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

Baseball2U.com

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.

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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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Baseball Tips on Hitting - Hitting the Ball to the Opposite Field

By Larry Cicchiello

By now, we've all heard the expression, "hit it where it's pitched." It's very frustrating for a pitcher when he throws a perfect low and away strike and the batter hits the ball the opposite way for a hit. Most pitchers will make a mental note of it and know how well schooled the hitter is. Low and away strikes are almost always a pitcher's bread and butter and the very smart hitters will learn how to take some of the effectiveness of the low and away strike away from the pitcher. It's pretty much a baseball fact of life that if a hitter tries to pull everything, his batting average will suffer. It's also a baseball fact of life that hitters who hit effectively to the opposite field have a strong tendency to hit for higher batting averages.

When Hitting To The Opposite Field. The first order of the day is to avoid the common baseball hitting mistake of letting up on your swing. Many hitters will not swing as hard when going the opposite way. Their swing quite often loses its aggressiveness and this should be avoided. The hitter should attack the ball in the same manner as if it were a very hittable pitch that's belt high and over the middle of the plate. When you are trying to hit the ball to the opposite field, preferably you want the pitch over the outside part of the plate. The angle of the bat should be facing toward the opposite field. One of the best baseball tips on hitting to the opposite field is that you make contact with the ball deeper in the hitting zone. Contrary to what some may believe, you use the same exact swing that you always use. The only difference is you hit the ball when it is closer to the catcher.

Pitchers are not thrilled with hitters who use all fields and can efficiently hit the ball to the opposite field. As a hitter, you don't want pitchers to be thrilled when you are at bat. Just remember to attack the ball with the same aggressiveness, have your bat angled toward the opposite field and let the pitch travel and get a little closer to the catcher. There is a serious link between hitters who can do this and higher batting averages. It is not a coincidence.

Larry Cicchiello is the author of several very informative baseball coaching books. All of his editions are included in "Excellent Baseball Coaching: 30 Seconds Away." He is unique in that his site offers visitors several FREE TIPS that are straight from his books. Baseball tips on hitting, baseball pitching tips, baseball fielding tips, baseball base running tips, baseball coaching drills and more. Your baseball coaching "help desk" will be open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. Larry invites you to check out his FREE TIPS. You will be FULLY EQUIPPED as a manager, coach, player at any level or a parent who wants to help their child improve or overcome any baseball struggles.

You can visit his website at http://www.larrybaseball.com/

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

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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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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

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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!

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How To Develop A Balanced Hitting Base For Youth Baseball Players!

By Chip Lemin

When I see a youth baseball player shooting line drives all over the field, there are certain things I look for in their swing. The first thing I usually notice will be that the player is balanced during the entire swing. Balance in a baseball swing is something that will deliver consistent results for the hitter. The balance in a baseball swing begins with the stance. The player's weight should be evenly distributed on both feet to start. When the player begins the trigger, or start of the swing, some of the weight will then shift to the back leg. These subtle movements were not always clear to me. I learned most of this from watching our team take hitting instruction from a professional instructor.

Some people will groan about paying someone to help a youth baseball player learn to hit properly. I must say years ago I was not a believer in hitting lessons. I thought I already knew all about hitting. My child has always been able to hit well, mostly due to natural talent luckily. My child was asked to play in a tournament with a travel team. This team used hitting instruction. As I watched how much it helped my child improve, I wanted to know more.

The best baseball swings are usually short and compact with a smooth follow through. Most parents teach their kids to take a long stride. I was guilty of this this. I also let their arms drop down too low, developing a long slow swing. Most of my mistakes were at the tee ball and coach pitch level with my first child. My eyes were opened at these hitting instructions that I had a lot to learn. Taking a wider balanced stance is the beginning of a solid base to hit from. The first thing the instructor did was widen up my kid's stance. This improved the balance right way. It also makes it harder to take a long stride to the ball. I am in favor of hitting instruction as early as the player will accept it. Don't ever force them to go. My child was a little hesitant until watching other kids having fun doing it.

My early ideas about keeping the elbow up, and the long stride, did not lead to a balanced powerful swing. I quickly learned to accept a new way of thinking. The earlier a youth baseball player learns to develop a balanced swing the better. A balanced swing makes it easier to hit to all fields. A balanced swing is much easier to repeat over and over from a good balanced base. The first move to the baseball from the trigger position will be with the hands. This is difficult for young players to learn at first. The are many drills to help instill this important part of the swing. I will share some of them with you soon in an upcoming article.

We have covered the very basics of the balanced hitting base of the swing. Most players will have to widen their stance to at least shoulder with. Some players even a little more may be needed. My child has a wide stance. This helps keep the toes on the ground during the beginning of the swing. If a player is lifting up the toes during the swing, they are shifting their weight improperly. The hands should be held as high as the player feels comfortable with. They should not be buried up against the body either, We are trying to eliminate movement that is not needed in the swing. When there is less movement, it is easier to stay balanced. So go find a quality hitting instructor that both you and your child feel good about. Get some references from others if needed. Go to lessons with an open mind. You will both learn a lot about balance in the baseball swing.

Thanks Coach Chip

Chip Lemin has been a promoter of youth baseball since they started using aluminum bats. That's a long time. I have witnessed many good people get into coaching without solid coaching skills and it is not fun for them or the kids.Today's newer coaches are also being shortchanged on sportsmanship, like there is none. Visit my site to sign up for a insightful, informational, free coaching e-course at http://www.baseballecourse.com

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

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Baseball Tips on Hitting - Bat Speed Often Determines Your Success!

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By Larry Cicchiello

Let's keep this very basic and simple. Forget all other baseball tips on hitting. Very simply, the faster the head of the bat is going when it hits the ball, the harder a baseball hitter will hit the baseball. There are hundreds of baseball tips on hitting but when it's all said and done don't the hitters with the quickest bat speed hit the baseball the hardest? You can talk about many things that are required to be a successful hitter and right near the top of your list should be bat speed. I thoroughly enjoy watching a very big, strong hitter clobber the baseball. It's also very enjoyable watching a smaller hitter who is not exceptionally strong clobber the baseball. The only way for the smaller player to be competitive with the bigger and stronger baseball hitters is with his very quick bat speed.

Several Things To Improve Your Bat Speed:


Practice your swing every day. Some professionals will take as many as 500 swings a day in the off season. That's very possibly one of the reasons why they are now professional hitters. I'm not saying it's feasible to take that many swings every day but practice your swing as often as possible. Remember to take your practice swings exactly like you are swinging the bat in a game. You're cheating yourself if you do otherwise. If you are willing to spend the time practicing your swing, you deserve to benefit from the time you are putting in. Is there a better exercise than practicing the swing itself to improve your strength and quickness as a baseball hitter? I don't think so.
Avoid gripping the bat too tightly, which is a common baseball hitting problem, especially with younger players. They often have the mind set that "I'm going to grip this bat real tight and really clobber this ball." Nothing could be further from the truth. It actually will slow down the speed of your bat. It's identical to a pitcher who holds the ball tighter to slow down a pitch and a baseball hitter gripping the bat tightly will slow down his bat speed also.
Make sure you swing directly to the ball. The very beginning of the swing is not level at all. It is a downward movement and only levels out at the point of contact! You absolutely must be "quick to the ball." Short and quick to the ball is far better than long and strong.

Larry Cicchiello is the author of "Excellent Baseball Coaching: 30 Seconds Away." His very user friendly eBooks cover 320 topics on playing or coaching excellent baseball. ANY players, coaches or parents who want to help their child improve will be fully equipped! Some FREE tips are available at http://www.LarryBaseball.com/product/all

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

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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

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Hitting Drills For Baseball - How to Perfect Your Hitting Skills in Baseball

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By Carolyn Anderson

Hitting the baseball correctly is indeed an essential skill for baseball players. For all of us who loves to watch baseball, we often equate superb batting skills to being a good baseball player. Of course, as an essential skill in the sport, hitting the ball is one skill that all baseball players should master.

Although different individuals may have their own techniques in hitting the ball, it is however important to learn the correct way of doing it right from the start so you won't end up correcting a bad habit that is hard to straighten out later. Aside from learning the correct way of hitting the ball in theory, it is also important to have some hitting drills for baseball to help you practice what you know and help you body master the skills needed in hitting the ball nicely.

Keep in mind that making yourself a good batter in baseball is a combination of having a correct and good grip, an athletic and balanced stance and of course, the right swing. To help you practice these important skills, it is also important to condition your mind and body to be able to master this skill well. Here are some hitting drills for baseball to help you improve your batting and your performance in every game as well.

The Power Bat

One of the hitting drills for baseball that you can make use in improving your batting is the power bat drill. What you will do in this drill is to practice on an object heavier than a baseball. This drill aims to help you increase your power through the point of contact, and not decrease the speed of your swing as soon as it comes in contact with the ball.

The Chair Drill

As the name suggests, this hitting drill uses a chair to help you see the importance of your hands to the ball. By sitting down on a chair while hitting the ball eliminates movements on the lower body and helps you concentrate on your hand. You can ask a practice partner to throw a ball on your hitting zone while you will try to hit the ball as flat as you can focusing on your wrist action.

The Vision Drills

One of the hitting drills for baseball includes the vision drills which help in improving your reflexes to the ball as well as preparing your vision for the real game. This drill is usually done by using differently colored balls and hitting each color depending on the instructions given with them. Say, you have red, blue and yellow colored balls and you assigned red to be the balls you should hit, the yellow ones you should take. Indeed, vision drills will help sharpen your mind and your eyes and in dealing with pitching in the real game.

These are just three hitting drills for baseball, but there are still a lot you can do to improve your hitting skills. And of course, you have to keep in mind to concentrate and focus while in the game as well. Tension can be devastating to your hitting the ball also.

Carolyn Anderson is a sports lover and loves to learn some new sports and interests now and then. To help you master a superb batting, check out Parker Training System Manual. Also check out Youth Soccer Power Unleashed, a step-by-step training program to help you make your kids learn soccer and enjoy it.

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

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Baseball Coaching Digest - The 4 Key Elements That Help a Batter Hit a Baseball With More Power

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By Nick Dixon

Every baseball player loves to hit the ball hard and far. The power required to hit the baseball deep comes from the generation of maximum bat speed. The generation of bat speed is created by the correct use of the lower body, hips and hands. Four key elements are required to make the batting swing more powerful.

This article outlines and explains those key elements.Those key elements are:

1) The Batter Uses the Front Leg as Leverage to Generate Maximum Bat Speed. - What is leverage in the baseball swing? Why is leverage important? How is leverage generated? Leverage in a baseball swing is a resistance point or stationary object that stops forward movement. The front foot acts as the lever and provides leverage to the swing. For this leverage to occur the batter must allow the ball pass front foot. The front foot should be closed with the toes pointed toward the plate to supply maximum leverage to the swing. This leverage is the force against which the batter rotates the hips against. The front leg must be strait and planted to allow the hips to turn.

2) The Batter Generates Maximum Rotational "Torque of the Hips". - I use the term "Hip Torque" to describe the power the hips add to the swing. Batters must rotate the hips to achieve maximum bat speed. To get the maximum hip turn the front foot should be kept in a closed position. If the front foot is allowed to rotate or is in an open position at any point during the swing, there will be a loss of hip energy and a reduction of power in the swing.

The back foot is often lifted or turned up onto the toe. Many coaches describe the action of the back foot as a turn of the "shoe laces to the pitcher". The back foot action is not nearly as important as the front foot. The one thing that must be monitored is that the back foot does not travel forward. The back foot should stay where it was at the beginning of the swing, but the heel should lift and the foot turn to free the back side and to allow for maximum hip and torso rotation.

3) The Batter Keeps of the Hands Close to the Body. The Batter Keeps the Hands on the Shortest Power Path to the Ball. - The power track for the hands is a path that starts above the ball and close to the body. The "power track" is a short compact swing that is directly to the ball. To generate great bat speed the batter must drive the knob and bury it at the power contact position. Keeping the hands closer to the body also keeps the hands inside the ball.

4) The Batter Achieves Maximum Extension Through the Ball. - The batter that keeps the bat on the ball plane as long as possible is able to generate the maximum amount of power possible. The track or path of the bat should be downward until it gets to the balls plane. When the bat gets on an even plane with the ball, the batter should then drive the hands forward through the ball. This power extension has the top hand in a palm down position and the bottom hand in a palm up position. This forward extension or drive through the baseball is a key element of generating power.

I hope that this article was informative and helpful to you. I appreciate you taking the time to read. Have a great day, Nick.

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Youth Baseball Digest - 7 Characteristics of Successful Little League Baseball Coaches

By Nick Dixon

All successful Little League Baseball Coaches have common characteristics that make them a "cut above" average youth baseball coaches. These character traits enable the successful baseball coach to have top quality practices and to get great game performances from his team. Successful coaches are able to compete season after season. They often coach their teams to championships. This article outlines what I consider to be the 7 character traits of successful Little League Coaches.

The 7 character traits of the successful Little League Coach are:

1. He has a true passion and love for the game. He truly loves spending time at the baseball field. He loves to practice. He loves to participate in games. The bigger the game; the more pressure; the more he likes it. He studies the game to increase his knowledge. He watches as many high school, college, and Major League Baseball games as he possible each season.

2. He has a sincere concern for each of his player's welfare. He takes care of his players. He listens to their concerns. He is concerned for their physical safety and mental well being. He wants each and every player to achieve to their highest potential.

3. He has great organizational skills. He carefully plans and organizes every practice. He carefully plans pregame and warm-up activities. He leaves nothing to chance. Everything his team does has a time, a place and a purpose.

4. He has great communication skills. - He knows how to make complicated explanations of a skill or drill sound simple and easy. He does not talk down to his players. He also has a good rapport with the parents of his players. He knows how important it is to openly communicate his goals and visions for the team to the parents.

5. He is enthusiastic about both practices and games. - He never dreads going to practice. He always gets excited about the next game. He has a high level of enthusiasm and his enthusiasm shows.

6. He has the ability to discipline without getting personal. He does not get personal when he corrects or disciplines a player. He makes sure that the kids know he loves them. He does not make smart comments that are said to embarrass or humiliate a player. He makes sure that when problems occur, he handles them swiftly and fairly. The kids know that he cares for them enough to want each of them to act right.

7. He has a positive attitude that is contagious. - He always displays a positive attitude and spirit. He knows that his attitude is emulated by the players. If he reacts in the wrong way to pressure, then his team will also. He must display patience and perseverance. He must keep his head up regardless of the score or the situation.

Above all, successful coaches know and remember the following two quotes. When it comes to players, "They do not care what you know...until they know how much you care!" and "Winning is not everything....Expecting to Win is."

===============

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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Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine
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Advanced Hitting Drills

By Jack Perconte

There are numerous hitting drills and all have specific purposes. Good hitting drills address a specific area of a hitter's fundamentals. When hitters have practiced basic hitting drills for a time they may be ready for more advance hitting drills. Additionally, these drills can serve to break up the monotony of performing the same drills over and over.

Some drills will actually address a few different fundamental areas at the same time, making them even more valuable. One such drill is the back knee pickup drill that I have written about before. This drill where the hitter swings, picks up the back foot and allows the knee to rotate towards the pitcher is a good multi-use drill that works on using the front side and keeping a firm front side without collapsing the lower half on the swing. It also serves to have hitters transfer their weight and maintain leverage through their swing. This is only a drill and is not the way a hitter will hit in a game, but a drill that reinforces the correct fundamentals for hitters who have specific hitting deficiencies. This drill helps hitters who "step out" with their stride and for those who open their hips or front shoulder too early.

Other advanced hitting drills include the following:

1. The self flip drill is very valuable for advanced hitters. It will force hitters to develop quick hands and strong forearms. To perform this drill the hitter will hold the ball with their top hand as their lower hand grips the bat. The hitter flips the ball up no higher than eye level into the hitting zone. At this time, the hitter will grab the bat with both hands and hit the ball. Obviously, the goal is to hit line drives and in the direction of where the ball was flipped, (middle, inside or outside). Hitters will notice that very quick hands are necessary to hit the ball consistently solid.

2. Another advanced hitting drill is to have the hitter stand a foot or so away from a net, where the hitter is facing away from the net. The goal is to swing and miss the net with the bat going forward, but to hit the net slightly on the follow through with the bat. This drill will reinforce a compact swing and "staying back" at the same time. Hitters should keep their head in throughout the entire swing and not pull their front shoulder out in order to hit the net on the follow through. Once again, this is another drill for advanced hitters only. This drill can be done with a ball on the batting tee or with flip drills for even better results.

3. The two ball flip drill is another advanced hitting drill that is very good for teaching hitters to wait on the ball and to develop a quick, compact swing. Hitters will need the assistance of a coach to flip balls from behind a protective screen for this drill. The coach will hold two balls in the same hand at once and flip the balls into the hitting zone. When the ball approaches the hitter, the coach yells out which ball they want the hitter to hit, either high/low, or even inside/ outside. Obviously, because the hitter does not know which ball to hit until the last moment, they cannot cheat with their swing too early or they will hit the wrong one or miss altogether.

These are a few advanced hitting drills that will help advanced hitters. Many more like these are contained in my hitting book.

Former major league baseball player, Jack Perconte gives baseball hitting tips and batting practice advice for ballplayers of all ages. His baseball hitting lessons advice can be found at http://www.baseballhittinglessons.com/baseball Jack is the author of two books, The Making of a Hitter and Raising an Athlete - and one of his videos can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsIt0TIsHmQ

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



=========================
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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Shop CoachesBest.com for your baseball coaching needs including baseball training aids, training videos, and other coaching supplies. Check out the Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting machine by SKLZ at HurricaneTrainer.com.

See the “Original” Rotational Hitting Machine at BatAction.com. Are you looking for the perfect trainer to teach proper timing and swing mechanics? You can stop looking and go to HandsBackHitter.com.

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

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Collecting Derek Jeter Baseball Cards

By Alan Karpuch

It is no longer a wonder why most baseball fans are keen on collecting Derek Jeter baseball cards as the value of these are attributed to one of the best players in the present major league baseball of America. True enough, Derek Jeter is one of the most popular baseball players in the green diamond and has been compared to other great baseball players of the past.

It was in 1995 that he started his baseball career and ever since he has been making great waves. He has also been credited for leading his team to four World Series championships making the New York Yankees achieve its current high team status and greatness.

He has become so well- known that anyone who would like to gather information about him could just type in his name and obtain results from the internet. He is also currently known as one of the most highly paid shortstop players in baseball of all time, a figure that could reach up to twenty two million. Just as well, the search for Derek Jeter baseball cards has surged a lot of hits in the web quite a lot recently.

However, such immense popularity has also made it difficult in terms of obtaining Jeter baseball cards, most especially the earliest ones when he was still a rookie, or the ones which he have signed. Others bear the several hours waiting in the ballpark during batting practice just to have a card signed or know when Derek Jeter might hole a private autograph signing.

Obtaining Jeter baseball cards is a matter that one should also carefully think about since the price could come to be a bit pricey. Such cards are usually worth the player in display and also the age with which it has survived.

Alan provides information about Value Derek Jeter Rookie Card through his website on SP Derek Jeter Rookie Card.

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

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

HurricaneMachine.com - Links

---15 Reasons To Buy a Hurricane Trainer
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---Hurricane Hitting Machine Drills
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Baseball2u.com has a one of the internet's largest selections of baseball coaching and training dvds.

Coaching and Strategy in Baseball

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By Jimmy Cox

School teams have one coach who directs all play, offensively and defensively. He usually sits on the bench and gives signals to the first-base and third-base coaches, who in turn pass them on to the batter or base-runner.

The head coach of a team is responsible for planning all the pre-game strategy and the tactics during the game. He makes up the lineup, placing his hitters in the batting positions he believes will bring the most runs. In planning the lineup, he must also consider which players are hitting the ball well, which players are in a slump and which players do well against the pitcher they will have to face.

Batting Order. - Most coaches stick to the same formula in making up a batting order. The No. 1 hitter is fast afoot, an excellent judge of a ball and a strike, and a player who is hard to pitch to because he is small or has an unusual stance. This player should have the ability to draw a great number of walks, thus getting in position to start his team toward a run.

The No. 2 hitter should have about the same qualifications as the lead-off man, but he should be good as a bunter and a batter who can hit to right field. A single to right field by the No. 2 batter, if the lead-off hitter is on base, most likely will result in a first-and-third situation.

The Nos. 3, 4 and 5 batters should be the power hitters. There is really not much difference in whether the No. 4 hitter should bat third, or vice versa. However, it is good policy to have your strongest batter hit in the No. 3 spot. In this way he is certain of getting up in the first inning, and over the nine innings may get more chances to bat than the Nos. 4 and 5 hitters. It's interesting to note that Babe Ruth, baseball's greatest slugger, batted in the No. 3 spot throughout most of his career.

The No. 6 hitter should be a bit stronger than the No. 7 batter since he may have more opportunities to drive in runs than the No. 7 man. The No. 8 batter is perhaps the weakest hitter in the lineup, with the pitcher following in the No. 9 position.

Many school coaches who have a pitcher who is also a fine hitter, will place the pitcher much higher in the lineup. There is nothing wrong with this strategy, particularly if the pitcher is strong and physically able to carry the hitting, as well as the pitching burden.

Signals. - Each hitter should know just when to be alert for a signal. Sometimes the situation is so obvious that the hitter automatically knows he is on his "own" at the plate.

With bases empty and one or two strikes on the batter, it's quite obvious that the coach is not going to tell him to "take" a pitch. To take a pitch means to let one go by. This signal is usually given when the batter is ahead of the pitcher in the ball-and-strike count, or if the coach wants the batter to take the first pitch from the pitcher in the hope that it will be a ball.

Don't be discouraged if you are ordered to take a pitch as you get to the plate. There is nothing wrong with this strategy, especially if the pitcher is inclined to have a little control trouble. A pitcher who gets behind in the count constantly is in trouble, and when the count gets two balls and no strikes, or three balls and one strike, you may then get the pitch which you will be able to drive out for a safe hit.

Follow your coach in all things, and your baseball will only get better!
Tips & Tricks On How To Play Baseball Like A Pro - These Little-Known Secrets Will Have You Hitting The Longest Yard Over The Boundary Fence! Click Here For Free Online Ebook http://www.baseballhittingdrills.net/

=======================


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Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine

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Baseball Tips on Hitting - Problem Swinging Late at Pitches

By Larry Cicchiello

When looking to solve a baseball hitting problem, always look for the easiest "fix" first. Here is a list of some possible solutions if you are swinging late and not catching up to the pitch:


Make sure you are not using a bat that is too heavy for you. That's the easiest fix of all.
Make sure you are loading up early enough and giving yourself enough time to get the bat into the hitting zone. You never want to load up late so if needed, load up earlier. I've seen many 10 to 12 year olds going back toward the catcher when the pitch is already on its way. This makes hitting the ball impossible. Watch for this with younger players. I've seen it may times.
Many youngsters in particular, have the bad habit of loading up twice. You go back once, not twice. They load up once and then they make the common mistake of loading up a little bit more. You can't be going back toward the catcher when the pitch is on its way.
You are possibly taking too long a route to the ball. Be more direct when going from point A, where you are "loaded up," to point B, where you make contact.
The first movement after you are loaded up should be DOWN toward the ball and the bat should level out only at the point of contact. Many weak hitters have the bat parallel to the ground at the beginning of the swing and this is wrong and will present many baseball hitting problems for you.
Another possibility for being late is the bottom of the knob of bat is facing too far back toward the catcher. This will cause the bat to have to travel a much greater distance to get to the ball and make you late on your swing.
Possibly the bat is wrapped too far around your head. Again, the bat will have to travel too far and you will be late on the pitch.
You don't want to have your hands too far away from the body, which causes the front arm to straighten out too soon. This will cause a longer and indirect swing, causing you to be late on the pitch.
Maybe the bat is being held too much straight up and down. If you are doing this, try a compromise of half way in between straight up and down and parallel to the ground.
Maybe you are gripping the bat too tightly. It's a known fact that you can swing the bat more efficiently and quicker by NOT gripping it too tight. It's the same exact principle as a pitcher gripping a pitch tighter to slow down the speed of the pitch to fool the hitter. Gripping the bat too tightly will slow down your bat speed just like it slows down a pitch from the pitcher.
Remember, one of the best baseball hitting tips you will ever hear is to keep the front elbow pointing down at the very start of your swing and the swing levels out only at the point of contact!

Larry is the president of Larwenty Online Enterprises Inc. He is also the author of "Excellent Baseball Coaching: 30 Seconds Away." If you are a baseball player or baseball coach at any level of play, or a parent who wants to help your child improve, you will be fully equipped! His baseball website offers several FREE baseball tips from his very informative and very fairly priced eBooks.

Larry's baseball website is http://www.larrybaseball.com/

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

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Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine
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HurricaneMachine.com - Links

---15 Reasons To Buy a Hurricane Trainer
---6 Questions Often Asked By Customers
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---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.

TOP 5 Hitting Drills Every Serious Ballplayer Needs

By Joey Myers

There are so many hitting drills out there; it can leave you wondering where to start. This article will reveal Swing Smarter's greatest baseball drill hits! These drills are the cream of the crop when it comes to hitting success. You won't:


Need an expensive hitting contraption,
Require a hitting partner (one exception), or
Waste anymore time with hitting drills doing absolutely nothing to help your swing.
Future reference: these drills go into more depth under the Smart Hitting Tips tab on the navigation bar.

Also, the hitting drills included here are arranged in of importance. The rotational lower half drills are mentioned first because they need to be mastered before moving onto the linear upper body drills.

Before we get started, there are two issues before starting any baseball drill work to keep in mind...


A less is more approach, AND
Making smaller circles.
Taking a less is more approach means to slow the hitting drills down at first until muscle memory can be created, and even then, move into a 60-70% game speed swing. Swinging under control transfers power generated in the hips and core without tense muscles into the upper body.

Making smaller circles means to break each movement down into digestible parts. The first drill we talk about does just that...

1. Balance & Reach
For a right handed hitter, stand sideways on a small 3 inch platform, feet together with bat in hands (we're NOT swinging, just holding it in a starting position).

Lift the left foot slightly off the ground, then raise the left knee up to hip level; you should be in a solid balance position.

Now, balancing on the right leg, have the hitter reach out with a closed left foot like they're striding towards the pitcher, then have them tap the ground softly (about 2-3 feet out) like they're striding on eggshells, and slowly return to the starting position. Reverse directions for a lefty.

The goal of the drill is for the player to get what it feels like to really load up the backside with a majority of their weight. And, tapping the ground lightly simulates what a correct stride should be. So, in short, they learn:


Maximum load of the back leg, and
How to be light with the stride foot.

Building into the next hitting drill...
2. Bat Behind the Back Drill
We start with the bat behind our lower back gripping it like in a karate punch stance.

Step 1 is to transfer our weight to the back leg (70/30),
Step 2, keeping our weight back, we stride with the front foot 1-3 inches (a separation occurs between our front foot and weight shift), and
Step 3 we squish the bug, or rotate the back foot, so the toe finishes pointing at the pitcher.
The latter two hitting drills help train the central nervous and muscular systems with the right rotational energy transfer, while the next few drills will train the upper body to harness that power and transfer it into the baseball.

Remember, less is more with the following...

3. Top/Bottom Hand Drills Off the Tee
First, when doing this drill, we want to choke up to the top of the bat grip tape, so we have more control. Take the off hand and lay it across the stomach, and don't let it flop around while swinging.

Two things to focus on with the TOP hand (besides the footwork we've been working on with hitting drills 1 & 2 above), is to:


Take the knob DOWN to the incoming baseball (imagine it's incoming off the tee), and
Take the barrel through three imaginary baseballs hovering an inch apart past the contact point.

The TOP hand is our push and power hand ALWAYS, no matter what side you're hitting on...

would you rather PUSH a big giant heavy dresser or PULL it, to move it? We impress the girls (or boys) with the power in our TOP hand NOT our bottom hand.

Two things to focus on with the BOTTOM hand:


Take the knob DOWN to the incoming baseball, and
Keep the front elbow DOWN.
The bottom hand guides the hands DOWN, it's like the rudder on a boat, steering the barrel as short as possible into the swing plane. The bottom hand starts to work first, then the top hand takes over like the thruster on a rocket ship, pushing through the ball.

4. Two Tee Drill
This is the best drill for practicing the DOWN part of Down & Through, shaving down to a shorter swing.

You set up 2 tees, one behind the other, with about 2-3 feet distance between a ball sitting on top of each. The back ball should stand about 6 inches higher than the ball on the front tee.

Once we're all setup, then we take our stance...the object of the drill is to NOT hit the back baseball, only the front one. If we hit the back one, then our swing is too long and we need to shorten it. The best key to shorten it is to tell ourselves to take the knob DOWN to the incoming baseball.

Last but certainly NOT least...
5. Hitting Through 3 Baseballs
This part of these hitting drills requires an extra pair of eyes or a video camera, in the beginning, to give the hitter proper feedback.

You're going to set 3 baseballs an inch or so apart on the ground spanning a straight line from the contact point of the tee. As you hit the ball, try to extend the TOP hand out, palm up, through the three baseballs (imagine the baseballs you set on the ground in front of the tee are floating in mid-air after the contact point).

Martial Artist do this all the time when breaking boards...they envision a spot well past their striking point because they know a broken hand would result if they didn't, so they strike THROUGH the board 3-4 feet past.

This drill should be done in slow motion at first to get a feel for how the top stays palm up well past the contact point. This is one of the hardest things for young hitters to do because they've gotten in the bad habit of rolling over too early.

If you're hitting the ball on the ground too much, then use the TOP hand to push through more...AND, if you're hitting the ball in the air too much, then take the knob down more to the incoming baseball.

I didn't get this concept until after my college career had ended, from a Rod Delmonico book. I had a hard time keeping my barrel in the hitting plane, which meant I was rolling over too soon.

If you like this, then please check out the two Part Series that cuts through swing flaws like a hot knife through butter...

Also, rolling over too soon causes a bump in the pitched ball path...do a swing in slow motion while rolling too soon and see for yourself.

SHORT to it, LONG through is the only way to create the vital backspin, helping us to swing smarter NOT harder!

My name is Joey Myers, and I played 18 total years of baseball finishing my career after my fourth year of college (2000-2003) as a Fresno State Bulldog (the 2008 College World Series Champions). I'm very grateful for the success I had at Bullard High School, and getting a scholarship to play at a Division I university, Fresno State, where I started 110 out of the 178 games I played, in the outfield. Now I devote most of my life to baseball swing coaching and personal fitness training. My website are http://www.swing-smarter-baseball-hitting-drills.com/ and http://www.corecreationsonline.com/

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

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