Youth-Baseball-Equipment Superstore
Many of us start out to coach youth baseball to give back some of our time to the community and to spend more time with our children.
There are several other reasons but here are some funny reasons we coach youth baseball you probably didn't realize.
20 reasons we coach youth baseball
Increase your contact and hit the ball with more power !
Coaching Youth Baseball Drills and Tips
for Youth Baseball Coaches and Parents
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https://coaching-youth-baseball.com/
coachtrev writes "Why Baseball Hitting Drills - The art of hitting a round ball with a rounded stick was identified by USA Today as the hardest feat in all of sports…what other sport identifies prime talent as those who only fail 7 out of 10 times (a .300 BA) and the greats of the game by failing only 6.50% of the time (a .350 BA)!Your actually considered pretty good hitter with a .280 batting average.
Who Else Wants To Be A Better Hitter In Less Than 1 Week?
Youth Baseball Hitting Drills
Baseball Hitting Drills | Be A Better Hitter
The ugly reality is that by age 13…70% of players have left the game and the #1 reason given in the one major study I have seen is that its not fun…Possible translation = a lack of success. Hitting is one of the biggest measurements we put on our youth baseball players
We humans thrive on success and the approval of our peers. We enjoy being good at things and getting slapped on the back for a job well done! Good golfers don’t play tennis on the weekends…bad cooks probably don’t enjoy cooking in their spare time.
Some of The Greatest Pro Athletes Never Get Out of Low A Ball!
Some of The Best Amateurs Never Even Thrive In High School or College!
The best players don’t always become tomorrow’s superstars. Take talent and add commitment and you will have many of the MLB Players you see on TV… Take tremendous gifts and add that same competitive work ethic and you have the few superstars that exist in any generation!
Kids Don’t Swing Enough… so most players don’t ever maximize whatever gifts they have!
Team practice just does not give kids enough quality swings to go beyond their physical talents to become a successful hitter. Baseball batting drills are a must at home and need to be made fun! This encourages today’s players to stay in the game…long enough to thrive!
So How Do You Become Your Best?
It’s a 2 Part Answer:
Baseball Hitting Drills - The short is that there are 3 basic areas…
- Learn how to most efficiently swing your bat…this takes a coach, a dad with some knowledge and maybe one good video or book on the subject (remember, even the best in the game have a hitting coach in the dugout so there’s always little tweaks until the day you play your last game)
- Do it over and over and over…the right way.
where any age youth player can really develop a better game… and the first two right at home:
- You Must Hit Off A Batting Tee… a lot! This will help you perfect your swing mechanics without having to track a moving baseball. All it takes is a good batting tee and a catch net to keep the balls out of the neighbor’s yard (and yes, you can pitch into it as well)! Baseball Tips offers over 14 different tees and 6 catch nets… good stuff starting from under $100. total! They say that Derek Jeter wore his tee station out during the long Michigan winter months.
- You Must Hit Angle Toss… a lot! Soft Toss, also known as flip drills is simply a drill where a coach sits on a bucket at a 45 degree angle on the open side of the hitter and tosses a looping flip about every 6 seconds. You can use the same catch net from your Tee Station, saving you some extra cash. This valuable drill builds on your tee station and adds timing and the focus you must have to consistently hit hard shots. Balls are tossed toward the front knee, the mid body and then the back knee to teach hitting to all fields
- Soft Toss…a lot! A coach or a partner either stands or sits on a chair 25 – 30 feet in front of the hiiter and behind an “L” screen for protection. The coach/partner soft tosses baseballs to the hitter. It’s a good idea to alternate hitters or rest after every 5 or 6 tosses other wise the hitter loses his focus and or gets tired, resulting in poor hitting mechanics and thus destroying everything the hitter has tried to build on.
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. More about coaching youth baseball at https://coaching-youth-baseball.com/
Grayson McClure
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.
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.
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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.
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.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.
Finding the Right Catchers Mitt
Finding the Right Catcher's MittCoach 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;
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.
- 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?
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
Coaching Youth Baseball - How to Increase Base Running Speed in Players
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
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.
