Free Youth Baseball Drills - 3 Great Ways to Improve the Youth!

Free Youth Baseball Drills - 3 Great Ways to Improve the Youth!
By guest author: KC Andrus

Youth baseball is a deep tradition, certainly in the American culture, and has always filled kids and parents live's with an amazing get away from the redundancy of normal life, as well as a way to channel children's energy (and hopefully wear them out, right parents? *wink* *wink*). But whether you're a parent, coach or player these six simple, free youth baseball drills are sure to get you and you're team going in the right direction, which is having fun, of course...and winning:

1. The first difficult transition in a baseball player's life is making the jump from tee ball to coach pitch (or machine pitch) whatever the case may be. A drill that makes this transition easier is to get a big, nerf soccer ball and have them hit that for a while just to get the feel of hitting a moving ball.

2. Baseball Ready Position Drill- this drill is great to teach kids the value of being in "ready position" when the ball is delivered to the plate. Have the infielder's line up at shortstop for ground ball practice just like normal, but BEFORE you hit them a ground ball make sure they get in a good athletic position so they can get a good jump on the ball.

3. Double Leg Kick Drill- This drill is for when the youngster's start pitching. Have the child stand in the outfield and pitch from the stretch the same as he would off the mound. But when he gets to his leg kick and his leg reaches it's highest point have him pause briefly, and then put his leg back down and leg kick again. This makes sure the pitcher is keeping his weight back and using his momentum toward the plate.

There are so many more great, free youth baseball drills. that will help your children improve and reach their true potential. It is wonderful for children to improve, and it is highly likely that the better they get the more fun they will have. It's just natural. Make sure to gather all the resources you can. The following site is one that I like a lot:

free youth baseball drills.

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

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T-Ball Game Rules

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By Chris Moheno

T-ball can be an exciting time for parents when their child is old enough to start playing. The game allows children from four to eight years the opportunity to learn new skills, developing themselves for baseball in the future. An important aspect of T-ball is the baseball training techniques that must be utilized in order to give them the proper guidance. Baseball hitting, running to the bases in the right direction, paying attention to where the ball is hit, safety and many other aspects are all taught. So the rules of the game are quite simple, getting children to use their abilities is a little more difficult.

The Equipment Rules: T-ball, Bases, Gloves, Etc.

Since we are talking about young kids, there are many avenues that need to be taken to ensure they avoid injury while playing. For example, the ball itself must have a molded core with a soft center weighing only four or five ounces. Since it is hit off a Tee, there is more of a chance for line drives or bad bounces, which on occasion a child will get hurt but because of the soft outer shell the damage will be more mental then physical. The main goal of learning all of the equipment rules is not only for safety reasons, but also remembering these kids are just starting out. Other rules in this area include:

- Safety helmets are mandatory.
- Bats can only weigh a maximum of 17-20 ounces.
- A bats length can be no more than twenty-five inches to twenty-six inches, along with two and one quarter inches in diameter.
- The baseball glove can be no longer than 12 inches.
- Must use a flexible Tee.
- Bases must be movable.

Playing With More Understanding Rules

Now, something parents or older siblings may want to remember is while coaches are teaching these children about baseball, it's not the only thing happening. Depending on what age they are, the thought of video games, who's watching, what they're doing after a game or practice, and the outside life are all running through their minds while trying to learn the game. So the object is to simply teach the basics of the game and hope that by eight to ten weeks time that part of the game has set in.

When the kids are batting, it all revolves around running the bases properly after the ball the hit and understanding what is foul. Since repetitiveness is such a great teacher, the little things can be taught this way until they are embedded into the player's mind. Also understand that T-ball eliminates outs so each player may bat at least once per inning. However, depending on the rules in the area these children are playing, the coaches will call someone out if it happens, but all batters still get a chance to hit. Offensive game rules include:

- Bases distance are only fifty apart.
- Baselines are imaginary, but used.
- Some T-ball leagues require the player to hit the ball more then ten feet for it to be fair, so an arc line is made in fair territory.
- The ball is hit off of a Tee at all times.
- Batters cannot walk or strikeout.
- There is no stealing.

The Most Important Rule Of All

What you see above are not the only rules for T-ball, but they are the majority. The rest include things like there only being twelve to twenty players allowed on one team with no more than fifteen playing in the field. Understanding the process of innings is another teaching so the rule of every batter going to the plate must happen before the inning can be considered over. Then of course, for time constraints, each game is only four innings long.

Baseball training techniques have to start somewhere and T-ball is the equivalent of educational development. When we are all at a young age there are ways to teach us to properly understand specific situations and utilizing these rules is the way to teach the beginning stages of baseball hitting.

One thing always to remember when a child is playing T-ball is the most important rule of all. Sure there are some rules for baseball hitting, fielding, and even after the game, but none of them top this one. Make sure the children are having fun and the rest will come to them rather easily.

Chris Moheno has a long time passion for sports in general and for baseball coaching more specifically.

His goal is to spread the word about effective non-fluff baseball training techniques for both more experienced and young baseball players, to help them perform better during the game.

Discover more about baseball training on http://www.baseballtrainingsecrets.com

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

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Coaching Behaviour For Little League Baseball Coaches!

Coaching Behaviour For Little League Baseball Coaches!
By Stephen K Reynolds

Just today i got an e-mail from a mother that had a bad experience with her son's 8 year old team.

She had noticed that the coaches were singling our her son when he made errors in the field. The coaches have sons on the team that when they made errors nothing was said. Upon her confronting the guy about this situation he immediately launched into a profanity based tirade.

What's wrong with this picture? Listen up coaches even if we live in a so-called _P-C world this kind of behavior in my opinion was never acceptable, 5 years 10 years 30 years ago. Just like when i was growing up in the 50s we got whipped by our dads. Even though that was the norm it shouldn't have been allowed and it was not acceptable.

My point is this: this is a game that is supposed to be fun for the players and it should be for the coaches.
If you can't deal with 8 year olds and for that matter older players making mistakes then you need to get out of coaching. I don't care what your excuse is there is no excuse period for this kind of behavior.

What you should do is talk to the player on the side not in front of everyone in and not demeaning tone. Explain what they should have done on the play and keep it short and sweet. Give a pat on the back and get back to the game. You definitely shouldn't be favoring your own son's and then blast other players!

This goes back to an article i wrote the other day. Do your homework in practice with the players and then on game day kick back and let the players play and have fun. Hey coaches this should be the best part of your day especially dealing with adults all day in the work place. Have fun with your players, they will play better if their relaxed and not stressing about what is going to happen if they make an error.

Lets chill out and relax a little. Like I said have fun man!

Stephen K Reynolds is publisher of the LSR Unlimted "Free" newsletter which focuses on helping newcomers & seasoned pros learn the secrets to marketing in the ever changing world of the internet! He is also a youth baseball coach in Western Montana 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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There is More to Baseball Training Than Simply Youth Baseball Drills

There is More to Baseball Training Than Simply Youth Baseball Drills
By Joseph Harrison Jr

Many new coaches would like nothing more than to simply jump right in with both feet and begin having their team play the game without teaching them youth baseball drills. Of course, this can simply be the absolutely worse thing coach can do.

As a coach, it takes hard work and even harder work to come up with a practice game plan. Going in completely unprepared is basically setting both you and your team up for a big fall. First of all, there are numerous places that a coach can explore to find drills to teach their team. And, there are many different drills out there that a coach can employ too. Therefore, specific drills cannot be stressed enough. But, with younger children, especially concentrate on the three main areas which are namely hitting, catching, and base running.

When using or creating drills that pertain to hitting, certain aspects will need to be considered. Items such as the player's stance, their swing, and even what they do with their feet are all equally important and must be addressed.

Keep their stance as wide as their shoulders and this will be a good start. This will allow the younger player to be able to balance properly as well as comfortably. Show them not only how to hold the bat, but also explain why they need to hold the bat a certain way.

When exploring these aspects, there is a drill that can be quite useful. It is primarily a way for both you as well as the player to be able to understand their swing. Stand on the mound and pretend like you are pitching to the player in the batting box. Go through the wind up and the pitch. The player is then expected to pretend like they are hitting the ball. All the while, maintain and stress the importance of the player being aware of how they are actually swinging the bat. This ensures that the player will see where they will need improvement.

Running the bases can be the fun part of learning the game of baseball. And, it may even allow the player the chance to get dirty too.

Certain drills are able to teach the finer points of base running. One very good drill is to have all the players line up at home plate and subsequently run after the coach calls out the type of hit that was made. For example, by calling out a single, the base runner would be expected to stop at first base. While a double would have them running to second base and so on and so forth. This can open a door for explaining the importance of how the player should turn after getting past first base and can even include a sliding drill on the other bases.

Catching a little white ball is not as easy as it seems, especially for younger players. The youngest players are usually quite afraid of getting hit with the ball and they will have a tendency to avoid any throws. This problem can probably be solved by one single drill. Have the player stand a short distance from you and easily toss the ball back and forth. While tossing the ball, explain how to properly hold the glove and to always watch the ball. Before long, the young player will gain confidence and will eventually lose their fright of getting hit with the ball altogether. Basically, they will realize that they are actually able to catch it and they will certainly do so.

Many younger players are quite familiar with the art of playing baseball. But, by using youth baseball drills, this can only improve.

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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Youth Baseball Drills Are a Valuable Aspect of the Game, Learn Them When You Are Young!

Youth Baseball Drills Are a Valuable Aspect of the Game, Learn Them When You Are Young!

By Joseph Harrison Jr

There are many youth baseball drills that a coach can use to aid his team in becoming better. And, the more of these that a coach employs, the more apt a baseball team will be at gaining that competitive edge.

Let's begin with discussing the different aspects of the game itself and then follow with a discussion about each one individually. There are three main areas that a new player will be most concerned with, and each is equally important.

Hitting drills should include the stance, the rotation of the hips during the swing, and the swing itself. The stance will include the player having their feet apart so as to feel comfortable and the proper gripping of the bat.

An especially good drill does not even use a ball. It will simply include the coach standing on the mound and winding up as if they are going to pitch and throwing an imaginary pitch. The player wall then watches and to be aware of their actual movements during their swing at this imaginary ball. Where are they holding their weight? Are their knees bent? Did they drop their hands? Did they keep their head up? Did they step into the ball or toward third base, or even out of the batting box itself? Did they rotate at the hips or was their power coming from their arms?

Now, let's assume that a player has hit the ball and needs to run the bases.

There are many drills that will help with this aspect too. For example, on a single hit, have the players run through the first base bag. Then, after they have run through the bag, have them know which way to turn. For example, by turning to the right, the player would be considered safe. However, if the player turns to the left, then they would still be considered in play and can easily be tagged out. A coach can call out, single, double, or triple and have each player run from home plate through the bases depending what the coach had called out. This allows the players the ability to think while running.

Catching is probably the easiest aspect to learn, but the hardest to master. It takes good eye and hand coordination and the ability to use both at once. Many times, a new player will be afraid of being hit with the ball and this will limit him in the beginning. But, by simply tossing a baseball back and forth and letting the player have the opportunity to appreciate the catch itself, their confidence will grow and they will no longer fear getting hit. Also, a good drill for catching grounders is for the players to line up opposite one another and roll the ball back and forth on the ground. This will allow the players to develop the ability to field a ground ball.

While there are many different types of youth baseball drills that can be used as a learning tool, keep in mind that the basics are probably best when starting with younger players.

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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Little Leaguers and Catching Fly Balls

Little Leaguers and Catching Fly Balls
By Marty Schupak

There is no set age for young players when they start to feel comfortable catching pop ups. Many of the really young players are afraid of getting hit in the face by the ball and will camp under a pop up very apprehensively. Unless catching a fly ball is practiced, their nervousness can lead to injury. There are numerous drills a coach or parent can practice with their players. Some drills will work for some athletes and not for others.

One of the first drills I do is to hit a soft covered ball off a paddle. I explain to the kids that I only want them to make contact with the soft covered ball with their glove. I do not want any kids catching the ball. Telling them not to catch the ball will do two things. First, you are making the drill uniform, with the goal attainable by everyone on the team. Second, the weaker kids will not feel bad if everyone catches the fly and he or she only makes contact with his glove. And, you want the really young kids to experience as much success as they can. This success will lead to more and more confidence when a real hard ball is used.

Another technique I have used is one of those velcro paddles with velcro balls for the young kids, and they love it. I toss up the Velcro ball as high as possible and they take turns catching it. This is another great confidence builder, and the success experienced with many repetitions will help immensely when catching a real hard ball, which is the ultimate goal. Wiffle balls and tennis ball are also good to practice with. Progression is the key. And you can even set up competitions with catching any of these balls. Even the young players love contests and competitions.

So remember that the key to teaching young players to catch fly balls is to do it by progression. Having them dive into the deep end with no experience might open up the possibility for an injury with never extinguishing their fear of the ball. Successful repetitions will lead to confidence and give them the best odds of mastering this skill.

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Marty Schupak has coached youth baseball for 18 years and is the video creator of "The 59 Minute Baseball Practice", "Backyard Baseball Drills", "Winning Baseball Strategies", "Hitting Drills & Techniques", “Pitching Drills & Techniques”, and author of the popular book, "Youth Baseball Drills". He is a principle with Videos For Coaches and is also President of the Youth Sports Club, a group dedicated to making sports practices and games more enjoyable for kids.

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Coaching Baseball Beginner Batters - The Batting Grip, the Bat Angle and Proper Hand Positioning

Coaching Baseball Beginner Batters - The Batting Grip, the Bat Angle and Proper Hand Positioning
By Nick Dixon


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Article Body:

Hitting a baseball is a skill that can be learned and improved with proper coaching and instruction. It may be a difficult task, but with the correct fundamentals and techniques hitting can be one of the most rewarding activities in all of sports. There is nothing that is more satisfying and rewarding than hitting a line-drive in the left-center gap to help your team score the go-ahead run. Many kids experience a great sense of accomplishment while others suffer the embarrassment, disappointment, and despair of striking out time after time. They feel that they let their team down and they often feel that they embarrass their coach and parents. The quickest way to achieving hitting success is to identify bad mechanics and correct them as soon as possible.

I will now give a brief overview of 3 aspects of a proper grip, the correct bat angle in the stance, and the process of getting the hands to the proper launch position.

1. The GRIP - knocking knuckles, (not fighting knuckles) should be aligned. This positions the bat handle in the fingers and out of the palm. This allows maximum wrist quickness and hand speed. Coaching Tip: Have kids check their grip by raising and pointing their index fingers. If they point in the same direction, they are aligned, if the point across each other, the grip is incorrect.

2. The BAT ANGLE at the start position. Keep in mind that the hands will move slightly back and away from the pitcher when the batter loads to the launch position. The bat angle will not change during the loading process. The bat should be at a 45 degree angle over the shoulder. The bat should not be wrapped or tucked behind the head, this slows bat speed. The bat should be no more that 2 to 3 inches off the top of the shoulder.

3. The LOADING PROCESS is a simple and slight movement of the hands away from the pitcher. This is a movement that is so slight that many people do not notice it. The hands are the only things that move. If the batter is noticeably shifting weight, moving feet, and moving other body parts, too much movement is occurring. Most times this movement is no more than 2 to 4 inches. It may be more for larger players. LOADING is getting the hands to the launch position from which the forward swing motion starts. Different players use different loading actions. Some batters simply move the hands straight back and batters move the hands back and up at the same time. The loading process adds power, develops important timing and rhythm, and allows the batter to achieve a comfortable ready position from which to launch swing.

COACHING POINT: Make sure that players do not line their knuckles up when you are looking and then move their hands to an "axe grip" when you walk away. One way to teach the benefits of the "finger grip position" is to have the two batters take several swings from shoulder-to-shoulder very quickly using the two grips. Take two batters of similar ability levels and with similar hand speed and do this demonstration. One player uses the "correct grip" and one uses the "axe or incorrect grip". Have the batters take 10 shoulder-to-shoulder swings. See which batter completes the 10 swings first. This shows the kids how much faster the hands move when the correct grip is used. Note: Make sure to move the batters at a safe distance from each other and from other players when performing this illustration.

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Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

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

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Learning to Play Baseball

Article Title: Learning to Play Baseball
By Connor R Sullivan

When learning to play baseball, most people begin by playing little league as a child. As you grow older, baseball because a bigger part of your life that you might play in high school and preferably in college. As you get older and get better at playing the game, there are a few pieces of equipment that you will probably use as you learn and practice. Equipment such as pitching machines, weighted baseball bats, and even baseball training aids will help you or your child get better and better at baseball at time goes on. Baseball is a very popular sport that generally gives you a lot of discipline and long term lessons, so it can be a great sport for kids of all ages.

Baseball has been a sport for a very long time and it is also very popular in small communities. If your child is interested in this sport at a very young age then you should definitely look into getting your child into the sport. This will teach your child self-discipline, lifelong sportsmanship skills, as well as exercise techniques that they will use for life. Learning to play sports like this can teach your child many lessons that they will use for life and in their high school and college careers.

If your child ends up being a very good ball player in high school and intends on continuing the sport in college, then it may be a good idea to increase their off season training and their original season routine. Increasing intensity and time spent training can make a world of difference in the technique and integrity of your game. There is a fine line between high school sports and college sports because college sports are much more intense when it comes to reputation. College sports are when scouts come to watch players from real major league teams and it gets harder and harder to impress people with your good game.

There is also a very fine line between sports for fun and sports for an income and that is what the line is between community sports and professional sports that you can watch on television from your own home. Professional ball players have to set a lot of good examples because they have a lot of kids that look up to them. There are often times too many problems in professional sports that deal with image and that is something that kids have to watch out for if they are interested with the professional sports industry.

This is a great sport and if your child is interested then they should definitely get involved. Learning to play this sport can be a fun process but if your child is very interested they will stick with it throughout high school and maybe even in their adult career. If your child will stick with this sport into high school and throughout college, they may be able to create a fun and useful career for themselves and their family over time.

Connor R. Sullivan owns and operates a top ranking web site to help people find pitching machines to improve their baseball skills. He offers a large selection of baseball training aids for youth baseball coaches to purchase.

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



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Youth Baseball Digest - 11 Simple Batting Terms Every Tee Ball and Little League Coach Should Know

Youth Baseball Digest - 11 Simple Batting Terms Every Tee Ball and Little League Coach Should Know
By Nick Dixon

1. Grip - The first thing every young player must be taught is how to properly grip the bat. The bat is gripped with the "knocking knuckles" on the top and bottom hands aligned perfectly in a straight line with each other. The purpose of this grip is to place the bat handle in the fingers away from the palms of the hands. This grip allows the hands to be move quicker and to have maximum control of the bat. Tension is a batters worst enemy when it comes having a quality swing. Gripping the bat improperly often causes tension throughout the body. A relaxed grip on the bat allows the batter to react with better bat speed and hand quickness. Feeling relaxed at the plate is a key to a batters confidence.

2. Stance - A batters stance is how a batter initially stands in the batter's box to look out at the pitcher. A batter's stance is the position of the hands and feet prior to the start of the swing. The feet should be shoulder width apart with toes pointing toward the plate. The feet should be square to the plate. Square to the plate means that they are an equal distance from the plate. The stance also refers to the position of the hands and the angle of the bat. The hands should be no more that several inches from the shoulder. The stance should comfortable and should allow the batter to look at the pitcher with ease.

3. Stride - The term refers to the batters weight shift or step prior to the swing. The stride should be short and only about three to four inches if the front foot moves. Many batters simply pick the front foot up and replace it without moving it forward. If a step is taken, it should be a little step forward with the toes pointing toward the pitcher. It is important to teach young players that they must stride to get ready to hit. They do not stride to hit, but rather, they should stride to get ready to hit. The batters stride foot should be set before the pitchers front foot lands.

4. Hip Turn - Hip turn refers to the process of a batter generating power by driving the hips through a power rotation. Only pitches over the middle and inside 3rds of the plate allow a batter to get full hip turn. The closer the pitch is to the batter, the more hip turn is needed to properly hit the ball. Pitches on the outer part of the plate require little hip turn to hit. The hitter will rotate his hips open farther on an inside pitch than an outside pitch. The batter should rotate the hips on a level plane. Player should not lean forward over the plate or lean back away from the plate. The batter's back foot must pivot in order to have good hip rotation.

5. Balance - A batter must have good balance to be successful. Balance refers to proper weight distribution prior, during the swing, and at the finish of the swing. Good balance allows the hitter to have more control at the plate. Good balance begins with even weight distribution with a proper stance. The batters ability to control the body during the stride is the key to good balance.

6. Bat Speed - The speed of the bat during a swing. The bat the batter used must be the correct length and weight for a batter to generate optimum bat speed.

7. Squash the Bug - This term refers to the pivot the back foot during the baseball swing. This foot action allows the hips to open up or turn.

8. Shoe Laces to Pitcher - The best back foot action is not a squashing action with downward pressure. The best motion is to turn the back foot with the shoelaces toward the pitcher. This turn should be performed with a "light-weight" pivoting motion with little downward pressure. The batter pushes off from the ball of his rear foot to shift weight to the front side. Putting downward pressure on the ball of the back foot as it pivots and the hips rotate tends to constrict the quickness and power swing.

9. Trigger - Load - Both have the same meaning. Batters must learn to trigger or load to get ready to hit. The loading or triggering process is a batter's final movement of the body and hands to the optimum bat launching position to get ready for the swing. Different batters use different movement as a triggering mechanism. Many batters turn the front knee and should slightly inward. Other batters simply take the hands slightly up and back to what they call their launch position. The loading or triggering action should be a very slight movement.

10. A, B, C Baseball Swing - The "A, B, to C baseball swing" means a baseball swing that is not fundamentally correct. The term describes a swing that is not compact and not direct to the ball. The batter sweeps the bat in a slow long arch.

11. A to C Swing - Used to refer to a sort compact swing that take the bat from the "A" launch position directed to the "C" or contact position. The perfect baseball swing is a short compact "A to C" Swing.

For more articles on coaching baseball visit the Youth Baseball Digest, Little League Digest and the Baseball Coaching Digest.

The CoachesBest Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. Check out the BatAction Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

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

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Sports Psychology and Baseball Hitting Tips - How and Why to Relax at the Plate

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Article Title: Sports Psychology and Baseball Hitting Tips - How and Why to Relax at the Plate
By Jay Granat

The baseball season is about to begin and I already getting calls from parents, players and coaches who are concerned about hitting slumps.

Anyone who has played baseball for any length of time has experienced the frustration of an extended hitting slump. And there are many causes of these performance valleys.

Some of the causes are physical. A breakdown in mechanics, poor balance, poor technique, a moving head, a tight grip on the bat or an injury can contribute to poor performance by baseball players.

Some of the causes of hitting slumps are mental. A batter who has been hit by a pitch can be scared in the batter's box. A player who has been hitting poorly can lose his confidence. A batter who is worried about impressing his coach, his parents or a scout can become quite anxious. A player who is conflict with teammates may find it hard to hit to his potential. Similarly, a player with stress related to his or her life off the field can have difficulty concentrating when he or she steps up to the plate.

Also, it is important to understand that there are many relationships between the mind and the body where hitting a baseball is concerned. For instance, a nervous player is apt to grip the baseball bat too tightly. Likewise, a tense player is apt have difficulty turning on a pitch.

Interestingly, some people believe that our vision gets worse when we are tense and that it improves when we are relaxed.

There are many ways to relax one's mind and one's body before you get up to bat.

Players can learn relaxation techniques, meditation, visualization or self-hypnosis. Some players benefit from listening to music in the dugout or before a game. Others do some aerobics before they take the field as they find that this helps them to relax when they get up to bat.

Tension will work against you at the plate, so it is important that baseball players learn how to get very comfortable when they face the opposing pitcher.

Jay P. Granat, Ph.D. is a psychotherapist and the founder of http://www.stayinthezone.com. He is also the author of 101 Ways To Break A Hitting Slump With Sport Psychology And Self-Hypnosis. http://www.stayinthezone.com/shop-stay-in-the-zone.html?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=21

Dr. Granat can be reached at 888 580-ZONE.

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

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Baseball Hitting Tips - Excellent One Liners About Baseball Tips on Hitting

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Article Title: Baseball Hitting Tips - Excellent One Liners About Baseball Tips on Hitting
By Larry Cicchiello

Sometimes you can say a lot with only a few words. The following list will prove just that.

"Everything goes toward the pitcher."

Your body should be going toward the pitcher and not toward third base if you are a right-handed hitter or toward first base if you are a left-handed hitter. It's a very common baseball hitting problem because it is extremely unnatural to go toward someone who is throwing a baseball in your direction. But, the truly great hitters all do it.

"Outstanding hitters have slow feet and fast hands."

The faster you move your feet around the better the chances are that you will get "sloppy." A steady, balanced foundation is as important to good baseball hitting as it is to building a house. Even if everything above the foundation is perfect, whether it be hitting a baseball or building a house, if the foundation is not perfect it will lead to many problems. And "fast hands" are of the utmost importance when hitting a baseball. It's very frustrating, especially for power pitchers, when a hitter literally just flicks the bat out with very quick hands and hits the ball hard for a hit.

"Short and quick is so much better than long and strong."

I can not overemphasize how being "short to the ball" is a very critical factor and one of the better baseball hitting tips. Being "short" is an absolute necessity and will enable you to catch up to any fastball. I would rather pitch against a baseball hitter with a long and very powerful swing than someone who is "short to the ball" any day!

"Stride and then swing."

They are two separate movements yet quite often weaker hitters will do them at the same time. Watch and you will see this very common baseball hitting problem often. They should happen in rapid succession but they are separate movements that should be done as smoothly as possible.

"Tension is a hitter's worst enemy."

An expression that's been around for decades and still holds true and always will. Hitting a baseball effectively is not an easy thing to do. If you tighten up your muscles it is pretty much impossible to be a good baseball hitter. That's one of the reasons some very good hitters will have a little waggle with their bodies or their bats while waiting for the pitch. It's almost impossible to tighten up your muscles when you are moving them. Relax and "let the air out."

"To hit the ball harder, you don't necessarily have to swing harder."

Don't place too much emphasis on how hard you swing the bat. It's a very common baseball hitting problem, especially with younger players.They swing too hard and miss the baseball by a foot. Focus heavily on getting the sweet part of the bat on the ball as often as you can. Trust me, just get the bat there and watch what happens. Let the bat do 90% of the work for you. Bat manufacturers spend millions of dollars on research to have the ball jump off the bat when hit on the "sweet spot." Nobody will ever notice how hard you did or did not swing at the pitch. What they will notice is your "seed" going up the right-center or left-center field gap!

Larry Cicchiello is the author of "Excellent Baseball Coaching: 30 Seconds Away." His very user friendly eBooks cover 320 topics on playing or coaching excellent baseball. ANY players, coaches or parents who want to help their child improve will be fully equipped! Some FREE tips are available at http://www.LarryBaseball.com/product/all

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

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Batting Tee - It is Not Boring at All and is Simply Outstanding!

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By Larry Cicchiello

Do yourself a favor and never underestimate the importance of working off the batting tee.

Let's just make sure we use it properly.

The batting tee is very versatile and can be set up almost anywhere and by no means is a baseball field even required.

During bad weather for example, you can hang an old piece of carpeting against the garage wall, set up your tee, and start hacking.

Sometimes it takes many, many repetitions to break a bad habit and proper use of the batting tee can speed up the entire process.

Instead of getting just 10 swings in practice, you can get an additional 100 off a batting tee.

If a player is struggling at the plate, life will be made much easier if he can get back on the right track in a week or so compared to a month or so.

Two Things Are Necessary For Getting the Maximum Benefit From the Batting Tee:

1. That it's set up properly.

2. That you take the same swing that you would normally take in a live game. If you are willing to spend your time, you are certainly entitled to reap the benefits.

Position yourself and the ball on the tee so it is at the point where you would be making normal contact with a live pitch in a game.

A good place to set up the ball is across from your front striding foot, before the stride is taken.

You can change this as you see fit because you are the one doing the baseball hitting.

Waist high is a good height when working on your overall swing but you can vary the height of the batting tee if you want to practice at a specific height.

Feel free to position the tee so you can practice hitting both inside and outside pitches as well.

Young Players And The Batting Tee


As a rule, youngsters are NOT a big fan of the batting tee and quite often feel it's boring.
To motivate them, remind them that MANY outstanding professional hitters take as many as 500 swings a day off the tee.
Always take your work off the batting tee very seriously and you must swing like you are swinging at a live pitch in a ball game!

It is one of the best baseball coaching drills for a coach to use with his players.

What can possibly be better than speeding up the process if one of your players has "lost" their stroke?

Or to maintain your swing if you are in a good groove?

If you have developed a bad habit at the plate, it may take 300 repetitions for your muscle memory to take over.

If doing this on a ball field, it will take quite a long time.

On the other hand, you can hit 100 balls off a tee in no time at all.

Why should a player struggle for a couple of weeks if he can get back on track in two or three days?

Remember, practice doesn't make perfect but perfect practice makes perfect.

If you're working off the batting tee, obviously you are willing to put in the time so don't cheat yourself and make sure you get the full benefit that you deserve.

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

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Youth Baseball Digest - The Power of Praise in Coaching Little League Baseball

By Nick Dixon


Praise is the easiest and most effective way to motivate young baseball players. Understanding and believing in the "Power of Praise" can make a Little League Baseball coach a better and more effective coach. Knowing how and when to praise is the key. This article discusses the value of praise in coaching youth baseball.

Good coaches have a variety of skills. They know how to teach the game of baseball. They know how to communicate their thoughts and observations almost immediately. They know how to correct without humiliation. They know how to motivate without intimidation. They love the game of baseball and that love is displayed through their actions and behaviors. But, one of the universal traits of successful youth baseball coaches is that they know the "Power of Praise".

Good youth baseball coaches know that kids respond differently when they are coached and taught the game of baseball. Many kids do not take constructive criticism. All kids do not respond the same to harsh words or loud instructions. But, one thing that 99.9% of all kids respond favorably to is praise. They love to hear words of encouragement and words that tell them that they did a task well.

What youth coaches must always remember is that many kids we coach never hear many positive words. It is sad and true that many kids never hear words or praise or encouragement at home. Words of praise are "words of respect" for a youngster. They want to love, appreciated, and respected just like most people do. Many kids we coach are hungry for attention, discipline and most of all praise. The more they are praised, the more they want to earn more praise.

So when you see a player struggling or having a bad day, find something that he is doing correctly and praise him for his action. Make his day a better day. I do not mean to give out unmerited or false praise. Make sure that the praise is deserved and merited. Kids can sense if a coach is sincere or genuine when the coach praises a player. False praise is useless and counterproductive.

One good rule to live by as a youth baseball coach is that you should find a way to praise every player on your team at least once a day. A pat on the head or back takes little time and energy on your part, but can do wonders for a kids self esteem and attitude.

I hope that you enjoyed this article. Thanks for taking the time to read it. Good luck to you and your team. Your friend in baseball, Nick.

The Coaches Best Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. Check out the BatAction Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

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

Youth Baseball Coaching Tips

By Trevor Sumner

There are many ways to ensure that your players perform better on the baseball diamond. It is important that baseball coaches are aware of coaching tips that they can impart to their players. You will see that these youth baseball coaching tips will make a difference in the performance of your team and your enjoyment of the season.

Here are a few youth baseball coaching tips that will improve the team’s play:

Defensive Mentality - One of the premier youth baseball coaching tips concerns itself with your team’s defensive mentality. You must ensure, as a coach, that your team is prepared defensively on what to do with the ball on every pitch to the plate. The best preparation is to instruct your players to ask themselves these questions prior to every pitch when they are out on the field, and the opposing team is up at bat. The question is: “What do I do if I get the ball on the ground, in the air, and on a line.” Your players should also remind themselves about the number of outs, often talking on the field to make sure the team is on the same page. These defensive mentality questions will keep your players more alert and prepared to make the correct play if the ball is hit their way.

Pitch to the Target - One of the better youth baseball coaching tips concerns pitchers and their focus. One of the keys in pitching is to throw to the catcher’s target. You must instruct your pitchers to key their eyes focused on the catcher’s glove throughout their windup and through the release of the ball. Many pitchers lose eye contact with the catcher’s glove, accounting for their inaccurate pitches. Similarly, a catcher should practice giving the right target for the pitcher and learn how to frame the pitch to help his pitcher be successful. Often catching technique is overlooked and it is wise to prepare a good array of youth baseball catcher’s drills.

Focus on the Release Point - One of the best youth baseball coaching tips concerns itself with the discipline of hitting. A key to hitting is the ability to pick up the speed and spin of the ball as it leaves the pitcher’s hand. As a coach, you must instruct your hitters to focus on the release point of the pitcher. The focus needs to concentrate on the ball as it comes out of the pitcher’s hand. Batters must not allow themselves to be duped by a fancy windup or other deceptive attempts on the part of the pitcher to hide the ball from the batter until it is released. The later that the ball is picked up by the batter, the less time for the batter to identity the type, speed and location of the pitch as it travels to the plate.

While this is just a quick distillation of basic youth baseball coaching tips focusing on fielding, pitching and hitting, it is surprising how often baseball coaches lose focus of these basics. There are many elaborate baseball drill libraries on the Internet such as those at Weplay. While a coach should select a variety of age-appropriate drills for coaching his team, focusing on these basics and making them fun for the team will often lead to greater success.

By Trevor Sumner who works for Weplay.com, a youth baseball community dedicated to providing parents, coaches and athletes the tools and information they need to celebrate the love of the game. Weplay has one of the most comprehensive baseball drill libraries in its active baseball community.
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