The Power of Praise

The Power of Praise

Readers of this blog (thanks!) know that I’m not one of those feel-good coaches who constantly says happy things to players even when they do not perform.   I tell them the truth, they like it, they work hard, they trust me, and in general they learn and the whole...

Verbal Instructions vs Learning by Doing

Verbal Instructions vs Learning by Doing

And so it came to pass that before our first game, I realized I hadn’t covered warmups between innings. For pre-game warmup, we had rehearsed in practice as I wanted it to look like we had a clue. But the pre-inning warmup is a thing I usually forget about and just...

Does Coaching Matter?

Does Coaching Matter?

I always feel like it's an existential question this time of year as I get ready for a new season. I am so excited. I've coached youth baseball since 1998 and I was so happy cleaning out all my baseball stuff last week — sorting all the balls — organizing the shelves...

The Magic Pre-Game Warmup

The Magic Pre-Game Warmup

Maybe you are searching for ideas for a pre-game warmup for 7-8-9 year olds.  I got an email from a coach who had just beat my team, and he said, “It was a great game (we only lost 4-2) and you absolutely set the gold standard for best pre-game warmup” So what do I...

Rapport

Rapport

And so as the season is coming to an end my fall team is 6-1 — we’ll see how we do in the playoffs, but it's been much fun. Best story of this week was when a player came over at the start of practice and said “COACH! COACH!” and I said “Yes” and he said “Coach, we...

Self Talk

Self Talk

Today we were working on a drill I like that's focused on backups. I have eight kids get on the bases with gloves. One on the base and one is the backup. I call a number of a base to throw to and the person with the ball throws to the base. As I guess a new number...

The WHY

The WHY

I was reading some materials on personal fitness training certification (as I’m thinking about taking the test to get certified) and it talks about the WHY behind fitness. Well I think there’s aWHY behind coaching. Many coaches do it for their kids -— or their league...

Finding Ways to Increase FUN

Finding Ways to Increase FUN

I have been working with a small group of players this summer and it's making me think a LOT about how best to make drills FUN and have them actually impact performance. I love two-line throwing and all the steps, but I think the players just don’t enjoy it. It's more...

Insider Bat

Insider Bat

I get a teeny sales commission on this thing. If you want to get a good training aid, think about the Insider Bat.  I have an Amazon sponsored link but I don't think I'll make more than 5 cents or so if you buy one.  / So what is an insider bat, you say? Well, I have...

The Tanner Tee

The Tanner Tee

The Tanner Tee is an amazing batting T.  They are the gold standard — if you are sick of T’s falling apart.  This is the way to go.  I’ve never owned one myself as I never splurged and I made do with the $20 cheap T’s, but every year I think about getting one.  Feel...

Using a mirror!

Using a mirror!

It rained the other day, so I invited kids from a team I’m helping to come over and hit in my garage using my beloved SoloHitter — sadly I think SoloHitter went out of business, but it's a cool device that has a ball hang on a string with a net behind it so that...

First Practice Ideas

First Practice Ideas

Many teams will be starting their first practice soon, and it's one of my favorite times of the year.  After the arduous work of the draft (see the post I on preparing for the draft) and the cold of winter, its time for a new season.  Hope springs eternal. You’ve sent...

Draft Preparation

Draft Preparation

 And so it's that time of the year when many leagues conduct a draft. I haven’t really written much on draft preparation in previous blogs, so perhaps this might come at a good time. Many parents can’t believe an NFL-style draft is held that includes 10-year-olds.  On...

SoloHitter for Hitting Drills

SoloHitter for Hitting Drills

Well time for this week’s biog and I have to spend it on singing the praises of a thing called the SoloHitter.  I get no commission, but my understanding is every MLB team has at least one.  I have had one for over 15 years and I love it. What is the...

Fretting over Mechanics vs Letting Them Play

I love to coach mechanics.  I have a series of drills that break down throwing and I think they translate quickly to pitching so once I have kids throwing I can turn them into serviceable pitchers.  I’ll publish pictures and step by step for these very soon, but the...

Memories

Memories

As we continue our philosophical blogs — happens a lot when a real season isn’t going on. Our youth baseball season in Northern VA is in the state tournament now but for everyone else it's not much until the fall. I am running some practices to get some good pictures...

Reflections from Two Ballparks

Reflections from Two Ballparks

This week I got to go to a Nats game with some glorious seats at Club Level and also a game at my hometown of Johnson City, TN, at what used to be Cardinals Park in the Appalachian League.  I love watching the precision of the big leaguers — I will say the game...

Throwing Exercises

Throwing Exercises

If you want your kid to throw farther and faster – and pitching is the thing all kids want to do we need CORE MUSCLES Shoulder muscles LEG muscles Most people think throwing is with your arms.  It isn’t – if you throw right you are building all the force and momentum...

Fitness During a Pandemic–It Matters for Baseball

Fitness During a Pandemic–It Matters for Baseball

OK so your season is cancelled, your gym is closed ---so what to do?   WORK OUT ANYWAY. So why talk fitness during a pandemic – because kids are SITTING around – build up some muscles and be ready for the SPRING.   Also remind them about nutrition – NO SOFT DRINKS, NO...

Be Like Reggie

Be Like Reggie

Anyone old enough to remember the A’s--Yankees playoffs 1977 Game 6 – I’ll never forget.  I was 12.  My parents told me to go to bed.  I kept the TV on soft – I couldn’t turn it off. Reggie Jackson blasted a HR on a line shot early in the game.  Later he faced a...

Hitting and the Strong Side

Hitting and the Strong Side

What follows now is a discussion that makes me feel like I’m giving away the nuclear codes.   Getting the hang of this took me a LOT of time of watching videos of major leaguers, frame by frame analysis, talking to college hitting coaches.  This is solid gold if you...

Welcome to T-ball in 2021!!!!

Recent analysis of traffic to the site suggests that our number one page these days is stuff on Coaching T-ball.  Makes us think that a lot of you are just getting your first T-ball team around now.  Maybe you’ve played high school ball, maybe your a dad whose league...

Throwing and Catching Drills

There is a section for catching drills. And there is an in-depth report about teaching kids how to throw. This section, however, is about drills where the focus is on both throwing and catching. Diamond Drill Have a player at P, C, 3B, 2B, and 1B. Pitcher throws to...

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