Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer

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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

Over-training: Are We Playing TOO Much?

Article Title: Over-training: Are We Playing TOO Much?
By Steve Zawrotny

Perhaps you have heard of a concept leadership and
management guru Stephen Covey calls 'Sharpening the
Saw.' While he was aiming this idea to the business
world, it has applicability to those who coach and play sports
as well.

Basically, the concept goes like this:

Don't get so busy sawing that you forget to sharpen the saw.

What happens to the saw while you are sawing?

It gets dull.

What happens when your saw becomes dull?

You can still saw, but the process becomes much less
effective. The work is harder and takes longer - you just
don't saw as well.

To bring this back to baseball and softball, I've noticed a
trend that is not new, but may well be developing into a
problem. The situation is the growing proliferation of travel
teams at all age levels at nearly all times of the year.
While things do slow down a bit in areas of the country
with cold winters, in many places, baseball and softball are
becoming nearly a year round activity.

First, there is the normal spring ball season. Practice for
this may begin in January or February (in some places, even
earlier), with games beginning in late March. The season
continues until June, then summer league begins. This
typically will run into August, and then school starts again.

In many areas of the country, this means Fall league ball.
Practice for this often begins in August, and the Fall season
can run into late October.

So, you have 10 or so months of 'sawing' with young ball
players, leaving perhaps two months to 'sharpen the saw.' I
wonder if this is enough time for players to work on new skills
development, along with appropriate strength and conditioning.

No doubt that the best way to improve in baseball and softball
is to play a lot. This is why many of the best (but not all!)
players come from warm weather states - CA, TX, FL and
others. They simply have better weather allowing them to
play and practice more.

But is there a point where the returns for all these games and
travel diminish? Where it's time to stop and take some time
to 'sharpen the saw?' I think there is. Consider the major
league season: April - September, then the playoffs. Two
teams go all the way to the World Series in October.

Therefore, the vast majority of big leaguers are playing
about 5 months (admittedly, a LOT of games), not counting
Spring training (pre season). And there are various winter
leagues that certain players participate in for additional skill
development.

But, while playing a lot of games in a relatively short
period of time is physically demanding, the big boys
have a LOT of down time with which to recover or
Sharpen the Saw.

I submit that coaches and parents need to consider this
idea carefully. It is well known that acquiring a new skill
takes time, and that there is usually a decrement in
performance as one learns and implements a new skill.
That's why it's usually best to not make any major mechanical
adjustments during the regular season. And, with all the
games and practices during the regular season, coaches
know it's tougher to provide a lot of individual attention to
their players.

This is becoming more apparent by the increasing number
of questions I get about how to implement a good all
around Strength & Conditioning program during the season.
Or how to fit in arm strength or bat speed workouts between
games and practices. It can be done, but it's not easy.

Here are some key points to consider:

1) In what areas does your player(s) need to improve?
Prioritize them.

2) Take the first priority (let's say it's running speed
improvement) and make it the first thing to work on
after any skill work for that day. Skill work requires more
precision as it is performed. For this to be most effective,
one should not be tired or the skill work can suffer.

3) If your player has multiple areas where they need
to improve, consider taking some time off from all the
playing and games. Will missing Summer or Fall ball
really hurt you, considering you'll be working on new
skill development, along with S & C?

4) This brings us to the idea of 'active rest.' The
athlete remains physically active, but in some other sport
or activity than baseball or softball. Sort of the 'cross
training' concept, which allows the ballplayer to recover
physically and mentally from their regular routine. As long
as the ball player is staying active, most any activity will
suffice.

Here's a basic format for a well rounded off-season S & C
workout:

M - Strength, Flexibility work

T - Power work, Flexibility, Energy System conditioning

W - S, F

TH - P, F

F - S, F

Sat - ES, F

Do any hitting or pitching mechanical work before these
workouts, e.g., skill work in the AM, S & C work in the PM.

5) Let the energy level of your player(s) be your guide.
If s/he is having fun, is full of energy and enthusiasm about
their workouts, is not feeling unduly sore, etc., then let them
go. On days they may be feeling tired and worn down, it's
time for a day off. Just pick up at the next day's workout -
don't worry about making up for the missed work.

Remember, everyone needs to stop and 'Sharpen the Saw'
at some point. If it means not playing as many games in
order to do so, so be it. The idea of taking one step back in
order to more quickly take two steps forward is very legitimate
and worth making a part of your player development program.

Steve Zawrotny, MS, CSCS
405.373.3253
steve@baseballfit.com
FREE REPORT: "Harmful Resistance Exercises Baseball/Softball Players Should Avoid"
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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Zawrotny

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Level Swing Baseball Or Softball - What Does it Really Mean?

Level Swing Baseball Or Softball - What Does it Really Mean?


By Bryan Ciconte

Alright let's talk hitting! So how many of you baseball or softball hitters out there heard the term of having a level swing. I will, in this article, review the word level in other ways in order to submit this properly. I will use words such as flat or correspond to etc. when it comes being on plane or level. Yes, having a flat swing is vital to becoming a complete hitter whether you play the game of baseball or the game of softball. The concept of achieving this is vital to consistency in your game.

As a baseball player you will have to be on plane with your swing in reference to the pitch that is delivered. What does this mean? If your trying to hit a fastball that is coming to you on a down angle your swing must be adjacent to the pitch in order to hit the ball square at impact. This will in return take out the idea of creating backspin etc... Lets get that word out of your mind. Good square contact is important, not backspin. In addition if you heard the concept of rotational hitting or linear hitting this will also play a factor in your swing plane. Keep these swings in mind when it comes to developing your swing plane. Both result in different attack angles. To further understand what these hitting styles are please do your research for further information.

Some relative factors with swing plane:
If a pitch is up in the zone you will obviously have to relate your swing to the path of the ball. So you may hear the term getting on top of a pitch. In reality this term means leveling your swing up to the plane of the pitch, which in return creates a much flatter swing plane.

If your trying to hit a breaking pitch you are obviously going to have some type of an upswing when it comes to attacking the angle of the pitch properly. If you try to attack the pitch on a downswing there is a good chance that you will either cut the ball and pop up or pound it in the ground.

I just wanted to touch on some of this idea. I have a lot more information on this concept in depth on my website. I hope this short article gave you a basic concept of what having a level swing is all about. Thanks and good luck - Bryan.

Your #1 source for online hitting information! Bryan @ Hitting Made Simple: Hitting Made Simple.

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

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Youth Baseball Digest - 11 Simple Batting Terms Every Tee Ball and Little League Coach Should Know

Youth Baseball Digest - 11 Simple Batting Terms Every Tee Ball and Little League Coach Should Know
By Nick Dixon

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.

For more articles on coaching baseball visit the Youth Baseball Digest, Little League Digest and the Baseball Coaching Digest.

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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Basic Baseball Hitting Instructions

Basic Baseball Hitting Instructions
By Peter S. Smith

Needless to say, if you want to better your baseball game, then besides practice, you need to have a flawless technique. A good technique will help you improve your game tremendously. This article will give you some basic baseball hitting instructions which will help you in your endeavor.

One of the first things you will need to learn is that you need to have a good batting stance aka the position of your body and bat while you are waiting for the pitch. Your feet will need to be at about a shoulder wide distance from each other. At the same time, you should have the foot closer to you lined up near the front edge of the home plate. Don't forget to keep your waist and knees slightly bent.

You will want to hold the bat loosely but firmly. The handle of the bat should be as close to your back shoulder as possible, while the barrel of the bat should be above your head.

Now, the last and most important thing is when the ball comes your way, to keep your eyes solely on it. When you hit the ball, only your body should move, while your head remains still.

Following the above tips will give you the basic baseball hitting instructions. Practice and practice until you get it right. After that, you will be able to learn more and more advanced hitting techniques, but you first need to master the basics. And remember: always try to learn new things that help you improve your 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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4 Highly Recommended Baseball Coaching Articles for High School Little League, Cal Ripken, Dixie Youth, Babe Ruth Pony, and all other Youth Baseball C

4 Highly Recommended Baseball Coaching Articles for High School Little League, Cal Ripken, Dixie Youth, Babe Ruth Pony, and all other Youth Baseball Coaches


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Baseball Youth Digest - Bunting Made Simple - Teaching Bunting Skills to Beginners

Bunting is a skill that must be taught and practiced just like throwing hitting, and fielding. It is wise for t-ball or Little League coaches of coach pitch teams to introduce every young player to the basics of bunting. This article outlines 10 recommended coaching points for teaching and introducing bunting to beginners.

Baseball Coaching Digest - What Baseball Coaches and Umpires Expect From Each Other
Baseball coaches and umpires often have a love/hate relationship. Coaches often make the job of an umpire more difficult. Umpires sometimes hurt the feelings of a coach with a crucial call. Coaches expect a high level of professionalism from the umpires in the crew working a game. Umpires expect a high level of professionalism from the coaches of both teams. Here I outline 5 things coaches expect of umpires and 5 things umpires expect of coaches:


Little League Digest - The KISS Rule of Teaching Youth Baseball Players a Proper Swing
Coaching baseball is not rocket science. I believe in the KISS rule of coaching young baseball batters. The KISS or "Keep it Super Simple" rule means that the coach will present the batting instruction in a way that it is easy for young baseball players to understand, visualize and perform. This article explains the 6 simple steps in teaching youth baseball batters using the "KISS" method.

Youth Baseball Digest - Good Pitcher Sometimes Can Not Throw a Strike - 10 Things to Check First

If you have a young baseball pitcher that at times looks like a Josh Beckett or Randy Smith and other times he struggles to throw two strikes in a row, what can cause of his control problems? There are 10 key elements of his delivery that should always be checked first. Those key elements are outlined in this article.

Coaching Baseball - The Importance of Teaching Batters to Hit the Ball Where it is Pitched

Great hitters at all levels share one common skill. They know when and how to attack every pitch location. Great hitters read and react to every possible pitch location. If you watched the 2008 Baseball College World Series, you quickly realized that great college hitters can catch up to any fastball regardless of the velocity. You saw batters over and over, on the ESPN TV Coverage of the CWS in Omaha, hit mid-90s to upper-90s fastballs with amazing power and bat speed. You also saw college baseball batters that apply and execute one of the most important and basic skills of hitting a baseball, the skill of "hitting the ball where it is pitched". The philosophy of most pitching staffs today is that the job of the pitcher is to allow the batter to get himself out. Pitching coaches teach and coach the pitcher to keep moving the ball in or out, up or down, and to never leave it over the plate. A batter often does not get the same pitch in an at-bat and may not see the same pitch in several at-bats.

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