Baseball Tips for Rookie Coaches - So You're The New Baseball Coach?

Baseball Tips for Rookie Coaches - So You're The New Baseball Coach?
by Guest Author John Peter

So you're the new coach. Ok, now what?

Coaching a team sure seemed like a good idea, maybe even easy...until you started thinking and getting into it deeper. All those players, parents, the draft, practices...and those game decisions...ugh.
Maybe coaching 3rd base might not be so easy...
What were you thinking?

SOLUTIONS:

Rule #1 - Relax, It will work out!

You'll probably even turn out to be good at it.
How do I know? Why would I think this?

Well, first you are searching for information. Websites like ours with articles like this are sure signs you are at the very least trying, instead of sitting on your hands, ducking your head and relying on your Little League experiences from long ago. And because of...

Rule #2 - You will be organized...

And yes, you will have the time to do it. As a matter of fact, there is an article that I strongly urge you to read. It is about how to organize your team and yourself and is titled, "Plan To Succeed."

Please finish this article before you jump there (I'll include the link at the end of this article).

Rule #3 - You will have fun!

Look, the more fun you have, the more fun your kids will have...and yes, the opposite is true.

Personally, I think that some of the best things about youth baseball are the adults! I also think they are some of the worst things about youth baseball. I mean this because as we get older...we tend to forget how to have fun and play games. Life just does that to us. Here we are trying to solve problems on a baseball field like we do at work...UGH!
We get tight, our kids play tight. We say ugly things in the dugout...well, you get the picture...
Let's move on (This lesson either hits the mark or it doesn't).

One final thought (from someone who is privileged to be in baseball for 350 days each year)...
IT'S JUST BASEBALL! BASEBALL IS JUST A GAME!
(It just happens to be the best game ever!)

Rule #4 - You are here for every player!

If you are in this game for any reason other than those kids... every one of them...
GET OUT NOW! (This was paraphrased and stolen from a speech given by a friend, Gordie Gillespie, the winningest coach in college baseball history! He is absolutely correct!)

You will get more joy with that attitude than you can imagine!

Every player who doesn't share your last name is not here for the entertainment and support of you and your son! (You have probably seen it happen).
Coaching your own child is a trick indeed.
I hope you will truly enjoy it (though it can test your mettle). But, I can assure you that embracing an entire team of kids can really give you an idea of how good a coach and person you might be or can be!
Personally, I can tell you that the early influences of my youth coaches are indelibly stamped on me...That's how important you are.

Rule #5 - Winning is important...It is just not everything.

I determined something many years ago.
Take this for what it's worth...

Few 10 year olds have a grasp of the concept of winning!
Half of the 11 year olds have a grasp of the concept of winning!
Almost all 12 year olds have a grasp of the concept of winning!

Every? All? No. I guess I wouldn't include all players on some hot team of 9 year olds who travel the country vying for the many "World Series" out there (how many worlds are there anyway).
Those teams and families have adopted a lifestyle. It's a language spoken at the dinner table. They are probably more the exception than the rule anyway.

You simply need to have a strong grasp of the competitive nature of your league and your team.

Rule #6 - You will be the boredom police.

Looking for a great way to turn a perfectly good baseball player into a soccer player? (God forbid)... BORE HIM!

A young boy begins his day by opening his eyes with a first thought of..."HEY, WHAT'S FUN TODAY!"
And we dare to bore them? Remember my comment on how we tend to want to solve problems in baseball as we do in the office?
They are kids. It's a game...and games are fun...
It's fun OR THEY FIND A GAME THAT IS MORE FUN!

Rule #7 - Ask for help from other parents.
Women are right...Men do not ask for directions. We need to be rock steady and have all the answers...yada, yada!

Personally, I have never had a coach come up to me after a game and ask me anything on how or why I played a situation the way I did! I MEAN NEVER!

WHY? Because this is baseball...and we are guys. We played Little League (20 TO 30 YEARS AGO). We watch Pro Baseball on TV...UGH. What a bad idea to try and teach a group of kids to play the same way the greatest players in the game do.
So, we don't ask...and that cheats our kids.

SOLUTIONS:

Aside from reaching for information such as reading articles such as this and finding videos, books, etc (did you check out our video and book library?)...
Why not incorporate and embrace some of the parents.
Have a parents-only meeting for 10 minutes after one of your very first practices.
Let them know who you are and how you envision the season (in general).

A team mom is worth her weight in the dozen roses you had better buy her at the end of the season.

Make note of the dad(s), hopefully plural, who hang around the fence during practices. Many really want you to ask for their help. They don't want to horn in so it's up to you to ask because they may not!

Some parents are better served as your scorebook keeper instead of your BP (batting practice) pitcher.
Another may be most comfortable helping you set up the dugout and raking and lining the field before games.

Yet others really want to be on the field hitting fungoes or infield.

The bottom line is that I believe that adults play better when they work together...and as a byproduct, you will all be richer for actually developing relationships with your new-found friends.

WARNING: There is one rule I highly recommend...
You are the coach, they are the team's parents.
One guy has the final say so. You, the coach!
This is a no lobbying area, disputes are handled away from the kids and the action and decisions of management (you) are final. There are no politics, just honest decisions made by you...the coach!

Note: Baseball is the greatest game in the world to second-guess!

One Last Important Suggestion Regarding Communication:

Get all of your parent's email addresses and use them for two things:

Communicate - Communicate - Communicate. Not necessarily lengthy, just frequent.

Subscribe all your player's parents (and maybe players, if they are a bit older) to our Baseball Tips Newsletter. It is a quick read 2 times each month. We do not rent or sell their names and just want to supply our 14,680 (at last count) baseball families with some added knowledge and fun.
Of course, they can delete us easily if they so choose. (You can add them individually. The sign-up box is just below our logo on the http://www.baseballtips.com home page).

Rule #8 -Good Teams Practice Well!

Every league is different. Some restrict practice times. Others have limited fields. Some coaches have limited time as well. HAVE A PLAN!
Plan tomorrow's practice today. Plan next week, this week.
Planning is the operative word. I don't think that any drill should take longer than 20 minutes! (OK, excluding BP - more on that later).

TIME ANYTHING & EVERYTHING!

If you will keep a watch, you can get their blood flowing even more. More as in, "OK guys, 10 more minutes, let's do it right. Pick up the pace...Ok, 5 more minutes...Keep it going"...you get the idea.
And it becomes more fun!
The blood is pumping, the kids are focusing. Just be sure to tailor it to your player's age and skill level.

SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW!

Teach something new each practice.
As importantly, review and drill a particular skill taught in a previous practice using one of your 20 minute segments.

Quality repetitions are vital and incredibly important!
Too many coaches teach a skill and then next season, they teach it again; once a year...need it or not! If you think about how counter-productive this is, you will never do it...or do it again.

ARMS - ARMS - ARMS!

There are more throwing errors than fielding errors!
It may not sound correct and it is not my opinion...It is a fact!
Teach proper throwing and work on arms every practice.

Have them constantly throwing to or at a target.
(The exception will be when teaching one of your pitchers a new pitch.) You begin by throwing to a tarp, net or fence. The reasoning is that accuracy will not be great until a skill like a new pitch is learned. Accuracy will follow proper mechanics and you can avoid unnecessary shakes in confidence.

THE LAST 10 MINUTES OF PRACTICE IS JUST FUN!
Preferably doing something that requires players to use oxygen. Leave them with their tongues hanging out. I learned this many years after I began coaching.

Many players think baseball is boring...and that is why they leave the sport too soon. They are kids...and kids want to run, play games, have contests, run races, hit balls, etc. You know...fun stuff.

Well, drills can get boring if that's all there is to a practice. But drills are really important, vital lifelines to improvement and success of both player and team...or not!

But let's not forget the fun aspect and the prime reason most kids play. (It is play ball, not work ball, right?)

Get creative!
Here are some of my ideas. (Do not limit yourself to these, got it?)

Relay Races - ½ of team at home plate and ½ at 2nd base with hats on backwards. 1 simple relay race. Then 1 race backwards, then 1 final race for all the marbles, running sideways (or heel to heel side-kicks like basketball teams do....you may have some better variations).

Ball In The Trash Can - Find a trash barrel from the dugout or near the practice field and place it on home plate on its side. Now take your team to a distance where most all players can throw to the target at least on a bounce or two.

Now toss them a short fly ball where they can make like they are the centerfielder throwing the runner out at home. They ooh, aah and cheer on close throws (there are always a bunch of these). I have no idea why but they really like to do this...Go Figure!

Home Run Derby - Find a spot where about ½ or more of the team can hit one over the fence and soft toss 3 per each player (soft toss, also known as flip drills, is the drill our automated Wheeler Dealer machine does automatically. It can be seen on our training aids page if you are still unsure how to do this.) Have a second round, then have a finals. Maybe the player who comes in 2nd gets to go after all the homers. Watch 'em cheer for each other.

Basketball Game - If there's a court or a hoop nearby, simply produce a hidden basketball AFTER dividing them up into teams. Announce a 10 minute game. Watch 'em go. Totally unexpected...and a lot of fun

Water Balloon Toss - Pick a hot day and have a supply of filled baseball-sized water balloons (make sure they are small balloons to begin with so they remain taut). Partner them off in lines (like you do when warming up their arms) with players about 6 to 8 feet apart and with a partner on one row having the balloon.

USE 2 HANDS!

Express to players that in baseball, every ball you can catch with 2 hands should be caught with 2 hands. Also, display how the pinkie fingers of both hands should be near and parallel to each other with hands being parallel and held below the waist.

SOFT HANDS

Explain that all infielders must have soft hands. This begins when both arms are outstretched (elbows are not locked) and then cradled toward the body as the underhand toss comes toward you. Water balloons will require special focus on soft hands to keep from breaking.

READY...GO!

On coaches command...
Player underhand tosses to his partner who catches and holds the balloon. His partner then tosses it back to his partner.

After 2-4 rounds, teams with a full balloon step 2 feet further apart.
Repeat.
Then 2 steps further apart!
Keep going until you have a winner.

Once you have a winner, coaches produce as many extra full balloons as there are coaches and the winning team gets to "blast the coaches." Yes, turn around coach...and do use typical precautions as boys will be boys. (Now you tell me that 10 or 20 years from now those players won't remind you of how much fun that was?!)

It's not all about baseball...but it is all about fun!

Thanks for reading.

Best of luck this season.

Now get out there and Have Some Fun!

----Coach JP

http://www.baseballtips.com/

Baseball tips & youth baseball equipment, training aids & instruction! It's all here for baseball coaching of pitchers & hitters, little league to high school.

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

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Thanks to Our Sponsor: Nedco Sports - BatAction Hitting Machines
www.BatAction.com


---BatAction Machine at CoachesBest.com
---BatActionMachine on Ebay.com
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---Message to Parents From Coach Nick
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BatAction Demo Videos on Youtube

Bats, Balls & Bladders - Hilarious But True Little League Stories

Bats, Balls & Bladders - Hilarious But True Little League Stories
by Guest Author Doug Rogers

I sat down last night and tried to calculate how many total youth sports games I had attended for my three sons over the years. I'm not sure why I did this. Perhaps I was bored. Or perhaps it was the realization that my youngest son was turning 13, and this phase of our lives would soon be over. It was nearly impossible to calculate, but each of my several estimates carried me close to 1,000 games. Could that really be true? And I didn't even try to guess the number of practices to boot. By any measure it all added up to a large amount of time spent with kids' sports. And the great majority of it was fun.

I suppose when you combine all that time spent at youth sporting events with the basic reality of human nature and emotions, it is statistically unavoidable that one would bear witness to a wide variety of incidents ranging from the most hilarious to the most heart warming to the most shameful. And unfortunately, when I think back on it, I can't help but recollect that it was the adults who were almost universally responsible for every one of the shameful behaviors I witnessed, whereas the kids monopolized ownership of the hilarious and heart warming events. Funny how that worked.

While the shameful behaviors of parents and coaches make for interesting and easy news columns and blog essays, there's plenty of worthwhile entertainment to be had in recounting the hilarious and heart-warming stuff of the kids. Thankfully, these stories outweigh the shameful ones by a large margin. Here's just one that sprang to my mind the other day.

Simon

I had a boy on one of my Little League baseball teams one year whom I'll call Simon. Simon was the quintessential Little Leaguer by my definition. He came early to every game and practice. He was always fully decked out in baseball paraphernalia, with all of the coolest accessories like double-wristed sweat bands, flip-up sunglasses and a large wad of Bazooka gum tucked neatly in the cheek. His spitting ability was second to none, and his knowledge of Major League Baseball statistics and trivia would make Tim McCarver blush. He loved baseball. Unfortunately his athletic skills and coordination did not match his love and passion for the game.

Because of his weaker skills Simon did not qualify for the "major" league and was therefore playing on my "minor" league team with much younger players. He was nearing his last year of eligibility for playing Little League, and Simon had spent his first few years in the league logging a lot of bench time, pulling a lot of right-field-only duty and mostly batting last, if at all sometimes (believe it or not). He had never been on the pitcher's mound except to walk across it on his way to right field. His parents had written to me at the start of the season to say that his experiences in the past were demoralizing and had all but squashed his joy and desire for participating in the game. Their stories of past experiences were unsettling to say the least, and probably cruel by any standards of decency. I assured his parents that Simon had come to the right team this year.

On one particular early spring night we were excited to play a game under the lights on one of the premium fields in town usually reserved for the older players in the "major" league. It would be our team's first game with real infield grass instead of dirt, actual dugouts and a 200' fence outlining the perimeter of the outfield. Cool stuff for a bunch of 9 and 10-year-olds with visions of baseball grandeur still dancing innocently in their heads. And for Simon, it was baseball fantasy brushing against reality as he jogged onto the lush grass field with the giant overhead spotlights illuminating the perfectly manicured diamond. He took the field with his usual professional stride, happily ignoring the probability that any balls hit his way would once again not likely land safely in his glove. To Simon, that was not a devastating concern. Like his errors of the past, if another occurred he would once again shake his head, smack his glove a bit and raise his hand to us coaches as if to signal, "I shoulda' had that one, Coach. But I'll get the next one." And we'd simply give him a thumbs up and yell, "Great try, Simon!" It was a pretty good arrangement; stress free for all of us that way.

Being the true professional he was, I half expected Simon to tip his cap to the dozen or so "fans" as he strode out to his position. One thing was certain, Simon would savor every precious moment of his Little League experience, as long as somebody provided him with the opportunity to do so.

Bats, Balls and Bladders

Unfortunately, as Little League tends to go, our excitement of the big game under the lights began to dwindle around the third inning when the opposing team proceeded to score 10 runs, with no end in sight. I'm sure you know the inning well; walk after walk, error after error, stolen base after stolen base, relief pitcher after relief pitcher. It was painful for all, especially on what turned out to be a freezing cold, misty night. And as if the baseball follies weren't punishing enough, there was yet another side effect from this "Bad News Bear" moment. The inning lasted so long that I started to notice a few of our players in the field squirming, wiggling around and tugging at the crotch of their pants. Suddenly, while my fourth reliever was warming up, our second baseman bolted off the field towards our dugout.

"Coach," he pleaded, "I gotta' go bad."

"Go where?" I responded.

"I gotta' pee so bad," he replied with the look of desperation in his eyes. Darn those 24-ounce Gatorade bottles!

"Alright," I said, "go ahead, but hurry back. This game is taking long enough already." As he took off towards the latrine, the first baseman arrived right behind him.

"Coach, I gotta' pee bad too."

I told him, "Go ahead, but please hurry." Then comes the third baseman as well.

"Coach, can I go too?" he asked.

"Sure, why not?" I said. I was thinking that by the looks of our next pitcher's so-called warm-up pitches, this is going to be the longest inning in Little League history anyway. Hell, I thought, I might as well go myself. At least it's probably warm in the men's room.

As I glanced at my near-empty infield and realized that our only chance for turning a double play would have to take place in front of two urinals and a sink, I also noticed that the opposing coach was becoming annoyed by these further delays. I couldn't figure that one out. I guess he wanted to get on with the resumption of our slaughter before his team lost any momentum. Perhaps a future bench-coach position with the Yankees was hanging in the balance. Who's to know?

To be fair, the inning was dragging on for an eternity. But given the current state of my infield, my biggest concern was who else might be suffering from nature's calling. Back on bladder patrol, I once again scanned the field for more squirming and crotch tugging. Nobody else seemed to be in apparent discomfort, but suddenly I noticed Simon now also jogging to the dugout from the outfield. I met him at the fence and preempted his expected request by saying, "Yes, yes, Simon. You can also go to the bathroom if you have to."

But Simon replied, "No Coach, I don't have to go."

"Then what's the matter, Simon?" I asked.

He said, "I have to come out of the game to rest my eyes."

Rest your eyes?

"The giant spot lights are too bright and they are hurting my eyes. I'm afraid they may damage my retinas." And without waiting for my reply Simon passively took a spot on the bench and calmly removed his wrist bands and flip-up sunglasses. I never even got the chance to ask him why he wore sun glasses to a night game, or - since he did - why he didn't employ them to protect his retinas from spotlight damage. Simon sat down politely in the dugout, opened up a fresh piece of Bazooka and scanned the field with his usual enthusiasm, belting out a few supportive "C'mon guys!" to his teammates whom he still believed could engineer a comeback. Simon was not one to let reality ruin his baseball fantasy. And why should he? That's what baseball's supposed to be at that age.

Seeing Simon so matter-of-factly perched comfortably on the bench, I thought to myself, that was the final kicker. Our team was getting clobbered and the game wasn't half over yet, the night was freezing cold, my entire infield was taking a pee and missing in action (probably warming themselves under the hand dryer), my fourth relief pitcher was busy bouncing balls three feet in front of the plate during warm ups, and now one of my players had ejected himself from the game for fear of going blind.

The coaches and I had no choice but to look at each other in disbelief, and then, burst out laughing. You just can't make this stuff up.

By the way, Simon did finally get the chance to pitch that season for the first time ever. He gave up one walk, one hit and struck a player out. For that moment, for that boy, baseball fantasy became reality. The smile on his face proved it.

Doug Rogers is a retired corporate executive who now devotes his time to speaking and writing about Nice Guys.

http://niceguysfirst.com

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

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Thanks to Our Sponsor: Nedco Sports - BatAction Hitting Machines
www.BatAction.com


---BatAction Machine at CoachesBest.com
---BatActionMachine on Ebay.com
---BatAction Machine Video Clips
---BatAction Trainer - 15 Reasons Why You Must Own This Machine
---Message to Parents From Coach Nick
---If you are looking for BatAction Replacement Balls or Power Bands Click Here
BatAction Demo Videos on Youtube



Check out these video demos of some of the most popular baseball training products on today's market. Click below and see the Advanced Skills Tee, Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer, and the Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine.

--Video of the Advanced Skills Tee is used by a college hitter during a hitting drill.
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--Baseball Batting Tee - The Advanced Skills Tee - Baseball Trainer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkvPoPWa7NU

--Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine - Youth Baseball Batting Trainer - Youth Hitting Drill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dFE150AKDs

--Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer - Demo Tape Shows How the Machine Loads, and Operates During Use. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFwoJ8Vh1nU

--Derek Jeter Hurricane Batting Machine - Baseball Backyard Batting Trainer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtxZk74y1L4

--Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine - The Backyard Basketball Goal for Baseball Players http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJBn9VS9WDI

--Youth Baseball Batting Trainer - Hitting Drill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ0JjILe73k

Learn Baseball Hitting Tips

Youth Baseball: Learn Baseball Hitting Tips
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Thanks to Our Sponsor: Nedco Sports - BatAction Hitting Machines
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---BatAction Machine at CoachesBest.com
---BatActionMachine on Ebay.com
---BatAction Machine Video Clips
---BatAction Trainer - 15 Reasons Why You Must Own This Machine
---Message to Parents From Coach Nick
---If you are looking for BatAction Replacement Balls or Power Bands Click Here
BatAction Demo Videos on Youtube




Check out these video demos of some of the most popular baseball training products on today's market. Click below and see the Advanced Skills Tee, Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer, and the Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine.

--Video of the Advanced Skills Tee is used by a college hitter during a hitting drill.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M30Ti00ZaOk

--Baseball Batting Tee - The Advanced Skills Tee - Baseball Trainer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkvPoPWa7NU

--Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine - Youth Baseball Batting Trainer - Youth Hitting Drill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dFE150AKDs

--Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer - Demo Tape Shows How the Machine Loads, and Operates During Use. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFwoJ8Vh1nU

--Derek Jeter Hurricane Batting Machine - Baseball Backyard Batting Trainer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtxZk74y1L4

--Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine - The Backyard Basketball Goal for Baseball Players http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJBn9VS9WDI

--Youth Baseball Batting Trainer - Hitting Drill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ0JjILe73k

Drills for Tee Ball Hitting

Drills for Tee Ball Hitting
Posted on YouTube by ClubHouseGas

On http://ClubHouseGAS.com , we talk with longtime youth baseball coach on tee ball hitting drills. Then we talk with youth umpire, James Armstrong.

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Thanks to Our Sponsor: Nedco Sports - BatAction Hitting Machines
www.BatAction.com


---BatAction Machine at CoachesBest.com
---BatActionMachine on Ebay.com
---BatAction Machine Video Clips
---BatAction Trainer - 15 Reasons Why You Must Own This Machine
---Message to Parents From Coach Nick
---If you are looking for BatAction Replacement Balls or Power Bands Click Here
BatAction Demo Videos on Youtube