Tee Ball Fielding Drill - Don't Swarm Drill Video

Tee Ball Baseball Fielding Drill



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In TeeBall a common fielding problem is that when a ball is hit, ALL the players run for the ball. The "Don't Swarm" TBall Drill works on preventing this problem

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Free Tee Ball Video - Drills for Tee Ball that Work at All Levels

Tee Ball Drills that Work



On http://ClubHouseGAS.com , Jim Weldon talks about tee ball fundamentals that work at all levels of baseball. Also check-out http://YouthSportTravel.com

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How to Get Your Kid Interested in Baseball

Help Your Kid Become Interested in Baseball
By Guest Author Sarah Calvin

Most parents will always want the best for their kids. They work hard t give their children the best education, nutrition and equipment. There are a lot of things that you want your child to engage in. You always want him to excel in every activity that he does.

There are sports activities that you always like your kid to join. One of the best sports that he can ever join is baseball. This sport has lots of benefits. It can make your child physically healthy and will surely improve his confidence. This can also improve his social skills. There are some ways to get your kid interested in baseball.

BEGIN EARLY

One best way to get your kid interested in baseball is to start while he is still young. You must expose him to baseball as early as possible. You can do this by putting baseball themed toys in his room. He will surely put much interest in things that have been familiar to him since he was just a small kid. You can watch baseball games with him and tell him how interesting it is.

This will surely influence his interest towards the sport. If you seem so happy watching baseball matches, your kid will surely feel happy too. He will adapt the feeling and as well as your interest towards the sport. Always remember that when your baby detects that you are having fun, he will surely have fun too.

BRING THEM TO BASEBALL GAMES REGULARLY

Another thing that you can do to increase your kid's interest in baseball is by bringing him to baseball games regularly. This will surely make him more familiar with the sport. You will help him create a bond and connection with the sport as you expose him to the intensity and fun of the game. This sport can also bring entertainment for your kid so he will surely enjoy watching games.

TEACH HIM WHAT YOU KNOW

You have to teach your child basic rules and skills of baseball. Teach him on how to throw and catch properly. This will surely make him more interested. You can play with your child and just enjoy the game. Try to bring him to people who have the capability to teach young individuals about baseball. They can help your kid develop his skills in baseball.

Baseball is an enjoyable sport that your kid can possibly engage in. You just need to expose your kid to baseball as much as possible to increase his interest towards the activity. There are some ways that you can do to get him interested with the sport. Just make sure that he will enjoy these activities.

Try your best in giving your baby good care. Visit Kids Helmets and you will surely find things that can help you care for your young kid effectively. Try to learn more about Flip Front Helmets. These will surely make your kid happy and contented.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sarah_Calvin

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How to Get Better at Baseball

Tips for Getting Better at Baseball
By Guest Author Jack Perconte

How to get better at baseball? Of course, the easy answer is to play as much as possible. Increased play however does not guarantee that a ball player will get better. The secret lies in the quality of practice and play. Performing a skill numerous times and playing in games without the correct fundamentals only leads to tired ball players. Coaches and parents should stress quality first. Quantity is good only if the skill is being done correctly. Parents may have to search out a baseball coaching specialist in order to find out the correct fundamentals and drills that will help develop correct baseball skills. In my opinion, it is well worth it to get this information at a young age if baseball appears to be their favorite sport. Once bad habits are formed, they become much more difficult to change. Correct fundamentals, formed early in their career, will to give baseball players their best chance at success and reaching their potential. With this in mind following are other suggestions for helping players get better at baseball.

1. Observe - Young ball players should be encouraged to watch fundamentally sound players and picture those good actions in their own mind. Most behavioral experts will tell you how important this "visualization" is to improving performance. Putting a good fundamental picture in their mind and then trying to perform that action can help skill development. Watching good players performing a skill over and over will lead to quality practice time.

2. Make practice fun - Playing in games is usually fun for kids at least up to a certain age or competition level. Coaches and parents who can make practice fun go a long way to developing hard working, dedicated baseball players.

3. Teach strategy - It is one thing to know how to hit, field and throw and another to know the strategic details of the game. Good coaches teach game "know-how," also.

4. Play with good players - Playing with higher caliber players can bring out the best in players. Of course, some players may become over matched with this suggestion.

5. Encourage old fashioned neighborhood play - Teaching kids how to play baseball skill games like in the old days (when I grew up) is important. Playing pitch and hit, three flies up, pickle, pepper, etc... with a couple of friends can help players. Using safer baseballs in crowded areas can help encourage play when an open field is unavailable.

Often, I hear dads complain that their kids do not play baseball unless it is with their organized league. Part of the problem is that parents have not done a good job of passing along some of those above mentioned, small group games that were so much fun and helpful.

Former major league baseball player, Jack Perconte gives baseball hitting tips and batting practice advice for ballplayers of all ages. His baseball hitting lessons advice can be found at http://www.baseballhittinglessons.com/baseball Jack is the author of two books, The Making of a Hitter and Raising an Athlete - his parenting blog can be found at http://positiveparentinginsports.com

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Attention Coaches - Here's How to Plan an Effective Youth Sports Practice

Planning an Effective Youth Sports Practice
By Guest Author: Scott L. Sanders

It's no coincidence that the most organized coaches are also the most successful with their youth and high school sports teams. Below, you'll find specific strategies for Seasonal, Monthly, Weekly, and Daily practice planning that will help you stay organized and goal-focused throughout the year.

Implementing just a few of these tips will reduce your practice planning stress, give you loads of credibility, and dramatically improve the flow of your practices and the performance of your athletes.

Season Plans

Begin by dividing your year into 4 coaching phases: Off-Season, Pre-Season, Early Season, and Peak Season. Next develop a high-level "at a glance" view of what you want to accomplish during each one of those periods.

Make sure you consider:

Technical, Tactical, Physical Training Skills: What general skills are you wanting your athletes to focus on during different portions of the year? For example, you might want to improve your team's free throw shooting, or work on swimming flip turns, or practice penalty shots, etc.

Team Goals: Is your team looking to develop speed in the off-season? Are you fine-tuning your routines prior to a big cheerleading competition? Are you learning a new offense before the season begins?

Fundraising Goals: How much cash does the team need to raise to cover the costs of the season. When does that money to be raised by? What types of fundraising events

Coaching Emphasis: Are you focused on recruiting during the off-season? Are you focused on improving your coaching knowledge by attending conferences and clinics during pre-season?

Tournaments, Seminars, Clinics: Make note of any upcoming events you or your team will be participating in. Is there an out-of-state tournament that you would like your team to participate in? Is there a coaching clinic about a topic you're interested in?

Workout Schedule: Is your team practicing 6 days a week during the early season? Do you expect your athletes to train 3 days a week during the off-season when there aren't regularly schedules practices?

Monthly Plans

Once your season plan is in place, consider creating a month by month planner on the office bulletin board to serve as a useful reminder about the year's objectives, goals, and events. This is the time to get a little more specific about the objectives you and your team would like to accomplish, and the exact timing for individual events.

For example, what's the date and location for the first tryout? Are you planning a car wash on March 15th that will raise $500 to pay for your summer tournament? When does the first round of the playoffs begin?

Weekly Plans

At the beginning of each week, it's wise to take 10 minutes to plan out a rough outline of your practices. What time does practice start and end? What gym will it be held in? Will players arrange their own transportation to the field, or will a school bus be provided?

You'll also want to consider some more specific practice and team objectives you'd like to accomplish. Are you preparing to face a particular opponent? Are you working on developing speed or strength? Are you trying to improve your team's communication skills?

Do you have a meeting with a parent or administrator? Do you need to check in with a particular teacher about an athletes performance in the classroom, etc? These are all items appropriate for your weekly plan.

Daily Plans

This is the nitty gritty portion of your practice planning sequence. You'll want to make note of the EXACT activities and drills you want to perform, how long to do them for, and what order to do them in. It's best to get all of this down in an easy-to-read template that you can keep on your clipboard and refer to throughout practice.

Before each practice, sit down and outline your top three primary goals for the day. Do you want to master a play that you will run in an upcoming game, do you want to work on building speed or strength, do you want to help your athletes improve a technical skill critical to your sport?

Next, make note of any equipment that might be required for the day's practice. Do you need pylons, jump ropes, extra balls, etc?

When you're ready to plan your drills and activities, start with the team warm-up. Structure your warm-up into 3 phases: Aerobic Warm-up, Stretching, and Technical Skills Warm-Up. Many coaches find that three 5-minute phases work well. During the aerobic warm-up you may decide to have you athletes complete a light jog, jumprope, or perform some other kind of gentle aerobic activity to increase their heart rate and warm up their body.

Once your athletes are sufficiently warm, you can transition into the stretching phase of your warm-up. Focus on stretching the muscles that are used most often in your sport.

We recommend completing your warm-up with a technical skills tune-up where athletes practice specific athletic skills required by their sport (i.e.- basketball free-throw shooting, volleyball serves, etc).

Now you can move onto the "core" of your practice, first list the skills you would like to work on with your team (place this in the first column under "skills to improve"). Next, assign a drill to each skill that specifically targets the area you are seeking to improve.

Finally, note any coaching points you'd like to remember during the practice (i.e. keep head up, make sure players bend their knees, make sure Andy keeps his elbow back, etc.)

Complete your practice with a cool down that lasts at least 10 minutes. Slowly bring your athletes' heart rates down with gentle aerobic activity (do not abruptly stop practice or aerobic activity as this may cause injury). Once your athletes are breathing normally, lead your team in a thorough stretching session.

Make sure you allow athletes water breaks every 15 minutes to ensure they remain hydrated throughout your practice. It's best to schedule these into your planner so that you don't forget.

After practice, make notes on how the day went at the bottom of the practice planner. Are there any areas you'd like to focus on for the next practice? Did a particular drill work well (or not work well)?

Follow this simple formula and your practices will run much smoother, you'll get more accomplished in each practice and you'll see an exponential increase in your athlete's performance!

If you'd like to put your practice planning system on the "fast track", we highly recommend the sports team website builder at Sportata.com. Even if you know nothing about computers, you can create a dazzling website for your basketball, football, softball, baseball, volleyball, hockey (or any other) team in just 3 easy steps. With just a few clicks, you can post practice schedules, send broadcast emails, and deliver workout plans to your athletes. Go to Sportata.com to learn more.

Scott Sanders is Director of Business Development at Sportata.com, the fastest, easiest team website builder online. If you can spare 15 minutes, you can create a dazzling sports team website in just 3 easy steps with Sportata. This incredible tool is extremely simple to use, and allows coaches and team managers to organize their schedules, communicate with players and parents, and manage their team (without wasting time on administrative chores). Here's what our users are saying:

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Scott_L._Sanders

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T Ball Ready Position - Coaching Ready Position in T Ball

T Ball Ready Position - Coaching Ready Position in T Ball
By Guest Author: Brian McClure

In coaching t ball probably the first thing to do is teach the Ready position. You cant do nothing if your not ready so..What is the Ready Position?

1. Feet spread a little wider than shoulders
This gives balance and ability to move any direction

2. Balance on the balls of your feet:not the heels.
Sometimes when the kids are getting a little disinterested I may state (loudly of course) On Your Toes! This will wake them up and get them in position

3. Butt Down!

Most important..if your butt is down the knees bend and the hands go down with them. This gives balance.

4. Hands in Front

Two hands(I like to have kids (the first few practices) practice a few ground balls catching them in front without a glove to get them used to catching with two hands and then try it with the glove on.

5.Eyes on the Ball


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Cant catch what you cant see. Catch the ball in front with two hands Safety too. If there is a bad hop your hands will move to protect and catch. How do I Coach and teach the ready position? Lets keep it simple.. It would be best to have the kids divided into at least 2 groups. This gives the most repetition and is the most efficient use of time. It will also keep them from getting bored to quickly. Pretty much every drill in t ball should be done in groups for these reasons.

1. READY! Spread your feet a little, get your butt down, hands out in front.

2. Toss a few ground balls without gloves

3. Ground balls with gloves

4. GET IN FRONT OF THE BALL! Now lets get them moving. Remember Eyes on the Ball? Toss a few balls to either side of the player and get them to move in front of the ball. (Some coaches like to use the belly button for this but I still like using the eyes and it has been effective for my coaching)

5. CHARGE! With this command you should toss some slow rollers and get the players moving in to the ball. It will happen I guarantee you.

A Special Note for Parents: I started working with my latest T baller during winter in the house. Showed him relaxed(which was hands on knees) and then Ready. We would practice this just a few times. I would say Relax! and he would go in to the relaxed position..I would say Ready! and hands come up and butt goes down. Then we would catch some tennis balls without a glove..then we would do a few with the glove. You will have to help them a few times with this but if you do this a few times a week...When the weather is nice enough to go outside you can do the above drills. At that first practice when Coach states Everybody Ready! You will be very proud. The Ready Position is the beginning of coaching youth baseball.

Author- Brian McClure
http://www.coaching-youth-baseball.com/

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Baseball Tips for Rookie Coaches - So You're The New Baseball Coach?

Basic Baseball Tips for Tee Ball Coaches
By Guest Author John Peter

So you're the new coach. Ok, now what?

Coaching a team sure seemed like a good idea, maybe even easy...until you started thinking and getting into it deeper. All those players, parents, the draft, practices...and those game decisions...ugh.
Maybe coaching 3rd base might not be so easy...
What were you thinking?

SOLUTIONS:

Rule #1 - Relax, It will work out!

You'll probably even turn out to be good at it.
How do I know? Why would I think this?

Well, first you are searching for information. Websites like ours with articles like this are sure signs you are at the very least trying, instead of sitting on your hands, ducking your head and relying on your Little League experiences from long ago. And because of...

Rule #2 - You will be organized...

And yes, you will have the time to do it. As a matter of fact, there is an article that I strongly urge you to read. It is about how to organize your team and yourself and is titled, "Plan To Succeed."

Please finish this article before you jump there (I'll include the link at the end of this article).

Rule #3 - You will have fun!

Look, the more fun you have, the more fun your kids will have...and yes, the opposite is true.

Personally, I think that some of the best things about youth baseball are the adults! I also think they are some of the worst things about youth baseball. I mean this because as we get older...we tend to forget how to have fun and play games. Life just does that to us. Here we are trying to solve problems on a baseball field like we do at work...UGH!
We get tight, our kids play tight. We say ugly things in the dugout...well, you get the picture...
Let's move on (This lesson either hits the mark or it doesn't).

One final thought (from someone who is privileged to be in baseball for 350 days each year)...
IT'S JUST BASEBALL! BASEBALL IS JUST A GAME!
(It just happens to be the best game ever!)

Rule #4 - You are here for every player!

If you are in this game for any reason other than those kids... every one of them...
GET OUT NOW! (This was paraphrased and stolen from a speech given by a friend, Gordie Gillespie, the winningest coach in college baseball history! He is absolutely correct!)

You will get more joy with that attitude than you can imagine!

Every player who doesn't share your last name is not here for the entertainment and support of you and your son! (You have probably seen it happen).
Coaching your own child is a trick indeed.
I hope you will truly enjoy it (though it can test your mettle). But, I can assure you that embracing an entire team of kids can really give you an idea of how good a coach and person you might be or can be!
Personally, I can tell you that the early influences of my youth coaches are indelibly stamped on me...That's how important you are.

Rule #5 - Winning is important...It is just not everything.

I determined something many years ago.
Take this for what it's worth...

Few 10 year olds have a grasp of the concept of winning!
Half of the 11 year olds have a grasp of the concept of winning!
Almost all 12 year olds have a grasp of the concept of winning!

Every? All? No. I guess I wouldn't include all players on some hot team of 9 year olds who travel the country vying for the many "World Series" out there (how many worlds are there anyway).
Those teams and families have adopted a lifestyle. It's a language spoken at the dinner table. They are probably more the exception than the rule anyway.

You simply need to have a strong grasp of the competitive nature of your league and your team.

Rule #6 - You will be the boredom police.

Looking for a great way to turn a perfectly good baseball player into a soccer player? (God forbid)... BORE HIM!

A young boy begins his day by opening his eyes with a first thought of..."HEY, WHAT'S FUN TODAY!"
And we dare to bore them? Remember my comment on how we tend to want to solve problems in baseball as we do in the office?
They are kids. It's a game...and games are fun...
It's fun OR THEY FIND A GAME THAT IS MORE FUN!

Rule #7 - Ask for help from other parents.
Women are right...Men do not ask for directions. We need to be rock steady and have all the answers...yada, yada!

Personally, I have never had a coach come up to me after a game and ask me anything on how or why I played a situation the way I did! I MEAN NEVER!

WHY? Because this is baseball...and we are guys. We played Little League (20 TO 30 YEARS AGO). We watch Pro Baseball on TV...UGH. What a bad idea to try and teach a group of kids to play the same way the greatest players in the game do.
So, we don't ask...and that cheats our kids.

SOLUTIONS:

Aside from reaching for information such as reading articles such as this and finding videos, books, etc (did you check out our video and book library?)...
Why not incorporate and embrace some of the parents.
Have a parents-only meeting for 10 minutes after one of your very first practices.
Let them know who you are and how you envision the season (in general).

A team mom is worth her weight in the dozen roses you had better buy her at the end of the season.

Make note of the dad(s), hopefully plural, who hang around the fence during practices. Many really want you to ask for their help. They don't want to horn in so it's up to you to ask because they may not!

Some parents are better served as your scorebook keeper instead of your BP (batting practice) pitcher.
Another may be most comfortable helping you set up the dugout and raking and lining the field before games.

Yet others really want to be on the field hitting fungoes or infield.

The bottom line is that I believe that adults play better when they work together...and as a byproduct, you will all be richer for actually developing relationships with your new-found friends.

WARNING: There is one rule I highly recommend...
You are the coach, they are the team's parents.
One guy has the final say so. You, the coach!
This is a no lobbying area, disputes are handled away from the kids and the action and decisions of management (you) are final. There are no politics, just honest decisions made by you...the coach!

Note: Baseball is the greatest game in the world to second-guess!

One Last Important Suggestion Regarding Communication:

Get all of your parent's email addresses and use them for two things:

Communicate - Communicate - Communicate. Not necessarily lengthy, just frequent.

Subscribe all your player's parents (and maybe players, if they are a bit older) to our Baseball Tips Newsletter. It is a quick read 2 times each month. We do not rent or sell their names and just want to supply our 14,680 (at last count) baseball families with some added knowledge and fun.
Of course, they can delete us easily if they so choose. (You can add them individually. The sign-up box is just below our logo on the http://www.baseballtips.com home page).

Rule #8 -Good Teams Practice Well!

Every league is different. Some restrict practice times. Others have limited fields. Some coaches have limited time as well. HAVE A PLAN!
Plan tomorrow's practice today. Plan next week, this week.
Planning is the operative word. I don't think that any drill should take longer than 20 minutes! (OK, excluding BP - more on that later).

TIME ANYTHING & EVERYTHING!

If you will keep a watch, you can get their blood flowing even more. More as in, "OK guys, 10 more minutes, let's do it right. Pick up the pace...Ok, 5 more minutes...Keep it going"...you get the idea.
And it becomes more fun!
The blood is pumping, the kids are focusing. Just be sure to tailor it to your player's age and skill level.

SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW!

Teach something new each practice.
As importantly, review and drill a particular skill taught in a previous practice using one of your 20 minute segments.

Quality repetitions are vital and incredibly important!
Too many coaches teach a skill and then next season, they teach it again; once a year...need it or not! If you think about how counter-productive this is, you will never do it...or do it again.

ARMS - ARMS - ARMS!

There are more throwing errors than fielding errors!
It may not sound correct and it is not my opinion...It is a fact!
Teach proper throwing and work on arms every practice.

Have them constantly throwing to or at a target.
(The exception will be when teaching one of your pitchers a new pitch.) You begin by throwing to a tarp, net or fence. The reasoning is that accuracy will not be great until a skill like a new pitch is learned. Accuracy will follow proper mechanics and you can avoid unnecessary shakes in confidence.

THE LAST 10 MINUTES OF PRACTICE IS JUST FUN!
Preferably doing something that requires players to use oxygen. Leave them with their tongues hanging out. I learned this many years after I began coaching.

Many players think baseball is boring...and that is why they leave the sport too soon. They are kids...and kids want to run, play games, have contests, run races, hit balls, etc. You know...fun stuff.

Well, drills can get boring if that's all there is to a practice. But drills are really important, vital lifelines to improvement and success of both player and team...or not!

But let's not forget the fun aspect and the prime reason most kids play. (It is play ball, not work ball, right?)

Get creative!
Here are some of my ideas. (Do not limit yourself to these, got it?)

Relay Races - ½ of team at home plate and ½ at 2nd base with hats on backwards. 1 simple relay race. Then 1 race backwards, then 1 final race for all the marbles, running sideways (or heel to heel side-kicks like basketball teams do....you may have some better variations).

Ball In The Trash Can - Find a trash barrel from the dugout or near the practice field and place it on home plate on its side. Now take your team to a distance where most all players can throw to the target at least on a bounce or two.

Now toss them a short fly ball where they can make like they are the centerfielder throwing the runner out at home. They ooh, aah and cheer on close throws (there are always a bunch of these). I have no idea why but they really like to do this...Go Figure!

Home Run Derby - Find a spot where about ½ or more of the team can hit one over the fence and soft toss 3 per each player (soft toss, also known as flip drills, is the drill our automated Wheeler Dealer machine does automatically. It can be seen on our training aids page if you are still unsure how to do this.) Have a second round, then have a finals. Maybe the player who comes in 2nd gets to go after all the homers. Watch 'em cheer for each other.

Basketball Game - If there's a court or a hoop nearby, simply produce a hidden basketball AFTER dividing them up into teams. Announce a 10 minute game. Watch 'em go. Totally unexpected...and a lot of fun

Water Balloon Toss - Pick a hot day and have a supply of filled baseball-sized water balloons (make sure they are small balloons to begin with so they remain taut). Partner them off in lines (like you do when warming up their arms) with players about 6 to 8 feet apart and with a partner on one row having the balloon.

USE 2 HANDS!

Express to players that in baseball, every ball you can catch with 2 hands should be caught with 2 hands. Also, display how the pinkie fingers of both hands should be near and parallel to each other with hands being parallel and held below the waist.

SOFT HANDS

Explain that all infielders must have soft hands. This begins when both arms are outstretched (elbows are not locked) and then cradled toward the body as the underhand toss comes toward you. Water balloons will require special focus on soft hands to keep from breaking.

READY...GO!

On coaches command...
Player underhand tosses to his partner who catches and holds the balloon. His partner then tosses it back to his partner.

After 2-4 rounds, teams with a full balloon step 2 feet further apart.
Repeat.
Then 2 steps further apart!
Keep going until you have a winner.

Once you have a winner, coaches produce as many extra full balloons as there are coaches and the winning team gets to "blast the coaches." Yes, turn around coach...and do use typical precautions as boys will be boys. (Now you tell me that 10 or 20 years from now those players won't remind you of how much fun that was?!)

It's not all about baseball...but it is all about fun!

Thanks for reading.

Best of luck this season.

Now get out there and Have Some Fun!

----Coach JP

http://www.baseballtips.com/

Baseball tips & youth baseball equipment, training aids & instruction! It's all here for baseball coaching of pitchers & hitters, little league to high school.

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Competitive Baseball Teams - When to Start Playing at That Level

Competitive Baseball TeeBall Teams - When to Start Playing at That Level
By Guest Author: Tom Read

A World Series for tee ball, really? Every summer my home town hosts a world series for tee ball teams. I do not think tee ball is the age to start playing travel baseball. So when is the best time to leave the comfort of recreational baseball and move on to competitive baseball? You know the cost, the time commitment, and the pressure is going to greatly increase. When should you and your son make that leap?

You are only going to become better by playing better competition. So why not jump to a competitive team at the first chance? Well, first off, the cost is going to go through the roof. Competitive teams travel a lot. And that right there is a big cost. The price to play in these tournaments is also very expensive. And a lot of teams have paid coaches. That comes from you. Most teams have fund raisers, but they are no fun and usually do not cover a third of the cost. Competitive baseball is a financial drain.

Next is time commitment. After investing all this money, the team wants to perform well, and that means practice, practice, and more practice. Maybe year around. Recreational teams practice once a week, maybe twice. Competitive teams three or four time a week, maybe more. If the weather is bad, recreational teams cancel practice. Competitive teams find an indoor facility. More practice time, and more cost.

The last big concern, and this should be your biggest concern, is the increase pressure on your son to perform. It starts with tryouts. Players are put thru certain drills, and then some make the team and some get cut. It is a pressure cooker for a young boy. Recreational teams usually have playing time rules. Not so much with competitive teams. Everybody will get some playing time, but it is no way equal. Remember, they want to win. So if your son makes the team, then there is always the pressure to play well, or be riding the bench.

If your son is good enough, then at some point he will need to play competitive ball to get better. When depends on you and your son. Consider the above three points before deciding. Talk it over with your son.

My rule of thumb is not before ten, and at least by thirteen if you hope to play high school baseball.

After my many years of coaching, watching and traveling to out of town baseball games, I decided to share my baseball tips and stories that I have learned and experienced along the way. To check out more articles that I have written, please visit my website at http://baseballknowledge.info

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Read

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The Categories they have are: BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

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Teaching a Balanced Batting Stance

By Guest Author:Jack Perconte

Putting the ball in play on the ground is not always a bad thing, but turning ground balls into line drives will definitely help the hitter's batting average and chances of playing baseball at the higher levels. Hitters with good speed can prosper by hitting the ball on the ground, especially in youth baseball, but at some point the ability to drive the ball into the outfield is necessary. Of course, hitting ground balls is better than hitting pop-ups but hitting the ball consistently on the ground is a sign of a faulty fundamental swing.

People generally think that hitting the top of the ball, which results in ground balls, is caused by hitting down on the ball or chopping at it. In my 21 years of coaching baseball, rarely would I come across hitters who actually chopped at the ball. I observed that most ground balls hit were caused by the hitters hands were on an upward path on the initial portion of the swing, usually caused by the lead elbow coming up at the beginning of the swing. This incorrect action is generally known as a chicken-wing, which does not allow hitters to bring their hands to the correct palm-up, palm-down hitting position at contact.

With this in mind, here are the drills which will generally turn ground balls into line drives.

Drill # 1 - To rid the player of the chicken wing problem, have them place their fielder's glove under their lead armpit and take numerous swings this way, allowing the glove to fall out on the follow through.

Drill # 2 - Have the hitter stand belly button away from a net and take swings with the end of the bat just scraping the net as it comes through the hitting zone. This will prevent the hitter from casting the bat out and over the ball which can cause ground ball hitting. This drill and the next on will help players develop the correct hands to the ball and hand position necessary to hit the ball in the air.

Drill # 3 - Place a tee at knee high level and have hitters work on hitting balls at this height until they begin to hit line drives or solid fly balls. Hitters with incorrect swings will continually hit ground balls at this pitch level. Hitters will have to develop the correct hip turn and swing in order to hit solid line drives on the knee high pitch, as stated.

* Hitters can combine these drills and perform all three at the same time. This becomes more difficult but can accelerate the process of developing the correct baseball swing.

For hitters who consistently hit solid ground balls, as opposed to weak or chopped ground balls, a slight adjustment in their stance or hand position may lower the bat position on the ball just enough to hit the lower back portion of the ball instead of the top of the ball. Hitters who widen their stance and bend their knees slightly may see the necessary line drives. Also worth a try is lowering the height of the hitter's hands a couple of inches in their initial set-up position. This may allow the hitter to get to the back of the ball more consistently. Following these few guidelines should turn those ground balls into solid line drives. For photo illustrations of these drills please refer to my book, The Making of a Hitter: A Proven & Practical Step-by-Step Baseball Guide.

Former major league baseball player, Jack Perconte gives baseball hitting tips and batting practice advice for ballplayers of all ages. His books and baseball hitting lessons advice can be found at http://www.baseballhittinglessons.com/baseball
Jack is the author of two books, The Making of a Hitter and Raising an Athlete - his parenting blog and books can be found at http://positiveparentinginsports.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jack_Perconte

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One Drill That Guarantees the Correct Baseball Swing

One Drill That Guarantees the Correct Baseball Swing
By Jack Perconte

There are very few coaches of young baseball players who can look at a baseball swing and know it is a good fundamental swing. Even many high school coaches are not experienced enough to do this. There are some fine technical ingredients that are hard to notice by an untrained eye. The good news is that anyone can help a player with their swing with one drill.

One common saying that I tell hitters is, "It takes perfect fundamentals to hit an outside pitch solidly to the opposite field." For example, a right handed batter would be able to solidly hit a pitch on the outer half of the plate into right field. Hitters' hands and bat barrel position, as well as their timing must be perfect to continually drive this ball the other way. Many hitters hit pitches to the opposite field because of swinging late or because of incorrect fundamentals. However, in order to consistently hit a pitch "the other way" on a ball that is on the outside half of the plate, it takes a perfect fundamental swing. This is very important because the odds of hitting the outer half pitch solidly when it is pulled are not good. Pulling a ball is hitting a ball to the same side of the field as the side a hitter stands in the batter's box. Believe it or not, a ball that is fouled off to the opposite side of the field or straight back is often a better sign of a good fundamental swing than when this pitch is put in play to the pull side of the field. A foul ball is a positive on a tough pitch.

Coaches can get an indication of a good fundamental swing by noticing which direction players hit balls depending on the location of pitches. Players should work on the correct baseball swing by working on driving outside pitches to the opposite field with the following drill.

Drill

Very simply, set a batting tee on the outer half of home plate making sure the batter stands in their normal position at the plate, as in a game. Have hitters work on hitting line drives the opposite way until they can do it repeatedly and until it becomes very natural. A continuation of this drill would be to do the same thing with balls flipped by a coach to this part of the plate and following that with batting practice on outer half pitches.

As mentioned, it takes great fundamentals to consistently do this on this pitch. Hitters will find that as they become more consistent with this pitch, their swing will be correct on all pitch locations.

This drill is also another way of analyzing a player's swing to see if it is a good fundamental swing, especially for people who don't have a trained hitting instructors "eye." Players, who cannot consistently drive this pitch to the opposite field (8 or 9 out of 10 times), need improved baseball swing fundamentals. Additionally, because of the use of aluminum bats and their fear of hitting batters, pitchers throw more pitches "away" from hitters so becoming better at hitting outside pitches can only help hitters' batting averages.

Former major league baseball player, Jack Perconte gives baseball hitting tips and batting practice advice for ballplayers of all ages. His baseball hitting lessons advice can be found at http://www.baseballhittinglessons.com/baseball
Jack is the author of two books, The Making of a Hitter and Raising an Athlete - his parenting blog can be found at http://positiveparentinginsports.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jack_Perconte

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Simple Little League Baseball Drills to Help Teach Swing Mechanics

Little League Baseball Batting Drills
By Joseph Harrison Jr

Hitting a baseball is perhaps the most difficult aspect of any sport. This can be an especially daunting task for the inexperienced little leaguer. Like all things in life, hitting a baseball requires dedication and a lot of practice. Additionally, successful batting requires sound mechanics and body control. That being said let's discuss some of the mechanics of hitting and a few little league baseball drills that will have your child well on their way to becoming a more consistent hitter.

The first and most important thing for your child to remember when attempting to bat a ball is to keep their eye on the ball. I know this sound like common sense but you would be amazed how many kids spin completely around when swinging. If your child can not see the ball, they most assuredly will not hit it.

There is a simple drill used in little league baseball designed to help keep your child's eye on the ball. Have your child stand in the batter's box with their chin on their front shoulder (the shoulder facing the pitcher). Have them practice keeping their head down as they swing through the ball. As their swing reaches completion their chin should end up on their back shoulder (or the shoulder facing the catcher). A batting tee is quite helpful when performing this drill. If you do not have a batting tee, soft toss drills are also quite effective in teaching this skill. This is also a good habit to get into as it teaches the child to keep their head still as well, further increasing chances of contact with a pitch.

Balance is the second piece to hitting successfully, once again, common sense right? Revisit the spinning child mentioned above. Your child must be balanced to successfully hit a baseball. A good rule of thumb to follow to achieve optimum balance is to keep the feet about shoulder width apart. This is not a must, there are a lot of successful ball players out there with unorthodox stances; it all boils down to what feels comfortable to the individual. Try to encourage an orthodox batting stance in your little leaguer, they will benefit in the long run.

In addition to eye-hand coordination and balance, the upper body muscles play an important role in achieving a successful swing. There seems to be a bit of a misconception concerning the importance of the upper body, namely the wrists, when swinging. It is true that a lot of power is generated from the lower body, but bat speed also plays a pivotal role in hitting for power, and bat speed is primarily attributed to, you guessed it, the wrists. There is a delicate balance in the wrists that needs to be achieved to be a consistent hitter. As a hitter the trick is to not necessarily swing hard, but quick. The trick is to shorten the swing, just a bit, and roll the wrists over as the bat strikes the ball.

The other component of the upper body in batting is the hands. Most batters keep their hands somewhere in the mid chest level with the bat held slightly out in front. There are, however, plenty of players that implement unorthodox batting stances and styles that have yielded great results. The most important thing is that your child feels comfortable in the batter's box.

Another important aspect of batting is to remember to never drop the hands prior to a swing. A lot of young players like to drop their hands, meaning they ever so slightly dip the hands from the chest area to the stomach area. Consider that when you have tenths of a second to see the ball, decide if you will swing, and then execute your swing, dropping the hands can speed a pitch up for a batter, meaning the time the batter spent dropping his hands should have been spent moving the hands forward in preparation of striking the ball. Just a tenth of a second shaved off a swing can be the difference between the game winning line drive and foul ball down the first baseline. Often batters that swing late do so because they drop their hands. Soft toss is an excellent little league baseball drill for developing quick wrists and strong hands. Other simple but effective little league baseball drills are squeezing a tennis ball which builds strength in the hands.

The lower body is the last component of hitting. As previously mentioned, first and foremost, good balance is needed to achieve a proper swing. The biggest mistake that young hitters commit that affects their balance when batting is over striding, resulting in an off balance swing. Instead of taking a giant step, the batter should simply lift the front foot, or the foot nearest the pitcher, off of the ground, this is a mechanism used to time ones swing. Instead of taking a giant clumsy step have your little leaguer practice lifting their foot and simply placing it back on the ground almost where they got it from. This helps them to keep their weight back, a crucial element to hitting well.

The other key ingredient involving the lower body is to twist the hips, ideally as the bat contacts the ball, and simultaneously rolling the wrists over. Commonly used little league baseball drills such as a method called "squashing the bug" is fine tools to teach this hip twisting. In this particular drill the batter holds out their left hand (for a right handed batter) and strikes the left hand with the right simulating a baseball swing. The emphasis of the drill should be placed on the feet and hips as the batter should focus on sharply turning the right, or back, ankle as if to squash a bug with the toes.

Well there you have it, a few simple little league baseball drills that work to improve the key components of hitting, eye on the ball, balance, and a delicate timing of the upper and lower body muscle groups. Hitting is no easy task; even for the guys you get paid the big bucks. The only way to get better is to practice good habits and abandon bad ones as soon as they arise, and they will. Hitting is an exercise in muscle memory, the key is consistency.

I am Joseph Harrison, a baseball coach since 20 years ago. I love baseball since I am young, especially the feeling when you know you will absolutely crush the ball. Training your kid to gain interest in baseball will benefit him from both mentally and physically. In with he will gain team spirit, learn how to cope with teammates, and at the same time train up his physical, and concentration (to have good eye and hand coordination and the ability to use both at once). Go through my article and you will know all the benefits of baseball.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Harrison_Jr

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The Categories they have are: BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

Secrets to Coaching Youth Baseball

By Stephen K Reynolds

Coaching Youth Baseball is a great experience for men and women to be involved in. One of the awesome things about being involved in it is the opportunity to be around young people and motivate them to be their best.

There are tons of books and materials on youth baseball so i wont try to re-invent the wheel here.
I just want to hit on some things that need to mentioned. Keep it simple!! The majority of reasons why teams aren't as good as they could be is because they don't do the simple things!

Coaches want to be smart and try to employ strategies that are just to sophisticated for young players especially for 9-10 year olds. Stick to the basics ground ball practice, fly balls, throwing fundamentals, basis pitching mechanics.

Incorporate games into the drills that way kids can see the result of why they need to use a technique correctly. Keep it light and fun that way your players keep coming back for more.

Remember long after the games are over the players will remember how they were treated, not what the score was!! Here is one for you Dads... Your Son or daughter will never be as good as you Thought you were!

Another important key is using stations, less standing around. lets face it there is never enough time as it is. The secret is to make good use of your time while you have your players.

Bottom line have fun with this great game and enjoy your time with the players it goes by very quickly!!

Stephen K Reynolds is publisher of the LSR Unlimted "Free" newsletter which focuses on helping newcomers and seasoned pros learn the secrets to marketing in the ever changing world of the internet! For more information on this e-mail lsrwealth@gmail.com

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stephen_K_Reynolds

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One Word That Will Make You Sound Like a Baseball Expert - 5 Tips For Hitting, Pitching & Fielding

Baseball Tips For Hitting, Pitching & Fielding
By Jack Perconte

Not everyone knows the finer details of the game of baseball and, of course, many do not care to be baseball coaches or experts. Everyone has there own interests and that is fine. However, that does not mean you cannot say helpful things to young ballplayers. Using this one word will make one sound like a baseball expert and sound like you really know the game of baseball. As a baseball instructor over the past 21 years there is one word that I believe I have said more than any other word. This word is revealed below. If you would like a hint, think of the first thing that you teach your dog to do?

You guessed it - stay. Using the word "stay" with most any baseball term gives instant, "expert" credibility to the one saying it. Following are the terms good coaches often use when talking to players about the three key skill components in baseball - hitting, pitching and fielding. People, who use these terms with the magic word "stay," will sound like a knowledgeable, baseball expert.

Hitting Tips:
1. Stay back - good hitters do not jump at the ball, they let it come to them.
2. Stay inside - good hitters do not reach for balls, they try to hit the side closest to them on all pitches.
3. Stay behind - when good hitters swing, they rotate, transfer their weight and throw their bat at the ball while keeping their head back over their rear hip.
4. Stay balanced - good hitters swing the bat at 100% speed, but make it look like they are not working hard at all.
5. Stay ready - good hitters always expect the next pitch to be "their pitch."
6. Stay focused - good hitters concentrate on just watching the baseball from the pitcher's release to the hitting zone and tune out all other thoughts.

Pitching Tips:
1. Stay balanced - good pitchers throw at maximum speeds but make it look effortless.
2. Stay direct - good pitchers keep great direction, stepping on direct line towards home plate with their delivery.
3. Stay on top - good pitchers keep their fingers on top of ball on backswing and at release.
4. Stay behind - good pitchers do not rush themselves, allowing their arm time to come around.
5. Stay focused - good pitchers remain focused on their target, and tune out any distractions.

Fielding Tips:
1. Stay ready - good fielders "want" and expect the ball to be hit their way.
2. Stay down - good fielders approach ground balls low to the ground and keep their glove below the hop initially.
3. Stay smooth - good fielders make fielding look effortless, moving through the ball with grace.
4. Stay focused - good fielders keep their concentration on the ball, ready for any hop.
5. Stay balanced - good fielders have great footwork when fielding, always remaining under control.

You may have noticed that there are two terms used with our word "stay" that applies to every fundamental tip and those are balanced and focus. Everything in sport requires great balance and focus. So, when you are not sure what to say to your athlete, you can never go wrong with saying, "stay balanced" and "stay focused" as long as they are said in a positive, affirmative manner.

Former major league baseball player, Jack Perconte gives baseball hitting tips and batting practice advice for ballplayers of all ages. His baseball playing lessons, books and advice can be found at http://www.baseballhittinglessons.com/baseball Jack is the author of two books, The Making of a Hitter and Raising an Athlete - his positive parenting advice and books can be found at http://positiveparentinginsports.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jack_Perconte

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The Perfect Baseball Hitting Drill?

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The Perfect Baseball Hitting Drill?
By Jack Perconte

The sign of a good baseball hitting drill is one that forces the correct hitting fundamentals and that over time, causes the correct hitting action when a hitter goes without the drill. With that in mind, some drills are obviously better than others. The drill below does just that. It forces of the correct action and works on all the important hitting fundamentals of staying back, compact swing, weight shift, hips opening and follow through.

Because this drill combines all the correct baseball hitting fundamentals into one drill, it makes teaching hitting easier and quicker, as long as it is performed correctly. It is a little complicated and requires some hitting tools that one does not usually have in the basement, or backyard. The local batting cages though will have the things needed - balls, protective screen, batting cage.

Here is the perfect baseball hitting drill:

1. The hitter stands very close (within six to 10 inches) from a net, facing the pitcher with the net being behind the hitter where the catcher stands. The hitters rear foot and hands should both be this distance away from rear net. Make sure a home plate is set and hitters stand their normal distance from the plate.

2. The coach sets up behind a protective screen with a bucket of balls in front of the hitter, beginning at twelve to fifteen feet away.

3. The coach flips balls to the outer half of the plate - firm underhand flips are best from this distance, trying to keep the ball level with no rise or drop on the flipped ball.

Result you are looking for? Because the ball is on the outer half of the plate, hitters should drive the ball to the opposite field by missing the net on the initial portion of the swing but hitting the net on the follow through.

Note: Hitters may graze the net on way forward and come up a little short of hitting net on follow through and this is acceptable.

Why is this the perfect baseball hitting drill?

1. One of the main fundamentals of hitting is "staying back" - if the hitter jumps forward (lunges or over strides) they will not be able to hit the net on the follow through.

2. Another goal of hitters is to have a compact swing - when a hitter's swing is long, in anyway (upper cutting, casting, dropping barrel behind them) they will be striking the net on the initial portion of their swing.

3. Another objective of a good swing is to have the hands in a power position (palm-up, palm down) at contact. By hitting the ball to the opposite field on this outside pitch, this drill will guarantee that the hitter is in this correct contact position.

4. Another component of the perfect baseball swing is that the hitters' weight transfers while their hips open - missing the net on the way forward will promote weight shift and the only way to hit the net on the follow through, or get close to it, is to open the hips.

5. Another ingredient of good hitting is that hitters' keep their eye on the ball; thus, the reason for working on the outside pitch. It is further recommended that hitters keep their eyes in the direction of where they ball is hit, while trying to hit the net on the follow through as hard as possible.

As hitters begin to perform the drill with some consistency (frequent line drives with back-spin to the opposite field), the coach can begin to back up until eventually doing the drill from regulation, hitting distance.

Is the drill the perfect hitting drill? Maybe not, but if done correctly, it works on all the necessary hitting fundamentals all at once. Finally, I am sure that I have not been the first one to discover this drill, but it is one of my favorites while teaching hitting over the last twenty-two years.

Former major league baseball player, Jack Perconte gives baseball hitting tips and batting practice advice for ballplayers of all ages. His baseball playing lessons, books and advice can be found at http://www.baseballhittinglessons.com/baseball
Jack is the author of two books, The Making of a Hitter and Raising an Athlete - his positive parenting advice and books can be found at http://positiveparentinginsports.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jack_Perconte

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The Categories they have are: BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

6 Winning Strategies Guaranteed to Improve Your Coaching

Winning Strategies for Baseball Coaches


6 Winning Strategies Guaranteed to Improve Your Coaching

6 Winning Strategies Guaranteed to Improve Your Coaching
by: David Huizar & Matt Zavadil

Are you sure you're doing everything you can to be the best coach possible? Absolutely sure?

I've been a coach and I've had a lot of coaches. You know what I've found? Some coaches put all the pieces together and some just don't invest time developing the coaching skills that make a difference.

I can't turn you into a coaching superstar overnight but I can get you started with these six powerful communication skills. I'll break them into two groups: Verbal and Non-verbal

Read this complete article at the BBCD.

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