T-Ball Tips for Beginners

This video shows one approach to coaching tee ball hitters. Hope you enjoy. Have a great weekend!



-------------------------
Thanks to our sponsores:
-------------------------

Baseball2u.com
Hit2win.com

T-Ball / Coach Pitch - How to Choose a Glove (Ages 4-6)

By Larry Callicoat

You've signed your Little League player up for T-ball/coach pitch and now he needs a glove. Starting a new sport can be a drain on the wallet, especially if you're not sure if your son will enjoy playing baseball. You do not need to spend a lot of money on a glove in order to get a good quality one that can be used throughout the T-ball and coach pitch seasons. You just need to know how to pick out a good glove.

1. Size does matter. Contrary to popular belief, bigger is not always better for the beginner player. Beginning players need a smaller glove so that they can hone the skill of catching and fielding a baseball. Look for a youth glove that is 9 1/2" to 10 3/4". At this age, players do not need an 11" glove or a specialized glove (one made for 1st baseman, infielder, outfielder, etc.). They need an all purpose glove for T-ball and or coach pitch. Don't worry about playing certain positions at this point, T-ball is geared towards teaching fundamentals and making baseball FUN so that they want to come back next season.

2. Construction and Material. Most youth gloves are constructed with a leather palm and synthetic material for the outer shell. This allows for a lighter glove and one that easier to close. Look for a glove that is mostly leather and leather laces. If taken care of properly, a mostly leather glove can be used season to season. You will also need to look for a glove that has a good rounded pocket and one that features "easy close" or "power close" technology. Because beginning players are still developing muscles, gloves with closing technology make it easier to squeeze the glove closed when a ball is caught.

Once you get your player's glove, have him try it on and practice catching balls with it before the season starts. Not only will this practice help him, it will also help break in the glove. Since most youth gloves are a combination of leather and synthetic material, it is not advisable to use a glove conditioner. The best way to loosen up youth glove is to USE IT!

Once your player completes T-ball/coach pitch and moves into the upper leagues, it may be time to get a new glove. Again, there are key elements to look for when choosing a glove for the intermediate player.

Coach Larry is a youth baseball coach, having coached t-ball through high school. Visit http://www.superstarbaseball.blogspot.com for more on hitting, pitching, coaching and baseball tips, techniques and inspiration.

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

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6294345

How to Hit Baseball - TeeBall Teaching Tips - Baseball Hitting Basics

There are certaing terms and knowledge that a parent should know before attempting to teach a kid how to hit. You may find these tips useful in teeball teaching and coaching your player. The basic baseball hitting terms and tips:

1. Grip - The first thing every young player must be taught is how to properly grip the bat. The bat is gripped with the "knocking knuckles" on the top and bottom hands aligned perfectly in a straight line with each other. The purpose of this grip is to place the bat handle in the fingers away from the palms of the hands. This grip allows the hands to be move quicker and to have maximum control of the bat. Tension is a batters worst enemy when it comes having a quality swing. Gripping the bat improperly often causes tension throughout the body. A relaxed grip on the bat allows the batter to react with better bat speed and hand quickness. Feeling relaxed at the plate is a key to a batters confidence.

2. Stance - A batters stance is how a batter initially stands in the batter's box to look out at the pitcher. A batter's stance is the position of the hands and feet prior to the start of the swing. The feet should be shoulder width apart with toes pointing toward the plate. The feet should be square to the plate. Square to the plate means that they are an equal distance from the plate. The stance also refers to the position of the hands and the angle of the bat. The hands should be no more that several inches from the shoulder. The stance should comfortable and should allow the batter to look at the pitcher with ease.

3. Stride - The term refers to the batters weight shift or step prior to the swing. The stride should be short and only about three to four inches if the front foot moves. Many batters simply pick the front foot up and replace it without moving it forward. If a step is taken, it should be a little step forward with the toes pointing toward the pitcher. It is important to teach young players that they must stride to get ready to hit. They do not stride to hit, but rather, they should stride to get ready to hit. The batters stride foot should be set before the pitchers front foot lands.

4. Hip Turn - Hip turn refers to the process of a batter generating power by driving the hips through a power rotation. Only pitches over the middle and inside 3rds of the plate allow a batter to get full hip turn. The closer the pitch is to the batter, the more hip turn is needed to properly hit the ball. Pitches on the outer part of the plate require little hip turn to hit. The hitter will rotate his hips open farther on an inside pitch than an outside pitch. The batter should rotate the hips on a level plane. Player should not lean forward over the plate or lean back away from the plate. The batter's back foot must pivot in order to have good hip rotation.

5. Balance - A batter must have good balance to be successful. Balance refers to proper weight distribution prior, during the swing, and at the finish of the swing. Good balance allows the hitter to have more control at the plate. Good balance begins with even weight distribution with a proper stance. The batters ability to control the body during the stride is the key to good balance.

6. Bat Speed - The speed of the bat during a swing. The bat the batter used must be the correct length and weight for a batter to generate optimum bat speed.

7. Squash the Bug - This term refers to the pivot the back foot during the baseball swing. This foot action allows the hips to open up or turn.

8. Shoe Laces to Pitcher - The best back foot action is not a squashing action with downward pressure. The best motion is to turn the back foot with the shoelaces toward the pitcher. This turn should be performed with a "light-weight" pivoting motion with little downward pressure. The batter pushes off from the ball of his rear foot to shift weight to the front side. Putting downward pressure on the ball of the back foot as it pivots and the hips rotate tends to constrict the quickness and power swing.

9. Trigger - Load - Both have the same meaning. Batters must learn to trigger or load to get ready to hit. The loading or triggering process is a batter's final movement of the body and hands to the optimum bat launching position to get ready for the swing. Different batters use different movement as a triggering mechanism. Many batters turn the front knee and should slightly inward. Other batters simply take the hands slightly up and back to what they call their launch position. The loading or triggering action should be a very slight movement.

10. A, B, C Baseball Swing - The "A, B, to C baseball swing" means a baseball swing that is not fundamentally correct. The term describes a swing that is not compact and not direct to the ball. The batter sweeps the bat in a slow long arch.

11. A to C Swing - Used to refer to a sort compact swing that take the bat from the "A" launch position directed to the "C" or contact position. The perfect baseball swing is a short compact "A to C" Swing.

Too Much Emphasis on Winning! Not Playing Great Baseball!

By Stephen K Reynolds

In Today's Climate of over bearing parents & coaches driving youth sports towards a win at all costs mentality it is difficult to sort out what is right for the players! There is too much emphasis on just winning and no focus on the players playing at there peak every play. I hear it every day, we need to win the game! Hey I like to win as much as the next guy and enjoy seeing the players win but a lot of coaches mistake that for Success!

The Great John Wooden said success is measured whether a player Has given a maximum effort during each and every game. You are only a failure if you give any thing less. Too often coaches think that just because the team won every thing is peaches and cream. Many games are won because 1 player had an exceptional game while the others played lousy! Coaches focus on the better players and don't develop the other players to there full potential.

Here is my point: You need to get the players to focus on each and every play and tell them that they have to bring an maximum effort mentally and physically in order to be successful. If you have an above average team the wins will take care of themselves. By getting players to be in the moment that takes the pressure off of them about having to win! When you do that the players can play to their full potential and enjoy the game at the same time!

If your team plays it best baseball and gets beat hey it happens! No shame in that! Oh sure you will be disappointed in the outcome but not your players effort! Remember why you are coaching Youth Sports!

Stephen K Reynolds is publisher of the LSR Unlimted "Free" newsletter which focuses on helping newcomers & seasoned pros learn the secrets to marketing in the ever changing world of the internet! He is also a youth baseball coach in Western Montana Working on the Internet allows him the freedom to coach little league baseball. For more information on this e-mail lsrwealth@gmail.com

(800)758-1282

http://www.mindsetiswealth.com

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

BaseballParentGuide.com
Homepage
Baseball Parent Guide: Today's Post
Baseball Articles for Coaches
Baseball Blogs
Teaching Your Child to Hit
Throwing and Pitching Fundamentals
Buying Guide For Baseball Parents
Current Topics and Issues Related to Safety in Baseball

Also:
Check out our network of baseball blogs:

Blogger (Blogspot) - baseballcoachesdigest
Blogger (Blogspot) - baseballparentguide
Blogger (Blogspot) - baseballhomeworkhelp
Blogger (Blogspot) - batactionbaseballtraining
Blogger (Blogspot) - battingcagebuyingguide
Blogger (Blogspot) - coachesbest
Blogger (Blogspot) - teeballcoachingclinic
Blogger (Blogspot) - hurricanebaseballtrainingmachine

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

Sponsor Links:

BatAction Links


---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

Baseball Skills For the Beginning Player

Hurricane Baseball Batting Trainer

Baseball Skills For the Beginning Player
By Ethan D Orman

If your child is serious about becoming a better baseball player, then he will need to devote some extra time to develop his skills. One of the most important areas to focus on is hitting. Since most kids don't get enough time at bat during team practice, any amount of extra time with the bat should yield results. But if your child really wants to make a run for the Hall of Fame, make sure that the extra time focuses on technique and bat speed.

Begin by making sure that your child is using the correct sized bat. We spend time making sure we have the right fit for shoes and gloves, but we sometimes ignore the size of the bat. Since bat speed is critical to successful hitting, a bat that is too heavy will slow down your slugger. Have your child hold the bat out away from his body, parallel to the ground. If he can't hold it for 15 seconds, or his arms start to wobble, then the bat is probably too heavy.

You should also focus on position at the plate. If your child stands too close or too far from the plate, then it will hinder his ability to make a strong connection with the ball. This is why it is important to practice swinging at a plate. If you are using a field that doesn't have a home plate, bring one with you, even if it is made of paper. This will allow your child to develop a consistent feel for proper foot positioning and distance from the plate.

Bat speed is a key to good hitting. A simple exercise to help young hitters is to add a donut to your child's regular bat. Have him swing at eight pitches with the loaded bat, and then remove the donut and have him swing at eight more pitches. Two or three sets of this a week should help your player build up his bat speed, resulting in better hitting.

Your child will also want to improve his vision. Players are often told to keep their eye on the ball, and there are some excellent drills to help them do just that. First, soft toss some plastic golf balls to your little leaguer. The small ball will force him to focus on his target all the way through contact. You can then switch to larger whiffle balls, which will help instill confidence with a larger target. A fun twist on this is to use different colored balls. Have your child call out the color of the ball when he swings. This will help him stay focused on the ball throughout the entire swing.

When trying to become a better hitter, nothing is more important that time at the plate. Repetition will help your little slugger develop a better feel for his swing and making contact with the ball. But by adding in the above drills, your player will hone different parts of his swing that will lead to more success at the plate, and just possibly the Major Leagues.

Ethan has been an online writer for nearly 2 years now. Not only does this author specialize in sports, finance, and product reviews, you can also check out his latest website on T069120 Epson Ink which reviews and lists the best T069120 Epson Cartridge for your Epson printer.

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

Sponsor Links:

=======================================
Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine
=======================================

HurricaneMachine.com - Links

---15 Reasons To Buy a Hurricane Trainer
---6 Questions Often Asked By Customers
---Message to Parents From Coach Nick
---Hurricane Hitting Machine Drills
---20-Minute Hurricane Batting Practice Workout
---Hurricane Hitting Machine Video Demo Clips

Baseball2u.com has a one of the internet's largest selections of baseball coaching and training dvds.

How to Improve Your Batting Efficiency

Article Title: How to Improve Your Batting Efficiency
By Nancy Kelsey Smith

If you are a baseball player and you want to be an asset to your team, you know how important it is to be proficient at batting. No matter how good you may be at pitching or fielding, if you have a poor batting average you are hurting your team.

No one hits the ball every time they step up to the plate, not even the very highly paid professionals. However, there are tips you can take that when followed will improve your efficiency and the satisfaction you feel with your level of play and your ability to contribute to your teams success.

Consistency is an important goal for someone who wants to be good at batting. You want to feel that your bat is going to connect with the ball every single time and that when you step up to home plate you have the confidence to get the job done.

Being good at anything requires practice and learning to be a good hitter is no exception. Plan to spend a fair amount of time working on improving your skills. You can go to a local school yard, a park or an empty field and get someone to pitch balls to you. Family members and friends come in very handy for this project. Remember that the more practice you put in, the greater the likelihood that you will achieve your goals.

Mental preparation is also important. You need to be mentally ready to bat a ball with complete focus on the task at hand. The hand to eye coordination which is so necessary to this sport requires that you concentrate fully on your objective. You might want to try some visualization exercises. Get a mental image of the perfect swing and how it feels. Set this in your mind to crowd out any negativity about your ability to hit the ball.

Take a deep breath and relax your body relieving built up tension that can cause your body to stiffen up. Think positively. Many events in life involve mind over matter and batting a baseball is certainly one of them.

Nancy Smith is one of the owners of RobbinsSports.com, an online retailer specializing in volleyball nets and basketball backboard.

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

How to Hit a Baseball

www.BatAction.com


Article Title: How to Hit a Baseball
By Chris Moheno

There is a science to the sport of baseball, especially in the batters box. It really is more than just standing up there and hoping to hit the ball. A player can either research baseball hitting information on their own or seek out professional baseball training. Either way, learning is the companion of success.

There are several principles involved with hitting a baseball successfully and consistently. Once these principles are learned and memorized, practice is the key. Ever wonder how the MLB players hit a 98 mph fastball? Lots and lots of baseball batting training.

So take these basics and practice them until they become second nature. Everything should feel natural and comfortable. Now let's take a look at the elements of baseball hitting.

1. Select the proper bat. Bats come in different lengths and weights. Then there is what is called "bat drop". This is the difference between the length and the weight. For instance, a bat that is 29" long and weighs 18 ounces has a drop of -11. This means that it feels lighter and is easier to swing. The higher the drop number, the better (and more expensive) the bat. Selection is made based on the batters height and weight.

2. Develop a hitting approach. This is also known as plate discipline and is extremely important as the player gets older. The batter needs to be able to distinguish what is a "hittable" pitch and what is not. Simply going to the plate and swinging away works for very young players as it helps allay the fear of being hit, but older players need discipline. A good start is to watch the ball from the pitcher's hand all the way to the plate, or preferably, to your bat. Adjust your strike zone as the strike count develops. A smaller zone for 0 strikes, a bit larger for 1 strike and larger still for 2 strikes.

3. Develop a good bat grip. Not tense yet firm. Not loose yet relaxed. When you grab the bat, it is important to stay relaxed in your whole body, starting with the hands on the bat. The hands should be positioned so that the top knuckles of the lower hand line up somewhere between the middle and top knuckles of the upper hand. Anywhere in that area that is comfortable is workable. The idea is to keep the bat out of the palm and closer to the fingers for more control. This also helps keep the grip relaxed, helps avoid "bat drag" resulting from tension and increases bat speed/reaction time.

4. Take note of how you stand in the batters box. Always remember the three B's: Be comfortable, be confident and be balanced. All three are necessary for hitting success. Make sure you can cover the plate and your strike zone(s) completely. Find the right depth in the box, too. You will want to be able to get on top of a fastball as well as time the breaking pitches. Most important of all is to be perfectly balanced with the hands at the top of the strike zone.

5. Learn to "pick up the ball" as it is released by the pitcher. Watch his arm until the ball is released, then pick up the ball as it travels towards you. After a little practice, you will learn to distinguish the type of pitch that is coming and that goes a long way towards hitting the baseball. Baseball training focuses on this aspect of hitting mechanics.

6. Take your stride before you swing the bat. As the ball travels towards you, take your step (stride) and keep the weight on the back leg. As you begin to take the swing, bring the weight forward and use the momentum for power.

7. As the swing starts and your weight comes forward, pivot the back foot and keep the front as planted as you can. The hips will begin to open up and work with the legs to add the power to the swing. Arms and hands should be brought through close to the body. This helps with bat speed and accuracy. The head should be picking up the ball the entire time it is in flight.

If you practice these basics of baseball hitting, you will see a difference at the cages as well as on the field. Your batting average will soar and you will hit the ball consistently. Baseball training is the way to go for baseball hitting success!

Chris Moheno has a long time passion for sports in general and for baseball coaching more specifically. His goal is to spread the word about effective non-fluff baseball training techniques for both more experienced and young baseball players, to help them perform better during the game. Discover more about baseball training on baseballtrainingsecrets.com

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

Sponsor Links:

BatAction Links


---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

Youth Baseball Bats - How Do I Choose the Right One?

Article Title: Youth Baseball Bats - How Do I Choose the Right One?
By Jeff Heitz


When purchasing a youth baseball bat, there are a number of important things that need to be taken into consideration. The bat's weight, length and barrel width are very important and must be selected based on your league requirements. Some leagues will only allow a 2 ¼" barrel and this will change how you choose the proper bat verses leagues that allow 2 ¾" barrels. Wood bats are still available and make an excellent choice for all of your cage work as it helps to develop a proper swing and gain an understanding of the sweet spots on wood verses aluminum or alloy bats.

The most popular choice for youth baseball bats are aluminum or alloy. The technological advancements in these bats have come a long way and they keep improving from year to year. A basic rule for selecting the right bat is to choose the lightest bat for its length in order to fully maximize your swing power. In a lot of cases, lighter youth baseball bats are just as costly as some of the heavier ones, but with so many quality suppliers, you are sure to find one that will satisfy your budget.

When choosing a longer bat, you are insuring more plate coverage; but it might cause the bat to be too heavy and slow down or alter the mechanics of the proper swing. Not a good idea! Shorter, lighter bats will cause the player to crowd the plate a little more but will definitely create more bat speed. Bat speed is essential and choosing the right bat is very important. It would be best to have a bat that is a little too light than to choose one that is too heavy.

Barrel size has become the talk of the dugout. A larger barrel will produce more power and have a bigger sweet spot allowing the hitter to drive balls that would otherwise be harmless outs. Choosing the proper youth baseball bat is an imperfect science. If you are playing in a league that will allow 2 ¾" barrels, I would always recommend choosing bat speed over any other factor. Players come in all shapes and sizes and all have different strength levels...this complicates the process when choosing. Before purchasing, you might talk to your coach or a youth baseball bat representative and get information based on your players age and size and what the general trend is.

The rules for Little League Baseball differ from most all other youth organizations on their bat requirements. A 2 ¼" barrel and a maximum length of 33 inches is all that is allowed. Little League bats are required to have a taped handle up to 10 inches. Youth bats are measured in inches for the length and ounces for the weight. Negative or minus numbers are used to determine the bats weight. For example if a bat is 29" long and has a -10 rating the bat will weigh 19 ounces. The bat would be referred as a minus ten negative ten or a drop ten bat. The higher the negative number the lighter the bat is for its length.

For more detailed information on choosing the right baseball or softball bat visit http://youthbaseballbats.ws

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

Sponsor Links:
BatAction Links


---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

The Basic Gripping and Throwing of a Baseball

The BatAction Hitting Machine is the Perfect Backyard Batting Machine.

By John R Di Nicola

Pitching is like building a house. You have to start with the foundation, in pitching this is the very basic fundamentals. Before you can even think about throwing different pitches, you have to work on how and where to hold the ball in your hand when it comes to basic playing catch and warming up.

• The ball should be held with very little pressure with your fingers. Most young pitchers make the mistake of sliding the ball back toward the hand. You must keep ball on your finger tips.

• The first time trying to hold the ball with little pressure can be very uncomfortable. Like everything else it takes time and practice.

• This should be done as part of your off season workout and practice routine.

Each off-season should include improving and perfecting your pitches and this starts with becoming comfortable when holding and gripping each pitch. No matter if you are throwing on the side, warming up, long tossing, or pitching in a game, the way you throw is critical. You should pay close attention to your form as bad habits can be created from just playing around in your back yard.

Most people while warming up or throwing just catch the ball and throw the ball back. For example, they may just stand flat footed with shoulders facing the person and never get into the proper throwing position.

1) As the ball is approaching you should start to turn your glove shoulder toward the person throwing the ball. This is so when you catch the ball, you are in a throwing position.

2) Once you catch the ball, you should start the process to start the backward swing of your throwing arm.

3) Once the ball leaves your glove, your front shoulder should be level and pointing toward the person you are throwing to.

4) You will have to develop the comfort level as to how far you bring the ball down during the backward rotation of your arm, before you bring it back to the throwing position.

5) The importance of comfort and the ability to get all the moving parts together so that you are not rushing your delivery is very important. Ideally, the ball should never drop below your waist.

6) When you bring the ball back behind you, keep your shoulders square and the ball must be pointing toward second base with your finger tips on top of ball.

7) Your front shoulder still should be level and as you start your arm forward your glove should start coming toward your chest. You should have to pull your glove through as your proper throwing motion should push it through automatically.

8) Bring your throwing arm to your comfortable arm slot, with fingers on top of the ball with your front shoulder being your guide still pointing toward the other person.

9) The lead elbow should be tucked into your side and pulling motion to bring the throwing arm through the zone.

10) As you're your throwing arm is going through zone prior to release, your arm should be in a L shape if you throw over the top or in more of a 45 degree angle if throwing motion is closer to three quarters.

11) Once you are in position to release the ball, your throwing arm should be extended out as to reach out and touch the other person.

12) At this point you should snap your wrist downward in line with your arm angle and follow through with the throwing arm coming through towards your glove side knee.

End of Practice

Always end on a Positive

Practice makes Perfect

John R Di Nicola coached High School baseball for 12 years and many of players continue on to play junior college, division I, II, III, and several to be drafted.

For more information on how to properly throw a baseball, grips, and become a fundamentally sound pitcher. Please visit... http://www.easypitching.com, http://twitter.com/easypitching

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

Sponsor Links:

BatAction Links


---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

Youth Baseball Digest - How to Calculate Your Batting Average

By Nick Dixon

Individual and team batting averages are one of the best indicators of how effective your practice drills and game preparation is. Batting average is a simple 3 digit number that expresses how often a batter has gotten a hit for the total number of at-bats. There is a simple formula used to determine your batting average. This articles clearly explains how it is calculated.

Youth Baseball Digest: Calculating your Batting Average

There is a simple formula used to determine your batting average:

H ÷ AB = BA

What the formula is saying is that you divide the total number of hits by the total number of at bats and the resulting number is your average.

If you need it to be broken down into clearly defined steps, here they are:

Step #1 - Count the total number of hits your batter has recorded in the score book, up to this date. This is a task that is made much easier if your keep your individual player per game totals updated after every game.

Step #2 - Count your total number of at-bats that have been recorded up to this date in your score book. This is a task that is made much easier if your keep your individual player game totals updated after every game. At-bats include all hits, strikeouts, reaches on errors, sacrifices, walks, and hit by pitch events.

Step #3 - Now Divide your hits by your at bats to get a number. Round the number to 3 decimal places such as.250,.333 or.257.

Here are other points to remember when calculating your average:

1. The Batting Average is a number with three decimal places that represents a percentage. For example, a batter with a.333 average has gotten on base with a hit 33.33 % of the times he has batted. A batter with a.250 average has gotten on base with a hit 25% of the times he has batted.

2. Getting on base as a result of an error or fielder's choice does not count as a hit on the hit total.

I hope that you found this article to be informative. I really appreciate you taking the time to read it. Good Luck to your team in the coming season. 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

===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!

3 Things Every Tee Ball Baseball Batter Must Be Taught When First Learning to Hit

BatAction Hitting Machine

By Nick Dixon

It is important that very young baseball players receive proper instruction in baseball hitting mechanics. Young baseball players benefit greatly from top quality instruction and teaching that is easy to understand, simple to execute, and consistent from one lesson to another. Young baseball players experience a higher level of success, satisfaction, and enjoyment when they are taught to "do things right".

Here are 3 things that every Tee Ball player must be taught when first learning to hit.

1. Keep your eyes on the ball. The batter must learn to keep their eyes on the ball from the time the ball leaves the pitchers hand until the ball leaves the bat after contact. If the batter keeps the eyes on the ball, the possibility of the batter having one common flaw, the "pulling of the head", will be eliminated.
2. Have a proper grip. The proper grip is a grip with the "knocking knuckles" on both hands aligned with each other. This puts the grip of the bat in the fingers and out of the palm. This grip allows for smoothly and quicker hand which will improve bat speed.
3. Take a short step toward the ball. When kids are very young they need to learn to shift their weight. They are need to learn to take a shirt stride. Having them take a short step toward the pitch or pitcher is the best way to teach this early.
4. Hit the ball hard. Young batters should learn to swing level and "kill the ball". The harder you hit the ball, the more successful a batter will be. "Soft" contact leads to outs. The emphasis should be for the batter to make good solid contact by driving the bat barrel through the baseball.
5. Keep the head still during the swing. The lower body strides. The upper body will rotate. But the head should remain still, chin down, and with the eyes on the ball as mentioned in #1. The batter begins with his chin on his front shoulder and ends the swing with his chin on his back shoulder. Is you hear someone say go "Ike to Mike", that is what many coaches use to describe this movement of the shoulders.

Check out Blogs4Coaches.com. for a directo

ry of blogs recommended for baseball coaches, players and parents.
Check out the Bat Action Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

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

BatAction Hitting Machine by Nedco Sports
The "Original Hitting Machine"

100% Guaranteed to Improve Your Hitting...or
You Get Your Money Back"

BatAction.com

To order the BatAction Machine...Click here.

Buy the BatAction Hitting Machine on Ebay...Click Here.

The Importance of Training Qualified Youth League Coaches

By Dave Rosene


From my observations, adults involved in American youth baseball programs today generally can be categorized in 5 groups. I hesitate to call them coaches because they are either not qualified or don't spend enough time learning the profession. It is not a weekend position. Coaching is a serious business because you impact the lives of children, and it has to be positive and correct. We have too many situations where kids are getting the wrong advice and instruction, and it always results in inferior play when players play at a higher level. It must be corrected!

There are superb baseball teachers and coaches throughout the United States. All of them have the same qualities: disciplined, well-prepared, understand and communicate baseball strategy and teamwork, and develop individual player skills, and they coach high school, college, or professional baseball. The reasons are financial or competitive, and what youth baseball is left with is people in the aforementioned 5 groups.

Group 1 are ones with self-interest; they want to coach their child. That is to the detriment of the other team members, who usually are neglected or misused. This group type will also try to manipulate to stock the team with players to make their child look better. Youth baseball is about balance and skill development and not winning games. Group 2 have good intentions but are not experienced or skilled enough to help the youth players. In addition to learning from game experience, they must go to reputable coaching clinics and use the various multimedia reference outlets available to them to best develop the athletes. Group 3 teach throwing, fielding, hitting/bunting, and pitching incorrectly because they were poorly taught or not taught at all. Plus they refuse to change and learn, hazardous to skill development. Group 4 cares more about winning than about skill development, team strategy, and teamwork. They cause more harm than any other group because they confuse the youth players on the importance of winning youth games, and distort the priority of players, which should always be learning all aspects of baseball and maximizing their talents. Group 5 wants to be friends with players and are more interested in equal playing time and pleasing everyone on the bench and in the stands. They have little interest in teaching baseball and are worthless in developing baseball skills.

Baseball is a difficult game. What makes it harder is the paucity of top youth coaches. It is such a disservice to take beginning players with no habits and teach them wrong methods that are frequently never corrected. Youth athletes usually unconditionally trust people in positions of authority until the ones in authority breach that trust. We can't let this happen anymore. Our goal is to teach coaching candidates how to excel so they can pass it along to every player they come in contact with and establish themselves as positive role models, a daunting but not impossible task.

DNA Sports specializes in personalized baseball and softball skill programs, college recruiting education and preparation, and coaching clinics. Learn more: http://www.dnasportsonline.com

Dave Rosene - Co-Founder, DNA Sports

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


=======================================
Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine
=======================================

HurricaneMachine.com - Links

---15 Reasons To Buy a Hurricane Trainer
---6 Questions Often Asked By Customers
---Message to Parents From Coach Nick
---Hurricane Hitting Machine Drills
---20-Minute Hurricane Batting Practice Workout
---Hurricane Hitting Machine Video Demo Clips

Baseball2u.com has a one of the internet's largest selections of baseball coaching and training dvds.

Baseball Gloves - A Simple Review

By Ryan Beck

Sports is the most effective activity of a person which makes him feel fresh in his or her sense and brings more effective blood circulation which forms the bas of avoiding more diseases. Next to exercising action, playing games or the sports make the player feel effectively and active, also brings healthiness always.

There are more sports activities available to select and base ball sports is one among those games that a person can enjoy as well as experience the freshness. Base ball is a game where nine members of players in each team participate and they use a bat and a ball.

Both the team mates work to make a winning goal. The players make use of the bat and a ball and apart from these two, they also make use of the baseball gloves which is used to be a safety measure in the hands off the players who are involved in the catching and fielding activity in that game. This is a fun filled game but looks more serious when played.

The baseball gloves are otherwise referred or called as the mitt. This is a leather product that the baseball players make use of. These gloves are available in different variety and size with changes in price ranges. Earlier the baseball players made use of the gloves which was a product made up of leather but with their finger tips cut off.

Later after more suggestions in creating the right model of the gloves ended up with the new model of the glove in which a web is made available between the thumb and the first finger to forma pocket like structure. This is now-a-days become the most popular design in the society of baseball players. There are different models available as per the baseball play rules. There are catcher's mitt model, first basemen's mitt, Infielder's gloves, pitcher's gloves and Outfielder's gloves.

--------------------------------------
Baseball Glove Depot has a huge Collection of baseball gloves at discount prices

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

=======================================
Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine
=======================================

HurricaneMachine.com - Links

---15 Reasons To Buy a Hurricane Trainer
---6 Questions Often Asked By Customers
---Message to Parents From Coach Nick
---Hurricane Hitting Machine Drills
---20-Minute Hurricane Batting Practice Workout
---Hurricane Hitting Machine Video Demo Clips

Baseball2u.com has a one of the internet's largest selections of baseball coaching and training dvds.

Teaching Litlte League Baseball Players To Be Smart!

By Stephen K Reynolds

Stephen K Reynolds Is an Internet Marketer who consults to others for assistance on how to earn a living on the Web! He is married ...

Coaching little league baseball players is a blast! I think it is an awesome thing to volunteer your time for.

In order to get the most out of your team it is imperative you let them figure out certain situations. I see coaches making this mistake all the time. Oh sure they have good intentions, they want to see the team get that force out at second. I'm a big believer in letting the kids figure out for themselves what to do. Here is what happens say in a minor A game 9-10 year olds. The hitter grounds a ball to second baseman, the runner is running due to the force and the 2nd baseman throws to 1st gets the out but could have tagged the runner and then threw to 1st. Parents and the coach are screaming to tag the runner, lets say that he does tag the runner and throws on to 1st. Sounds great.

Problem is from tee-ball all the way up Little League Baseball players are being told what to do during the game. They continue to look to the coaches for help when the play is going on. This is a slow process of teaching the kids what to do. You need to look long term so your players will be smarter because they solved the problems themselves. Talk to the players after the inning is over about what happened. Remember you are a teacher. Teach the game properly!

Little League Baseball Coaches need to do their work in practice so the kids can enjoy themselves during the game. If it didn't work out then it is back to the drawing board in practice. Coaches motto should be have the practices organized and fruitful, this is the coaches time and then when it is time to play the game sit back and call the shots and let the players play the game and have fun doing it.

Stephen K Reynolds is publisher of the LSR Unlimted "Free" newsletter which focuses on helping newcomers & seasoned pros learn the secrets to marketing in the ever changing world of the internet! He is also a little league baseball coach in Montana. For more information on this e-mail lsrwealth@gmail.com

(800)758-1282

406-542-1723

[http://www.urticket.org]

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

YouthBaseballDigest.com
Homepage
Today's Youth Baseball Coaching Feature Article
Videos for Coaches
Blogs & Knols for Baseball Coaches, Players & Parents

BaseballParentGuide.com
Homepage
Baseball Parent Guide: Today's Post
Baseball Articles for Coaches
Baseball Blogs
Teaching Your Child to Hit
Throwing and Pitching Fundamentals
Buying Guide For Baseball Parents
Current Topics and Issues Related to Safety in Baseball

Also:
Check out our network of baseball blogs:

Blogger (Blogspot) - baseballcoachesdigest
Blogger (Blogspot) - baseballparentguide
Blogger (Blogspot) - baseballhomeworkhelp
Blogger (Blogspot) - batactionbaseballtraining
Blogger (Blogspot) - battingcagebuyingguide
Blogger (Blogspot) - coachesbest
Blogger (Blogspot) - teeballcoachingclinic
Blogger (Blogspot) - hurricanebaseballtrainingmachine