Three Tips on How To Hit Baseball Good

Three Tips on How To Hit Baseball Good
By Jeffery A Wise

Most ball players who love the game of baseball have a desire to learn how to hit a baseball good. They don't want to just be mediocre hitters. They have a drive to excel at what they love. Seeing players with this drive makes me happy to be a fan of the sport.

There are several tips you need in order to be a better hitter. First, you need to know the strike zone. It is usually from the armpits to the middle of the knees. Some umpires measure it differently but those areas are where you need to protect yourself the most. Make sure you swing at balls coming in this area.

As you become a more experienced player, you will automatically recognize whether or not a pitch is a strike. Having that knowledge combined with being ready to attack the ball and hit it is going to put you in good standing for hitting the ball cleanly.

Another tip you must follow is to be selective and hit your right pitch. You don't want to chase pitches outside of the strike zone. You get three strikes in baseball, so even if a pitch is on the far outside corner of the plate, you can still wait for your pitch. If you like what you see coming then get ready to attack the ball and drive it somewhere.

As you strategize a pitch, remember that the pitcher is working on his strategy too. He will try to trick you with curve balls, change ups and sliders. If a pitcher is having a great day and hitting the corners of the plate for strikes, be ready for that. If the pitcher is constantly throwing the ball away from you on the outside corner of the plate, make the correct adjustment and hit the ball to the opposite field.

The final tip I want to bring you is about confidence. Some players say they are afraid of striking out and that fear is causing them to not fully extend their arms when they swing. They either hit a dribbler to an infielder or actually strike out.

Hitting a baseball is partially mental so you need to be prepared before you even get into the batter's box. What I mean is that you need to feel as confident as possible. Visualize yourself getting a hit while you're sitting on the bench or taking practice swings in the on-deck circle.

That doesn't mean you have to be arrogant. I'm talking about a quiet confidence. Be confident that you are going to be aggressive and hit the right pitch at the right time. You can do it and don't let anyone or anything get you down. If you begin to doubt yourself, just take a step back, breathe and get back in there.

Knowing these three tips will help you become a better baseball hitter, which is what every player wants.

Jeffery A Wise invites you to learn more about how to hit baseball good so that you can help your team win. Start learning today at our site by reading our baseball articles, watching our videos and participating in our blog.

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

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Baseball Hitting Drills - Teaching Plate Discipline

Baseball Hitting Plate Discipline


By Hunter Sendefer

Hitting drills are very important for young players and one of the best hitting drills that a coach can utilize teach plate discipline. It is very important that a hitter learns to have an approach at the plate, rather than simply swinging away at every pitch, so this drill is vital to the hitter's overall makeup.

This drill starts with the screen close enough to the plate that the batting coach pitcher can have excellent control. Each hitter then gets up to ten pitches, although only three strikes will be permitted. Before the hitter steps up to the plate, he or she will be told how many strikes he or she currently has, as this will directly influence how the hitter handles the pitches.

If the hitter is stepping up to the plate with a fresh count, he or she will begin by showing the pitching coach where he or she likes the ball. If the pitch is in the hitter's hitting zone and he or she takes a swing, the pitch count is reduced by one. If the pitch is outside of this hitting zone, but the player still swings, the hitter not only loses that pitch, but one additional pitch. If the pitch is outside of this hitting zone and the player does not swing, the pitch does not count at all. If the pitch is outside of the strike zone altogether and the player swings, however, he or she will lose half of his or her swings remaining.

If there is one strike, the penalty for swinging at a pitch outside the strike zone is less strict, as the player will only lose that pitch plus one more. This is because when there is one strike, pitchers will tend to come after the hitter a little more, which makes these pitches a little harder to lay off.

Finally, when there are two strikes, the hitter's goal is to be as tough an out as possible. If the player swings at a pitch that is in the strike zone, he or she only loses that pitch plus one more. If a pitch that is around the strike zone is taken, it is an additional pitch penalty because umpires tend to call borderline pitches strikes when there are already two strikes. If an obvious strike is taken, that player is done completely because it is never a good idea to take a third strike.

The goal of each hitter turning this drill is to make sure that he or she gets through all ten pitches without striking out. Also make sure that your players know that each strike that you call will be a judgment call, which is exactly how an umpire will make the call. By teaching your players to have an approach at the plate based on the strike count, you can turn them into smarter hitters. You will also be giving them a better idea of where the strike zone is, so they will know which pitches to take and when to take a cut.

Hunter Sendefer is a former player and current youth baseball coach who consistently coaches his teams to the winners column including an active 26 game winning streak. He frequently contributes to http://www.Batting-Trainer.com where you can sign up for free baseball batting videos and hitting tips or learn about the revolutionary new Insider Bat batting trainer. http://www.Batting-Trainer.com/features

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Recommended Baseball Sites for Coaches, Players and Parents!

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Baseball Strategies - Which Ones Should You Follow

Baseball Strategies - Which Ones Should You Follow
By Jack D. Elliott

One of the most intriguing areas of baseball is the use of different baseball strategies. People seem to know intuitively that using the right baseball strategies can help your team win and make good teams great. But the problem is trying to figure out what strategies to follow and when to use them. Nothing can get so heated and controversial as a discussion about what is the best strategy to use in a given situation among so called"baseball experts". For this reason, we have put together a list of tips to help you sort through the various strategies and find the ones that will benefit your team the most.

1. Experience of the advice giver. This is important in determining how much credibility you should give to the proposed strategy. Has he been able to test out this strategy or is this more of mental exercise for him? If he isn't willing to test his strategy, I would be inclined to pass on it without further support.

2. Key on quantitative results when you can. When you hear a certain baseball strategy proposed, are numbers used to back it up? Also, do these numbers really key in on what is important? If the coach is pushing a strategy and does not have numbers to back it up, you have to wonder how solid a strategy it is. Also, it is important to make sure the numbers used are actually relevant. For instance, if he is using batting average to determine whether a batter should swing away on a 3 and 0 pitch, is this really the best number to use? Wouldn't slugging percentage be a better number to use because a single is essentially the equivalent of a walk?

3. Don't be afraid to challenge long standing assumptions. Many things in baseball are the way they are because of custom and tradition. This does not mean they are the best way of doing things. Be willing to challenge certain assumptions. If you can not find legitimate reasons why one should not do something, odds are there are not any.

4. Be willing to be a trailblazer. Don't be afraid to try out different strategies, especially if they challenge existing assumptions. Just because no one else has thought of it does not mean that it won't work. Instead, I recommend you test these strategies in situations where the stakes are low. For instance, why not test these strategies in summer league games, pre-season games and regular season games where their impact will be minimal. The idea here is to find strategies that will be successful in the playoffs or helping your team reach the playoffs. By testing your strategies, you get to see first hand how successful or unsuccessful they really are. This is great to know when wondering whether to use one when deep in the playoffs.

5. Strategies can have success rates at different baseball levels. If you are a youth or high school baseball coach, it is easy to become in awe of the major leagues and the baseball strategies their coaches espouse. However, just because a strategy works well at that level does not mean it will work well at yours. Also, there are plenty of strategies that will work far better at the youth and high school level that would not work well in the major leagues. For this reason, keep this in mind when looking at certain strategies. The real question is will this strategy work for my team based on our league? How you answer this will dictate whether you should move forward in testing it.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jack_D._Elliott


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Baseball Practice Planning Tips and Sample Baseball Practice Schedule

Baseball Practice Planning Tips and Sample Baseball Practice Schedule
By Nick Dixon

The word is PLAN

There are many four letter words that baseball coaches know, but few are as important as the word for today, PLAN. There are very few volunteer jobs more challenging, time-consuming or rewarding than being a coach in your local league. There are many four letter words used by coaches that I can not use here. Here I want to discuss the 4 four-letter words that can and will determine the amount of success a coach has during the coming season. The four words are Goal, Plan, Work and Time. In part one I discussed the important of the word Goal and the importance of setting a goal to drive a team toward success.

The Baseball Coaches four letter word of today is P-L-A-N:

Planning is one of the most important responsibilities of a head baseball coach is planning. Planning is organization. Planning is delegation of duties and responsibilities to your assistants. You must plan every practice. You must plan your season. You must have a game plan going into every game. Planning practice after you start is a sign of bad coaching. If the team has practice at 3:00 PM, and the head coach turns to the assistant coaches as the team is warming up, and says, Well, guys what do you think we need to do today? A team with a coach like this is destined to have a difficult year. The coach is not organized and does not have the dedication to do his coaching homework at home before he arrive at the field. Have a plan and a schedule before you arrive at the field. The practice plan should be in the can! Planning as you go will waste valuable practice time that will never be recovered. It is extremely important to have a daily practice schedule written down. You must decide on each practice activity for that day, the assigned amount of time to be spent doing each drill or activity, and the objective or reason for doing the activity. A written practice schedule is a must! You practice plan must be detailed, easy to read, and easy to understand. Your practice plan begins with the first minute of practice and ends with the last minute. Every minute is scheduled. Include breaks and transition times from one activity to the next. You should write out the practice plan, run copies, and give each coach a copy. The schedule will have time slots, each coach drills and duties, and location of each activity.

A sample practice plan:

3:00 to 3:12 Team Stretch and Warm-up

3:12 to 3:27 PFP (Pitching Fielding Practice)

3:30 to 3:45 Outfield Drill Work & Infielder Drill Work

3:45 to 4:00 Team Defense, Infield, and Outfield Cuts

4:00 to 4:45 Team Batting Practice

(4 Groups, 4 Station, 12 Minutes and Rotate to the next station

-Station 1 On-field Batting Practice -Station 2 Batting Cage Work -Station 3 Bunt Station -Station 4 Tee & Soft-toss

4:45 to 4:55 Break

4:55 to 5:15 21 Outs Drill

5:15 to 5:25 Base running Drills/Conditioning

Coaching Note:

6 Pitchers will throw after practice bullpens. List Names. The greatest difficulty in having a practice schedule is staying on time. You must have a set rule that when drill time is up, the drill ends. If the drill was performed so bad that it needs to be done again, it will be done over after practice. Always have a coaches meeting after each practice to discuss what the staff has to say about the day practice. You also need to ask what they think the next practice schedule should cover. Listen to your assistants and consider what they say when you make out your next practice plan. Another part of having a plan is the delegating of responsibilities. You can not do it all. Recruit some good volunteer coaches to help you.

Good coaches always delegate task and duties to assistant coaches. Let certain coaches work with certain positions. One of the crucial assignments on every team is the position of pitching coach. You must have a coach that oversees pitching practice, bullpen work, and that calls the pitches during the game. Another important role is that of the team hitting coach. The hitting coach is often the offensive coordinator and 3rd base coach. This coach oversees all batting drills, batting practice and base running practice. Organize you pregame routine. Plan it, write it down, and make sure every coach know it by heart. Have a set time when you start stretching and warming up. Have a set time that you take pregame defensive infield and outfield warm-up. a set time that players may have 3 minutes to go to the restroom if they need to. Have a set time that you have a team huddle. Plan what you are going to say during this team moment. Having a plan is having a purpose, a time, and a place for everything and everyone.

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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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Little League Baseball Drills - Batting Practice

Little League Baseball Drills - Batting Practice
By Chris Campbell

I have heard it said by many an accomplished athlete, that one of the hardest things you can do in professional sports, is to hit a major league fastball. Or any major league pitch for that matter. Just ask Micheal Jordan. He may be a living legend in the world of professional basketball, but he only managed a 202 batting average for the Birmingham Barons (a farm team for the Chicago White Sox). The moral being, it's best to get your little leaguer started early, if they plan on challenging some of the MLB hitting records.

With that in mind, lets consider a few hitting drills that the kids can use to get their bats swinging true, and making contact as soon as possible. One of the best drills you can do with your kids, is simply to grab a bucket of balls, and pitch a few to them every day you can find the time to do so. It's practically impossible, for most kids to get enough batting practice with the team. There's a limited number of pitchers, catchers, and backstops for most little league coaches to work with. It's almost impossible for them to get more then a few minutes hitting each practice. A one on one practice with mom or dad every day or so will really help out.

Now just swinging for the sake of swinging will make you a better hitter, but there are a few simple points you should keep in mind, to maximize the time put in. Don't harp on these items too much, as they can be a bit technical and boring for kids. Try to make it fun for them at the same time.

Choosing The Right Bat

Picking a bat that's appropriate for your child's height and strength can make all the difference. It should feel comfortable for them to hold and swing the bat. If the bat is slowing down their swing too much, it's probably a little too heavy. There is a simple way to test a bat, even before you buy one. Simply have your son or daughter hold the bat by the handle, and hold it straight out to the side, so the bat is parallel to the ground. They should be able to hold the bat steady for at least fifteen seconds. If they can't, or their arms starts to shake, you should try a smaller bat.

Batter Positioning

It's important to know where the batters box is, where home plate is, and where the strike zone is. That way, even little league players, can put themselves in good position to reach any ball that is passing through the strike zone. Even if your in your back yard practicing, you can mock up a plate, and batters box. Just use a can of spray paint on the grass to mark out home plate and a made up batters box. Don't worry, it'll disappear the next time you cut the grass.

Little League Baseball Drills is a great resource for helping your little leaguer get the most out of his or hers favorite pastime. With a little good training, amateur or even professional ball players will see a dramatic improvement in the way they play.

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

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The Little League Team Parents Meeting: A Must for The Youth Baseball Coach

The Little League Team Parents Meeting: A Must for The Youth Baseball Coach

By Marty Schupak
Each year I organize a parents meeting approximately two to four weeks before the start of the season. I prepare a handout of approximately three or four pages. Included is a list of the team with phone numbers and certain philosophies and organizational items.

People might say, "Well this is only youth baseball, it's not high school." This is true, but I have learned over the years that a parents meeting will make for a better run season for the kids, the parents and the coach. The meeting should not go more than ten or fifteen minutes. I leave a fair amount of time for a question and answer period.

I make this meeting a requirement for all parents. I try to lay out my goals and express to the parents about how I run my practices. Also, I tell them that players have to arrive at games 30 minutes before they start and if they cannot make a game, they must call me. It is very important that I let the parents understand I know their busy schedules and that as a coach you go through the same thing with ballet, karate, soccer, car pools, school work, etc.

Probably the most important point I go over is that because of my own busy schedule, I cannot run a taxi service for any players. Parents must be at practice five minutes before it ends. When I first began to coach, I never addressed this and after each practice I had a car full of players to drop off. As coaches, this cannot be part of our jobs for more reasons than one.

I also address any complaints parents may have during the season. I developed a standard policy of not taking any complaints for at least five games. This cuts down on a lot of phone calls and most of the times a complaint by a parent about playing time is taken care of by the sixth game.

Since I began doing this, I have had only a handful of complaints for a whole season in about the last eight years. When I first started coaching, I would go home after the game and there would be two or three messages on my answering machine.

As a coach, there are a lot of responsibilities and I try to cut down on the phone calls as much as possible. One system a lot of people use is the phone chain. This is effective only some of the time. Another system I use which is similar is the buddy system.

At the beginning of each year I ask for a couple of parent volunteers to help with the phone calls. Then I assign each player a buddy. So if there are twelve kids on the team, there are six pairs of buddies. The first thing I tell them is that if there is any question on practice time or location, call their buddy before they call me. And if their buddy isn't home, call someone else on the team list.

If it is raining, I call my two phone volunteers and divide the calls in half. Remember, each player has a buddy so they should never make more than three calls and maybe a call back to me. Any system you try isn't full proof and during the course of the season you can expect your share of calls.

There can be a whole lot of things to address at this meeting. Each coach might have their own pet peeve to discuss. The most important thing is to make sure you have each of the points you want to bring up in writing. This way, you are sure to touch on the points most important to you.

Remember, you are volunteering your time and you have a right to make the season run as smooth as possible for yourself, and that's the way you want it to be for your team as well.

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Marty Schupak has coached youth baseball for 18 years and is the creator of "The 59 Minute Baseball Practice", "Backyard Baseball Drills" and author of the popular book, "Youth Baseball Drills". He is also President of the Youth Sports Club, a group dedicated to making sports practices and games more enjoyable for kids.

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

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Two Situations Drills For Little League Pitchers

Two Situations Drills For Little League Pitchers
By John R Di Nicola

Once you have had a couple of practices and have had infield and outfield practice you can venture to the next step working on game situations. You set your 9 players in their positions. Have your spare players as base runners. Have them stand behind home plate and you hit ball. This is so important it enables you to practice your pitchers and position players real situations. You will have to have patience. At first they will throw the ball around and be out of positions. Below are two drills that are very important in teach the fundamentals of defense.

Situations

Backing up 3rd base and home plate.


With nobody on base and ball is hit into gap pitcher should line up in between third base and home plate.
With base runners on first base and ball hit into gap they should do the same and watch and see where the play may be and make their decision which base they should back up.
With men in scoring positions and ball hit into the gap they should back up home. You have to make sure the pitchers have good distance from the foul line so they are not to close and have a good angle to go between third and home. The Pitcher must have depth behind the base so they get overthrown ball.
The mistake they all make is getting to close to base. Explain, they are backing up to get the overthrow. If they are to close they can't make adjustments. This defeats the purpose of them backing up the base.

Covering Home Plate on Pass Ball

This drill is very important because you will have passed balls at this level. Providing the backstop is not to far back it is an excellent way to get what I call a cheap out.
You can have signals for the pitchers to call out to the catchers. Most of the time the catchers will not be able to pick up which directions the ball has traveled.
You can use one, two and three. One being right, once he has turned to retrieve the ball. Two would be middle of backstop. Three would to the left.

Organizing your practice set up your schedule and rotate your days you do the drills. You will find that some of the drills they will pick up quicker than others. The biggest thing is you cannot have marathon practices. By keeping the practices short and crisp you will keep players motivated. I found if you have a practice schedule and post it will show the players approximately how long each drill will be and what to expect.

Practice makes perfect.

By: John R. Di Nicola

Thank you for taking the time to read my article. If you would like further information on this topic or other information you can E-Mail me at:
jdinicola@easypitching.com

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

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Hit a Baseball With Power and Crush More Home Runs

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Article Title: Hit a Baseball With Power and Crush More Home Runs
By Rob Bucher

Imagine having the power at the plate to launch prodigious home runs the largest parks in your league can't contain.

If you're a player, coach or parent and are ready to discover the secrets to hit a baseball with power. Stay glued to every word in this article.

It's all possible you know...

...You can pad your power stats and become a complete power hitter, even if you've never hit a dinger before.

Let me explain by revealing the three keys to hitting all batters can use to maximize their power at the plate.


Loading up - In order to effectively add more power at the plate you need to build up kinetic energy. The only way to build it up is by separating the lower half from the top half. As you begin your stride, you should turn your front shoulder in about one or two inches and push your hands back into a good hitting position.
Hips lead the hands - Your swing begins by turning the hips towards the pitcher and pulling the top half of your body into the hitting zone. Most coaches teach players to take the hands to ball first, this is a power draining motion. The hips must fire first and then pull the upper body and hands into the hitting zone.
Contact position - Maximize the kinetic energy in the body by making contact with the baseball at a ninety degree angle. The barrel of the bat must be on the same plane of the pitch at contact. When contact is made you want to have a the correct ball and bat angle to release the energy your body has built up from a proper load.
How to hit a baseball with power happens when you incorporate all three of these mechanics into your swing.

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

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Rediscovering the Magic of Youth Baseball

Article Title:
Rediscovering the Magic of Youth Baseball

By Dave Rosene

I have seen significant changes how youth baseball has been 'taught' in the U.S. since the 1960's, and the changes haven't been positive. I didn't say coached because coaching refers to strategy and competition, and the concentration of youth baseball must be on skill development, rules understanding, and team play. We need teaching coaches for that, because today's players show deficiencies in these areas more than previous generations. When people of my era started playing baseball, it was the most popular sport in America and engrained in our culture. There were many different forms that helped improve individual skills: fast pitch, whiffle ball, ledge, penner, or just throwing popups to yourself, and we didn't need parents to organize these activities. We called our friends who would call their friends, we threw off walls or our house steps, and we had games with whoever was around and made up our own rules. We became better players by thinking or playing baseball every day. Plus we learned the game by watching baseball on television or going to major league games if we were lucky enough to get tickets.

Most youth American players today lack the knowledge and experience that we had because they have more options to take up their free time and they therefore have varied interests. By not spending more time practicing, playing, or watching baseball, they are lagging behind kids from other countries in skill development and general baseball knowledge. Why do Latin American players dominate professional baseball? In most cases playing baseball is the only sport available to kids there to participate in, and by playing constantly they progress quickly.

Can we and should we go back in time to help our youth rediscover the magic of baseball? How can we, as teachers and coaches, make the game relevant and necessary for players who get distracted and sidetracked easily. We have to show kids what made us love baseball, and pass along that love. That's the challenge we want to take on. In future articles we will discuss how to effectively teach and coach our youth athletes to maximize their talents while identifying the negative methods to avoid that I've seen too much of in the past 30 years.

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
=================================
If you are looking for great coaching articles, please consider one of our sites: The BaseballCoachingDigest.com, the YouthBaseballDigest.com or the BaseballParentGuide.com. Have a safe and happy season! Nick Dixon

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The Professional Youth Baseball Coach

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The Professional Youth Baseball Coach
By Andy Pohl

Coaching is not just about winning games. In fact, winning is a very small component to the job. Successful coaches help athletes master new skills, enjoy competition with others, and develop a team first attitude. They are not only well versed in the techniques and skills of their sport, but they also understand how to effectively teach those skills through age appropriate practice regimens and skill building drills. The ability to apply and communicate life lessons learned from sports participation is also of extreme importance.

The influence coaches have on young adults is far too great to believe that the utilization of volunteer coaches diminishes the professional responsibilities for effectively executing the mission. In fact, any youth league organization that does not coordinate a mandatory coaching certification course for all volunteer coaches is doing a tremendous disservice to their community. Ultimately, the amount of accessible educational coaching materials and resources is far too great for anyone to make excuses for volunteer coaches who inadequately carry out their duties and responsibilities.

I like to term the coach who responsibly performs their various roles and obligations as a 'professional coach.' Anyone can be a 'professional coach,' even the dad who coaches his son's five year old T-Ball Team. The Professional Coach is one who understands that the physical, emotional, social, and psychological development of their athletes takes precedence over winning. They are individuals of sound moral character who understand the true meaning of integrity. They are organized, disciplined, focused, and value driven decision makers. The Professional Coach has a solid understanding of sport science, sport management, risk management, nutrition, and sport specific techniques and tactics. The Professional Coach always seeks to better him/herself by attending coaching conferences, reading books and professional journals, or exchanging ideas with peers and mentors. In addition, the Professional Coach has superior communication skills and understands the psychology behind reinforcement, motivation, and how young people learn.

Now that we have described what a Professional Coach is, let's examine what a Professional Coach is not:

• The Win-at-all-Costs Coach: Coaches who adopt this style care more about their win-loss record and personal ego than the development of their athletes. They will use every tactic imaginable to give them a competitive edge, even if these tactics are unsportsmanlike and dishonest.

• The Me Coach: Coaches who adopt this philosophy are more focused on 'me' than 'we.' For example, they may say, "I need you to play flawless today," or "I need you to work hard for me today." In order to build a team concept, this coach should be saying, "We (or the team) need you to play flawless today," or "We need you to work hard for the good of the group today."

• The Want to be Popular Coach: Coaches who adopt this style make few decisions as possible. They do not hold their players accountable, nor do they demand excellence from their athletes. The Want to be Popular Coach focuses more on having fun and giving meaningless praise and extrinsic reward than challenging the team to meet high standards and expectations. The Want to be Popular Coach provides minimal guidance and instruction, and cares more about being liked than doing the job right.

If you are thinking of being a volunteer coach, please take your responsibilities seriously. Understand that coaches at all levels of competition have the power to make a significant, life long impact on the lives of young adults.

Andy Pohl - Co-Founder, DNA Sports

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

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



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

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Mental Baseball Instruction - Becoming a Mentally Tough Baseball Player

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By Nate Barnett

The assumption here is that you have either found the title of this article amusing to some extent, or you are looking for information on how to become more mentally tough as an athlete. Maybe both, which would be a bonus for you. Now, a little group participation... I want you to stop reading for a minute after you read the following question. Don't read past until you have an answer.

The Question: What did you do differently this season (compared to last) to prepare yourself for a successful experience in baseball?

If your answer is nothing, many athletes have since passed you and have consequently helped improve their chances of getting to the next level, whatever that may be for them. However, if you have added something else to your game, then the opposite is true.

In order to become a mentally strong athlete, players must develop two types of skills.

A. Physical skills: those that help you throw, run, pitch, hit, and field more effectively.

B. Mental skills: those that help you in dealing with failure, build confidence, get you in "the zone", keep you out of slumps, etc.

The problem is that there is consistently more importance placed on physical development over mental. There are a few reasons physical skills are taught far more than mental skills.

1. Physical skills are more easily taught through the ease of information access in videos, books, and private baseball instruction.

2. The fixation on massive home runs and big power numbers fuel athletes' desire to improve and learn the skill of hitting a baseball 400ft like the guys in the Bigs.

3. The results can often be noticed by everyone right away. Therefore, there is more of an immediate feeling of improvement with physical skill work through baseball drills, etc.

The mental side of baseball is taught far less for a multitude of reasons. Some include:

1. There are simply fewer resources available on the topic of sports psychology and mental training.

2. Many sports psychology and mental training information is written in a complex fashion making it difficult for a reader to comprehend the information.

3. Practice time is limited for many teams. Therefore, fewer coaches can afford to carve out the time to work on the mental game (assuming they know how to teach it).

So how do you begin to work on the mental game? You're doing it now. Read, listen, and search for pieces of information on the topic. Post-game interviews from professional athletes are a good source. Countless players like Derek Jeter and Cal Ripken have devoted time to writing some of their thoughts on the subject. Buy their books or find them at a library.

Why should you develop you mental baseball skills? The answer to this question is lengthy and is a topic for another article at another time. But the simple answer is that you will be noticed by more college and professional scouts because they look for indicators of a strong mental game. And secondly, it will help to cut out slumps that linger and take away from consistent performance.

Nate Barnett is owner of BMI Baseball designed to improve the mental game of baseball in athletes. Learn how to help your game by improving your baseball psychology.

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

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

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Little League Baseball Coaching

By Joe Brockhoff

If we hold our hands up and pop our wrists, we can do that over and over again very quickly. If someone were to throw a punch at us, our hands would quickly and automatically pop up in defense.

As an infielder, we don't have to think about a ball thrown to us. Our hands will react to the direction of the ball and make the catch without having to think about it.

Think of the catcher after he gives the sign. He is taught to frame the pitch. His hands automatically go to the pitch without any thought or direction.

So the hands are auto reactors. Is this good for the hitter? The answer is: No! The hitter who allows his hands to react automatically as his first movement towards the pitch will never have full body support.

When the hands go too early, this is when we hear the coach yell out, "Wait on the pitch!"
Now, let's apply this to our baseball hitting mechanics.

These are the steps:

1. Coil (Load): The hitter collects his weight on the backside
2. Stride: a linear step towards the pitched ball (30-40% of weight transfer)
3. Body Rotation: Hips rotate toward the ball
4. Hands will then, and only then, execute the stroke

Here is one of our best little league baseball coaching tips: "HIPS TAKE US TO THE BALL. HANDS TAKE US THROUGH THE BALL."

So, when we are leaning how to hit a baseball, do we trust the hands? The answer is:

Don't trust the hands. Then, trust the hands. In other words, discipline the hands to wait until we get into the launch position, which is with the hands inside the ball and the hips rotated.

Our hands do not initiate the stroke until we rotate to the pitch. They travel in rotation with the pivot, but they do not commit to the pitch until the rotation is complete. This rotated position with the hands still back is what we call the DRIVE position. It is at this time that the hands will launch.

NOW we can trust them. Let them explode the bat to the ball.

One final note. Remember that when we hit, the hands are in a double lever system. That is, they don't personally go to the ball. They are holding the bat, which goes to the ball. The hands always end up in front of the body. They are responsible for directing the bat to the proper cut line on the pitch.

Former Tulane Hall of Fame Baseball Coach, Joe Brockhoff, fully explains his baseball hitting drills with the Super 8 Hitting System, completely demonstrated with videos and hitting drills to help you hit with more power and raise your batting average. http://www.kewego.com/video/iLyROoafMM8J.html.

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

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If you are looking for great coaching articles, please consider one of our sites: The BaseballCoachingDigest.com, the YouthBaseballDigest.com or the BaseballParentGuide.com. Have a safe and happy season! Nick Dixon

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Youth Baseball Coach - The 12 Commandments of Little League Baseball Coaching Success

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By Nick Dixon

Being a good head coach for a Little League Baseball Team or any youth baseball team requires certain skills, character traits, knowledge, and a high sense of commitment and dedication. There are certain rules and guidelines that every Little League Coach should always remember. I feel that there are 12 guidelines, the "commandments" that are required to establish a good learning atmosphere and true team unity.

Youth Baseball Coach: The 12 Commandments of Coaching Little League Baseball

1. I shall always consider the safety and welfare of my players to be my utmost responsibility when we are playing and practicing.

2. I shall treat every player fairly and show no favoritism. I want my players to have faith and trust in me. I want them to know I care.

3. I shall display good sportsmanship at all times. I will not display any behavior that would be a poor role model for my players.

4. I shall always be the first person to get to practices and games and the last to leave.

5. I shall never leave a player or players alone after practice. I will wait for a parent or guardian to arrive and pick them up.

6. I shall plan and organize every practice. Every player will have an assigned place and activity. Idle time is wasted time. Every minute will be valued and used wisely.

7. I shall make doing things right a priority. When it comes to practice repetitions, quality will be valued over quantity. I feel that 5 good practice swing performed properly do more good than 25 sloppy swings with incorrect fundamentals.

8. I shall be honest to myself, my players and my parents. I will always tell my players the truth. Telling misleading or false information is not acceptable.

9. I shall maintain the needed degree of team discipline to foster athletic improvement and growth. I must teach my players the value of self discipline in baseball and team sports.

10. I shall teach my players to respect all persons of authority and adults including myself. I will require that they show that respect to all parents, coaches, umpires, and league volunteers.

11. I shall learn the knowledge necessary to perform my coaching duties. That knowledge will include the rules of baseball, the fundamentals of baseball, and the proper techniques of baseball training, baseball instruction, and baseball coaching.

12. I shall always remember that I have a duty greater than the coaching of baseball. I have a responsibility to help each player learn the proper values and priorities that they should have in life. I will seek to help each player achieve to his or her maximum potential as both a player and a person.

I hope that this article was informative and useful to you. I would like to personally thank your for taking the time to read it. I wish you and your team good luck 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

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

I'm Positive You Will Want To Read This!

When you use positive mindset as a team concept you can find positive items almost any play or at bat, even if it appears to be non productive. The coach should shoulder most of the burden of displaying a building, positive mindset.

By Chip Lemin

If you've ever played baseball before, you know what it is like to be caught off guard and make a mistake. You probably know what it is like to not want the ball hit to you, or have to bat next, because of un-confident negative feelings. This type of thinking usually leads to poor results.

Why? because in our minds we have already visualized not doing well. That is the power of negative thinking or negative self talk.

Well guess what! we can use this same process, only let's visualize positive results. This is a team function also. From the manager, the Parents, and fellow players, positive thoughts will help produce positive results.

I'm not stating that every player will hit 500 on your team, or pitch no-hitters, just because they used positive thinking. I will guarantee that you will have more fun, fewer bad attitudes, and more production in all parts of the game when your team has a positive building mindset.

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This positive mindset, being a builder, has to start with your manager and coaching staff. In your team letter, state this season we are going to be a positive mindset team. This will set the tone to help keep everyone positive. Even if this season has already started, call a team meeting to announce this new attitude.

The coaches should shoulder most of the burden of displaying a building, positive mindset. This mind-set also means, no yelling or showing up players for mistakes made in practice or games.

• We talk of progress first, of what was done right first, then bring up mistakes. Coaches must keep to yelling out only positive instruction. Wait until after the inning is over to discuss mistakes. The game is not that important to show up players and upset family by public displays.

• Your team takes fun and mental makeup of its coaching staff to a large degree. IF your coaching staff is easily rattled and emotional, your team probably will be to.

• With the positive mindset, your team will be more relaxed. Your team will be more willing to visualize making the next good play. All you should demand from them is 100 percent effort.

• A positive mindset, will allow coaches to remain calmer during a tough parts of the game. It will help to keep you from lashing out or tearing down your players in frustration.

• Your parents will appreciate a calm confident composure even when things aren't going well. Once you have witnessed the power of positive mindset for yourself, you will become a believer.

• No player deserves to be put down, or criticized out loud. There's plenty of time to discuss mistakes after the game. That is why carrying a clipboard for notes is so important.

• Also put good things you see on the clipboard too. Make sure to praise all actions that indicate players are using positive mindset or sportsmanship.

• When you use positive mindset as a team concept you can find positive items almost any play or at bat, even if it appears to be non productive. Few players do everything wrong when they make a mistake. Go over what the player did right first, so they will be more receptive to instruction later.

• Encourage your players to use positive mindset outside the game, and other sports, at school, and at home. It is a great tool for anyone to use. Be sure to praise your players and coaches who practice using positive mindset. The best way to get others to try it is to be an example of it your self.

• Positive mindset training is something very powerful, to be used in all areas of life. It does take work, determination, and persistence to see the full benefit. It is indeed worth every bit of effort used to promote it.

Hello My name is Chip Lemin. I'm a long time youth baseball coach who loves to promote this great game of youth baseball. Promoting sportsmanship in this game of youth baseball is something that really needs I feel. I have a free e-course that will give you some solid coaching information along with great help on the inter-personal relationships we must have to be good youth baseball coaches. Things such as parents, travel baseball, getting parents to help out, how to communicate better to parents and players, just to touch on a few. This course will help to organize practices like an elite coach. How to motivate players and other coaches with your positive attitude. It really is not very hard to be a great coach when you know what to do.Best of all you will learn how to have fun with these great kids that you have the privilege of coaching. Do yourself a favor and check it out, it's free,you will get 1 part every couple of days in your e-mail. Coaching can be fun and rewarding if you have a plan in place first, and you have an idea what you are doing. http://www.baseballecourse.com

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



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Baseball Players Need Quick Feet Too!

If you play baseball you have to be quick on your feet just like any other athlete. Permit yourself a minute to read and apply the following 2 quick feet drills to speed up your game!

By Brandon Richey

If you play baseball you should concentrate on your athleticism all year long! Agility is a necessary trait for baseball players because you have to have quickness when trying to react to making a play on a ground ball, getting the jump on a pop fly, or making the first move to dive back to the bag when leading off of the base! All of these are hard examples that define quickness and agility. Check out the following 2 drills that you can implement to help you to improve on all of these examples you encounter on the field of play.

1. 3 Cone Shuffle: For this particular drill you will need the availability of 3 agility cones. This is a great quick foot drill for baseball players to improve on lateral agility. To start, set up the cones in a straight line with about 2 feet of distance between each cone. Stand facing the 3 cones in an athletic stance with your inside foot lined up in front of the middle cone and your outside foot lined up in front of on one of the outside cones. From here the objective is for you to make a quick single lateral step shifting the middle foot to line up with the outside cone on the far side, and to bring the foot that was lined up with the outside cone to the middle cone. Remember to stay low and to shift your weight back and forth to the "outside" with each lateral shuffle. Count a repetition every time you shuffle to both sides. Stay low and touch the outside cones with your outside hand each time you shuffle. Perform each lateral shuffle as quickly as possible.


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2. 8 Cone Shuffle And Sprint: For this drill you will need the availability of 9 agility cones and some flat open space. Line the first 8 cones up in a straight line and place the 9th cone in line with the first 8 cones with a distance of 10 yards between them. Start the drill by lining up in front of the straight line of 8 cones. Shuffle laterally back and forth between the 8 cones progressing forward as quickly as possible. Once you shuffle around the 8th cone explode into a full sprint all the way past the 9th cone. This is great for improving a baseball player's overall athletic performance and conditioning! Give it a try.

To learn more about Kettlebells, Fitness, and achieving Total Mind-Blowing Strength come and visit me at http://www.efandps.com
To be one of my members and to receive more tips on INSANE BODY CONSTRUCTION please visit me at: http://www.efandps.com/www.efandps.com/Brandons_Members_Newsletter.html I'm Brandon Richey the Strength and Conditioning Pro!

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

Youth Baseball Digest - Can You Name 10 Ways a Batter Can Safely Reach First Base?

HurricaneMachine.com = Hitting Success!

By Nick Dixon

Have you ever thought about how many ways a batter can safely reach first base? I have pondered the question and I have come up with 10 different ways for a batter to safely reach first base.

The ways that I thought of include the following:

1) Base Hit - Batter swings the bat and hits a base hit. In baseball statistics a base hit is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory.
2) Walk or Base on Balls - A base on balls or walk is credited to a batter when the batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. The walk can be intentional or not intentional.
3) Error - A batter reaches on an error when, in the judgment of the official score book keeper, a fielder misplays a ball hit by the batter allowing the batter to reach first base. The ball misplayed is one that the official scorer judges to be a play that should have been made with reasonable or ordinary effort. What this means is that the fielder misplayed a routine play.
4) Passed Ball on a Strike Out: The batter strikes out but the catcher misses the ball. The batter becomes a batter-runner and reaches first base safely. This play should be officially scored as a strikeout and passed ball, a strikeout and wild pitch or a strikeout and a fielders choice.
5) Catcher Commits Interference - Catchers interference is called when contact is made by the bat of the batter. With catcher interference, the result is the same as with all interference, The batter is awarded the results of the swing or first base. The manager of the offense may advise the plate umpire that he elects to decline the interference penalty and accept the play
6) Fielders choice - A fielder`s choice is a play made on a ground ball in which the fielder chooses to put out an advancing base runner, thus allowing the batter to reach first base safely.
7) Batter-Runner Interference - Once the batter hits the ball the batter becomes a base runner. The batter becomes a runner and is entitled to first base without interference by a defensive player. If interference occurs, the manager of the offense may advise the plate umpire that he elects to decline the interference penalty and accept the play.
8) A Sacrifice - The batter hits a sacrifice fly or executes a sacrifice bunt.
9) Double Play - The batter reaches first on a double play by the defense that did not involve a throw to first base.
10) Hit by a Pitch - The batter is hit by a pitch thrown by the batter. The batter must be in the batting box and in the judgment of the umpire did not "lean" into the pitch.

I am sure that you may think of one or two more. These are what came to my mine because they are the 10 ways that occur most often. I hope that you found this article to be informative. Thanks for taking the time to read it. I wish you and your team good luck 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!