By Daniel Warwick
Last year I played my first year of baseball at Orange Coast College, and I pitched through the whole year with two torn tendons in my shoulder. Why am I telling you this? I was never aware of the different things you can do for a healthy arm. I pitched since I was little, and that is where the initial wear and tear starts. I just recently had surgery and I want to help young pitchers avoid ever having to deal with arm injuries. These are very simple, very basic tips that a lot of people know about, but don't apply them. By doing these everyday, I was able to still pitch while already having these injuries, I just wish I had known them before the injury occurred.
Tip #1: If something hurts, don't ignore it.
This is probably the most basic, yet most important point I want to get across. If something doesn't feel right, and it doesn't go away, don't just act like it will. This is what I've done my whole life, and even when I was going to my doctor, he kept insisting that it was only tendonitis. I had to finally insist an MRI from my doctor, and he still didn't think it would be anything. My coaches, teammates, and my doctor, all thought it was nothing but tendonitis. Well the results came and two tears in my shoulder, and an O ring tear. Now I'm sitting here writing this with still 6 to 9 months of recovery time ahead of me. Bottom line, go with your gut, get it checked out. If it's nothing, at least you know. Trust me, it's not worth taking the chance.
Tip #2: Ice Ice Ice and More Ice
Like no duh, you throw a lot of pitches, you ice, everyone knows that. What I learned is that you can't underestimate the power of icing your arm. And it's not just something you have to do when you pitch a lot, if at all possible, after every time you throw. Trust me, you won't notice, and you won't know to thank me for it, but do it young. The sooner you ice after throwing, the better as well. People don't realize how much wear it takes for you arm to throw a ball as hard as you do, over and over. Sure it might not hurt, but that wear and tear adds up every year you continue to do it. Icing thins the blood to help more blood take more nutrients throughout your arm to start repairing all and any damage. Secondly, when you do it right after you throw, it slows all of your cells down right away, and prevents all that wear you just performed. If it were possible, I would ice immediately once I know I'm done throwing every time. Trust me, your arm will feel golden. And there is also nothing wrong with icing more than once a day, especially if it's sore.
Tip #3: Don't just play catch to warm up
If you're a pitcher, you do different things than other players. Throwing downhill puts more stress on your arm, you throw more than all the other players, and you throw different pitches, "the curve ball." You want to be really warm before you throw. Run to get some blood flow, stretch out, and either use bands, or light 3 or 5 lb weights. Just do different things, keep your arms straight by your side and lift up in front of you, at a 45 degree angle, and on the side of you. Then over your head with your arm bent at a 90 degree angle straight up, and slowly bend it forward, and then back up. When I do these, I do three sets of ten reps each every time before I throw, whether it's a bullpen, coming in for relief in the middle of the game, or even just to play catch. Now I know that these may be hard to know exactly what to do, but you can just experiment and figure out what works. The important thing is to make sure that all of your small muscles are really warmed up and stretched before you throw.
Tip #4: Run and build your legs
I'm not going to waste a lot of time on this one, it's pretty simple, but important. Run a lot, and build your legs. Running increases blood flow to help heal your arm, while at the same time helps your stamina and endurance on the mound. And the stronger your legs are, means the less your arm has to work. You'd be surprised how important your legs on for pitching, for velocity, and to protect your arm.
Hi, my name is Daniel Warwick. Now there was one tip I left out, and that is to build your forearm strength. This takes stress off your elbow and your shoulder. The thing about this one though is that it is great for baseball performance all around, pitching and hitting. Just check out my blog to see the link at http://livelargedt.ws/PitchingTips Also, if you are looking for a really big edge in whatever you're doing, there is a site is going to be launching a new workout and diet program from top pro trainers. Just check it out at my site http://livelargedt.ws/PitchingTips
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Daniel_Warwick
Showing posts with label tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tips. Show all posts
Friday, August 27, 2010
Saturday, January 2, 2010
3 Most Important Baseball Coaching Tips
By Jordan Koch
There are a lot of good baseball coaching tips out there, but the great baseball coached really hammer down on three tips. The important tips are running hard, playing smart, and having a plan. If you really promote these three tips at practices you should start to see better practices and better performances on the field.
Hustle, hustle, hustle. We have all heard that before but many coaches seem to be getting away from that. More and more baseball players are walking around at practice and that leads to potentially jogging out ground balls and generally looking sloppy. If you want to keep your team looking sharp at all times, make sure it starts with practice. Keep the players running around and you will see a much better-looking team come game time.
Another one of the great baseball coaching tips is the importance of playing smart. Even the best team in the world has to play smart in order to win. Make sure your team isn't throwing behind runners, and that they are hitting behind them. Cut-offs should be hit and outfielders should be taking the right lines to fly-balls. A lot of the things that go along with playing smart are small little details, but all these details done right will lead to games being won.
The last tip is two-fold, in order to win you must have a plan then execute it. Pitchers need to know how to attack hitters then do it. Hitters need to know what to expect against certain pitchers then be ready for it. Your defense should know what to do with the ball if it's hit to them. This idea of having plan will greatly increase the chance of actually doing the right things on the baseball field.
Good coaches become great when they follow the three important baseball coaching tips and implement them into their system. Start seeing an increase in ability out of your players now by cracking down on these ideas.
Dominate the Competition and Learn True Hitting Secrets With the Super 8 Hitting System
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jordan_Koch
There are a lot of good baseball coaching tips out there, but the great baseball coached really hammer down on three tips. The important tips are running hard, playing smart, and having a plan. If you really promote these three tips at practices you should start to see better practices and better performances on the field.
Hustle, hustle, hustle. We have all heard that before but many coaches seem to be getting away from that. More and more baseball players are walking around at practice and that leads to potentially jogging out ground balls and generally looking sloppy. If you want to keep your team looking sharp at all times, make sure it starts with practice. Keep the players running around and you will see a much better-looking team come game time.
Another one of the great baseball coaching tips is the importance of playing smart. Even the best team in the world has to play smart in order to win. Make sure your team isn't throwing behind runners, and that they are hitting behind them. Cut-offs should be hit and outfielders should be taking the right lines to fly-balls. A lot of the things that go along with playing smart are small little details, but all these details done right will lead to games being won.
The last tip is two-fold, in order to win you must have a plan then execute it. Pitchers need to know how to attack hitters then do it. Hitters need to know what to expect against certain pitchers then be ready for it. Your defense should know what to do with the ball if it's hit to them. This idea of having plan will greatly increase the chance of actually doing the right things on the baseball field.
Good coaches become great when they follow the three important baseball coaching tips and implement them into their system. Start seeing an increase in ability out of your players now by cracking down on these ideas.
Dominate the Competition and Learn True Hitting Secrets With the Super 8 Hitting System
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jordan_Koch
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Baseball Pitching Tips - The Worst Baseball Question on Earth
By Larry Cicchiello
I truly believe in my heart that any questions that are asked should be totally respected and answered politely.
I've answered many questions on baseball hitting, baseball pitching, baseball coaching and more over several decades. I can proudly say that not once did I ever think the question was not a worthwhile question and I always showed the utmost respect to the person asking the question. However, there is one question on the topic of baseball pitching that I'm having a hard time coming to grips with. It is way off base, no pun intended. I must have heard it 1000 times. The question is one that is asked to a baseball pitcher about pitching to a real good hitter.
The big question asked to the pitcher is, "how do you pitch to... so and so?"
The sportswriter, sportscaster or baseball commentator is asking a pitcher how he pitches to a certain outstanding baseball hitter. I've learned a lot over the years by simply listening to these guys. For the most part, they are very intelligent and great "baseball people." But like I said, this question irks me!
Does the person asking the question think that the answer may be "breaking balls, low and away?"
Or does the person think the answer is "fastballs up and in?"
Or can it be "changeups down low?"
The proper answer given by any intelligent pitcher will always be the same and I've heard this answer 1,000 times in the last four or five decades. It's almost word for word, the same exact answer.
And the answer to this annoying question is... "I try to mix up my pitches, change speeds and move the ball around on him."
What other answer can there possibly be?
OK, I'm kidding a little bit about being annoyed. In all honesty, the question really doesn't bother me but I want to make a point.
I understand that as a pitcher, you may have a favorite pitch you like to use to a certain very good hitter, but you can't rely on it exclusively. Let's use an outstanding right-handed hitter as an example.
If you kept throwing him fast balls low and away, it's just a matter of time before he creams one to right field or to right center field. If you kept throwing him fastballs up and in, eventually he will cream one to left field or left center.
If you threw him all breaking balls, again eventually he will clobber you.
The point here is that real good hitters do not have glaring weaknesses! That's the reason they are real good baseball hitters. They may handle some pitches better than others, but they have no glaring weaknesses.
And the pitcher has to "mix it up" because the real good hitters will make adjustments.
If a batter is having a hard time with your changeup, you can't simply keep throwing it. The good hitter will go from looking terrible and then on about the fourth changeup he will put the baseball in orbit.
That's why your only approach is to mix up your pitches, change speeds, change locations and there is no set answer as to where you specifically try to locate a pitch or what particular pitch you throw to get them out.
It's not really a bad question but I just wanted to make a point here.
"Different pitches, different speeds and different locations" should be your only approach to be successful against the great hitters. Mix it up and go get em!
Larry is the president of Larwenty Online Enterprises Inc. and also the author of "Excellent Baseball Coaching: 30 Seconds Away." If you are a baseball player or are involved in baseball coaching 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
I truly believe in my heart that any questions that are asked should be totally respected and answered politely.
I've answered many questions on baseball hitting, baseball pitching, baseball coaching and more over several decades. I can proudly say that not once did I ever think the question was not a worthwhile question and I always showed the utmost respect to the person asking the question. However, there is one question on the topic of baseball pitching that I'm having a hard time coming to grips with. It is way off base, no pun intended. I must have heard it 1000 times. The question is one that is asked to a baseball pitcher about pitching to a real good hitter.
The big question asked to the pitcher is, "how do you pitch to... so and so?"
The sportswriter, sportscaster or baseball commentator is asking a pitcher how he pitches to a certain outstanding baseball hitter. I've learned a lot over the years by simply listening to these guys. For the most part, they are very intelligent and great "baseball people." But like I said, this question irks me!
Does the person asking the question think that the answer may be "breaking balls, low and away?"
Or does the person think the answer is "fastballs up and in?"
Or can it be "changeups down low?"
The proper answer given by any intelligent pitcher will always be the same and I've heard this answer 1,000 times in the last four or five decades. It's almost word for word, the same exact answer.
And the answer to this annoying question is... "I try to mix up my pitches, change speeds and move the ball around on him."
What other answer can there possibly be?
OK, I'm kidding a little bit about being annoyed. In all honesty, the question really doesn't bother me but I want to make a point.
I understand that as a pitcher, you may have a favorite pitch you like to use to a certain very good hitter, but you can't rely on it exclusively. Let's use an outstanding right-handed hitter as an example.
If you kept throwing him fast balls low and away, it's just a matter of time before he creams one to right field or to right center field. If you kept throwing him fastballs up and in, eventually he will cream one to left field or left center.
If you threw him all breaking balls, again eventually he will clobber you.
The point here is that real good hitters do not have glaring weaknesses! That's the reason they are real good baseball hitters. They may handle some pitches better than others, but they have no glaring weaknesses.
And the pitcher has to "mix it up" because the real good hitters will make adjustments.
If a batter is having a hard time with your changeup, you can't simply keep throwing it. The good hitter will go from looking terrible and then on about the fourth changeup he will put the baseball in orbit.
That's why your only approach is to mix up your pitches, change speeds, change locations and there is no set answer as to where you specifically try to locate a pitch or what particular pitch you throw to get them out.
It's not really a bad question but I just wanted to make a point here.
"Different pitches, different speeds and different locations" should be your only approach to be successful against the great hitters. Mix it up and go get em!
Larry is the president of Larwenty Online Enterprises Inc. and also the author of "Excellent Baseball Coaching: 30 Seconds Away." If you are a baseball player or are involved in baseball coaching 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
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Baseball Pitching Tips - Don't Ever Be Intimidated by Any Hitter!
By Larry Cicchiello
There is no reason on earth why a pitcher should ever be intimidated by any batter! I don't care how good or how great a baseball hitter he is. My thought process is that first of all, it comes down to simple math.
Even the great baseball hitters make outs more often than they get hits. So if I'm facing a hitter that has an average of.400, that means 6 out of 10 official at bats I will win the battle. If I'm a slightly better than average pitcher, that means that I probably will get him out about 7 out of 10 times or possibly even a little more often.
Several advantages the pitcher has over the hitter:
The pitcher knows what type of pitch is being thrown and the hitter does not.
The pitcher knows the speed of the pitch and the hitter does not.
The pitcher knows where he wants to locate the pitch and the batter does not.
Last but not least, the pitcher is standing on "the hill" and is throwing a very hard baseball in the batter's general direction.
As a baseball pitcher, there is no logical reason whatsoever to feel any intimidation.
On the other hand, if a pitcher has a batter intimidated, part of the job is done before the first pitch is even thrown!
It is a pitcher's job to make the batter uncomfortable at the plate. I am NOT implying that a pitcher should throw at a batter! What I am saying is that I strongly believe there is nothing illegal or immoral about throwing a pitch six inches or so off the inside corner of the plate.
The batter's box is six inches away from the plate, right? I have every moral and legal right to throw into what I call that "neutral area." And if my pitch goes an inch or so beyond that neutral area, I won't lose any sleep over it.
Once again, I have no intention of hitting the batter with the baseball.
If I see a great hitter get up to the plate and he is just dying to clobber me, I would not hesitate to work him "low and away" with my pitches and occasionally throw the fastball six inches or so off the inside corner of the plate.
The following short story is strictly for your benefit and not mine. Back in the late 1960's, when I was about 15 years old, I used to occasionally pitch against a fabulous hitter named Jimmy.
Jimmy was a feared hitter, strong as an ox, and it was only fitting that he was a catcher. I swear that when he came up to bat I could see smoke coming out of his ears and he was a very aggressive baseball hitter.
Every time we played his team and I was pitching, I would give him my "calling card" by throwing a fast ball inside off the plate, by about six inches or so. Just a friendly reminder to not get too comfortable up there and a reminder that I'm throwing a very hard baseball in his direction.
Once again, I want to emphasize that this is NOT to be confused with throwing at a batter, which is morally and legally wrong. I had a great deal of success in my showdowns with Jimmy and it was not a coincidence.
If I wasn't intimidated by Jimmy, a truly great hitter, I don't want you to ever be intimidated by any batter either!
Larry is the president of Larwenty Online Enterprises Inc. and also the author of "Excellent Baseball Coaching: 30 Seconds Away." If you are a baseball player or are involved in baseball coaching 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
There is no reason on earth why a pitcher should ever be intimidated by any batter! I don't care how good or how great a baseball hitter he is. My thought process is that first of all, it comes down to simple math.
Even the great baseball hitters make outs more often than they get hits. So if I'm facing a hitter that has an average of.400, that means 6 out of 10 official at bats I will win the battle. If I'm a slightly better than average pitcher, that means that I probably will get him out about 7 out of 10 times or possibly even a little more often.
Several advantages the pitcher has over the hitter:
The pitcher knows what type of pitch is being thrown and the hitter does not.
The pitcher knows the speed of the pitch and the hitter does not.
The pitcher knows where he wants to locate the pitch and the batter does not.
Last but not least, the pitcher is standing on "the hill" and is throwing a very hard baseball in the batter's general direction.
As a baseball pitcher, there is no logical reason whatsoever to feel any intimidation.
On the other hand, if a pitcher has a batter intimidated, part of the job is done before the first pitch is even thrown!
It is a pitcher's job to make the batter uncomfortable at the plate. I am NOT implying that a pitcher should throw at a batter! What I am saying is that I strongly believe there is nothing illegal or immoral about throwing a pitch six inches or so off the inside corner of the plate.
The batter's box is six inches away from the plate, right? I have every moral and legal right to throw into what I call that "neutral area." And if my pitch goes an inch or so beyond that neutral area, I won't lose any sleep over it.
Once again, I have no intention of hitting the batter with the baseball.
If I see a great hitter get up to the plate and he is just dying to clobber me, I would not hesitate to work him "low and away" with my pitches and occasionally throw the fastball six inches or so off the inside corner of the plate.
The following short story is strictly for your benefit and not mine. Back in the late 1960's, when I was about 15 years old, I used to occasionally pitch against a fabulous hitter named Jimmy.
Jimmy was a feared hitter, strong as an ox, and it was only fitting that he was a catcher. I swear that when he came up to bat I could see smoke coming out of his ears and he was a very aggressive baseball hitter.
Every time we played his team and I was pitching, I would give him my "calling card" by throwing a fast ball inside off the plate, by about six inches or so. Just a friendly reminder to not get too comfortable up there and a reminder that I'm throwing a very hard baseball in his direction.
Once again, I want to emphasize that this is NOT to be confused with throwing at a batter, which is morally and legally wrong. I had a great deal of success in my showdowns with Jimmy and it was not a coincidence.
If I wasn't intimidated by Jimmy, a truly great hitter, I don't want you to ever be intimidated by any batter either!
Larry is the president of Larwenty Online Enterprises Inc. and also the author of "Excellent Baseball Coaching: 30 Seconds Away." If you are a baseball player or are involved in baseball coaching 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
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Bunting Tips
By Eugene Rischall
Bunting is a very effective weapon in close games. This article will explain different bunts and how to use them.
A sacrifice bunt is when a batter is willing to go out in order to advance a base runner. When trying to advance a runner from 1st to 2nd try to bunt to the 1st base side. When sacrificing a runner from 2nd to 3rd try to bunt to the 3rd base side. Make every effort not to show the bunt early. The fake bunt-slash objective is to show the bunt early enough to draw the corner infielders in. Basic rules for the fake bunt-slash are the hitter fakes a commitment to the bunt just before the pitchers movement from the stretch. Heel-toe pivot is the method of squaring around. Top hand slides upward on the bat. Just before pitchers release bring the bat to the top of the strike zone. The hitter tries to hit the ball on the ground through a hole he has created. A push bunt is used to reach base safely or move a runner. right handed hitters should push bunt to the second baseman, left handed hitters to the shortstop. The drag bunt is used for getting base hits. Three rules for drag bunts are, bunt only at strikes, proper ball placement, and do not give up. A suicide bunt is all or nothing. Runner on 3rd breaks for home and the batter must make contact or the runner is going to be out.
I hope this article gives you an idea of different bunts and how to use them.
Author-Eugene Rischall, Owner, Baseball Training Emporium http://www.baseballtrainingemporium.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eugene_Rischall
Bunting is a very effective weapon in close games. This article will explain different bunts and how to use them.
A sacrifice bunt is when a batter is willing to go out in order to advance a base runner. When trying to advance a runner from 1st to 2nd try to bunt to the 1st base side. When sacrificing a runner from 2nd to 3rd try to bunt to the 3rd base side. Make every effort not to show the bunt early. The fake bunt-slash objective is to show the bunt early enough to draw the corner infielders in. Basic rules for the fake bunt-slash are the hitter fakes a commitment to the bunt just before the pitchers movement from the stretch. Heel-toe pivot is the method of squaring around. Top hand slides upward on the bat. Just before pitchers release bring the bat to the top of the strike zone. The hitter tries to hit the ball on the ground through a hole he has created. A push bunt is used to reach base safely or move a runner. right handed hitters should push bunt to the second baseman, left handed hitters to the shortstop. The drag bunt is used for getting base hits. Three rules for drag bunts are, bunt only at strikes, proper ball placement, and do not give up. A suicide bunt is all or nothing. Runner on 3rd breaks for home and the batter must make contact or the runner is going to be out.
I hope this article gives you an idea of different bunts and how to use them.
Author-Eugene Rischall, Owner, Baseball Training Emporium http://www.baseballtrainingemporium.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eugene_Rischall
Thursday, August 13, 2009
5 Stations During Batting Practice For Little League
By John R Di Nicola
It has been stated many times that pitching and defense wins ball games. We all know that it would be real boring if that is all teams did. It has been proven time and time again you can win without hitting . However we do have to address the issue so we have to practice hitting. Listed below are 5 stations that will help get your hitters ready for the live action of a game. You will need assistant to carry out these drills. It is important you recruit help. How much help you get will determine how many of these stations you will be able have in a practice.
Hitting off 'T"
Soft Toss
Tracking
Bunting
Batting Practice
Hitting off the "T"
You will for sure have to have hitting of a "T". This is mandatory. You will be limited to the amount of pitches you will throw each hitter. The more swings that get hitting off the "T" the better they will be prepared for batting practices and the game. The first few times through this stations have them hit the as if it were down the middle. Make sure the "T" is no higher than the players waist. Working on the following:
important that the feet are shoulder width apart and player is balanced
when hitting the ball the top hand always on top of the ball
hit the top of the ball driving it downward
pivoting back foot raising heel as the hands follow through hitting zone
As they get comfortable you can position the "T" for the inside pitch and out side pitch. Important when working on outside pitch to position the "T" behind home plate so as to illustrate to players they have to wait on the out side pitch. Also teach them to bring their hands back so their front shoulder turns in toward home plate. This will bring front foot in so they can drive the ball. Most players will open up the front shoulder and hit the ball off the end of the bat or completely miss it.
Soft Toss
The soft station is an extra in Little League. You may want to wait till later on in the season to use this station. Basically a coach on one knee positioned beside player and tossing ball to different zones of the plate. Players swings through ball using all the proper techniques from "T" drills. Hands on top of ball driving through the ball.
Tracking
This an an excellent drill to teach the Little League Player on keeping their eye's focused on the ball. Your above average hitters always work on tracking. Most of them will take pitches just to get the feel of how the pitcher is throwing. They always make the pitchers throw a lot of pitches. Teach them to follow the ball all way to the catcher mitt. This something they should do during batting practice and the game. The more they see the ball the bigger it looks. You can use a rag ball or a whiffle ball.
Bunting
The art of Bunting is so important at all levels of baseball and most neglected. In this day and age of baseball the Home Run is king. It has been proven in recent world series that small ball will win more championships than the Home Runs. Have them bunt at least five balls, down first base line and third base line. Later on you can work on bunts for base hits.
Batting Practice
Because you have so much do and trying to get all the players to hit you have to limit the amount of pitches to each batter (15-20). Have players first work on making contact. You will have the seasoned Little Leaguer who knocks the cover off the ball and then you will have the ones that you really have to work with to get them to make contact. This is why if you have the luxury of having the help to run the stations it would greatly speed up the learning curve.
Most likely you will only use the "T" and Live Batting Practices. Using this model will afford you to run a practice without having a marathon practices. Do not try and do all 5 stations the first practice. As you become comfortable you can adjust your practice schedule and add stations. Most likely you will never do all five in one practice.
Practices Makes Perfect
Thank you for taking the time to read my article. If you would like further information on this topic or other information you can E-Mail me at: jdinicola@easypitching.com
You can follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/easypitching
Web site: http://www.easypitching.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_R_Di_Nicola
It has been stated many times that pitching and defense wins ball games. We all know that it would be real boring if that is all teams did. It has been proven time and time again you can win without hitting . However we do have to address the issue so we have to practice hitting. Listed below are 5 stations that will help get your hitters ready for the live action of a game. You will need assistant to carry out these drills. It is important you recruit help. How much help you get will determine how many of these stations you will be able have in a practice.
Hitting off 'T"
Soft Toss
Tracking
Bunting
Batting Practice
Hitting off the "T"
You will for sure have to have hitting of a "T". This is mandatory. You will be limited to the amount of pitches you will throw each hitter. The more swings that get hitting off the "T" the better they will be prepared for batting practices and the game. The first few times through this stations have them hit the as if it were down the middle. Make sure the "T" is no higher than the players waist. Working on the following:
important that the feet are shoulder width apart and player is balanced
when hitting the ball the top hand always on top of the ball
hit the top of the ball driving it downward
pivoting back foot raising heel as the hands follow through hitting zone
As they get comfortable you can position the "T" for the inside pitch and out side pitch. Important when working on outside pitch to position the "T" behind home plate so as to illustrate to players they have to wait on the out side pitch. Also teach them to bring their hands back so their front shoulder turns in toward home plate. This will bring front foot in so they can drive the ball. Most players will open up the front shoulder and hit the ball off the end of the bat or completely miss it.
Soft Toss
The soft station is an extra in Little League. You may want to wait till later on in the season to use this station. Basically a coach on one knee positioned beside player and tossing ball to different zones of the plate. Players swings through ball using all the proper techniques from "T" drills. Hands on top of ball driving through the ball.
Tracking
This an an excellent drill to teach the Little League Player on keeping their eye's focused on the ball. Your above average hitters always work on tracking. Most of them will take pitches just to get the feel of how the pitcher is throwing. They always make the pitchers throw a lot of pitches. Teach them to follow the ball all way to the catcher mitt. This something they should do during batting practice and the game. The more they see the ball the bigger it looks. You can use a rag ball or a whiffle ball.
Bunting
The art of Bunting is so important at all levels of baseball and most neglected. In this day and age of baseball the Home Run is king. It has been proven in recent world series that small ball will win more championships than the Home Runs. Have them bunt at least five balls, down first base line and third base line. Later on you can work on bunts for base hits.
Batting Practice
Because you have so much do and trying to get all the players to hit you have to limit the amount of pitches to each batter (15-20). Have players first work on making contact. You will have the seasoned Little Leaguer who knocks the cover off the ball and then you will have the ones that you really have to work with to get them to make contact. This is why if you have the luxury of having the help to run the stations it would greatly speed up the learning curve.
Most likely you will only use the "T" and Live Batting Practices. Using this model will afford you to run a practice without having a marathon practices. Do not try and do all 5 stations the first practice. As you become comfortable you can adjust your practice schedule and add stations. Most likely you will never do all five in one practice.
Practices Makes Perfect
Thank you for taking the time to read my article. If you would like further information on this topic or other information you can E-Mail me at: jdinicola@easypitching.com
You can follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/easypitching
Web site: http://www.easypitching.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_R_Di_Nicola
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Beginner Baseball - Notes For Coaches
By Alex Dumas
A friend of mine once said "Give a kid a bat and he'll run around hitting anything in sight including himself. Teach a kid how to bat and he may turn into another Babe Ruth." Coaching beginner baseball is not a walk in the park. Yes, you would be dealing mostly with kids but kids have different personalities too. Also, do not discount the fact that some older generations would want to try their hand on baseball too, probably because they did not have a chance when they were younger.
Let us focus more on kids. Sad to say, there are kids who shun away from baseball because they did not have the opportunity to enjoy the real fun in baseball. Coaches for beginners should be very understanding since most kids lack the emotional stability of most adults. Their emotional capacity and limited understanding should be properly addressed by the coach. If a coach fails to do this, the baseball world would lose another potential player. Always remember that each kid has potential. It is up to the coach to learn what this potential is, bring it out, and hone it to its limits.
The first thing that coaches usually deal with is fear. Most kids fear baseball because, well let's face it, your initial reaction to a ball thrown at you is to evade or protect yourself. Baseball does not involve much physical contact compare to other youth sports like basketball or football. A coach should be able to teach and guide a young one to turn fear into determination. A young player, when coached properly, would see a ball as a target and not as a weapon. My friend showed a Japanese samurai cutting a thrown apple in half to his young squad and everybody was applauding. But he was keen to add that a baseball bat is not a sword but a tool used to prevent a ball from hitting them. A coach should also be kind and exhibit lots of patience. This is no different from a parent teaching his child to read or write. Come to think of it, a coach for baseball beginners should be similar to a loving and caring parent. Their degree of strictness should be surpassed by their degree of support and passion to develop a child into a young baseball player. Showing these traits to baseball beginners would further encourage them to do well and add up to their development. The satisfaction of being able to coach someone and turn him into a great baseball player is beyond description.
For more tips and information about coaching beginner baseball, check out http://www.weplay.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alex_Dumas
A friend of mine once said "Give a kid a bat and he'll run around hitting anything in sight including himself. Teach a kid how to bat and he may turn into another Babe Ruth." Coaching beginner baseball is not a walk in the park. Yes, you would be dealing mostly with kids but kids have different personalities too. Also, do not discount the fact that some older generations would want to try their hand on baseball too, probably because they did not have a chance when they were younger.
Let us focus more on kids. Sad to say, there are kids who shun away from baseball because they did not have the opportunity to enjoy the real fun in baseball. Coaches for beginners should be very understanding since most kids lack the emotional stability of most adults. Their emotional capacity and limited understanding should be properly addressed by the coach. If a coach fails to do this, the baseball world would lose another potential player. Always remember that each kid has potential. It is up to the coach to learn what this potential is, bring it out, and hone it to its limits.
The first thing that coaches usually deal with is fear. Most kids fear baseball because, well let's face it, your initial reaction to a ball thrown at you is to evade or protect yourself. Baseball does not involve much physical contact compare to other youth sports like basketball or football. A coach should be able to teach and guide a young one to turn fear into determination. A young player, when coached properly, would see a ball as a target and not as a weapon. My friend showed a Japanese samurai cutting a thrown apple in half to his young squad and everybody was applauding. But he was keen to add that a baseball bat is not a sword but a tool used to prevent a ball from hitting them. A coach should also be kind and exhibit lots of patience. This is no different from a parent teaching his child to read or write. Come to think of it, a coach for baseball beginners should be similar to a loving and caring parent. Their degree of strictness should be surpassed by their degree of support and passion to develop a child into a young baseball player. Showing these traits to baseball beginners would further encourage them to do well and add up to their development. The satisfaction of being able to coach someone and turn him into a great baseball player is beyond description.
For more tips and information about coaching beginner baseball, check out http://www.weplay.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alex_Dumas
Friday, June 19, 2009
Topic: Hitting Tip: Use a Wooden Bat In Batting Practice
Wood bats have smaller sweet spots than metal and composite bats. Using a wood bat in BP will make the sweet spot on your metal/composite bat seem huge. You can purchase both youth and adult wood bats with varied weight/length ratios. A few onces heavier than the game bat is good to build up muscles related to bat swing. I usually recommend taking half BP with wood then the last half with metal/composite. You can get a good wood bat for under $50... give it a try!
Coach Bob
Sunday, May 10, 2009
T-Ball Coaching Tips For Game Day
By David Comora
So, you've survived the first practices, the parent meetings, the fund raisers and the uniform distribution, and now its game day. Many of the questions we receive from new coaches at our T-Ball University web site concern how to handle their team in a variety of game day situations. So, in this article, we'll be discussing some of the most common game day questions, including stretching, warm-ups, pep talks, tips for coaching the game and post-game activities.
What is the first thing you should do when the kids arrive for the game? When players arrive on the field, it's important to make sure their bodies are in the proper condition to play ball. We usually start our children with some simple warm up exercises, such as arm rotations and then a slow jog around the T-ball field. Once their muscles are warmed up, we'll transition to five minutes of simple arm and leg stretches.
Next, we have the players warm up by throwing to the coaches and parents before the game in the outfield on the side of our bench, (you'll need to check with your league rules, since many leagues require any adult who steps on the field to be "certified" by attending a training class). Typically, the home team bench is on the first base side and the visitor team bench is on the third base side. Ground balls from the coaches and parents are then taken in the infield on our benches side of the field. If time is available, we try to take infield and outfield practice with the players in their first inning positions. This usually consists of players fielding ground balls in the infield and throwing them to first base. As the players become proficient with this, I then have the players fielding ground balls in the infield and throwing them to second and first bases for a double play. It may be a long time before they actually turn a double play, but that's no reason not to get them in the habit of trying. Next we hit soft line drives to the outfield with the outfielders fielding the line drives on one or two hops. I have them throw to the appropriate cutoff man (shortstop or second baseman) and then to the appropriate player covering second base (second baseman or shortstop).
We will then have the players come in to the bench for a pre-game pep talk. We usually ask the team if they listened to their parents this week and then ask them if they listened to their teachers this week. If they say yes, which most of the time they do, we ask the parents if their children listened to them this week. This usually generates a look of horror from the players. We tell the team they can play because they listened to their teachers and parents the past week. We try to stress that each player needs to be a good student athlete.
The bench coach has a line-up card and it is their responsibility to have each child sit on the bench in the order they are hitting. Batting helmets are worn on the heads of the first few children, depending on the number of available helmets. Players returning from the field take a seat on the bench behind the players that have not yet batted. It is very important that the bench coach ensures that only one batter is in the on-deck circle taking his or her practice swings. You'll find that you are constantly telling children to "put down the bat", this is normal and it will alleviate two or more players from injuring themselves. You should check on your league rules for on-deck swings as some leagues ban all on-deck practice swings for safety.
Before each inning in the field, have the players gather around you on the tee-ball diamond to receive their position assignments. We try to have as many coaches on the field as possible to assist the players in finding their positions.
We suggest that you let every player know where the next play is going by mentioning the base and the player's name the ball is going to (e.g., Mikey, you're going to Kira at first base on a ground ball, etc). It sounds like a lot of instruction but you and your players will get used to it after a while. This repetition on each play will eventually be retained by each player, so as time goes by, you might not have to remind each player what they should do with the ball if it is hit to them.
You should also have each player call out the number of outs in each inning (e.g., call it out, one out, etc). Have each player raise one of their arms with their fingers pointing appropriately with the number of outs each inning. Prior to a batter swinging, make sure each player is prepped in the ready position to field the ball. An infielder should have knees slightly bent with their "alligator" position showing. An outfielder should have knees slightly bent with their glove and throwing hand resting comfortably on their knees.
If you feel that your players are getting bored and are losing their focus, or there is a lull in the action, yell to the whole team, "who wants the ball?" Each player raises his or her hands responding "me!" Its important for each child to want the tee-ball and be eager to make the play. Its important to work with them so they are not afraid to make a play.
For less accomplished players, we suggest that you have them make the ground ball play to first base. For more accomplished players, you can try to have them get the lead runner out. If a pitcher fields a hard hit ground ball, we try to have him throw to the lead base, whether it is first, second, or third base. We usually have the shortstop take the throw at second base for a potential double play at first base since his or her momentum is directed to first base. If a pitcher fields a softly hit ground ball and they have to charge off the mound to field the tee-ball, I have the pitcher throw the ball to first base only.
We also instruct the fielder covering a base to tag the runner upon receiving the ball, even if the runner is not forced on the play. Its important that you do not take any of the player's knowledge of the game for granted. We always assume that they do not know a thing about the game. We remind the children to tag the runner with the ball firmly held in the glove. Its common to see players attempt to tag the runner without the tee-ball in the glove.
After the inning in the field is over, we yell to them "Hustle in, we're burning daylight. Don't be the last one on the bench!" We belive that no one on the team should be walking during practices and games. Every team member should be hustling at all times.
Here's a safety tip that can reduce a few bruises. During the game, we like to warn the other manager and coaches when we have a good hitter up at the plate. We ask that the coach move his pitcher back in the pitching as much as possible, to prevent any potential injury. We've seen a few well accomplished players hit a parent or coach with a line drive back up the middle through the pitching circle. We've also seen a few instances where the pitcher took a line drive or ground ball in the face. A few steps back can make a big difference.
After the game is over, we stand on first or third base, whichever is closest to our bench, and ask each player to line up behind us. We ask them to extend their right arm and hand and the opposing team does likewise across the diamond. I tell the players to go and shake the hands of the other players and coaches who have participated in the game. We then ask each player to sit on the bench or gather their equipment and sit off to the side of the field, if another game is about to begin. We give the players a combination critique and pep talk. The critique is never really negative but constructive. It is never loud. We praise each player for the positives they performed during the game and reiterate what we need to work on as a team for the next game. The parents scheduled to bring the snacks and drinks distribute them. While they are partaking of their treat, the coaches decide who should get the game ball. We give the game ball on tee-ball level to the player that pays the most attention. We try to distribute the game balls for each game evenly amongst the players that a game ball is given to each and every player before the end of the season.
Here's to a successful Game Day! We hope these Game Day tips were helpful. For more information on coaching t-ball you can visit our t-ball coaches forum and watch sample video drills at our T-Ball University web site (www.tballu.com).
David ComoraT-Ball Universityhttp://www.tballu.com
David Comora has coached Tee Ball and Youth Baseball for over 10 years. He and his partners Steve Polansky, Brian Leuthner and David Kalb have developed the T-Ball University system of coaching to help new parent coaches learn to quickly master the skills of coaching. Their program includes video drills, coaching forms, practice plans, lesson notes and more. Free coaching videos are also available at our web site.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Comora
So, you've survived the first practices, the parent meetings, the fund raisers and the uniform distribution, and now its game day. Many of the questions we receive from new coaches at our T-Ball University web site concern how to handle their team in a variety of game day situations. So, in this article, we'll be discussing some of the most common game day questions, including stretching, warm-ups, pep talks, tips for coaching the game and post-game activities.
What is the first thing you should do when the kids arrive for the game? When players arrive on the field, it's important to make sure their bodies are in the proper condition to play ball. We usually start our children with some simple warm up exercises, such as arm rotations and then a slow jog around the T-ball field. Once their muscles are warmed up, we'll transition to five minutes of simple arm and leg stretches.
Next, we have the players warm up by throwing to the coaches and parents before the game in the outfield on the side of our bench, (you'll need to check with your league rules, since many leagues require any adult who steps on the field to be "certified" by attending a training class). Typically, the home team bench is on the first base side and the visitor team bench is on the third base side. Ground balls from the coaches and parents are then taken in the infield on our benches side of the field. If time is available, we try to take infield and outfield practice with the players in their first inning positions. This usually consists of players fielding ground balls in the infield and throwing them to first base. As the players become proficient with this, I then have the players fielding ground balls in the infield and throwing them to second and first bases for a double play. It may be a long time before they actually turn a double play, but that's no reason not to get them in the habit of trying. Next we hit soft line drives to the outfield with the outfielders fielding the line drives on one or two hops. I have them throw to the appropriate cutoff man (shortstop or second baseman) and then to the appropriate player covering second base (second baseman or shortstop).
We will then have the players come in to the bench for a pre-game pep talk. We usually ask the team if they listened to their parents this week and then ask them if they listened to their teachers this week. If they say yes, which most of the time they do, we ask the parents if their children listened to them this week. This usually generates a look of horror from the players. We tell the team they can play because they listened to their teachers and parents the past week. We try to stress that each player needs to be a good student athlete.
The bench coach has a line-up card and it is their responsibility to have each child sit on the bench in the order they are hitting. Batting helmets are worn on the heads of the first few children, depending on the number of available helmets. Players returning from the field take a seat on the bench behind the players that have not yet batted. It is very important that the bench coach ensures that only one batter is in the on-deck circle taking his or her practice swings. You'll find that you are constantly telling children to "put down the bat", this is normal and it will alleviate two or more players from injuring themselves. You should check on your league rules for on-deck swings as some leagues ban all on-deck practice swings for safety.
Before each inning in the field, have the players gather around you on the tee-ball diamond to receive their position assignments. We try to have as many coaches on the field as possible to assist the players in finding their positions.
We suggest that you let every player know where the next play is going by mentioning the base and the player's name the ball is going to (e.g., Mikey, you're going to Kira at first base on a ground ball, etc). It sounds like a lot of instruction but you and your players will get used to it after a while. This repetition on each play will eventually be retained by each player, so as time goes by, you might not have to remind each player what they should do with the ball if it is hit to them.
You should also have each player call out the number of outs in each inning (e.g., call it out, one out, etc). Have each player raise one of their arms with their fingers pointing appropriately with the number of outs each inning. Prior to a batter swinging, make sure each player is prepped in the ready position to field the ball. An infielder should have knees slightly bent with their "alligator" position showing. An outfielder should have knees slightly bent with their glove and throwing hand resting comfortably on their knees.
If you feel that your players are getting bored and are losing their focus, or there is a lull in the action, yell to the whole team, "who wants the ball?" Each player raises his or her hands responding "me!" Its important for each child to want the tee-ball and be eager to make the play. Its important to work with them so they are not afraid to make a play.
For less accomplished players, we suggest that you have them make the ground ball play to first base. For more accomplished players, you can try to have them get the lead runner out. If a pitcher fields a hard hit ground ball, we try to have him throw to the lead base, whether it is first, second, or third base. We usually have the shortstop take the throw at second base for a potential double play at first base since his or her momentum is directed to first base. If a pitcher fields a softly hit ground ball and they have to charge off the mound to field the tee-ball, I have the pitcher throw the ball to first base only.
We also instruct the fielder covering a base to tag the runner upon receiving the ball, even if the runner is not forced on the play. Its important that you do not take any of the player's knowledge of the game for granted. We always assume that they do not know a thing about the game. We remind the children to tag the runner with the ball firmly held in the glove. Its common to see players attempt to tag the runner without the tee-ball in the glove.
After the inning in the field is over, we yell to them "Hustle in, we're burning daylight. Don't be the last one on the bench!" We belive that no one on the team should be walking during practices and games. Every team member should be hustling at all times.
Here's a safety tip that can reduce a few bruises. During the game, we like to warn the other manager and coaches when we have a good hitter up at the plate. We ask that the coach move his pitcher back in the pitching as much as possible, to prevent any potential injury. We've seen a few well accomplished players hit a parent or coach with a line drive back up the middle through the pitching circle. We've also seen a few instances where the pitcher took a line drive or ground ball in the face. A few steps back can make a big difference.
After the game is over, we stand on first or third base, whichever is closest to our bench, and ask each player to line up behind us. We ask them to extend their right arm and hand and the opposing team does likewise across the diamond. I tell the players to go and shake the hands of the other players and coaches who have participated in the game. We then ask each player to sit on the bench or gather their equipment and sit off to the side of the field, if another game is about to begin. We give the players a combination critique and pep talk. The critique is never really negative but constructive. It is never loud. We praise each player for the positives they performed during the game and reiterate what we need to work on as a team for the next game. The parents scheduled to bring the snacks and drinks distribute them. While they are partaking of their treat, the coaches decide who should get the game ball. We give the game ball on tee-ball level to the player that pays the most attention. We try to distribute the game balls for each game evenly amongst the players that a game ball is given to each and every player before the end of the season.
Here's to a successful Game Day! We hope these Game Day tips were helpful. For more information on coaching t-ball you can visit our t-ball coaches forum and watch sample video drills at our T-Ball University web site (www.tballu.com).
David ComoraT-Ball Universityhttp://www.tballu.com
David Comora has coached Tee Ball and Youth Baseball for over 10 years. He and his partners Steve Polansky, Brian Leuthner and David Kalb have developed the T-Ball University system of coaching to help new parent coaches learn to quickly master the skills of coaching. Their program includes video drills, coaching forms, practice plans, lesson notes and more. Free coaching videos are also available at our web site.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Comora
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Slow Runners Can Be Great Baserunners
By Steve Rau
Some baseball people believe that a player needs to have blazing speed to be a great baserunner. This is a total misconception among players and coaches. Baserunning is all about instincts. I love coaching those players who always know when to take the extra base or what's the opportune time to take a risk. Don't get me wrong, pure speed can be extremely valuable to your team and very disruptive to the opposition, but usually the not so fast, instinctive baserunners are the guys who can make the difference in a game.
How does a player become an instinctive baserunner? The answer is the same as to how one becomes an instinctive baseball player; study the game. Great baserunners know the situations and variables that go into, not only each game, but also each play.
Here's a list of items instinctive baserunners consider on the base paths:
Speed of the outfielders
Arm strength of all fielders
Range of the infielders
Weather conditions (wind, rain, sun, etc.)
Your own speed
Flight of the ball
Speed of the ball
Length of the grass
Grass infield vs. dirt infield
Right-handed vs. left-handed (ball fades or hooks differently)
Direction fielder is going to field the ball
Score of the game
Inning of the game
Outs in the inning
Batter on deck
I may have overlooked a few, but you get the picture. It's not all about speed; slow runners can also be great baserunners, but they'll need to study the game.
Coach Steve Rau is a long time baseball instructor and co-founder of Play Ball Academy. He has been a part of championship baseball programs as both a player and coach for over 20 years. He currently helps hundreds of coaches and young ballplayers improve their baseball knowledge through online and offline instruction.
Baseball coaches can find baseball tips, video lessons, and audio sessions at: http://www.PlayBallAcademy.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Rau
Some baseball people believe that a player needs to have blazing speed to be a great baserunner. This is a total misconception among players and coaches. Baserunning is all about instincts. I love coaching those players who always know when to take the extra base or what's the opportune time to take a risk. Don't get me wrong, pure speed can be extremely valuable to your team and very disruptive to the opposition, but usually the not so fast, instinctive baserunners are the guys who can make the difference in a game.
How does a player become an instinctive baserunner? The answer is the same as to how one becomes an instinctive baseball player; study the game. Great baserunners know the situations and variables that go into, not only each game, but also each play.
Here's a list of items instinctive baserunners consider on the base paths:
Speed of the outfielders
Arm strength of all fielders
Range of the infielders
Weather conditions (wind, rain, sun, etc.)
Your own speed
Flight of the ball
Speed of the ball
Length of the grass
Grass infield vs. dirt infield
Right-handed vs. left-handed (ball fades or hooks differently)
Direction fielder is going to field the ball
Score of the game
Inning of the game
Outs in the inning
Batter on deck
I may have overlooked a few, but you get the picture. It's not all about speed; slow runners can also be great baserunners, but they'll need to study the game.
Coach Steve Rau is a long time baseball instructor and co-founder of Play Ball Academy. He has been a part of championship baseball programs as both a player and coach for over 20 years. He currently helps hundreds of coaches and young ballplayers improve their baseball knowledge through online and offline instruction.
Baseball coaches can find baseball tips, video lessons, and audio sessions at: http://www.PlayBallAcademy.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Rau
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Tips For Running Baseball Tournaments
I've worn a number of hats throughout my baseball volunteering career. One that was particularly interesting was organizing and managing a summer baseball tournament. This is the type of tournament where town travel or all-star teams compete in age based flights. Tournament organizers normally charge an entry fee to pay for umpires, trophies, baseballs and also to raise funds for the league or team running the tournament.
Having both run tournaments and coached teams in them I've collected a number of lessons along the way. When running a tournament, if you don't pay attention to a few key areas there is a good chance some of your customers will not have the experience they paid for.
Choose participating teams wisely. Make sure they "fit" into the group they are playing in. Yes, some coaches will actually under sell their teams ability to give them a better chance of winning the flight. You should dig around if you suspect this.
Get the schedule out early. The earlier you release your tournament schedule the fewer scheduling conflicts teams will have. This saves tons of time and aggravation.
Communicate with managers. This is one of THE most important areas. One of the first things you should do is put together a contact list of all the managers of teams participating in the tournament and email it all the managers. Keep them up to date during weather situations. Respond promptly to requests. These are paying customers, treat them that way.
Define rules clearly. Nothing is worse than having to deal with ambiguity in tournament rules. While it's nearly impossible to think of everything situation, it is important that you "spell out" the rules as clearly as possible. This will save much hassle down the road.
Allow enough time for games to be played. Again, visiting teams are paying customers. Develop your schedule to allow adequate time for games to be completed.
Appoint ambassadors and Tournament Directors. The manager's of your town's teams who are playing in the tournament should be knighted as "tournament ambassadors". If visiting coaches or parents have concerns or issues they should be able to address any of the mangers as representatives of your league. It's also a good idea to always have an appointed "Tournament Director" on duty whenever games are being played. The Tournament Directors' job is to be the "go-to" person for any issues that arise.
Give the kids a great experience. If you want parents and coaches to say "wow, that tournament was well worth the money" make sure the kids get their money's worth. Nice trophies, good umpiring crews, groomed fields, clean facilities, good snack bar, etc. These are things that build your tournament's reputation.
If you follow the above rules you will develop the reputation of running a great tournament. This will lead to managers emailing or calling you months before you open up tournament registration.
Coach Bob,
http://youthbaseballblog.blogspot.com/
Having both run tournaments and coached teams in them I've collected a number of lessons along the way. When running a tournament, if you don't pay attention to a few key areas there is a good chance some of your customers will not have the experience they paid for.
Choose participating teams wisely. Make sure they "fit" into the group they are playing in. Yes, some coaches will actually under sell their teams ability to give them a better chance of winning the flight. You should dig around if you suspect this.
Get the schedule out early. The earlier you release your tournament schedule the fewer scheduling conflicts teams will have. This saves tons of time and aggravation.
Communicate with managers. This is one of THE most important areas. One of the first things you should do is put together a contact list of all the managers of teams participating in the tournament and email it all the managers. Keep them up to date during weather situations. Respond promptly to requests. These are paying customers, treat them that way.
Define rules clearly. Nothing is worse than having to deal with ambiguity in tournament rules. While it's nearly impossible to think of everything situation, it is important that you "spell out" the rules as clearly as possible. This will save much hassle down the road.
Allow enough time for games to be played. Again, visiting teams are paying customers. Develop your schedule to allow adequate time for games to be completed.
Appoint ambassadors and Tournament Directors. The manager's of your town's teams who are playing in the tournament should be knighted as "tournament ambassadors". If visiting coaches or parents have concerns or issues they should be able to address any of the mangers as representatives of your league. It's also a good idea to always have an appointed "Tournament Director" on duty whenever games are being played. The Tournament Directors' job is to be the "go-to" person for any issues that arise.
Give the kids a great experience. If you want parents and coaches to say "wow, that tournament was well worth the money" make sure the kids get their money's worth. Nice trophies, good umpiring crews, groomed fields, clean facilities, good snack bar, etc. These are things that build your tournament's reputation.
If you follow the above rules you will develop the reputation of running a great tournament. This will lead to managers emailing or calling you months before you open up tournament registration.
Coach Bob,
http://youthbaseballblog.blogspot.com/
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