Showing posts with label youth baseball drills. Show all posts
Showing posts with label youth baseball drills. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Youth Baseball Digest - Free Baseball Batting Drill - Batting Tee Curve Ball Hitting Drill

Youth Baseball Digest - Free Baseball Batting Drill - Batting Tee Curve Ball Hitting Drill
By guest author: Nick Dixon

Many coaches use the batting tee to practice proper baseball swing mechanics. The batting tee is a great batter training tool. It offers batting practice repetition and is easy to use. Most coaches use it in drills to practice hitting the low, medium, and high fast ball locations. The batting tee can also be used to practice hitting a curve ball. One of the most difficult pitches to learn to hit is the curve ball on the outer edge of the plate. This article explains how the tee can be used to teach young players the proper mechanics and timing to hit that type curve ball. Curve Ball Batting Tee Drill

Many coaches would say that the batting tee is not a useful tool in teaching a player to hit a curve ball. That is untrue. By placing at the optimum contact point for a curve ball, the batter is allowed batting practice repetition at attacking the curve ball with proper timing and baseball swing mechanics. The batting tee should be placed as shown below. The "8's" represent a right handed batter's feet. The "x" marks the spot where the tee is located. This is the proper spot for a batter to attack the off speed curve ball on the other portion of the plate.

................X

8------------8

The tee is placed even with the instep of the back foot. The tee is placed on the outer edge of the plate. The batter will practice hitting the curve ball to the opposite field. This allows the batter to get the proper feel of hitting the off speed pitch. Placing the target ball at this spot teaches the hitter to keep the hands back, to let the ball get deep, and to drive the ball to the opposite field.

I hope that you found this article to be useful and informative. Thanks for taking the time to read it. For more article like it visit the Youth Baseball Digest, Baseball Coaching Digest, Little League Digest or Baseball Parent Guide. Good luck to you and your team. Have a great day, 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

========================
Thanks to our sponsors:

Baseball2u.com/CoachesBest.com is the ultimate online baseball training and coaching store. With over 1400 products organized into categories Baseball2u.com makes finding that baseball training product easy and simple. Order securely online or by phone. Baseball2u.com is a fully licensed company and has a full time staff available from 8:00 to 5:00 CST. Their toll free customer service number is 1-877-431-4487.

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!

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Youth Baseball Drills - Start the Kids on the Road to Success Early

Youth Baseball Drills - Start the Kids on the Road to Success Early
By guest author: KC Andrus

Why Youth Baseball Drills?
Ahh, the joys of youth baseball. What a wonderful sight to behold, the children out there giving it there all, wearing their emotions on their sleeves and the parents in the stands biting their fingernails, overcome with nervousness. The sights and sounds of a little league game are one of the fondest memories of many children's childhoods and also becomes ingrained in the minds of their parents. Whether you are a parent, coach or player, however, it takes steady practice doing the RIGHT youth baseball drills to make your team a winner.

What Youth Baseball Drills are Effective?
Everyone knows that the most glamorous asset for a baseball player's inventory is his hitting skills, it is also his most valuable. So here are some common problems facing young hitters and some drills to help you improve.

Keep Your Eye on the Ball!
It's the first thing you learn as a baseball player and one of the most important. A good drill to improve this is to have someone stand on a mound and throw a ball and have the player track the ball all the way into the catcher's glove. Very simple and effective.

Hit Line Drives
If you're popping the ball up a lot or hitting way too many choppers, it is always one of two things: your timing is off or your swing is off and your bat path isn't straight to the ball. A good drill to make sure your bat path takes you straight to the ball is to practice hitting sharp line drives off of a tee.

My Timing Is Off
If you're struggling with timing and rhythm within your swing one of the best drills you can do to correct that problem would be soft toss. Have someone kneel on one knee out to the side and softly toss the ball up to you while you focus on timing and hitting the ball up the middle squarely.

What Other Measures Should I Take?

There are various other resources that can help you come up with Youth Baseball Drills and provide fantastic coaching tips. In order to get the best information, you have to sift through all of the misinformation on the internet. This is where I found the best information for me, it provides solid tips and even lets you in on some secrets to maximize hitting potential:

Youth Baseball Drills

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

=========================
Thanks to my sponsors:

Check out these coaching articles at the Softball Coaching Digest:
SoftballCoachingDigest.com
• Articles from the Youth Softball Coaching Clinic Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Pitchers Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Hitters Blog
• Articles from the Tips for Fastpitch Softball Coaches Blog
• The Fastpitch Softball Training Equipment Blog

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Are You a Heavy Hitter?

Are You a Heavy Hitter?
By guest author: Chip Lemin

Hitting is the Spice of Life in Baseball

There are plenty of theories on how to hit a baseball. Let's start with some real live facts. Home plate is 17 inches wide. Batter's box it is 4 ft. wide and 6 ft. long. The catcher's box is 8 ft. from tip of home plate. So as you can see, you do have room to move closer to pitcher, or farther from pitcher.

When there is a pitcher who has an overpowering fastball, batters should move toward the back of the batter's box. When we face a pitcher who is throwing slower than normal, we may want to move up in batter's box.

In youth baseball, especially younger ages, a common mistake is being too far away from the plate. Younger player's bats are too short to cover entire plate unless they stand close to the plate. Crowding the plate will help the player to reach the outside corner of the plate. It will also help teach the player to react quickly inside pitches and pull them.

Young players should use bats that are light enough to generate good bat speed. Make sure your players use the right length bat also. A bat that is too long will also slow down bat speed. A good way to check if the bat weight is right for the player is to hold out your weaker arm at shoulder height while holding the bat near the knob. If you can't hold the bat without struggling, then the bat is too heavy for the player.

The length of the bat should be no more than three to 8 in. longer than the number of ounces it weighs. Players 8 years old should use bats that weigh anywhere from 15 to 21 ounces. Players who are 9 to 12 years old will swing bats that weigh around 21 to 25 ounces.

Every player should know how to get out of the way of a pitch. That should be one of the first things you show a young player to do. We recommend a complete drop down to the ground, just dropping the bat, as you sprawl to the ground. We will have video links to this technique.

Players should hold bat loosely, so that they don't restrict wrist movement during the swing. The player's middle knuckles on both hands should be lined up on the bat. That is where they will end up after the swing anyway, so you might as well put them there to begin with.

We feel that you should have your players hold their hands up high while in their stance. This will help them to keep from holding their hands too close to their body. Having your hands too close to your body restricts your ability to throw your bottom hand at the baseball quickly.

Your players or their parents should clean their bats once in awhile and look for any damage to the bat. The bats should be cleaned occasionally including the grip. Just use some cleaning spray on the handle to bring back a nice sticky grip. Also wipe the barrel and check for damage.

These bats sometimes cost up to $300 or more, so let's take care of them. When using a hitting stick with a coach, use an old bat, to prevent damage to your game bat. When hitting at the batting cages, don't use your game bat, because the cage balls can damage your bat. When the temperature is below 50 degrees don't use your game bat unless there is a real a game being played.

Put your name or some identifying mark on your bat somewhere where it will not come off, like just above the grip. There are barrel covers available to use during batting practice to help protect your game bat.

Hitting is probably the favorite part baseball for most players, although it is arguably the most difficult. There is nothing like hitting solid line drives, or bombing a pitch over the outfielders head. Even little kids at T ball games love hitting the baseball.

There are many types of approaches to hitting. We hear of linear, rotational, or a combination of both. Or you can just plain attack the baseball. Good consistent hitters all share some similar traits. They may not show or arrive at these points at the same time in their swings. Our course doesn't endorse nor oppose any of these approaches. We will stress good simple methods you can use to help develop good hitters.

In our course, we will share what we believe to be some solid pointers on hitting. Hitting is hitting. Some old sayings are true, see ball hit ball, drive the ball, hit the middle of the ball, stay back on ball, are only a few of them. Good hitters have a plan, for example, try to hit only strikes, look for a certain pitch early in the count, or try to get into a hitters count.

Most good hitters have good balance. They keep themselves under control during their swing. You will not see them lose control during a swing. Usually they hold the bat fairly loosely, not in a death grip, with middle knuckles lined up. They often swing only at good pitches.

Every player will have their own style in their stance. This course will address some of the basics of hitting. It will not attempt to change any player's stance or swing. That is the job of the youth baseball coach, or parents after reviewing our course. Professional instruction is always a solid option.

Our hitting drills will help you to develop basic hitting fundamentals. The main objective is to make it fun to learn. That is why we encourage a positive mindset when running these drills. There are many other hitting drills out there for you to use. We are introducing you to the ones that been successful in the past. By purchasing this course you will have access to more instruction in all areas of youth baseball as part of our website.[http://www.youthbaseballonline.com]. If you so choose, we will give you updates and instruction information as part of our newsletter which we hope you enjoy.

ATTENTION: Please always wear helmets when conducting any kind of hitting. Please train your hitters to always be aware of hit or thrown balls while on deck waiting to hit.

Hello My name is Chip Lemin. I'm a long time youth baseball coach who loves to promote this great game of youth baseball. Promoting sportsmanship in this game of youth baseball is something that is greatly needed. I have a free e-course that will give you some solid coaching information along with great help on the inter-personal relationships we must have to be good youth baseball coaches. Things such as parents, travel baseball, getting parents to help out, how to communicate better to parents and players, just to touch on a few. This course will help to organize practices like an elite coach. How to motivate players and other coaches with your positive attitude. It really is not very hard to be a great coach when you know what to do.Best of all you will learn how to have fun with these great kids that you have the privilege of coaching. Do yourself a favor and check it out, it's free,you will get 1 part every couple of days in your e-mail. Coaching can be fun and rewarding if you have a plan in place first, and you have an idea what you are doing. http://www.baseballecourse.com

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

=======================
Thanks to our sponsors:






SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Drills for Tee Ball that Work at All Levels



Drills for Tee Ball that Work at All Levels
Uploaded by ClubHouseGas On http://ClubHouseGAS.com , Jim Weldon talks about tee ball fundamentals that work at all levels of baseball. Also check-out http://YouthSportTravel.com

=======================
Thanks to our sponsors:


Baseball2u.com and CoachesBest.com is your online super store for baseball batting cages, pitching machines and protective screens and nets. This fully licensed company has a full time staff to help you from 8:00 to 5:00 CST. You may order securely online or by phone, toll free, at 1-877-431-4487.
Check out these categories that are featured at Baseball2u.com.
Jugs Complete Packages
Batting Cages
60' Portable Batting Cage
55' Portable Batting Cage
70' Portable Batting Cage
Extender Batting Cage 30'
Jugs Pitching Machines
Iron Mike Pitching Machines
BATA Pitching Machines
Heater Pitching Machines
Granada Pitching Machines
Phantom Pitching Machines
…and if you are looking for Youth Training Equipment, Advanced Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, and Pitching & Throwing Trainers, or Portable Mounds, they have those too!
Plus, they have one the internet's largest selections of Baseball Training and Coaching DVDs and Books. Make sure to chweck our their CLEARANCE DEPARTMENT for rock bottom prices on top quality equipment.

Monday, July 18, 2011

T-Ball University Scoop, Load and Fire Drill tballu.com



T-Ball University Scoop, Load and Fire Drill tballu.com
Uploaded by TBALLUNIVERSITY This T-Ball University Drill (www.tballu.com) is designed to train coaches and parents how to train children on the Scoop, Load and Fire fielding drill. The T-Ball University System provides training for coaches and parents at www.tballu.com. Downloadable drill sheets, practice plans and coaching forms are also available at www.tballu.com.

==================
Thanks to our sponsors:


www.BatAction.com



---BatAction Machine at CoachesBest.com
---BatActionMachine on Ebay.com
---BatAction Machine Video Clips
---BatAction Trainer - 15 Reasons Why You Must Own This Machine
---Message to Parents From Coach Nick
---If you are looking for BatAction Replacement Balls or Power Bands Click Here

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Innovative Baseball Vision Hitting Tee - Trains Your Eyes To Hit Baseballs Consistently

Innovative Baseball Vision Hitting Tee - Trains Your Eyes To Hit Baseballs Consistently
By guest author: Keith Hodges

One of the most important things that baseball players fail to do is train their eyes to see a moving baseball. Your eyes, head, hands, feet and hips are the keys to hitting a baseball consistently. I'm going to start with your eyes first, because if you train your eyes to see and recognize movement hitting becomes easy. If you watch major league hitters you will see that all of them have very little head movement. Why? Because when your head is still your eyes can focus and see the baseball better, but when your head is moving your eyes can't see the ball as clear and the ball appears as if it's during something it really is not doing that's why keeping your head as still as possible is so important.

That brings me to your hands if you can see the baseball clearly your hands will follow you eyes to the point of contact on the baseball with the bat. But, if you can't see it you will never be able to hit it. Your front foot should be down on the ground all the way in a close position before the ball reaches the hitting zone. Right handed hitter If your front foot lands on the ground pointing toward third base or the pitcher your hip have open up to soon taking your power away from you before you start your swing and the same is true for a left handed hitter.

Improve your swing and hitting mechanics so that you can compete at any level of baseball or softball. Baseball and softball players should train their eyes to see a baseball coming toward them so that they can prepare for a 80-95 mile per hour fast ball.

Baseball vision training helps baseball players to totally concentrate and focus their eyes on the ball while at the same time training your eyes to see and hit a moving object. This hitting technique can be utilized in-door or out-door, day or night starting as early as 2 years of age and continuing into t-ball, little league, high school, college and into professional baseball.

This training technique will eliminate having to set-up or pick-up baseball after hitting balls off the batting tee. This technique works because as the ball moves back and forward in and out over the strike zone it forces your eyes to concentrate on the movement of the ball entering the hitting-zone.

Using the vision training techniques allows you to train your eyes to see and recognize balls and strikes crossing the plate while at the same time improving your swing and baseball hitting mechanics needed to play the game of baseball at the highest level possible. By using this technique along with the different movements and angles of the ball crossing the plate will also develop and improve the following:

* Plate Patients
* Plate Balance
* Hand / Eye Coordination
* Hitting
* Swing
* Recognize Balls In Or Out Of The Strike Zone
* Eye Tracking
* Ball Tracking
* Reaction Time To Pitches Entering The Strike Zone

http://www.2createabaseballplayer.com/baseball-vision-training.html
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Keith_Hodges

=================
Thanks to our sponsors:

Check out the Hurricane Hitting Machine: Derek Jeter Series:
Hurricane Hitting Machine - Homepage
15 Reasons To Buy a Hurricane Trainer
6 Questions Often Asked By Customers
Message to Parents From Coach Nick
Examples of Hurricane Hitting Drills
The Highly Acclaimed 20-Minute Hurricane Batting Practice Workout
Hurricane Batting Machine Video Clips
Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine

Monday, February 28, 2011

Learning to Hit the Ball Hard Every Time Baseball Drill

Learning to Hit the Ball Hard Every Time Baseball Drill
By guest author: Jim Bain

Based on physics, the hitting of a round ball, traveling 87 mph and moving up and down... with a round bat is impractical, if not highly unlikely, yet we as baseball players, execute this task on a daily basis during Batting Practice.

We execute the task of making contact with the ball with the bat, but do we consistently hit the ball correctly and hard, an honest answer would be "No."

One of the problems we encounter, unless there is a hitting coach watching and correcting our swing, you have no idea what you're doing right or wrong. The only gauge you have is the end result of the swing. Did you hit a screaming line drive? Great, what did you do right? Did you hit a feeble pop fly in the infield? What did you do wrong?

The idea of having a hitting coach with you at all times is impractical and without him you limit your batting practice, which is the only way to improve, to some else's schedule.

This Baseball hitting drill solves the problem of needing an extra pair of eyes watching you in order for you to improve your hitting. It's called the Tee-hit.

This drill is a "hitting mechanics specific" drill, which means it's designed to build muscle memory and eye to hand coordination when hitting the ball.

In order to perform this drill you'll need a batting tee, the same type of batting tee Tee-Ball players use, making sure it is adjustable up and down. A good quality whiffle ball bat and a number of whiffle balls, which must be of good quality in order to withstand the punishment, and with holes in it. The ball must have holes in it in order to properly perform this drill.

In order to conserve the time of collecting the batted balls, which is swing time, I suggest hitting into a net. If you're hitting against a solid object, such as the back of the garage or house, be sure to position the hitting tee at least 30' to 40' away from the building to reduce the damage the structure will cause the ball.

Here is how the drill works and why the holes in the ball are so important. Placing the ball on the tee, take your normal batting stance and swing, hitting the ball off the tee.

If you hit the ball correctly, as the ball travels it will create a distinct whooshing sound as the air travels through the holes in the ball. If not hit correctly, although still creating a noise as air passes through the holes, will not be a distinct whooshing sound and the ball will slice, dip, soar or spin when it hit's the ground. Any of these results means you did not hit the ball squarely. Adjust your swing until you are able to hit the ball creating the distinct whooshing sound on a consistent basis.

You are now able to take batting practice alone and still be able to figure out what adjustments you need to make, on your own.

Hello, my name is Jim Bain. I have been a licensed plumber fitter for over 34 years, a strong advocate for Social Justice, as a technical writer for the UAW and a former Minor league baseball player and Coach. Since retirement I have dedicated my life to teaching baseball and have developed a website packed with Baseball information and tips. http://www.Learn-Youth-Baseball-Coaching.com

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

===============
Thanks to our sponsors:

Check us out on Twitter:

Blog4Coaches
Blogs4Coaches.com

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Coaching Youth Baseball - Preventing Injuries

Coaching Youth Baseball - Preventing Injuries
by Guest Author Jake Wyatt

Youth baseball coaches have many duties. An important one is to reduce the risk of injury to players during practice and games. There are several things a youth baseball coach can do to help prevent injuries in their players. Some involve practice and pre-game routines, other involve teaching the players what they can do on their own time to keep their injury risk low.

The coach should require the following before all practices and games:

1. Significant stretching. The coach should establish a stretching routine for his team early in training so that players will know what to do before practices and games. The coach should ensure that adequate effort is put into the stretching routine by all players.

2. Running. The coach should require a certain amount of running at every practice and before every game. This cardiac warm-up will get the players ready for the physical activity that is to come.

It is important that the warm-up routine be well defined and communicated to the players. All players should start at the same time. The coach needs to be involved in these activities, not spending this time visiting with parents.

During practice, the coach should always watch a player's form in all activities. Improper form should be addressed and worked on until corrected. Proper form in pitching, hitting and throwing the ball will substantially reduce the potential for injury.

The coach should encourage, and perhaps require, the players to do some training on their own. This could involve the following:

1. Age appropriate weight training or band work.

2. Calisthenics, such as sits up, pull ups and push ups.

3. Cardio work, such as jumping rope or bicycling.

4. Yoga. Most kids will think this is silly, but yoga can increase flexibility and therefore reduce the risk of injury.

If a coach is diligent, he can reduce the risk of injury to his players significantly. This will lead to more enjoyable games for all involved - players, coaches and parents!

In order to be the best possible baseball player, training should happen year-round and be a joint effort between the coach, the player and the parents. Get more free tips to improve baseball performance, reviews of e-products related to baseball, and links to training resources at http://youth-baseball-training.com.

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

------------------------------------------------------------------

Check out these video demos of some of the most popular baseball training products on today's market. Click below and see the Advanced Skills Tee, Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer, and the Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine.

--Video of the Advanced Skills Tee is used by a college hitter during a hitting drill.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M30Ti00ZaOk

--Baseball Batting Tee - The Advanced Skills Tee - Baseball Trainer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkvPoPWa7NU

--Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine - Youth Baseball Batting Trainer - Youth Hitting Drill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dFE150AKDs

--Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer - Demo Tape Shows How the Machine Loads, and Operates During Use. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFwoJ8Vh1nU

--Derek Jeter Hurricane Batting Machine - Baseball Backyard Batting Trainer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtxZk74y1L4

--Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine - The Backyard Basketball Goal for Baseball Players http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJBn9VS9WDI

--Youth Baseball Batting Trainer - Hitting Drill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ0JjILe73k

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Pitching Drills & Techniques



Pitching Drills & Techniques
Posted on YouTube by LNersesian

The Youth Sports Club is a leading producer of sports instructional videos and DVDs. Coach Marty Schupak's newest release, "Pitching Drills & Techniques" explores some of the best drills that are beneficial for youth players, ages 7-12 years old, who have the desire to pitch. This video simplifies the pitching process, and includes more than 20 drills which show youth players the importance of the different body parts that make up the perfect pitching motion. This instructional video walks the player through the wind up, front leg lift, release and follow-through. Also included are important tips for the youth coach and parents on how to recognize when a youth pitcher is getting tired during a game. A pitch count chart is also included which shows the recommended number of pitches to be thrown in a game at various ages plus the proper amount of recovery time. This is a must for any youth baseball coach or parent of aspiring young pitchers. For more information on how to purchase any of these titles, visit: www.youthsportsclub.com

----------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks to Our Sponsor: Nedco Sports - BatAction Hitting Machines
www.BatAction.com


---BatAction Machine at CoachesBest.com
---BatActionMachine on Ebay.com
---BatAction Machine Video Clips
---BatAction Trainer - 15 Reasons Why You Must Own This Machine
---Message to Parents From Coach Nick
---If you are looking for BatAction Replacement Balls or Power Bands Click Here
BatAction Demo Videos on Youtube



Check out these video demos of some of the most popular baseball training products on today's market. Click below and see the Advanced Skills Tee, Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer, and the Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine.

--Video of the Advanced Skills Tee is used by a college hitter during a hitting drill.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M30Ti00ZaOk

--Baseball Batting Tee - The Advanced Skills Tee - Baseball Trainer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkvPoPWa7NU

--Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine - Youth Baseball Batting Trainer - Youth Hitting Drill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dFE150AKDs

--Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer - Demo Tape Shows How the Machine Loads, and Operates During Use. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFwoJ8Vh1nU

--Derek Jeter Hurricane Batting Machine - Baseball Backyard Batting Trainer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtxZk74y1L4

--Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine - The Backyard Basketball Goal for Baseball Players http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJBn9VS9WDI

--Youth Baseball Batting Trainer - Hitting Drill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ0JjILe73k

Monday, May 3, 2010

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

Check out the 59 Minute Baseball Practice Video at Baseball2u.com
==========================
Other Sponsors:

Shop CoachesBest.com for your baseball coaching needs including baseball training aids, training videos, and other coaching supplies. Check out the Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting machine by SKLZ at HurricaneTrainer.com.

See the “Original” Rotational Hitting Machine at BatAction.com. Are you looking for the perfect trainer to teach proper timing and swing mechanics? You can stop looking and go to HandsBackHitter.com.

Players develop incredible bat speed and confidence when they regularly use the Quick Swing Trainer. See it at QuickSwingTrainer.com. See the world’s most advanced batting tee at AdvancedSkillsTee.com.

Are you looking for a great batting cage at discount prices? Are you considering building your own backyard batting cage and training center? If so, you should visit BattingCagesDirect.com now!
Blogs for Baseball Coaches Links:
BLogs4Coaches Twitter
Blogs4Coaches.com

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

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

Recommended Links:

===Advertisement from our sponsor:=====
Baseball2u.com/CoachesBest.com is the ultimate online baseball training and coaching store. With over 1400 products organized into categories Baseball2u.com makes finding that baseball training product easy and simple. Order securely online or by phone. Baseball2u.com is a fully licensed company and has a full time staff available from 8:00 to 5:00 CST. Their toll free customer service number is 1-877-431-4487.

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!

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Check us out on Twitter:

Blog4Coaches
Blogs4Coaches.com

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Baseball Drills For Youth - Baseball Throwing Drills



Baseball Drills For Youth - Baseball Throwing Drills
By Peter S. Smith
Youth baseball tends to be a serious sport, so the young ones are required to master some basic skills before entering the field. There are quite a lot of baseball drills that parents can teach their kids even when they can hardly keep a ball in their hands. It is known that if any progress and performance is to be expected, the training should start early ( nobody who's ever been any good at baseball started playing in high school).

So, what are the best baseball drills for kids? Well, the first and most important thing is playing catch. Even if this sounds boring, it's a very important step and a proper technique needs to be learned. Batting cages are perfect for practice, no matter if it's throwing or pitching. Let's talk a bit about throwing and pitching.

The proper throwing technique is this: the child should always fully stretch his or her arm when throwing, and the arm should always be warm. When throwing the ball, it's important that the glove shoulders point straight to the target. Also, the child will want to step toward the target when throwing the ball, and always follow trough. The arms should be bent at the elbow and up above the shoulder when throwing the ball.

Playing catch and practicing throwing should be done daily and it's best if you just have a bucket of balls ready and watch your child how he or she throws at the batting cage. This way, you will be able to correct his or hers position. That's it for this first part of baseball drills for youth. In the next part you'll find tips on batting - the proper technique.

More information and more throwing drills and tips are widely available online today, so go online and you'll find plenty more. A good site with information on baseball drills for youth can be found here.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_S._Smith

Sponsor Links:
Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine Demo Video


Check out the Hurricane Hitting Machine: Derek Jeter Series:
Hurricane Hitting Machine - Homepage
15 Reasons To Buy a Hurricane Trainer
6 Questions Often Asked By Customers
Message to Parents From Coach Nick
Examples of Hurricane Hitting Drills
The Highly Acclaimed 20-Minute Hurricane Batting Practice Workout
Hurricane Batting Machine Video Clips
Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine