"Why You Should Coach Youth Baseball"

By Chip Lemin

Greetings to all coaches,

Now that the youth baseball season is in full swing, we will hopefully see the results of any pre-season work. If your team worked extra hard on defense, you should see the results. You may also notice a drop off in offensive production, due to the extra time on defense. This is normal and will adjust itself over the course of the season. What you don't want to see is any of your players coming down with sore arms as the result of too much off season throwing.

Many teams want to get started early in the year,often many weeks before the start of the season. Too often these practices include too much throwing without monitoring the amount of throws by the players. Players are also not properly warmed up,or worse yet, not stretched out enough. Often, coaches will have the players throwing too hard, too early.Coaches need to teach players how to properly stretch out and warm up early in their careers. An 8 yr old may not need to warm up as much,but they should be taught. As these players get older,it will become very important. They must have this ingrained into them before that age. This is YOUR responsibility as a youth baseball coach.

These players that came down with sore arms all had some type of growth plate injury. Their parents listened to the players complaints and went to doctors for exams.The good thing is that none of these injuries were very serious yet. They were the result of overuse. It began with too much pre season throwing.I know that none of these coaches did this out of negligence. They are all good veteran coaches from successful programs.

One parent, who is a good friend of mine, stated that the specialist they saw, told them this fact. No player at 12 years old should have ANY ARM PAIN. If they do, shut them down right away. Then consult your doctor.It is not worth the young player's health under any conditions.

There many ways to run pre season workouts without throwing the baseball so much. Speed and agility drills are one. Foot work drills are another. Fielding drills without throwing full speed is another. You want your players to come out of spring training fresh and ready to play, not compensating their throwing form because of a sore arm. Remember, these young players may not want to disappoint the coaches or parents by getting hurt,so they may not tell you. You must pay attention to your players. If you see any change in their form ask them if their arm hurts. The earlier it is noticed the quicker it can be treated. Many times all it will need is rest.

This just a reminder to keep a close eye on your young players. They are giving it all they have most of the time.You must give quality leadership and instruction as a youth baseball coach. Do your best to protect their health on and off the field. Please abide by pitch counts for your age groups. Thanks for your time and I hope you and your team are enjoying a fun season. Thanks

Coach Chip.

Chip Lemin has been a promoter of youth baseball since they started using aluminum bats. That's a long time. I have witnessed many good people get into coaching without solid coaching skills and it is not fun for them or the kids.Today's newer coaches are also being shortchanged on sportsmanship, like there is none. Visit my site to sign up for a insightful, informational, free coaching e-course at http://www.baseballecourse.com

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


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How to Choose the Best Baseball Equipment

How to Choose the Best Baseball Equipment

By Jim Burns
With baseball just around the corner, most cities across the USA have youth leagues like Little League. Baseball teams for kids range from age 4 for tee-ball to high school before these kids enter college or even go pro. Youth players have more baseball equipment choices than ever before. From composite bats to custom gloves, you can find baseball gear that will fit just about any budget or need.

Baseball Gloves - A proper fitting glove is essential to every baseball player. Gloves come from many different manufacturers and with many different price points and features. Some of the most popular youth gloves are the Rawlings Primo Baseball Glove, Nokona Bloodline Baseball Glove or the Louisville Slugger Pro Flare. Other top baseball manufacturers include Rawlings Baseball Gloves, Akadema Baseball Gloves and Easton.

Baseball Bats - You can't hit the ball without a bat. Bats come in many different sizes and materials. Most of your youth baseball teams will use an Aluminum Baseball Bat. The better the actual aluminum alloy the better the bat and the more "pop" you will receive when you hit the ball. "Pop" refers to the distance the ball with travel when the bat strikes the baseball. In addition, you can purchase composite and composite/aluminum mix bats which give even better performance. Some of the best Youth Baseball Bats include the Easton Stealth bat, Louisville Slugger baseball bat, and the Rawlings EXOGRID baseball bat. Other manufacturers also include Worth Bats, DeMarini Youth Bats, and Miken bats.

Baseball Equipment - There are alot of training exercises teams should use when preparing for the upcoming season. Training videos and training aids will help develop young baseball players quickly and add enjoyment to the experience. Pitching Machines including base ball and combo pitching machines are available from the most popular manufacturers in the business. Choose from top of the line ATEC, JUGS and Zooka machines all for great prices.

About the baseballs - Baseballs are measured in circumference in inches and weight in ounces. They have either leather or synthetic covers that are glued to the windings and stitched together. Leather covers are the traditional choice because they offer the best grip, performance, durability, and shape maintenance. Usually, the more expensive the ball, the higher the grade of the leather, and the better the cover and the process used to bond the cover to the windings.

Synthetic covers are usually vinyl and less expensive than leather covers. Synthetic covers vary in texture and grip depending on the quality. The high quality synthetic covers have a grip and feel that is close to leather. Synthetic covers resist dirt, maintain color well, and do not absorb water.

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

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Mental Training Tips to Improve Baseball Performance

Mental Training Tips to Improve Baseball Performance

By Luke Woodard

If you or your kid have played baseball long enough, I'm sure you have heard the phrase "mental toughness". In fact, you probably have heard those words used plenty of times in other sports and even outside of sports. But what exactly is it and how can you improve your mental toughness? We've all witnessed the guys who strike out, throw their helmet, and are obviously angry for the rest of the game. In the field, they make an error on an easy ground ball. Then, next time their up, with a chance to win the game, they swing at bad pitches and hit fly out to end the game.

Compared that to someone who is considered "mentally tough". Yes, he strikes out the first and he appears angry for a while, although he doesn't throw his helmet. As soon as he steps on the field to play defense, it appears that he has washed it away and he has. He makes a good play on the same ground ball, and when it comes time for him to hit again with a chance to win the game, he hits a line drive base hit up the middle.

So what is so different about these two example? It wasn't the amount of time they worked on their swing, the work they put into their fielding, or that one was better than the other physically. The difference was that the second example was better mentally. So if the mental aspect plays such a large role, how can you improve it? Here are some simple tips to getting better mentally.

1 - Clear the mind

Yogi Berra also said "I can't think and hit at the same time". While he may not have been the brightest fellow around, he was definitely on to the mental aspect of the game. When you step on the field, whether pitching, hitting, fielding or running, you have to totally clear you mind. I found that repeating to myself "ball, ball, ball, ball.." helps me focus. A game is NOT the time to think about mechanics. Tell yourself your mechanics are perfect and think only about the ball.

2 - Flush it

We've all seen it happen and probably it's happened to you. A player makes an error in the field, which leads to a second error because their mind was still on the last play. They then come up to bat and strike out. What where they thinking about? They were still thinking on the previous inning and the errors they made. When something doesn't go the way you want it too, take a second to think through what happened and how to fix it so you can work on it later and "flush it down the toilet". Re-focus on the task at hand with a clear mind.

3 - Think Positive

Especially if you're in a slump, or not having success on the mound, it is so easy to go to "Don't strike out this time" or "Whatever you do, don't walk this guy." Guess what, you're probably going to do what you are telling yourself not to do. Instead walk up to the plate saying to yourself "my mechanics are perfect, I know I WILL hit this guy hard" or on the mound "I have all my stuff today, this guy has no shot, and I am in control."

4 - Relax

You have to remember that you are playing baseball here and that failure is going to happen. We are all humans and any human will make tons of mistakes. The key is not to worry about mistake or anything else. To relax when you are feeling stressed, breath deep, and don't be afraid to take a mental "vacation". For me, I find that whistling any random tune helps me relax tremendously. Also, take deep breaths pushing your stomach out helps relaxation as well. This also provides your body with more oxygen, which is essential in anything athletic.

5 - Visualize

Take time everyday to visualize yourself succeeding on the baseball field. Visualize yourself with the perfect mechanics just absolutely drilling that curve ball the other way or yourself on the mound throwing your dirty change-up for strike three. Visualization can happen a number of ways. You can see yourself from the outside or see things through your eyes. You can do it pretty much anywhere, and you'll be amazed out how much this can help you prepare for when you are actually playing. Just remember to see yourself doing the right thing, just like you practice your swing the right way.

I hope this helps. The mental side of baseball is often overlooked and is such an important part of success on the field.

If you found this helpful, here is an awesome program that goes much deeper than this article:
Mental training for baseball

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


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Youth Baseball Drills Are a Valuable Aspect of the Game, Learn Them When You Are Young!

Youth Baseball Drills Are a Valuable Aspect of the Game, Learn Them When You Are Young!

By Joseph Harrison Jr

There are many youth baseball drills that a coach can use to aid his team in becoming better. And, the more of these that a coach employs, the more apt a baseball team will be at gaining that competitive edge.

Let's begin with discussing the different aspects of the game itself and then follow with a discussion about each one individually. There are three main areas that a new player will be most concerned with, and each is equally important.

Hitting drills should include the stance, the rotation of the hips during the swing, and the swing itself. The stance will include the player having their feet apart so as to feel comfortable and the proper gripping of the bat.

An especially good drill does not even use a ball. It will simply include the coach standing on the mound and winding up as if they are going to pitch and throwing an imaginary pitch. The player wall then watches and to be aware of their actual movements during their swing at this imaginary ball. Where are they holding their weight? Are their knees bent? Did they drop their hands? Did they keep their head up? Did they step into the ball or toward third base, or even out of the batting box itself? Did they rotate at the hips or was their power coming from their arms?

Now, let's assume that a player has hit the ball and needs to run the bases.

There are many drills that will help with this aspect too. For example, on a single hit, have the players run through the first base bag. Then, after they have run through the bag, have them know which way to turn. For example, by turning to the right, the player would be considered safe. However, if the player turns to the left, then they would still be considered in play and can easily be tagged out. A coach can call out, single, double, or triple and have each player run from home plate through the bases depending what the coach had called out. This allows the players the ability to think while running.

Catching is probably the easiest aspect to learn, but the hardest to master. It takes good eye and hand coordination and the ability to use both at once. Many times, a new player will be afraid of being hit with the ball and this will limit him in the beginning. But, by simply tossing a baseball back and forth and letting the player have the opportunity to appreciate the catch itself, their confidence will grow and they will no longer fear getting hit. Also, a good drill for catching grounders is for the players to line up opposite one another and roll the ball back and forth on the ground. This will allow the players to develop the ability to field a ground ball.

While there are many different types of youth baseball drills that can be used as a learning tool, keep in mind that the basics are probably best when starting with younger players.

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

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

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Your Child Can Greatly Benefit From Little League Baseball Instruction

Your Child Can Greatly Benefit From Little League Baseball Instruction

By Anthony J Pensabene

Is your child ready to play little league baseball this year? Has your child been playing baseball but would like to benefit from added instruction? There are dedicated coaches available and ready to provide instruction on baseball fundamentals and advanced instruction. Private lessons, clinics and baseball camps offer ways to help your child improve skills while meeting others with similar interests.

Baseball instruction targets all aspects of the game of baseball including hitting, pitching, defense, and the mental side of the game. The following article provides insight regarding improving infield defensive skills. Such information is available to your child via enrollment to baseball instructional programs.

It is important to have the right mindset

Baseball fundamental learning focuses on producing and maintaining proper positive mindset. The little league player should realize that the ball may be hit to them on any given play. Many junior baseball players commit errors in the infield because they are not ready for the ball or have an apprehensive attitude. Youth baseball instruction teaches kids to have the right attitude and confidence inspiring them to want the ball on every play.

Baseball lessons, clinics and camps teach proper baseball awareness

Major league baseball players develop their baseball awareness to the point where they can almost anticipate where the ball is going to go based on a number of variables. Any ballplayer on the field must have the mental awareness to know that at any given time he can be involved in a play and must know exactly what to do at that time.

Learning to field ground balls

Fielding ground balls is an integral part of being a baseball infielder. Players must learn to time their approach towards the ball and utilize their mechanics in receiving and throwing the ball. These variables can be learned and practiced to the point that they become second nature when fielding ground balls; making being an infielder at any level easier and a more enjoyable experience.

Baseball lessons, clinics and camps are filled with a multitude of baseball drills. The drills range in intensity and speed. Baseball fundamentals are given to each young player with the hopes of increasing their skills with more practice until proper mechanics and motions become second nature during play. Most instructors call this "developing muscle memory".

Proper baseball lessons, clinics and camps improve skills in order to make kids better players. Becoming a better player promotes self confidence and teaches kids about the rewards of practice, persistence, commitment and concentration; attributes they can apply in other areas of their lives such as school work.

Infield coaching is just one area focused upon at lessons, clinics and camps. All areas of the game are addressed, improving your child's overall talents and self confidence. In addition, your child will learn good working habits while socializing with others their age in a positive environment. Think about enrolling your child for baseball instruction today!

Zoned Inc. ( http://www.zonedinc.com ) Sports Academy is committed to improving the baseball and softball skills of young players. Through training, hard work, and great discipline they teach kids to better their baseball skills and improve their habits to use throughout life. Come to our Web site and see what we have to offer your young players.

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

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Free Baseball Artilces for TeeBall Parents

Coaching Baseball - 12 Things That 3rd Base Coaches Should Say to Baserunners

Fewer things in baseball are more embarrassing for a young baseball player than to make a base running mistake that cost his team a run. Some of the most devastating and demoralizing mistakes in baseball are made by baserunners at 3rd base. When a runner gets to third, the team momentum and confidence is increased. The team and the player, and the fans feel like they are going to soon score a run. But, to have that chance of scoring removed by a blunder by the runner or coach can take the momentum completely away from the team.

Coaching Baseball - 4 Things the On-Deck Batter Should Always Do and 4 Things He Should Never Do

Baseball coaching is teaching the big and little details of the game. Every position or location on the field requires a player to observe and to be aware of what is happening. Many young batters on deck often do no pay attention to what is happening. They are often guilty of looking into the crowd or even talking to someone through the fence. On-deck batters that do not closely observe the pitcher and the catcher are missing a greatly opportunity to "scout" the opponent.

Baseball Pitching - Coaching Pitchers to Succeed by Starting With the Basics

The coaching of baseball pitchers does not require a degree in "pitchingtology". There is no such degree to my knowledge. I just made that up. My point here is that coaching baseball pitching is not rocket science. However, having a basic knowledge of the terms and mechanics is a must.

Coaching Baseball Pitchers - The Use of Visual Anchor Points For Curve-Ball Accuracy

The skill of throwing a good curve ball accurately is a skill that must be taught and coached. Teaching curve ball control and accuracy is vital to a pitcher's success at any level. Here I discuss the method I use to teach and coach our high school pitchers to vary their curve ball location and to accurately control the spot to which the ball will break.


4 Baseball Pitching Drills For Little League Players

Teaching, training and developing young baseball pitchers takes a lot of time, patience, and practice repetition. Many young pitchers need to practice pitching skills daily. To keep the interest level high, it is best to use a variety of drills on alternate days to prevent boredom. Here are 4 baseball pitching drills that can be used to train youth and beginner pitchers.

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The Categories they have are: BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

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Baseball Drills For Youth - The Proper Batting Technique

Baseball Drills For Youth - The Proper Batting Technique

By Peter S. Smith

There are a lot of tips and tricks when it comes to youth baseball. However, no matter how gifted the child is, a proper technique needs to be developed at an early age. Without this, further along the way injuries could occur and this could end a promising career fast.

In the first part of this article we talked about the proper throwing technique. In this part we'll focus on batting. Kids will love this, and playing ball will be a lot more fun for them as they will be able to swing the bat faster and hit the ball harder.

So, what's it all about? Well, first things first, you want to get your kid a bat just right for him or her. The child should be able to keep the bat horizontally for at least 15 seconds - if he/she can't, then you will want a lighter and shorter bat.

Once you have the right bat, the child should develop a right stance. This means that feet should be at shoulder wide distance apart, the foot closer to the child lined up near the front of edge of the home plate and knees and waist slightly bent. The bat should be held firmly but loosely - so don't let the child cut the blood flow to his/her hands while waiting for the ball.

When the ball comes his or hers way, he/she should solely focus on the ball, and when they hit it, their head should remain still while the body moves. Practicing this baseball drills for youth on a daily basis will improve strength, efficiency and accuracy.

More comprehensive information on baseball drills for youth can be found here.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_S._Smith



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Best Baseball Hitting Techniques For Beginners

Best Baseball Hitting Techniques For Beginners
By Peter S. Smith

If you are a beginner, then learning from the start the best baseball hitting techniques is mandatory, since this will help your game tremendously. This article is intended to do just that, so you will be able to learn the right techniques right from the beginning.

The first thing you want to do is to have a good batting stance. This means the position of the bat and body while waiting for the pitch. You will want your feet to be shoulder wide apart, and the foot closer to you should to be lined up near the front edge of the home plate.

Your knees will have to be slightly bent, and you should also have your waist slightly bended.

The way you hold your bat is also very important. You will want to hold the handle as close as possible to your back shoulder, and the barrel of the bat should be just above your head. Needless to say, you want to grip in the right way. This means that you shouldn't squeeze the bat, but rather keep it loose.

When the ball comes at you, you should keep your eyes solely on it, until you hit it. Remember that your head shouldn't follow your body as you hit it.

These techniques will help you tremendously in bettering you game, so take great care in mastering these basic baseball hitting techniques. Once you do that, you will be able to master more and more advanced techniques, but always remember that baby steps are needed before you get to be good at this game.

More comprehensive information on hitting techniques can be found here, so you should check it out.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_S._Smith

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The Five Elements of the Major League Little League Baseball Swing

The Five Elements of the Major League Little League Baseball Swing

By Nick Dixon

There is nothing more beautiful in sports than when a "major league" swing whether it be at the tee ball, little league, high school, college or Major League Baseball level of play. A "major league" swing is what I consider to be a perfectly executed swing. There is nothing more beautiful in sports than when you see a baseball batter, at any level, executes the perfect swing, and drive a line drive into one of the outfield gaps.

What makes a little league baseball swing become a "major league" swing? What are the 5 elements of the perfect baseball swing? The answer to that question is simple. The batter must have batting skill, good bat speed, a good eye for the baseball, perfect timing and a proper approach to hitting. Here I discuss all five of these basic elements and how each is improved:

The five basic elements of the "Major League" Little League Swing are:

1. Batting Skill - There is only one way to improve batting skill. That is making sure that the batter takes a high number of practice swings daily or at least 3 times a week year round. The younger the batter begins this practice routine, the batter. It is crucial to batting skill development that the batter receives proper instruction as to proper hitting mechanics.

2. Bat Speed - The grip must be perfect with the fingers aligned and the bat handle gripped in the fingers and not deep in the palm. The batter must have adequate strength to get the bat speed generated. The absolute best way to improve hand and arm strength is do finger pushups, weight roll ups with the arms extended and wrist curls with the arms on a bench.

3. Good Eye for the Ball - There are two things involved in having a good batting eye at the plate. First the batter must learn the strike zone and be able to determine quickly whether a pitch is a in the strike zone or out of it. The other thing that makes the eyes of the batter an asset at the plate, is when the batter has the ability to pitch the ball up very quickly as it is released from the hand of the pitcher. The batter must learn to identify pitches, the spin on the ball, the pitchers arm slot, and the pitchers release point. There are many drills that can help a better have a better eye. One such drill is a "tracking" drill in which the batter stands in while a pitcher throws his bull pen. The batter verbally calls out the type of pitch and its location. The batter will call the pitch in this order...strike, fastball, in or ball, curve ball, off the plate away.

4. Proper Timing - Good timing is something that all great hitters possess. They know when to load and when to launch. They are never late on the fastball. They are never early on the off speed pitch. They know exactly when to attack the pitch based on where the pitch is located. The always attack the inside fastball early. They always attack the fastball down the middle when it gets over the plate. And most important of all, they attack the off-speed pitch late when it gets just inside the back foot. One of the best drills to develop timing is the do a front long toss drill. The pitcher should vary locations, speed and pitch types.

5. Proper Approach - Having a good approach at the plate is a process that involves two aspects of mental concentration.

One part of having an approach is to know what your team needs from your at bat.This is known before the batter walks up to the plate. For example, if the team needs a deep fly ball, the batter looks for a pitch up. If the team needs a ball hit behind a runner, the batter will look for a pitch to hit the other way.

The other part of having an approach is the batter executing the perfect timed swing for the pitch thrown. The batter turns on the fastball in or the batter stays back and hits the curve ball to the opposite field.

The best way to develop a good approach at the plate is to have situational batting practice sessions. The batter takes batting practice swings under simulated situations specified by the coach. The batter practices hitting with the coach calling different numbers of out, different base runner locations or different offensive plays be run.

I hope that you found this article to be interesting and informative. I really appreciate you taking the time to read it. Have a great day. Nick

The CoachesBest Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. Check out the BatAction Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

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

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The Categories they have are: Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!
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T Ball Ready Position - Coaching Ready Position in T Ball

T Ball Ready Position - Coaching Ready Position in T Ball
By Brian McClure


In coaching t ball probably the first thing to do is teach the Ready position. You cant do nothing if your not ready so..What is the Ready Position?

1. Feet spread a little wider than shoulders
This gives balance and ability to move any direction

2. Balance on the balls of your feet:not the heels.
Sometimes when the kids are getting a little disinterested I may state (loudly of course) On Your Toes! This will wake them up and get them in position

3. Butt Down!

Most important..if your butt is down the knees bend and the hands go down with them. This gives balance.

4. Hands in Front

Two hands(I like to have kids (the first few practices) practice a few ground balls catching them in front without a glove to get them used to catching with two hands and then try it with the glove on.

5.Eyes on the Ball

Cant catch what you cant see. Catch the ball in front with two hands Safety too. If there is a bad hop your hands will move to protect and catch. How do I Coach and teach the ready position? Lets keep it simple.. It would be best to have the kids divided into at least 2 groups. This gives the most repetition and is the most efficient use of time. It will also keep them from getting bored to quickly. Pretty much every drill in t ball should be done in groups for these reasons.

1. READY! Spread your feet a little, get your butt down, hands out in front.

2. Toss a few ground balls without gloves

3. Ground balls with gloves

4. GET IN FRONT OF THE BALL! Now lets get them moving. Remember Eyes on the Ball? Toss a few balls to either side of the player and get them to move in front of the ball. (Some coaches like to use the belly button for this but I still like using the eyes and it has been effective for my coaching)

5. CHARGE! With this command you should toss some slow rollers and get the players moving in to the ball. It will happen I guarantee you.

A Special Note for Parents: I started working with my latest T baller during winter in the house. Showed him relaxed(which was hands on knees) and then Ready. We would practice this just a few times. I would say Relax! and he would go in to the relaxed position..I would say Ready! and hands come up and butt goes down. Then we would catch some tennis balls without a glove..then we would do a few with the glove. You will have to help them a few times with this but if you do this a few times a week...When the weather is nice enough to go outside you can do the above drills. At that first practice when Coach states Everybody Ready! You will be very proud. The Ready Position is the beginning of coaching youth baseball.

Author- Brian McClure
http://www.coaching-youth-baseball.com/

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

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The Categories they have are: BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

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10 Tips to Help Players Get Through the Baseball Season

10 Tips to Help Players Get Through the Baseball Season
By Jack Perconte

In my opinion, there is no sport that requires the whole body skills and concentration that baseball requires. Hitting, fielding and throwing are all difficult skills to perfect. Inevitably, all players endure disappointing performances at some point in the season. The most obvious evidence of the difficulty of baseball is that college drafted players almost never make it to the major leagues without years of continued grooming in the minor leagues. This is different than any other major sport where the best college players are proficient enough to go straight to the big time.

Because of this difficulty, great patience is required by all as baseball players develop skills and knowledge of the game from year to year. Disappointment and frustration can easily set in playing baseball. Additionally, there is very little time between games in a baseball season so once a slump sets in, the season or career can be ruined if people panic at these difficult times. It is important that parents and coaches help players get through these times so total frustration does not set in and so players do not get to the point where they want to quit playing. Unfortunately, many talented athletes leave the sport at a young age because there is not adequate patience shown and encouragement given by adults.

Following is advice for adults when ball players inevitably struggle:

1. Encourage kids to have long-range goals so they do not feel overwhelming pressure to do well each and every game. For example, making the high school team is a good goal for young ball players. A good goal for all players to have is simply being better at their skills at the end of the season than they were at the beginning of the season; this is not always a given.
2. Do not show own frustration in front of kids. Stay as upbeat as possible.
3. Give kids a few days totally away from the game during a rough stretch, if possible, and keep the talk about baseball to a minimum during this time.
4. Remind hard working players that practice pays off eventually, and remind not so hard workers that good results only come with hard work.
5. Remind players that you always believe in them and that they are so much more than what they do on a playing field.
6. A little joke about their play, at the appropriate time, can get them to laugh about it and release some of the tension.
7. Along the same lines, occasionally reminding them of times they did well is good.
8. Watching a bloopers tape can provide some laughs and help players realize everyone makes mistakes, even the great players.
9. Trying to get players to "smile" when on the playing field can relieve tension and help them understand that they should not take the game and themselves too serious.
10. False praise is never advised, but trying to point out little things where the player improved at or did well in a game can be helpful.

Finally, saying "forget about it" to your kids after a tough game when it was apparent that they played hard can go a long way to keeping it all in perspective. Of course, these are helpful tips that can be used with athletes of any sport.

Jack Perconte is the author of two books, The Making of a Hitter and Raising an Athlete - his positive parenting advice and books can be found at http://positiveparentinginsports.com. Former major league baseball player Jack Perconte gives baseball hitting tips and batting practice advice for ballplayers of all ages. His baseball playing lessons, books and advice can be found at http://www.baseballhittinglessons.com/baseball.

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

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Coaching Baseball Batters - 3 Common Baseball Swing Mistakes and Corrections

Coaching Baseball Batters - 3 Common Baseball Swing Mistakes and Corrections
By Nick Dixon


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Article Body:

Coaching youth and high school baseball batters requires a watchful eye and close attention to detail. Baseball coaches must identify and correct any flaw in batting hitting mechanics. Players should not be allowed to practice their swing over and over without correcting their mistakes. Good baseball coaches are always on the constant lookout for any bad habits that a young player may develop. Here I discuss three of the most common hitting mechanical flaws and my approach to correcting each. Here are three common mistakes I often see at my baseball camps and when I observe youth games and youth practices.

1) BARRING THE FRONT ARM - The batter locks or stiffens the front arm as the swing begins. Many young batters will have assumed the correct stance and launch positions but have a tendency to tighten up as the swing begins. The barring of the front arm causes the swing to loop and to be too long. The batter has great difficulty taking the bat to the ball and making contact unless the ball is thrown exactly on the swing plane. The proper swing has a "short stroke" or path to the ball. The best way to correct barring of the front arm is to make sure that the batter keeps the front arm elbow bent or at an "L" position prior and during the swing.

2) STEPPING OUT OR PULLING OFF PITCHES - I often see this with young kids in our summer camp program. They always step out or their front side often flies open before the ball arrives. This batter has great difficulty making contact. Until this flaw is corrected, the batter will only become frustrated and embarrassed. To keep the front shoulder in the proper "closed" position, teach the batter to keep the front shoulder closed and directed at the second baseman for right-handed batters and toward the shortstop for left-handed batters. The stepping out is a more difficult flaw to fix. Having the batter pick the front heel off the ground and stepping just slightly toward the plate may help. I frown on putting obstructions behind the front foot to keep it from moving backward, although many coaches do this to stop this bad habit. I often use the "step in and hit: drill with a hit trainer, Bat Action Machine or batting tee. The batter assumes a position back away from the ball target that requires the batter to step toward the ball in order to make contact. If the batter does not step toward or into the ball, the batter will not be able to hit the ball.

3) UPPER CUT SWING - The upper cut swing may be caused by two things that are quickly identified Dropping the hands and back leg collapse can both cause the batter to swing upward. Make sure that the batter keeps the hands at the top of the strike zone and does not drop the hands or dip the back side shoulder during the swing. The back leg should be keep "tall or straight" to prevent back side dipping which can also cause an upper-cut swing. Two great drills that we use to stop this is the "Zone Circle" tee or soft-toss drill. We make a circle the side of our batting cage by inter-weaving a white or yellow rope in the net. The batter must hit or drive the ball off the tee or from a soft-toss into the circle. The batter must have a level swing and keep the front side in to be able to hit the zone.

COACHING POINT: Make sure that the batter is not over striding. This too can cause a batter to pop up. The batter must concentrate visually on the top half or middle of the ball to make good contact.

The CoachesBest Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. Check out the BatAction Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

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

===Advertisement from our sponsor:=====

Baseball2u.com/CoachesBest.com is the ultimate online baseball training and coaching store. With over 1400 products organized into categories Baseball2u.com makes finding that baseball training product easy and simple. Order securely online or by phone. Baseball2u.com is a fully licensed company and has a full time staff available from 8:00 to 5:00 CST. Their toll free customer service number is 1-877-431-4487.

The Categories they have are: Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!
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How to Teach Throwing to Baseball Players

How to Teach Throwing to Baseball Players
By Dick Birmingham

In the game of baseball correct throwing mechanics are of the utmost importance. If a player can't throw with accuracy he does his team little good out in the field. Players must constantly strive to perfect their throwing mechanics. Few players take the time necessary to become really good throwers. Great pride should be taken when a player can consistently throw to a target.

Key Points in Throwing

The Grip

Many young players grip the ball with their fingers too wide apart. This affects accuracy severely reduces velocity of the throw. The fingers should be about ¼ inch apart (about the width of a yellow #2 pencil). The index and middle finger should lay across the wide seams of the ball. This grip is also known as a 4-seam fastball. The pads of the index and middle finger sit on the seam of the ball. If you think of the ball as a clock, the index and middle fingers should rest on either side of 12 o'clock and the thumb would rest straight underneath the ball at 6 o'clock. There should be "daylight" between the ball and palm of the throwing hand. This is the best grip for achieving straight backspin and avoiding any "tailing" of the ball.

Arm Action

Arm action refers to the path the throwing arm travels from hand separation to release-point and follow-through. Baseball throwers must concentrate on breaking the hands and making a big sweeping motion with the arm in order to stay long with the arm going back to a good power position. Power position refers to the position where the player has the throwing arm back, level with the shoulder or higher, and bent at the elbow. The throwing-hand index and middle fingers should be point up forming a "V". The back of the throwing hand should face the thrower while the palm of the throwing hand should face away from the thrower. Practicing a good power position is essential in becoming a good thrower. The front shoulder should always point at the target and stay closed. As the player turns to throw, the glove-side elbow should be as high or higher than the throwing-side shoulder. The throwing fingers must stay pointing up through release to get good straight backspin. When throwing with a partner, young players should imagine painting a vertical line with their throwing hand from the letters on their partner's hat to their partner's belt buckle.

Throwing To The Circle

Baseball players should always practice throwing on a downward plane to their target. When throwing with a partner, the player should focus on throwing down into "the circle". The circle is an area from the partner's hat, right shoulder, belt buckle, and left shoulder. A player who can throw down into the circle consistently is a good thrower.

Note: A player receiving a ball should always have both hands in front of the chest with fingers pointing out and up. This makes a great target in the center of the circle.

Staying On Line

Throwers should imagine a line running from their pivot foot straight through their target. As they throw, they should separate their arms on the imaginary line being careful not to let the throwing arm pass behind the line. The stride should also be on the line. Any variation from the line will decrease accuracy. As the player releases the ball he should concentrate on keeping his body on the line. Many players spin off the line when they throw instead of following-through toward their target.

Note: The chin MUST point toward the target. Where the chin faces the eyes will face and the body will follow.

Squaring the Pivot Foot

The pivot foot (throwing hand-side) needs to be "square" to the target. If the player starts by facing the target when throwing the pivot foot should be opened 90 degrees toward the target to allow for the closing of the front side (hips and shoulders). Failure to do this can result in poor accuracy and velocity. Many young players do not turn their pivot foot a full 90 degrees to their target. Squaring the pivot foot should be emphasized to all players to ensure correct throwing mechanics.

It has been said many time that baseball is a game of catch, and the team that plays catch the best will usually win. As a coach, teach your players the proper fundamentals of throwing and you will win more games and develop your players.

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For more baseball throwing tips and baseball throwing drills visit the Dick Birmgingham Sports Championship Baseball Drill Book at http://www.BaseballDrillBook.com

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Baseball Coaching Digest - Survey Results - The Top 10 Worst TeeBall Parent Excuses of All Time

By Nick Dixon

The word "excuse" is a bad word to most coaches. A parent excuse is a reason given by a parent to explain or justify their son's poor performance, tardiness, or inappropriate behavior. Coaches really would prefer that someone simply say they were wrong or give a legitimate reason rather than a ridiculous excuse.

If you coach any sport, you are going to hear your share of excuses from parents. Most parents refuse to make excuses. They understand that behavior and actions have consequences.

However, there is that small percentage of parents that are always ready with a reason or excuse for their son's behavior. Some of the worst excuses are those that parents try to use to justify getting their player to practice or a game late. It is no wonder that players use excuses when their parents do so frequently.

The Baseball 2Day Coaching Journal surveyed baseball coaches. One of the questions was "What is the worst excuse you ever heard from a parents? Here are the top 10 worst parent excuses of all time:

#10--- "I can not get my son to any games or practices because I'm pregnant."

#9---- "My son does not like playing 3rd base because he says the balls come to him too fast."

#8----"You should play the 12 year olds the entire game, they have earned that right."

#7----"I could get my son to practice his father had the kid and he did not bring him back on time."

#6----"The game started late (8:00) and it was too late for a kid to be out!

#5----"We did not know that we had a game today."

#4---"I know he did not play well, but he did not get into bed to after midnight. He was watching TV."

#3---"The reason he did not play well was because he ate 3 hotdogs before the game."

#2---"He did not hit the ball because he did not have his new bat. That old bat just does not hit as good."

#1----"I could not get him to practice Saturday, because I had to go to the casino."

Unbelievable as they may sound these excuses were used. I am sure that you have heard some excuses that are just as amazing. Thanks for reading my article. Have a great day! Nick

The Coaches Best Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. Check out the BatAction Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

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