How to Take the Pain Out of Pitches

Young baseball players often have a couple of bad (and very painful) habits when it comes to pitches. More often than not, they have the urge to turn toward balls that are coming at them, or, even worse yet, to put out their hands to stop the ball. These are instinctive urges, but they aren’t very smart instincts.

Explain to young players why they should never turn toward balls or put out their hands for balls. If they do happen to do it, it will hurt and be unfortunate, but it will be a lesson well learned!  

No one is suggesting forcing kids to “take the hit” and feel the pain in order to learn what not to do. Instead, simply work on teaching them easy, effective ways to avoid getting hit by a pitch, such as turning away from it  and placing their bat on the ground. They might still get hit, but they’ll usually get hit on the back or the bottom, which hurts a lot less than getting hit in the face or chest.

If you’ve taught your players these techniques but still find them doing dangerous things around the ball, practice a simple drill. For this drill, all you need is a couple of players or coaches willing to lightly chuck whiffle balls at the players. The players’ job will be to avoid getting hit by practicing the techniques you have given them. The practice is fun and will get kids used to reacting that specific way toward oncoming balls.

As you can see, there are lots of ways to teach players to be responsible around the ball. Try these tricks, and your little players should have better habits in no time at all.

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Tips for Staying in Shape During the Off Season

Baseball is something that takes constant dedication and practice. This is especially true for young players. No matter how gifted they might be at the sport, it’s all too easy for them to get out of practice and to lose some of their abilities over a long hiatus. For that reason, all baseball players, but especially young ones, should continue playing and practicing during the off-season.

In fact, the off-season is the perfect time for them to work on improving their fundamental skills and to work on things that don’t get nearly enough attention during playing season. Basic batting skills, for example, are often neglected during the regular season when players and coaches are focused on winning the next big game. The off-season, though, is the perfect time to hit up an indoor batting cage and get some practice in. For truly dedicated players, personal batting cages for at-home use can also be purchased relatively inexpensively.

It’s also important for young players to continue getting regular exercise and eating healthy during the off-season. While it might be tempting to slack off and eat junk food, this is not healthy in general and is certainly not healthy for a budding athlete.

Exercise can be fun too! Whether it’s running around in the yard, or, even better yet, practicing

baseball drills, getting daily physical activity is important for players who wish to maintain their endurance and physical fitness.

The most devoted coaches realize the importance of maintenance during the off-season and will continue to hold practices, run drills, and get players focused on the season ahead. Even if a coach isn’t proactive about continuing to work during the off-season, you as a parent can make sure your child continues to practice and grow as a player.

The best athletes in the world don’t take long breaks. Baseball is their life, and if you want your child to one day reach that level, you’ll make baseball a daily part of his life too, even in the off-season.

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How to Make Smart Decisions at the Plate

There’s a trend in Little League these days, and that trend revolves around telling young players at bat, “Don’t worry. Just do your best. Just take the pitches as they come.” And, while that sounds nice, in theory, it’s also a little bit disturbing. There is absolutely nothing wrong (and everything right) with telling your players to predict what pitch is coming.

One of the reasons for this trend is the belief that you can’t truly know what pitch is coming, so guessing is detrimental. And, while that is true, that’s not to say that, if you’ve played long enough and been coached long enough, you can’t make an educated guess about what type of pitch is likely to come your way.

Good hitters are, plain and simple, observant hitters. So, that’s really the key to success- teaching

your hitters to be observant. They should familiarize themselves, with your help, with pitchers they play against often and, also with your help, get used to their patterns. Some pitchers, for example, are more likely to throw curveballs later in the game or when things get dicey. If that’s something they’ve seen before and you’ve also noticed, tell your players. Just teach them the difference between expecting something and anticipating it.

When you expect something, you get into stance for it and ready yourself to take it on. That often fails. Sometimes, the pitcher will even see the preparation and do something different just because he saw it. When you anticipate something, however, you are simply aware that it might happen, and you tell your body to prepare for it and are ready, without being obviously so, to handle it if it happens. However, you are also keenly aware that something else might happen and are willing to do something different than expected if necessary. Teaching your players that keen and key difference- between expectation and anticipation- makes all the difference.

Remember, too, that your players won’t always be facing up against players they have encountered before. In that case, the key strategy is to put your stronger and more observant players in the game later on, after they have had a chance to watch the pitcher in action for a few runs.

Baseball, in the end, is a bit of a “guessing game” in and of itself. But, if you teach your players how to make smart guesses, rather than just random ones, you and your team are likely to be a lot better off as a whole.

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How to Build Confidence in Young Baseball Players

As a youth baseball coach, your job is, undoubtedly, to teach your young players how to be the best athletes they possibly can be. However, being a great player isn’t all about knowing how to catch a ball and hit like a pro. That’s part of the game, sure, but an even bigger part of the game and of your players’ growth and development is building self confidence. If you can build that skill, which is really a mental skill, not only can you create talented players but you can also play a part in creating talented, successful people in general, which is really what sports are all about.

So, how can you build confidence in your young baseball players? It’s no easy feat, that’s for sure. However, it all starts with examining where your focus as a coach is. If your focus is on winning, then that’s a selfish purpose. Everyone wants to win, but your primary goal and focus needs to be on improving skills and making players feel good about their strengths. The funny thing is that, when you do that, you’re likely to see better playing on the field and, thus, more wins. More importantly, however, you’ll also see players who feel good about their skills and who are willing to work on their weaknesses, which also breeds winning.

Also, you want to be careful about holding too many drills and batting practices. That is not to say that these types of things aren’t useful. They most definitely are. However, you can certainly overdo practices and drills, which will lead to burnt out players who don’t have a passion for the game. And, when you have that, is it really even worth playing? Even if you win, there is no joy in it. You, as a coach, have to find that careful balance between drills and practices and just plain fun and love of the game.

So, how do you find that balance? How do you build strong players without burning them out and, while, at the same time building confidence? It all starts with attitude. Encourage your team to maintain a positive attitude no matter what happens. Say positive things to your players, and pose negative criticism in a kind and helpful way. Always up-play strengths and downplay weaknesses. You can be honest, just speak the truth with kindness. And, always remember that your players’ mental health and self image is more important than how well they perform on the field.

Also, promote focus. Demand that your players, no matter how “good” or “bad” they may be- and those terms are always relative- stay focused on and involved in their games and their playing. If they are truly focused and trying their hardest, that’s really all that you can ask of them. Focus means they are giving the game their all, and that can really go a long way in creating strong players.

Above all else, believe in your young players. Expect a lot from them, and make your expectations clear. But, at the same time, don’t hold back confidence-boosting praise if you feel they are giving their all. As long as your players are committed and trying, they (and you) can and should feel good about that, no matter what the ultimate outcome of the season may be.

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Super Fun Baseball Drills for Young Players

Are you looking for great, fun drills for your Little Leaguers? If so, it’s important to consider what makes a drill great. The best drills are those that are, first and foremost, fun! It’s pretty much impossible to hold a child’s interest if the drill isn’t entertaining. Good drills also teach essential and important baseball skills, skills kids will need both in their Little League games and in their future sports endeavors. With those ideas in mind, here are some drills that fit the bill.

Target Practice

For this drill, you’ll need to raid the elementary school’s gym closet or hit up a local discount store.

Regardless of how you get them, you’ll need lots of baseballs, a few bats, and three different-colored jump ropes.

Arrange the jump ropes into circles in each bunting zone. Then, situate your players at home plate and pitch to them, calling out a jump rope color as you do. The player’s job is to then bunt the ball into the appropriately colored jump rope loop.

Kids will have fun with this drill and, at he same time, will learn to control and develop their bunting skills.

500

The “500” drill is an oldie but a goody. The reason it’s stuck around for so long is because it’s great at improving batting in young players.

To try it, call one player to be the batter, and scatter the rest of your players in the field. Then, pitch to the batter. Your other players will try to field the ball.

Players who catch balls before they reach the ground get 100 points, minus 50 points for a bounce. Grounders count too, but only for 25 points. The first player to reach 500 points (it’s best to have a scorekeeper to avoid squabbles) takes the next turn as batter. You can play until the kids start getting bored, or, ideally, until every player has had a turn as batter.

Relay Race

As proven by years of gym classes, kids love relay races! Since these types of races are still popular in gym classes all over the United States, your players should be familiar with the concept, making for easy set-up and explanation. Plus, a relay race drill is an excellent way to improve base running and ball handling skills.

You’ll want to separate your players into two teams. The first team lines up at first place while the second team lines up at second base. The job of the first player on each team is to carry a ball around the bases after being given a signal.

Once a player hits all the bases and makes it back to his team, he hands the ball to the next person in line, who repeats the action. Whichever team has all of its players make it around the bases first will win the game.

As you can see, it’s easy to have fun at Little League practice while still teaching valuable skills to your players. And, at the end of the day, those things- skill development and fun- are what it’s really all about!

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How to be the Best Youth Baseball Coach

If you’re like most new coaches, you undoubtedly want to do a good job as a coach. Perhaps you’ve set your sights even higher and are hoping to be the best coach around. While it’s important to not be too hard on yourself or to expect yourself to be perfect, you can get pretty close to perfect by following a few simple tips.

Know the League Rules Inside and Out   

Every good coach knows the league rules like the back of his hand. Knowing the rules and following them will help you to have positive interactions with umpires, teammates, and other officials. Plus, it shows parents, who may be a little nervous about a new coach, that you know your stuff and have what it takes to be a good coach.

Remember to Have a Good Time

Oftentimes, coaches get very tied up in winning and winning consistently. This is especially prevalent among newer coaches who often feel like they have something to prove. You’ll find that you’ll have a much better time and that you’ll get along better with parents and players if you don’t lose sight of what really matters- having fun and helping your players to develop a passion and love for the game.

Be Consistent and Respectful

When it comes to dealing with your young players, the most important characteristics you can possess are consistency and respectfulness. In terms of consistency, set clear expectations for your players with clear consequences if those expectations aren’t met and rewards if they are. Also, show up to practices and games on time and dressed properly; you can’t expect your players to do these things if you aren’t doing them yourself! Always be respectful and kind with your players too, even when you’re correcting or disciplining them. Try to find the good in all players, regardless of skill level, and no matter how hard it may be, give each player equal playing time.

If you can follow these tips, you’re on your way to being an excellent coach, maybe even the best. A lot of the skills you’ll need will come with time and practice, so be patient with yourself (and your players). And, remember, wanting to be a good coach is a pretty good sign you’re going to become one.

The Must Try Baseball Drill that has Coaches Raving

If you ask most youth baseball coaches what their young players struggle with the most, the answer is often aggressive base running. Kids tend to be too scared to risk it all and run the bases or they just don’t have a good feel for when to run. Fortunately, there’s a great new base running drill that can help them to learn how to round the bases and how and when to take an extra base. Best of all, the drill is super fun for kids and can be done indoors or outdoors.

Getting Started

l  First things first, place down four bases in a square shape, keeping each base about 30 feet apart from the next.

l  Choose one of the bases to be the home plate.       

l  Split players into teams of four

l  One team should act as defensive players. Give each member of this team a glove and place each player at one base.

l  Another team should act as offensive base runners. Place players on first, second, and third base.

l  Team three will have the job of backing up passed balls behind each base.

l  Allow two players to act as base coaches, behind bases one and three.

l  The coach should prepare to act as umpire

Drill Rules

During the drill, offensive players will try to score runs. The goal for the offense is to score five runs. The goal for the defense is to score five outs. Whichever side reaches the goal first is the winner.

Basic rules for the drill are as follows:

l  A play is counted a “run” only when the base runner who started at first base makes it across home plate.

l  An “out” is when a runner gets tagged off base.

l  Begin the game by tossing the ball to a defensive player who is “home.”

l  That player then throws to another base at the umpire’s signal.

l  Base runners may lead off to simulate real gameplay.

l  Runners may run through first and home.

l  A runner who is “out” can remain on the nearest base.

There you have it- a simple, easy, and above all else, FUN drill to try with your players. They’ll love it, and they’ll learn a lot about base running too!

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How to Treat an Umpire

Umpires are some of the most mistreated individuals in all of baseball. They are constantly harassed and insulted by hot-tempered coaches, viewers, and even parents when things don’t go their way. Not only is it wrong to treat an umpire this way, but it certainly doesn’t set a good example for the kids.

Kids can get an especially wrong message when the very people they look up to most- like their parents and coaches- are the ones being rude and confrontational toward umpires. This type of behavior sends kids the message that it’s okay to be rude, to lose your temper, and to not show good sportsmanship.   

Treatment of umpires has gotten so bad in recent years that a lot of leagues have started abiding by a “zero tolerance” policy for rudeness to umpires. If a parent treats an umpire unkindly, that parent and his or her child will be required to leave the game. If your league doesn’t already have this policy instituted, it may be something to think about, especially if you’ve had a problem with umpire treatment in the past.

Hopefully, your child’s coach sets a good example and treats umpires with respect. If not, it may be time to think about finding another team environment for your child. It’s important for coaches not just to be respectful of umpires but to explain their importance and value to young players and to demand that the players treat the umpire accordingly.

Keep in mind that this attitude of respect should extend to youth umpires as well. These umpires are often volunteers, giving of their time to learn more about the sport and maybe even to check the job out as a potential career one day. As such, no one should discourage a young empire or treat him poorly, and the same goes for other volunteer umpires, such as parents or senior citizens.

In fact, parents, coaches, and players are really expected to go the extra mile. Beyond just respecting their umpires, they should show kindness toward them. Little things, like providing a snack or a bottled water to the umpire goes a long way. And remember parents and coaches, even if you keep your temper at the game, don’t badmouth the umpire afterwards; this sends the wrong message to kids too, and the thing you most want your kids to learn is respect for authority!

Tips for Coaches for a Successful Season

If you’re coaching a youth baseball team, it’s important to get the season off to a good start, especially if you’re new to a particular team. You want to make a good impression on the players and their parents from the start to quell any problems before they even have a chance to develop.

The Welcome Letter

A week or so before the season starts, it’s a good idea to send out a welcome letter to the parents of players. Don’t send it any earlier than that, or the recipients will likely forget what you said! Begin by thanking the parents for allowing their child to be a part of your team. Briefly explain your coaching philosophy and what skills you hope to build and work on during the season.  

The letter is also a good place to lay down a few basic ground rules. Clearly spell out what you will and will not tolerate in terms of player and parent behavior, sportsmanship, attitude, and the like.

Team Roster

You should be able to provide a team roster at this point as well. If you have it, include it in the welcome letter. Even if it’s not quite complete due to “maybe” players or missing contact information, send it and ask people to update their information as needed. List all the players on the team and contact information. Also list the division and any affiliations the team has.

Schedules

It’s also a good idea to send out a practice schedule and a game schedule if possible. Whatever you do, make sure you include the word “tentative” at the top of the schedule. You’d be surprised how much that one little word can help. Many parents will plan their lives around the schedule and get very upset if anything changes- as it’s bound to do- if they think the schedule is completely set in stone. The “tentative” header gives you a little wiggle room to change dates and times as needed.

Collect Player Information

Your job as a coach will go a lot more smoothly if you have a little background info on your players, their experience, and where they’re coming from. By asking a few questions about these matters, which you can do in survey form, and reviewing it ahead of time, you’ll be better able to plan out your season.

Uniform Ordering

Another important coach duty to see to is uniforms. If you already have uniforms, simply request each child’s size and/or measurements. You may also wish to hold a fitting session if necessary to get everybody’s exact measurements at one time. If uniforms need to be ordered, collect money or inform parents when the money is due by.

Equipment Rundown

As a coach, it’s also your job to make clear to players and parents which sports equipment and protective gear you will provide and which items they will need to provide. For items they will need to provide, be specific! If you want an item to be a specific color, type, or brand, it’s best to specify that upfront before parents have a chance to go shopping!

Practice Dress

If you have preferences or requirements about what players should wear to practices, make these known upfront so no one is surprised or feels left out when the first practice rolls around. Again, be specific.

Contact Information and Protocol

Finally, be sure to let each parent know the best ways and times to reach you. Tell them what to do in the event that a child must miss a practice or a game and how much notice you require for absences. The key is really just to provide parents with everything they need to know. Doing so will make the season go more smoothly for everyone and will keep you from getting asked the same questions time and time again.

Is Your Child's Baseball Team Too Competitive?

To many Americans, baseball, even and perhaps especially youth baseball, is about more than fun and games. It’s a sport that they take seriously and play to win. Many parents are so into the game that they encourage their children to play on highly competitive, serious-minded teams. These parents often believe that playing on such a team will give their children a competitive edge and will be good for them overall. There are a select few, though, who realize that over-competitiveness at such a young age might not be such a good thing after all.  

First of all, being a super competitive parent takes a major toll on the bank account. Parents often invest in the basics, like uniforms and baseball equipment, but there are other expenses to compound those for the serious. Serious sports parents will often shell out the big bucks for private coaching sessions, travel to and from games, hefty team fees, and more. Not only is a empty wallet painful to the parent but it can also limit the child’s other opportunities for success and growth. If all a parent’s money is being spent on sports, there is no money left over for other enriching activities and opportunities.

Having a child on a highly competitive sports team isn’t just financially costly either. No, all those games and practices can take a real toll on family life. Children have less time to spend with parents and other siblings. They also tend to have very little “down time” to just relax and be kids and can easily become stressed and physically exhausted. Youth athletes who train excessively also run a greater risk of injury than those just playing for fun.

With so many potential drawbacks to playing a sport seriously, parents are encouraged to “step back” for a minute and to give some real thought as to whether or not they should sign their child up for that elite team. A lot of times, the answer is no.

Sometimes, the answer will be yes though. If the child seriously wants the opportunity of being part of the team- and notice the emphasis on “the child”- then he or she should be given that opportunity. Parents should never force a non-committed or non-interested child into playing super competitively. Not only is that morally wrong, but it also won’t work.

Kids who are being forced to play are not going to put in the hours of serious dedication and practice it takes to be a success on such teams. And, if they are forced to, they will hate every minute of it, possibly causing them to tire of baseball altogether and to get “burnt out” at a young age. These children are also not likely to become star players or to reach great achievements on a  competitive, serious team, leading to wasted money and time for Mom and Dad. The bottom line is that highly competitive teams aren’t for everyone. They should be reserved for those gifted young athletes who are willing to put in a lot of extra work and time of their own accord, not because they’re striving to please the parents.

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Mental Toughness in Youth Baseball

As a parent, you undoubtedly want your child to have fun while playing youth baseball and to play to the best of his or her abilities. You can achieve these goals, at least in part, through practice and honing physical and playing skills. However, the right mental skills and mindset are just as important but often overlooked. It is as necessary for your child to develop “mental toughness” as it is for him or her to develop physical toughness.

What, exactly, is mental toughness you may ask. Mental toughness is something all the best players

have. It is that elusive thing that keeps them from just giving up when the going gets tough and that allows them to perform at their fullest capability no matter how bad the game looks or what other issues are weighing at the back of their minds.

Mental toughness isn’t something that most young players just innately have. Instead, it is something that be developed and honed with time and experience. You can help to promote the development of mental strength by encouraging your child to keep going after a loss, when a game is going poorly, or even when he or she is frustrated and discouraged over a difficult to learn skill or some other challenge.

Fortunately, participating in sports, in and of itself, can help a child to develop this all important skill. In fact, sports of all types, not just baseball, have been shown to increase discipline, positivity, and endurance, so you may want to encourage your little one to take part in other character-building sports as well.

Remember, too, that developing mental toughness isn’t something that should be focused on just during game time. No, practices, training, exercising, and even making healthy food choices can all provide opportunities to hone mental strength.

So, what are the characteristics or markers of a mentally tough young athlete? Some include:

l  Having confidence in oneself and one’s abilities without being cocky

l  Being intrinsically motivated to play and practice.

l  Focused on the game, practice, or other task at hand.

l  Always keeping the outcome of an action in mind.

l  Staying cool, calm, and collected under pressure.

l  Having control over oneself and one’s actions.

l  Being positive.

l  Refusing to give up.

No child or no person for that matter can be perfect all the time, so don’t be discouraged if some of the above traits are missing in your child. In fact, knowing what you need to work on can be a great thing, as long as you and your child actually work on those skills/traits thereafter!

Helping Your Child Overcome Baseball Fears and Anxiety

Does your child experience baseball fears and anxieties? Do they experience nervousness when the lights come on during the game? In youth league play, baseball players often experience fear and anxieties which cause nervousness and often leave them unable to perform at their top ability. These anxieties can be a combination of fears in several areas such as:

Fear of getting hit with the ball.    

Fear of being injured.

Fear of striking out.

Fear of being made fun of.

Fear of failure.

Fear of being yelled at by adults or other players.

These fears are real to young players even though we as adults may not recognize them. 

The anxieties keep a young player from relaxing and performing well. I have witnessed players with excellent abilities unable to perform in a game due to their anxieties or stage fright? During practices there are no problems, but when they get into a game they become overwhelmed with fear and crumble to pieces. 

What causes this anxiety? Is it the crowd? Is it the noise level? Is it the opponent? Is it the child's perception of adults that are yelling instructions as being critical? Is it the fear of not being accepted?

Coaches and parents should recognize the symptoms of such anxieties and know how to deal with them. One of the problems we have as adults is trying to apply adult rationalization and reason with a younger child. This reasoning seems logical to us as adults, but to a young player, it doesn't erase their fears and anxieties. In fact, it may cause some frustration on the part of both the player and the parent/coach that can not get the child to relax and concentrate on the game.

Learn more about helping your child Overcome Their Game Anxieties (http://www.expert-baseball-tips.com/eTipoffers.html) and receive a FREE eTips Newsletter.

Authored by Mike Posey

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The Bucket Drill - Improve Throwing Accuracy

This is a fun, productive drill, especially for younger kids, though older kids can gain benefit from it, too. It focuses on the importance of getting rid of the ball in a hurry.

Split your squad into two teams. Line the first  team up, one behind another, at the shortstop position. Take  the second squad and place them behind first base. Next, place  a five gallon bucket upside

down on first base (a garbage can  also works as a suitable target). Make sure that you have  plenty of baseballs handy!

A coach rolls or hits a ball  to the first person in line at the shortstop position, who  then has three seconds to pick up the ball and throw it at the  bucket. The coach should loudly count off the seconds; this  will initially fluster some of your younger players, but will  also help them to cope with pressure better in the long  run.

If the bucket is missed, the player behind first  base fields the ball and returns it to the coach. Regardless of  the outcome, the player who made the throw rotates to the back  of the line.

After several passes through the line,  switch sides. As an added bonus, keep score between the two teams - it is amazing how much more effort you can get out of a  kid if he's competing against his friends.

If you have  enough coaching help, you can vary this drill by having both  teams throw at the same time; the competition is a big hit  with players.

This is a great drill for practice on  throwing accuracy, quick release, and for encouraging quick decisions. Make it a part of your drill  rotation.