Problems With Travel Baseball Under the Age of 12

By Andy Pohl Originally designed for middle and high school aged baseball players, summer travel teams are now providing opportunities for kids as young as 8 years old. I have even heard that in certain parts of the country they are offering travel t-ball. These youth league teams travel all around the country like big leaguers so kids still learning to read, write and complete elementary mathematical computations can play the toughest competition for the biggest prizes. Sounds like a great opportunity for kids who love baseball, correct? Not really. I believe that travel baseball is out of control, and the problems with travel baseball for kids under the age of 12 far outweigh its benefits. Proponents of travel baseball argue that playing more games against the best possible competition facilitates athletic development. It is hard to disagree with that. However, I urge parents with kids under the age of 12 to evaluate travel baseball with a more critical eye. In doing so, parents should ask the following questions: 1) Is my son really playing the best completion, or is he playing against mainly watered down teams in over-hyped tournaments? 2) Is the focus too much on winning and not on my son's athletic, social, and emotional development? 3) Is my son's travel schedule so rigorous that he has lost his ability to be a kid? 4) Is the pressure associated with playing tournament competition age appropriate? 5) What are my son's long term goals regarding baseball, and how does participating in travel baseball fit with those goals? While I would like to remove travel baseball all together from the 11-U youth league landscape, I understand that travel baseball is here to stay. With that being said, allow me to offer the following advice to parents: • Do not let your son play travel baseball until they are at least 12 years old. If you feel that it is absolutely necessary to play travel baseball before the age of 12, find a team that plays about 30 games with minimal travel. • Look for teams that focus on player development, not winning. Gravitate towards coaches who understand emotional and social development. This can be more important than baseball knowledge. • Seek out teams with professionally trained coaches or teams who have hired professional coaches to consult with the team throughout the season. • Find teams who run practices during the season. Running practices during the season is a critical component to the athletic development of young players, as this gives them opportunities to improve skills that were not performed correctly during games. • Be careful of newly formed travel team. New travel teams are usually formed by those who have self-serving reasons for creating this new team. Andy Pohl - Co-Founder, DNA Sports DNA Sports specializes in personalized baseball and softball skill programs, college recruiting education and preparation, and coaching clinics. Learn more: http://www.dnasportsonline.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andy_Pohl Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6508469

Problems With Travel Baseball: Not Enough Practice Time

By Andy Pohl When travel league schedules revolve around tournament play, winning inherently becomes the primary focus. Rarely do these teams have time to practice due to the heightened amount of travel and games. This is a glaring problem with travel baseball, as kids need a combination of practice and games to best facilitate athletic development. Simply throwing young kids out on the field to play as many games as possible does not necessarily facilitate athletic development, as younger athletes need considerable practice time to develop their hitting and defensive skills in a pressure free environment. Basically, what travel baseball has done is put 8-11 year olds in an adult created setting where the pressure to win and perform takes precedent over the emotional and athletic development of the players themselves. A bi-product of this reality is the coaches themselves acting as if they were managing professional players - the yelling, the throwing of equipment, the arguing with umpires, the sulking after losses. And while it may appear that these travel coaches know what they are doing with their custom made dry-fit coaching shirts and Oakley Sunglasses resting on the brims of their fitted caps, the fact of the matter is that most of travel coaches possess the same amount of knowledge as your average house league coach. In fact, the majority of travel players are being coached by parents who don't know the first thing about baseball or the social and emotional development of kids. Many of these parent coaches cannot even properly parent their own kids! Rather than winning, the focus for youth baseball needs to be on development. After all, once these kids hit puberty, it is really not going to matter which travel team your son played on and how many tournaments they won. Athletic excellence and success cannot always be identified at an early age, and inferior athletes will frequently blossom and attain success in later years given the right opportunity to compete and develop their skills. Consistent practice time is a critical component to this development. Though some may disagree with several of the statements in this narrative, understand that my goal is to report in an honest and straightforward manner what I know to be true from my many experiences working with youth baseball players. I have no hidden agenda. The well-being of kids is always my top priority, hence the reason why I created this article. Andy Pohl - Co-Founder, DNA Sports DNA Sports specializes in personalized baseball and softball skill programs, college recruiting education and preparation, and coaching clinics. Learn more: http://www.dnasportsonline.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andy_Pohl Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6508482

Bunting Drills to Allow You to Become a Much Better Baseball Player

By Thomas E Wilson Once you've learned the best way to bunt, it is important to practice this type and repeat the motions repeatedly. This will bring about you eventually doing this essentially without thinking when game time comes. The following drills will allow you to ensure success bunting at the plate if done as part of your regular baseball workouts schedule. Bunting Pepper: This drill requires four players. Have one player take his batting stance as well as the three other players form an arch around 20 feet from him. Starting using the player in the center of the arch, ask him to softly toss the ball on the batter whose job is to bunt the ball to one of these two other players who didn't throw the ball. The player who the hitter bunted to should now throw the ball to the hitter. Continue for a few minutes, after which rotate. On the Corners: This drill requires two players or one player plus a coach. Place a cone 10-20 feet abroad plate and 10-20 feet away from the third base line and the other cone 10-20 feet away from home plate and 10-20 feet out of the first base line. Have a coach or another player pitch towards the hitter. The hitter's goal is to bunt as many pitches as possible (that are strikes) between the third base foul line as well as the third base cone or involving the first base foul line and also the first base cone. The hitter gets 1 point for each time he successfully places the bunt. Soft Bunts: This drill requires two players or one player plus a coach. Have the hitter stand on the plate and put a bucket directly as you're watching plate. Have a coach or some other player pitch for the batter. The goal with the batter is always to make sure he is absorbing the velocity of the pitch therefore softening his bunts so they drop directly into the bucket. This is a crucial skill to learn to ensure that even as the ball player sees faster and faster pitching as he ages, he will almost certainly still be able to soften his bunts. Next practice, give these drills a go and see the way your players' bunting improves next game. Remember, if a player would like to see better results with his bunting, make sure he is also practicing these bunts as part of his regular baseball workouts program in the home! Are you interested in improving your game and being the best baseball player you can be? If so, check out www.BestBaseballWorkouts.com to find more helpful information as well as baseball workouts that will take your game to the next level! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thomas_E_Wilson Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6525185

How to Buy the Perfect Size Baseball Glove

By Earl Crocker There are two main things to consider when purchasing a baseball glove. First, what position will you be playing? If you are going to play the infield, you will need to have a shallow pocket glove. This will give you better control and provide an easier transfer of the ball. When playing the outfield, you will need to consider a deep pocket baseball glove. This will allow for easier catching of fly balls and fewer errors. Next, you need to consider the age of the player. When buying a baseball glove for your kids, don't buy a glove for them to "grow into". This will only cause errors and frustration. Youth players need a glove made to fit. This means their glove may not last for years, but they will have a much better little league career if they have a baseball glove that fits. Baseball players ages 8yrs. and under should most likely use a 9 inch glove if playing the infield, or 11 inch glove if playing outfield. Ages 9yrs.-13yrs. should use a 9-10 inch glove for infield and 11-12 inch for outfield. High school/ Adult players may consider a 10.5-11.5 inch glove for infield and a 12-12.5 for outfield. When buying a catchers mitt the average youth will need a 31-32 inch mitt. The average adult size is 33-34 inch. However, to be sure of your correct size, here an easy formula to follow. First, find your regular glove size. If you don't know it then measure your glove from the heel of the glove (by your wrist) to the top of the glove on the palm side (near your fingers). Next, subtract this number from 12.5, then take that number and subtract it from 34.5. This will give you the perfect size baseball mitt, but remember, catchers mitts fit tighter than regular baseball gloves. So you will need to adjust the straps and allow time for breaking in your new catchers mitt. The best way to break in your new glove is to simply play catch with a friend. This will help your glove and your game. Also, it is good to use a little oil (not too much). And some people like to place a ball in the pocket of the glove and tie it shut, this helps form the pocket of the glove. Just remember, it's all about having fun! Whether you are 2 or 92, beginner or pro, boy or girl, baseball is a great sport, so get out there and PLAY BALL! Earl Crocker http://www.infinitebaseballgloves.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Earl_Crocker Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6548852