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Coaching
Tip Of The Month
MAKE A PRACTICE SCHEDULE & KEEP RECORDS - Always make out a daily practice
schedule. Properly label each practice session, drill, task or play that you cover. Make sure to post this schedule before
practice and that each of your assistant coaches have a copy. Make sure to stick to the schedule. Organization is a sign of
discipline and also emphasizes the value of practice time. Players pick up on this very quickly. KEEPING RECORDS is important
in long-term practice scheduling. Keep your practice schedules in a folder, in order. You can then go back to see when you
last covered a task or practiced a skill or play. This record keeping also makes it easier to make out future practice schedules.
UMPIRE NAME CALLING - It is important to build a good rapport with the umpire or umpires working your game. Calling them "blue"
often does not help in this endeavor. I suggest that you address them by their names. I am not good at remembering names so
I always write their name in my left palm. I will always address them by their first name when I ask a question or have conversation
between innings.
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Hitting
Tip of The Month
PROBLEM:
The batter "locks" or straightens out the front arm when it is taken back to the "power"
or "trigger" position. This flaw causes the batter to be late starting th swing, the bat speed to slow, increases
the bats distance to the ball, and often causes premature wrist roll.
SOLUTION:
Keep a bend in the front elbow.
Keep the hands together and working together. Keep the hands close to the body and do not take them back so far that front
arm flex is lost.
Things Every Batter Must Be Remember:
1. "Think YES, YES, YES, On Every Pitch" Prepare yourself to hit
every pitch. Convert to no or "hold off" only when you see that the pitch is a ball.
2. Track the ball from
the pitchers hand to the cather's mitt.
3. Expect the fastball, adjust to off speed pitchers. Expect the ball away, adjust
to the ball on the inner half.
4. With a runner in a "steal situation" get depth in the box.
5. Move up
in the box when the bunt might be on.
6. Never look back at the umpire after a "called" strike.
7. Never
speak or exchange words with the catcher.
8. Know the speed and tendencies of the pitcher. They will determine whether
you are up or back in the box.
9. Be ready to attack a first pitch fastball. It may be the best pitch that you get.
10. If the color is "green" attack the first pitch that you like. If the coloe is "red", do not swing
until the pitcher throws a strike. "Red" is called when baserunners are needed badly or when the pitcher has
walked two of the last three batters.
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Pitching
Tip Of The Month
SETTING UP PITCHES
Make sure to teach young pitchers the value of pitch placement or location. Velocity is important,
however, equally valuable is the ability to hit your "spots". Young pitchers should scout their opposition in batting
practice or when hitters are ondeck. It is often best for coaches to scout batters and deliver information to the catcher
or pitcher using signs. Such information maight be whether the hitter tends to have a uppercut, turns on everything, chops
the ball, or has a good level swing.
Young pitchers need to develop strategy for working away to get ahead in the
count and then coming back inside to get the out or to setup the "out-pitch" on the outside of the plate. Pitchers
must learn to change speeds, vary location, and "stay away" from the middle until they are in a "must be a
strike" situation. Pitchers ahead should be careful to not give batters a hittable pitch unless that particular pitcher
has overpowering stuff and can go right at hitters.
We all know that several things affect the attitude of the coach
and pitcher; the score, the inning, and the place in the opposition's lineup.
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Recommended "Coaching Tips" Links:
Practice
Tip Of The Month
Baserunning Drill - One of my favorite ways to teach and develop great baserunners is to incorporate baserunning into batting
practice. This can be done very easily by dividing your players into groups of four to take batting practice. One player will
hit. The next hitter will warm-up on deck. The 3rd and 4th players will run "circuits" on the bases. These circuits
are designated circuits that are listed and attached to the firstbaseman protection screen. Players will always run after
they hit. We normally hit three times with at least 10 swings each.
The circuits are:
Circuit #1 - @ 1st base -
Fake steal and read the contact to get to 2b
@ 2nd base - Get a two-out lead and score on a base hit.
Circuit #2
- @ 1st base - Hit & Run. Stop at 2B.
@ 2nd base -Regular lead-read contact to get to 3B
@ 3rd base - Call for
a Squeeze by the batter.
Circuit #3 - @ 1st base - Straight steal 2b.
@ 2nd base - Fake steal and read contact.
@ 3rd base - Tag and score on a fly ball
Player should take their actions serious. They should wear helmets.
They must go back to the bag after each pitch to simulate getting the sign and taking a new lead. If they need to they can
skip a couple of "BP" throws to catch their breath and get ready for their next move. The two players running the
bases should make sure to "stagger" themselves so that they will not run up on the next runner. This is a great
drill to teach baserunning savvy, awareness, and alertness. It is also a great way to condition. Make sure that each player
stretches and warms up before doing this drill. Another thing you might consider is those young players that need additional
baserunning work may be ran extra during batting practice if they need it. Teach them to be aggressive. Another great point
is to teach them to anticipate the "pitch in the dirt". If they get a "dirt ball read", they should break.
They should develop confidence in their own decision making ability and learn to "trust their eyes".
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