32:00.001-04:00

A new post about demarini baseball bats and demarini youth baseball bats has been made at
Demarini Voodoo baseball bats

The Demarini Voodoo Big Barrel Baseball Bat is very popular on the youth baseball fields right now. Demarini Voodoo Big Barrel youth baseball bats are engineered for aggressive play, the Demarini® Voodoo™ incorporates the combination of a composite handle with an aluminum alloy barrel. The Demarini Voodoo big barrel senior league baseball bat is is almost indestructible in baseball for youths. Demarini Baseball Bats | Demarini youth baseball bats

We have all seen kids get nervous after that Ouch! after hitting a ball in the wrong spot. This will make a child less apt to swing or swing as hard for fear of the pain. Demarini Voodoo youth baseball bat big barrel helps in that aspect by reducing the sting and allowing our kids to perfect their swing without fear.

Free Youth Baseball Drills and Tips at
Coaching Youth Baseball-Free Drills and Youth baseball Tips for Parents and Coaches

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Demarini Voodoo Baseball Bat | Big Barrel Baseball Bats by Demarini

2009-04-26T22:10:00.001-04:00

The Demarini Voodoo Big Barrel Baseball Bat is very popular on the youth baseball fields right now. Demarini Voodoo Big Barrel youth baseball bats are engineered for aggressive play, the Demarini® Voodoo™ incorporates the combination of a composite handle with an aluminum alloy barrel. The Demarini Voodoo big barrel senior league baseball bat is is almost indestructible in baseball for youths. Demarini Baseball Bats | Demarini youth baseball bats
The Half & Half™ system used by Demarini baseball bats redistributes weight for optimal balance, allowing players to swing faster with less effort , while reducing the sting from off center hits.

[wordbay]Demarini Voodoo[/wordbay]

We have all seen kids get nervous after that Ouch! after hitting a ball in the wrong spot. This will make a child less apt to swing or swing as hard for fear of the pain. Demarini Voodoo youth baseball bat big barrel helps in that aspect by reducing the sting and allowing our kids to perfect their swing without fear.

Demarini Voodoo

Free Youth Baseball Drills and Tips at
Coaching Youth Baseball-Free Drills and Youth baseball Tips for Parents and Coaches

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Hits in practice | Does not hit in game

2009-04-23T22:23:00.001-04:00

Many kids do well in practice and then when game time comes they can't hit or field like we want them to.

http://www.coaching-youth-baseball.com/article-59--0-0.html

Check out this article on improving your child's hitting and making him a better youth baseball player and hit at the games at Coaching-Youth-Baseball

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28 Inch 16 Ounce Baseball Bats - Youth Baseball Bats

2009-04-19T09:44:00.001-04:00

It can't be difficult to decide what size youth baseball bat to choose for players coming out of tee ball. There is not a perfect size weight or even brand for every child. Each child can handle different baseball bats differently. The key is to pick the right baseball bat for your youth baseball player. The are demarini baseball bats, Louisville Slugger TPX baseball bats, Easton baseball bats, and many more.
Youth Baseball bats for 7 & 8 year old

Here is some news on choosing the right bat for 7 and 8 year olds that can be very helpful in deciding which youth baseball bat to select for your son, and how not to spend too much money on a youth baseball bat. Find cheap youth baseball bats from all the major brands.
The are demarini baseball bats, Louisville Slugger TPX baseball bats, Easton baseball bats, and many more. Youth Baseball Bats

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Infield Throwing Drill

2009-04-19T09:42:00.001-04:00

Youth Baseball | Free Throwing Drill for Youth Baseball

A youth baseball coach of over 15 years told us about this drill so we tried it at practice and the kids had a lot of fun with it, and a lot of throwing repetitions.

This infield drill focuses on making good throws from various points in the infield, using your hand to pick up a stopped ball and your first baseman gets a lot of work also.

See the free baseball drill here
http://www.coaching-youth-baseball.com/article57.html

Warning… This baseball coaching package won't make you popular with opposing coaches. How to WIN more games, have more FUN, and be the kind of youth baseball coach your player's will LOVE and their parents will BRAG about. Finally, a baseball coaching package that has it all!

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Best Youth Baseball Bat | Youth baseball Bat Size Chart

2009-04-04T20:57:00.002-04:00

A new article has been posted at Coaching Youth Baseball
about picking the best and right youth baseball bat.
Learn about bat sizes , lengths of baseball bats, the proper weight of a youth baseball bat.
There is also information included on what is the bat drop and how it can affect your child's swing and hitting power.

Click the link to learn how to choose the right youth baseball bat.
http://www.coaching-youth-baseball.com/article-56-thread-1-0.html

You can also view the bat size chart here to help you in deciding what is the right size youth baseball bat.
Youth Baseball Bats

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Louisville Slugger TPX Catalyst Big Barrel Bat - 2009 Bats

2009-02-25T10:50:00.002-05:00

TPX Catalyst 2009 Big Barrel bats - Best prices on Louisville Slugger big barrel tpx catalyst bat and other youth baseball bats and big barrel bats for 2009. Find the perfect youth baseball big barrel bat for your son at the best cheapest price.

Youth Baseball Bats | Review youth baseball bats

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Sweet Spot | Find the Sweet Spot on a Baseball Bat

2009-02-04T12:23:00.003-05:00

Many bat makers are know claiming bigger sweet spots. This is not always true.
Here are some scientific facts that you need to read before purchasing another youth baseball bat.
coaching-youth-baseball.com - the sweet spot

Finally, A baseball coaching package that has it all!
How to WIN more games, have more FUN, and be the kind of youth baseball coach your player''s will LOVE and their parents will BRAG about.

3 Home Runs in One Day! 7 in the last 5 games!

Become a Home Run Hitter this season! Get Noticed For Your Ability To Make Consistent, Hard Contact Become a Power Hitter! Hit the ball HARD!

How to Pick the right Baseball Bat | Youth Baseball bats

2009-02-04T11:30:00.006-05:00

Every wonder how to pick the right youth baseball bat? Louisville Slugger, Demarini , Easton, TPX. Here is way to find the perfect youth baseball bat for your child. There is no reason to spend hundreds of dollars before your son ever hits with the baseball bat.
Bat Wars is a traveling event that actually allows kids to swing and hit pitches with different bats for FREE! Find out more here..

How to pick the right youth baseball bat

If you are looking for some good deals on youth baseball bats check out
Youth Baseball Bats | Review youth baseball bats

You can find the great deals on louisville slugger tpx baseball bats , demarini baseball bats, Easton baseball bats, big barrel bats , and more.

Youth Baseball and Friend Feed

2009-01-01T17:50:00.003-05:00

Coaching Youth Baseball has a friendfeed room.
Be sure and join our room for sharing of youth baseball tip-s, drills, strategies,experiences..anything related to youth baseball!

http://friendfeed.com/rooms/everything-youth-baseball

You can also follow us on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/youth_baseball

See our website for Free Coaching Youth Baseball and sign up for our Free Newsletter for Free Youth Baseball tips and drills!
http://coaching-youth-baseball.com/

Free Youth Baseball Newsletter

Increase pitching velocity

2008-10-24T22:02:00.003-04:00

4 things that can reduce youth baseball pitchers velocity. Parents, coaches , and pitchers always want to throw the ball hard or harder. While it is not always necessary to throw the ball harder or with more velocity, we feel it is appropriate to at least address the subject. Here are four things that can actually reduce a youth baseball pitchers velocity.

http://www.coaching-youth-baseball.com/article51.html

Pitching in little league youth baseball games is not easy. Year after year it seems as if there are not enough youth baseball pitchers. Then comes so many opinions, and over coaching. Our goal for youth baseball pitchers should be to prepare them for high school baseball. Then we may in fact need more opinions and interaction to prepare them for college baseball. But, as youth little league baseball pitchers we need to focus on very little. Many things you hear will actually reduce the velocity of a youth baseball pitcher. As stated above..increased pitching velocity is not always the answer..it's just part of the equation.

4 things that can actually reduce a youth baseball pitchers velocity

Should Youth Baseball Pitchers Throw Curveballs?

2008-10-05T23:04:00.002-04:00

Is it dangerous for a youth baseball pitcher to throw curveballs? Should a youth baseball pitcher throw curveballs? It has been my experience if you tell a youth baseball pitcher he can't do something , he will do it when you are not looking. Get the latest scientific facts on youth baseball pitching in relation to stress on the arm. Thanks to a member this information has been passed along from The American Journal of Sports Medicine for you to make your own educated decision about youth baseball pitching and the curveball. You can read it here.

You will Learn to pitch with marked improvement in as little as 14 days - even if you have never pitched before! Develop better accuracy and increase your velocity with this user friendly, concise and visual tutorial The Pitching Master-#1 rated step by step guide to pitching

The Pitching Master
#1 rated concise step by step guide to pitching The Pitching Master-#1 rated step by step guide to pitching

See Coaching-Youth-Baseball.com for more free tips on pitching hitting, and coaching

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Runners on first and third - defense for runners on first and third in youth baseball

2008-09-27T00:34:00.002-04:00

Runners on first and third, many if not most coaches just give second base to the base runner on first. There are ways to defend against runners on first and third in youth baseball, and different strategies to attack runners on first and third.
Most coaches just simply let the runner steal second on the basis of not making an error and/or giving up a run. Safe, boring but this is not necessarily wrong, if this is the coaches strategy. But there are other defenses in youth baseball with runners on first and third.

Want to learn how to defend against runners on first and third?

coaching-youth-baseball.com

coaching youth baseball topics

Top 20 Reasons to coach Youth baseball - Humor

2008-09-06T10:55:00.005-04:00

Youth baseball is very rewarding, it is a great feeling to have a youth baseball player actually catch their first fly ball, score for the first time etc. We all love However, there are some things that come along with it not so rewarding. The following list is for humor purposes but does hold true for most of us.

Top 20 Reasons to Coach youth baseball (Funny)

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Free Coaching Youth Baseball Tips and drills at
coaching-youth-baseball.com

10 important facts about youth baseball pitching

2008-09-06T00:07:00.003-04:00

Important Facts About Youth Baseball Pitching

10 facts coaches and parents need to know about youth baseball pitching and pitchers.

Click here to read the story Important Facts About Youth Baseball Pitching at coaching-youth-baseball.com

You will learn to pitch with marked improvement in as little as 14 days - even if you have never pitched before! Develop better accuracy and increase your velocity with this user friendly, concise and visual tutorial for youth baseball pitching and pitchers.

The Pitching Master-#1 rated step by step guide to pitching

Youth Baseball Pitching has many theories and schools of thought out there. Click here for 10 free facts about youth baseball pitching

youth baseball on technorati

2008-08-02T03:03:00.001-04:00

Technorati Profile

Increase throwing velocity - Increase pitching / throwing velocity

2008-07-25T21:23:00.002-04:00

Coaching-Youth-Baseball.com has a new article with some tips by pitching coach Dick Mills. You want your son to pitch harder? Throw harder? Be more accurate?
Increase throwing velocity

How to hit home runs - this 12 year old hit 3 home runs in one day..and still going!

2008-07-25T21:07:00.021-04:00

Home Runs
coaching-youth-baseball.com

Baseball Players: Hit Home Runs This Season! Bat Speed Training That Will Add 40 Feet Of Hitting Distance - And More!

Get Noticed For Your Ability To Make Consistent, Hard Contact With Our Highly Regarded And Proven Guaranteed Program. Become a Power Hitter! Hit the ball HARD!

Baseball Players: Become A Home Run Hitter This Season!

12 year old with three home run balls in one day

North Hopkins County All Stars Statistics

2008-07-06T18:45:00.001-04:00

The North Hopkins County All Stars 12 and under won the Dixie Youth District 5 youth baseball tournament in Mt Vernon Texas.

The North Hopkins County All Stars will be playing in the youth baseball state tournament held in Atlanta Texas starting Saturday July 12th.

You can view the statistics of the district tournament by clicking here North Hopkins District Tournament Stats

Coaching Youth Baseball Blog Home Page

coaching-youth-baseball.com

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North Hopkins County All Stars - District Champions

2008-07-02T19:39:00.002-04:00

The North Hopkins County All Stars 12 and under team defeated Red River County to become District 5 Champions.

The North Hopkins County Young Guns will be playing in the Dixie youth State Tournament to begin Saturday July 12 in Atlanta Texas.

Coaching Youth baseball Blog Home Page

coaching-youth-baseball.com

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North Hopkins County Youth Baseball - All Stars North hopkins County

2008-06-30T00:21:00.002-04:00

The North Hopkins County All Stars won game 4 of the Dixie Youth District 5 youth baseball tournament. Coach Jeff box led the team to a 11 to 1 win over Fannin County American to secure their advancement into the Championship game tomorrow night in Mt Vernon Texas. The game was started by Trevor McClure pitching who is also the leadoff batter who hit 3, yes 3 home runs today. The game was closed by Tyler Davison.

Once the tournament is finished we will upload and post a link to all the player stats for the North Hopkins All Star team.

Red River County will play the North Hopkins All Star team after securing their spot by winning over the Paris American youth baseball team earlier today.

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All Stars - North Hopkins County All Star Team

2008-06-29T01:59:00.001-04:00

Get updates on North Hopkins Youth Baseball all star team in the district 5 dixie youth tournament by going to the coaching youth baseball blog

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North Hopkins County Boys Baseball - Youth Baseball 12 and under District Tournament

2008-06-28T23:26:00.002-04:00

North Hopkins County Boys Baseball - Youth Baseball 12 and under District Tournament in Dixie youth baseball - playing in Mt. Vernon Texas

3rd game against Paris Nationals has officially been rained out:(
The game for North Hopkins and Paris has been rescheduled for Sunday.

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North Hopkins County Youth Baseball

2008-06-28T19:44:00.001-04:00

The 12 and under North Hopkins County Youth Baseball team has now won their second game against Red River winning with a score of 12 to 2

North Hopkins 12 and under boys youth baseball is playing in The District 5 Dixie Youth Baseball Tournament this weekend in Mt Vernon Texas playing in Mt Vernon Texas
June 21 - July 1

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Youth Baseball - North Hopkins County

2008-06-28T11:32:00.002-04:00

North Hopkins County Youth Baseball team 12 and under won their first game in Texas District 5 tournament play yesterday.

The North Hopkins County Youth Baseball team led by Coach Jeff Box and starting pitcher Trevor McClure, defeated the Paris Nationals 6 -2 in Game 1 of the district tournament.

We are off to game 2 and 3 today.
Wish us luck!

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