Motivational Mondays

How to Apply the Motivational Hook

I love working with young ballplayers because of the opportunity to apply the hook.

As most amateur golfers know, it only takes one great golf shot to motivate them to want to come back to golf another day. Often, the same feeling occurs with youth baseball players. One great hit, or play, inspires them enough to be hooked on playing the game. Of course, it certainly helps when coaches are present to notice the great action, so they make sure the hook goes in deep. 

One of my favorite things to do, as a coach, is the following.

1. Notice something a player has never done before or notice an extraordinary play by a player.
2. Stare with a look of awe, (mouth open), at that play longer than normal.
3. Look at others and say, “Did you see that?”
4. Look back at the performing player with a smile and say something like, “Wow, that was cool,” or “Where did that come from?” or “Look who’s been holding out on us.”
5. Finally, making a point of mentioning that play and player later to others, especially to that player’s parents.

That one play and coaching response often hooks a player on the game and to what is possible for them. Hook applied and the hook is deep – coaching mission accomplished.

Of course, coaches must save this for those special plays and not use too much or the hook is less meaningful. This method works for older and advanced players, too. After all, who does not like to have it appreciated when greatness occurs, or at least, when something they have never achieved before happens.

Sunday Setting Sights on Success

Stress Reducing Coaching Tip – Don’t Forget Yourself

Getting something off the mind and on to paper is a great first step to stress reducing behavior. The following stress reducing coaching method has helped me numerous times over the years. It is simply the letter, “Never to be sent and only for self-viewing.”

As a player, coach, and parent of athletes, I cannot begin to count the number of sleepless nights I have had. It is not like I lost perspective, it’s just that sports becomes a big part of serious sports minded people. Many trying moments wake one up in the night with that helpless feeling of what could have been and/or the feeling of not knowing what to do next. The helpless feeling of not knowing ways to help struggling and frustrated young players is very common, and a constant dilemma for parents of serious minded baseball players.

Stress reducing coaching tip

A responsibility of adults is helping players learn to deal with adversity, both personal and team. However, often, adults around the game have more adversity than youth, for a variety of reasons, as dealing with other parents or players, etc. In addition, youth often prove to be more resilient than adults are.

A first step to helping youth overcome adversity is learning to overcome it themselves. Coaches (and parents) must learn to deal with their frustrations, too. When adults struggle to deal with those on a personal level, unfortunate things get spoken or negative incidents result from the pent up frustration.

Stress Reducing Coaching Tip – Note to Self

A great way for adults to ease their frustrations and rid them of sleepless nights is with the letter to self. Before even trying to sleep, adults should send themselves a letter that they write about the situation. Adults should list out the things that bother them followed by possible solutions to the problem.

For example, answering these questions are a good beginning for helping situation.

1. What, or who, is bothering me so much?
2. How upset is my son, daughter, or player?
3. Am I taking it too hard and/or over reacting?
4. What are all the possible ways of fixing this situation?
5. What is the best of those solutions for my child first, and then for me?

This proactive practice of writing a note to self often helps clear the mind, especially when solutions seem possible. Just being able to write out the situation and see it on paper takes it out of one’s mind and into a concrete, viewable problem. The next step is to sleep or try to sleep on the written thoughts to review in the morning. At that time, they can review what they wrote, make adjustments, and follow up on possible solutions.

The good news is that often just writing out the problem and solution helps one to move on from the situation. Of course, the other good news is that the better night sleep refreshes one to think more clearly. Many negative youth sport situations disappear with this note-to-self, writing practice.

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Saturday Secrets to Great Baseball Coaching 

Defensive Baseball Work

Getting the most work accomplished in the shortest amount of practice time is always preferred, instead of having many players standing around inactive. The following defensive baseball practice is an easy way to keep the whole team busy at once.

Taking normal infield practice is good for pregame practice, but to keep many players active, while working on defensive baseball skills, coaches should use the following defensive baseball routine. Often, at the higher levels of baseball, this defensive baseball routine occurs in between pitches during batting practice, but not recommended for youth level baseball, as it is too dangerous, because the timing has to be just right with baseballs moving all over the place.

Defensive Baseball Drill

Defensive Baseball Practice Drill

Two coaches hit infield groundballs and one coach hits outfield balls to players. The outfield-hitting coach lines up at one of the foul lines, behind the first or third base bags in the outfield, and hits balls to players standing in center field. One player sets up as the cutoff person towards the coach, to whom outfielders field balls and fire to the cutoff player.

One infield-hitting coach sets up to the first base side of home plate and hits groundballs to either the second or third base positions. The other coach sets up on the third baseline and hits balls to the shortstop or first base positions.

Various throws are possible in this defensive baseball routine, as long as coaches consider players’ safety.

Examples of Multiple Ground Balls Defensive Practice

1. When hitting balls to the third base position, coaches can have third baseman throw to first, while the middle infielders work on turning double plays, except middle infielders do not complete throws to first base.
2. Coaches can have first basemen throwing to shortstop at second base, while other coach alternates hitting balls to third basemen and second baseman, as they return throws directly back to the coach.
3. Another alternative has one coach flipping balls to the catchers, who throw to middle infielders covering second base, as other coach hits balls to first or third with throws going to the opposite of where balls hit.

As you can see, many other possibilities exist, as long as coaches keep it safe.

It is best when coaches alternate hitting balls in this drill, as opposed to hitting balls at the exact same time. Coaches can have a player safely off to the side of them to catch returned balls, or players can one hop balls back in to the coach. Adding an extra first base bag up the line is a possibility, but the extra base has some risk to it, especially with inexperienced ball players. When a player forgets where he is to throw the ball, an obvious injury risk is involved. That is why this multiple ground ball routine is for experienced ball players.

Friday Base Running Tips

Base Running Drills that Spur Excitement

The first base running drill coaches should have players perform, besides working on the correct method of running through first base on ground balls, is to have players run home to third base or home to home. This running drill demonstrates that distance is a long way and players must be in good physical condition to make it without tiring. Secondly, this running drill gives coaches a chance to analyze players’ rounding techniques, which give coaches a chance to help players round the base most effectively. Using a stopwatch, and/or video camera, to time and film players helps prove to them places that correct rounding the bases techniques can shave time off their journey. 

Once players have improved their rounding techniques, the following competitive base running drills serve to bring great energy to teams, along with working on good base running.

Competitive Base Running Drills – One

Coaches or players choose two teams, team A and B. Coaches place each teams’ members alternately at second base or home plate. For example, team A’s leadoff runner is at home plate, their second runner at second base, their third runner at home plate, and so on. Team B’s members do the same, but with their initial runner beginning at second base. Coaches signal the beginning of the race and players run from home to second or second to home. When players touch the base, the next player on the team takes off, until the last player finishes, at which time the team that gets their last player across the base is the winning team. Once again, coaches analyze players’ techniques as they round the bases for incorrect paths.

Completive Base Running Drills – Two

Coaches set an extra base a couple of feet behind first, second, and third base so players do not converge to bases at same time. Of course, for safety purposes, coaches must use bases that will not slip as runners touch it. Two players set up at first base, with the faster of the two players at the farthest base from home, which handicaps the race. Coaches stand in third base coaching box, give signs, and coach as in a game.

Another coach acts as the pitcher and both players take off on each pitch, according to the coach’s signals for stealing, hit and run play, or after the secondary lead. At the three quarter distance between bases, coaches flash a sign to the runners either to stop at the base with the finger point, keep running with the waving them on motion, or to stop action with both hands up. Players observe the coach’s signal and race to the correct base, accordingly. The first player to the correct base is the winner of that round. For example, when the coach flashes the stop sign, players must hit the brakes and get back to the base they came from. Obviously, in this scenario, the slower player has a little advantage to get back to the base, making it an exciting base running drill.

This is a good way for players to learn the base signals, as well as when to look for coaching signals, when approaching bases. This base running drill works with one runner at a time, but the two-player, competitive base running drill makes it more exciting for players, and often more effective for learning to run the bases correctly.

Thursday Throwing Tips

Top Team Throwing Drills so Time is not Wasted

It is important that coaches use throwing warm up time efficiently. Often, coaches waste this time, as they are busy doing other things, when players warm their arms up before games and practices. Once coaches stop supervising this time, players become bored and just go through the motions of warming up. Not only is this time wasted, failure to loosen the arms correctly may lead to arm injuries.

From the first practice of the season, coaches should give players a warm-up throwing routine that teams do on their own, especially when coaches are busy with other preparations, so this time does not go to waste. It may take a few practices for players to learn it on their own, but once they do, coaches can assign one of the team members to coordinate the throwing routine.

The following 3 throwing drills give players a throwing routine that emphasizes the keys to good throwing habits.

“Go-To” and “Must Do”  Team Throwing Drills

Accuracy Throwing Drill – The point game

After just a few initial throws, players immediately go the point game, when players play against their throwing partners. The throwing player receives one point for every time their partner catches the ball between their shoulders and hips directly in front of player, without the receiving player moving in front of the ball. The throwing player gets two points for throws caught in front of their head, also when with receiving player not moving in front of ball. This accuracy throwing drill has players recognizing the importance of every throw having a purpose, even warm –up tosses.

Throwing Drill for Stretching Arm out – Long Toss Drill

All the balls begin at the same end and with players the exact same distance away from their throwing partners. At the yell, “Now,” by a player or coach, players release balls, with no delay. On completed catches, when players do not have to move up more than two steps, players back up a big step before their next toss. When catches are not completed, players throw from the same distance as their previous spot after retrieving the dropped ball. The object is to get as far away from their throwing partner in as few of throws as possible. This throwing drill emphasis long toss throwing to develop arm strength, as well as making sure players’ arms loosens gradually.

Throwing Drill for Quickness and Accuracy – Four Corners

Players set up in groups of four and in a square, as at the four bases. Players send the ball around “the horn” seeing how long they keep the throws going without missed balls. The goal is to have throws, and turns to throw, go quickly around the square of players. Many variations of this drill are possible, with turns and balls possible in all directions, as well as performing the drill by having a player call out the players name to throw the ball to or using numbers to designate the bases where to throw balls.

When room is less available, having a quick hands contest, when players count the number of completed throws between partners in a designated time period, also works to develop quick and accurate throws.

Once again, the coaching goal is to have players automatically go to these throwing drills on their own before practices and games, so warm up time is most beneficial.

Wednesday Web Gems

What is Straight Up Positioning and Why so Important to Defensive Baseball Strategy?

Defensive Strategy begins with this

I was in a conversation one day with the great, baseball Hall of Famer, Cal Ripken, and he mentioned how many youth ballplayers did not understand “straight up positioning.” Of course, I agreed with Cal Ripken, who would not? Both Cal and I agreed that understanding straight up positioning was the whole key to defensive baseball strategy, and just as importantly, is the key to smooth baseball coaching.

Straight up positioning is the equal distance between the bases for middle infielders and corner outfielders, and directly in line with home plate and second base for centerfielders. For first and third baseman, it is the correct distance from the base, as far as distance towards the outfield and distance away from the line. This distance from the bag varies depending on whether left handed or right-handed batters are up to bat. Coaches must explain and demonstrate this distance to corner infielders. Often, corner infielders and corner outfielders tend to “hug” the base lines, which is why this coaching is necessary.

Straight Up Positioning Baseball Defensive Strategy Drill

Coaching youth ball players the concept of “straight up” for defensive baseball strategy takes time, especially because players change positions often at the youth level. The following drill is effective for teaching players correct straight up positioning.

All players begin at the pitcher’s mound and coaches assign players a position, except fro pitcher and catcher positions. When coaches yell now, players run to their assigned position and set in the spot they feel is “straight up.” Coaches analyze these spots and make the appropriate adjustments. Coaches bring players back in and repeat the same assignments, or give players different assignments, before doing the same thing. Coaches perform this drill until they are satisfied players know the correct player defensive placement.

Once this positioning becomes second nature to players, all defensive baseball strategy begins with having them start every batter in the straight up position. Coaches then use hand signal adjustments to move players from those initial spots. Thus, defensive baseball becomes easy, with the ability to move players around from batter to batter. Without that knowledge, baseball defensive placement of players requires too much communication, which is difficult from batter to batter, or pitch to pitch, as is often necessary in baseball. With runners on base, players must learn to make the correct defensive adjustments from their initial positioning, also.

Tuesday Tips to Tattoo the Ball

Striving for the Perfect Swing Hitting Drill

Let me begin by saying that it takes the perfect swing to drive the outside pitch to the opposite field, with the key idea there, drive.

In my 24 years of coaching baseball hitting, I am constantly striving to find the perfect swing hitting drill. When I find it, I will be satisfied, but until that time, this one will have to suffice. When I find it, coaching hitting will be easy for me and all baseball hitting coaches, as we will have batters do the perfect swing hitting drill and all batters will be great.

However, up to now no one hitting drill guarantees the perfect swing. Many drills come close, but most have little flaws, where batters can skip around the drill slightly and still hit the ball well. The closest perfect swing hitting drill that I come up with is a little complicated, because it requires a netted batting cage, well flipped balls, and a coach that knows what the perfect swing entails. My “closest-to-the-perfect-swing” hitting drill goes like this.

Close to a perfect swing hitting drill

In a netted batting cage, the hitter sets their rear foot about four inches in front of the net. (The net is the direction where the catcher is normally) The coach sets up behind a pitching screen, directly in front and about 15 feet in front of the batter. (The screen is in direction of pitcher)

Coaches flip balls, without an arc, to the outside half of home plate. The goal has batters drive the ball with backspin to the opposite side of the field, without hitting the net on the forward swing, but hitting the net, or coming very close to it, on their follow through.

Why This Hitting Drill works for the Perfect Swing

The reason this hitting drill is so effective and guarantees the perfect swing is that it takes a great swing to hit the outside pitch the other way, on the line and with backspin, without dropping the bat head and without jumping at the pitch. The desired compact swing is promoted when the rear net is missed initially, the correct palm-up, palm-down bat angle happens to hit the ball the opposite way and hitters must stay back and let the ball get deep in the zone, if they are to hit the net on their follow through. Good hitting coaches recognize batted balls that have backspin on them, as opposed to those hit in that direction with top spin.

As players get adept at hitting outer half pitches to the opposite field, coaches can flip balls to any pitch location and see if batters can hit balls with backspin in the direction of the pitched balls. This drill works for regular batting practice as it promotes staying back and a compact swing with the net behind the batter. Most hitters’ problems come about from a failure to stay back, an incorrect first move and from having a long swing. This perfect swing hitting drill helps solve those problems. A tarp or sheet works behind the batter with coaches flipping soft balls at the hitter in the aforementioned way, when a batting cage is unavailable.

Motivational Mondays 

Importance of Coaching Motivation Techniques

There is no one way fits all, when it comes to motivating ball players, as all have different personalities and motivation levels. That is why it is important that coaches get to know players’ personalities, so they can figure out coaching motivation methods for each player. Coaching motivation techniques for some players are relatively easy to find and occur the first day of the season, whereas it takes most of the season for other players, if at all. Following are some coaching motivation techniques to help coaches inspire youth ballplayers.

Effective Coaching Motivation Techniques for Individuals 

For the Scholarly, less Athletic Player

Coaches can try a “Major league favorite player day,” when players announce their favorite major league player, give some background and statistics on the player, and tell all why he is their favorite player. Ask players to keep all updated on their favorite players’ progress as the season goes on. This motivational method helps players get in the spirit of baseball and may help to get kids talking and watching baseball more.

For the below average or less confident player

Coaches should explain to each player their role on the team, why they are important to the team, and how they can improve their play. Communication is so important, even with youth players, so feel they are vital role to the team.

For all Players

All kids love praise, promoting kids accomplishments, no matter how small, and especially to their parents, is a great form of motivation.

Coaching Motivational Techniques for Teams

Coaches should:

Take responsibility for poor games. Teams often work harder for coaches, who blame themselves for poor play, instead of holding kids accountable.

Share what know – this may be seem like a given, but many coaches only coach to some players and often just to the better ones. Players, who know coaches are coaching all players, helps motivate. Coaching bench players during games is a great example of this motivational coaching method.

Give players something to look forward to – for example, kids love playing games, letting them know the harder they work early in practice, or the sooner they do things correctly, the sooner they can play games, is a good coaching motivation technique.

Good coaches never give up on looking for motivation techniques that reach players, especially the seemingly unreachable ones.

Sunday Setting Sights on Success

Necessary Coaching Training Tips

 A high school coaching friend of mine recently said that the biggest problem he has at the high school level is kids not knowing the game and especially with what to do with the ball on defense. My question to him was, “How can that be, with kids playing more games than ever in this age of travel baseball?

Unfortunately, coaches are not required to have training to coach youth baseball. Most leagues require background checks, but those have nothing to do with knowing the game or having skills to work with youth. Some baseball leagues offer pre-season coaching clinics, but often they are not mandatory and there is no follow up to these clinics. Additionally, coaching training has gone backwards in recent years with the popularity of travel baseball, as anyone can start a team, with little or no coaching training necessary.

Coaching training should be required at all levels of baseball. Leagues and organizations need to step up and offer and demand coaching training for youth baseball. The proper coaching training goes a long way towards helping kids get to the high school level with adequate knowledge of how to play the game and trained coaches helps kids be all they can be. The following coaching tips, so coaches can “Be all they can be” should be required reading for all youth baseball coaches.

Coaching Training for Practices

Coaches should:

1. Plan every practice and pregame – this plan is preferably written with precise practice drills, skills and amount of time to work on each. Of course, coaches should build a little flexibility into their practice schedule.
2. Set expectations for coaches and players – along with having detailed practice plans, head coaches should explain to other coaches and players what they are expected to learn by the end of that day’s practice
3. Offer something different and variety – keeping practice vital and exciting by varying the practice structure is good to avoid boredom. For example, beginning one practice with base running and the next with game play etc… works well to keep kids excited about practice
4. Review practices after with other coaches to see how effective they were and for making future adjustments. Constant review is great for positive coaching training.

Coaching Training for Games

Coaches should:

1. Help players learn to deal with adversity – this may be the most important thing coaches can do for players, as adversity will come in youth baseball, and learning to deal with it is necessary. One of my favorite statements when kids fail is, “It won’t be the last time.”
2. Remember games are for kids, practices are for coaches – getting these two confused leads to the incorrect coaching perspective.
3. Forget bad plays and stay focused on the present and future – good coaches realize they cannot change what happened and look for the next pitch, while thinking an inning or two ahead. Obviously, this coaching method takes a lot of coaching experience to master.
4. Never fail to thank team and other coaches for their efforts

Finally, good coaches go into practices and games assuming the best for that day. Negative thinking coaches do not last long in youth baseball or ruin the fun of the game for youth ball players. Following these coaching training tips can help coaches and players “Be all they can be.”

Saturday Tips for Great Baseball Coaching

Baseball Coaching Practices to Avoid

Many ball players set personal goals for themselves. This is not a bad thing, when kids do it themselves, as it serves as self-motivation. However, I am not a great believer in short term goals or adults setting goals for youth baseball players, as goals set players up for disappointment, which affects self-confidence negatively. Statistical goals and award goals, as so many home runs or making the all-star team, are often beyond players’ control and put more pressure on players than necessary. In the end, the goal setting often backfires.

Additionally, many parents and coaches get in the habit of rewarding young players when they do something on the ball field.  I also do not believe giving players rewards for reaching certain statistical game or season goals is a good thing, as often kids begin to play more for reaching their individual awards than for the team and/ or for the fun of the game. Even telling kids that you will buy them an ice cream cone after the game, if they hit a home run begins a precedent that is not good.

Along those lines, rewarding teams for winning is not a good coaching practice, for the same reasons just mentioned. “Treats for everyone, if we win today,” is one of those reward types that coaches should avoid.

However, goals and rewards on a team basis can be good, when they emphasize things that teams control and that attest to effort and hustle, as opposed to statistics. Having team type rewards for goals that pertain to working hard and for striving for improvement is great motivators for teams and teaches lessons beyond the ball diamond.

Good  Baseball Coaching Practices to Reward Players for

When kids:

1.       Do their best to pay attention to everything coaches say

2.       Hustle on and off field

3.       Run every batted ball out 100%

4.       Completely clean up dugout and surrounding areas after game and help with baseball equipment before games

5.       Root for each other as never before

6.       Treat their parents and all adults with respect at the games and practices

7.       Never question an umpire’s call

Coaching practices like these, which reward players for respecting the game, sportsmanship, and for respecting adults around the game, are worth rewarding youth. Of course, it can get expensive for coaches to offer food, etc… for these type things, so just giving out baseball cards or other inexpensive things is best.