Tips for the First Time Baseball Coach

By Melvin J Mudgett

Dads and moms who've just volunteered for their child's baseball team may be a little lost in the beginning. It's important to have a game plan. As a first time coach you may be a little nervous; but if you are prepared, you will feel more comfortable. You'll need to know the rules of the game, the basic fundamentals and how to teach them to your players. You must decide how to schedule your practices with drills and skills your team needs to know. You will also want to hold strategy meetings on how you want your team to play the game of baseball.

The first thing you should do is explore all avenues of information. The internet is a valuable resource. You can find whatever information you need on almost any subject. The library is another great resource for your informational needs. Most librarians are very knowledgeable and willing to help you find the perfect materials to assist you. Also, it doesn't hurt to get advice from other coaches. What greater resource can you get than someone who has done it before.

Remember, be prepared and have your own game plan. The more you know the game and rules the better you can teach your players. Make it easy to understand how to play. Begin with the basics and work from there. Discuss the rules and how important they are to the game. Make your expectations of the players clear.

Teach the basic baseball fundamentals first. That is where it all starts. Have specific drills that will develop your players catching, throwing, and hitting. While doing drills, you can analyze your players abilities and put them in the best positions for the team.

Plan your week of practices. Set up your practices ahead of time. Be sure to check the calendar. Take into consideration holidays and other events that may conflict with scheduled practices. Plan your practices with specific drills you want your players to get better at. As a coach, your job is to help each player advance their skills.

Don't forget to teach sportsmanship. Learning to win and lose with good sportsmanship is important. Having fun is one of the essentials in developing your players. If they are having fun at what they are doing, the interest will remain high. Playing as a team should also be taught. Learning these lessons will prepare them for the game of baseball and of life as well.

These are some basic baseball tips to get you started. You need to be as prepared as you would want your team to be. You are the coach. Your players look up to you for guidance, instructions, and structure. They all want to win, along with you. Your coaching confidence will grow stronger if you have a game plan.

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Baseball Positions: Right Fielder Is The Best

By David J Weller

Right field is the best position on the baseball field. The right fielder has one of the strongest arms on the team. That strong arm combined with smart play can stop rallies. Right fielders also tend to hit for power, which gives them another way to affect a game. One aspect to right fielders that is often overlooked is their responsibilities for backing up throws.

A right fielder needs a strong arm. Some of the longest throws are from the right field corner to third base and from the right-center field wall to home plate. Having a reputation for a strong arm will keep runners from taking an extra base.

A right fielder that has a strong arm and is good at getting to the ball can stop rallies before they begin. Getting to the ball quickly will prevent a runner from going first to third on a base hit. If the runner does go, a strong throw will get him out at third. In one case, there are runners at first and second and the double play is still possible. In the other case, there is one more out and just a runner at second. Without a good right fielder, there are probably runners at second and third.

Right fielders also tend to hit for power. They hit home runs and drive in a lot of runs. This takes pressure off of the pitchers and the defense.

Another very important job for the right fielder is backing up throws. Any throw from in front of the pitcher to the first baseman is backed up by the right fielder. Also, any throw from third base or shortstop to second base is backed up by the right fielder. If any of these throws gets by the fielder, the right fielder gets to it and prevents the runners from taking extra bases.

So there you have it. Right field is the best position to play. Right fielders put an end to the opponent's rallies and produce rallies for their own team. They also back up certain throws and limit the damage of errant throws.

If you are a right fielder, you are in company with baseball greats such as: Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Roger Maris, Roberto Clemente, Tony Gwynn, Reggie Jackson, Frank Robinson, Ichiro Suzuki, Cory Hart, and Justin Upton. There are four right fielders in the top 13 all time home run leaders. It was a right fielder that held the single season home run mark from 1919 until 1998. An impressive feat, indeed!

This is part of a series of articles explaining why each position on the baseball field is the best. This series is aimed towards coaches at all levels. It is my belief that every position is important, and they each need players with different strengths. It is my hope that coaches can use this series to help inspire a love for the game of baseball.

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