Kids Baseball - Coach the Fundamentals of Throwing and Catching

Kids Baseball - Coach the Fundamentals of Throwing and Catching
By Kenny Buford

When coaching kids' baseball, an important first step is identifying the mechanical elements of each skill and then using that knowledge to teach the fundamentals of the game. Most beginning players will not know the proper technique for gripping, throwing, and catching the ball. Establishing these skills early will ensure players feel more confident and have fun playing the game.

Proper Grip

Start by teaching how to grip the ball:


For proper grip, the ball should only contact the fingers and thumb, not the palm of the hand. However, because beginning players' hands are often small, they might have to use their whole hand in the grip.
Players should grip the ball across the seams, with their fingers spread over the top of the ball and their thumb positioned on the bottom. Those with big enough hands should use only the index and middle fingers, while those with smaller hands can use three fingers to grip the ball across the top.
As the grip is released, players should focus on keeping the fingers directly behind the ball. Following through with the fingers after the throw will increase the velocity of the ball.

Throwing Fundamentals

Next, coach proper throwing technique for a basic overhand:


Players should begin the throwing motion by taking a step with the foot opposite of the throwing arm. The step should be in the direction they will be throwing.
The front shoulder and hip should be positioned so that they are pointing in the direction of the throw.
The front shoulder should be positioned toward the target, and the rest of the body is turned to the side. The arms should be extended from the body in a T-formation.
As the arm begins the throwing motion, the elbow should be as high as the shoulder and the hand should be higher than the head.
The front foot should now start forward, stepping toward the target.
As the arm continues the throw, the front shoulder and hip should turn so that they face toward the target.
The ball should be released above and in front of the head, snapping the wrist right before the release and pushing through with the fingers directly behind the ball.
Follow through the throw by bending the back slightly forward.

Basic Catching Technique

To coach catching, follow these steps:


Keep arms bent and relaxed, and provide a target for the thrower.
Hold the glove open toward the thrower, keeping the fingers up. If the ball is thrown low, switch to position the fingers down.
Use the bare hand to cover the ball once it is caught in the glove.
After the catch, bring the glove, ball, and throwing hand up to the chest and prepare to throw.

And if you'd like to see more free kids baseball drills and coaching tips, go here to watch a free video:
http://www.baseball-tutorials.com
Kenny Buford is a kids baseball coach, and the owner and publisher of Baseball-Tutorials.com, the web's #1 resource for kids baseball drills, practice ideas, and coaching tips.

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Simple and Straight Forward Little League Baseball Drills

Simple and Straight Forward Little League Baseball Drills
By Joseph Harrison Jr

Batting a baseball is a difficult skill to master. This is often an especially frustrating task for a child. Successful batting requires body control and sound mechanics. In this article I will discuss some basics of hitting and introduce a few simple little league baseball drills aimed at improving technique.

The most important thing your kid can do is to watch the ball all the way to the bat. They should practice watching the ball hit the bat.

One of the many simple little league baseball drills your child can do to improve "picking up the ball" is to stand, chin on front shoulder (for a right handed batter). As they swing the chin should come to rest on the back shoulder. A simple batting tee is helpful in enhancing this skill. Soft toss is an effective alternative little league baseball drill used to teach this technique. Furthermore, this is a good drill for developing bat speed.

The second basic rule of hitting is balance. Your child, or anyone else for that matter, must have balance to be a successful hitter. As a general guideline have your child stand with their feet about shoulder width apart. This is flexible many people feel more comfortable with a slightly exaggerated open stance (feet wide apart) and others a closed stance (feet close together) Whatever their stance make sure they can swing the bat and stay balanced, they will benefit and be more consistent in the long term.

The upper body muscles play a pivotal role in a fluid swing. In fact, bat speed has as much, if not more, to do with hitting for power than lower body strength. Remember to swing quick and compact, hot hard. A simple adjustment of the swing to avoid over extending the arms can help achieve a shorter swing. A shorter swing speeds your bat up through the strike zone, creating more power. Many coaches refer to this technique as throwing the bat at the ball because in effect the batter is throwing the head of the bat at the ball.

The last prime component of the upper body in batting is the hands. Most batters hold their hands around chest level with the bat out in front. Again, this is a general guideline and not a rule, the most important thing is that your child is comfortable holding the bat.

When batting, it is also important to remember to never drop the hands prior to swinging. A lot of players drop their hands before they swing, meaning they dip the hands from the chest to the stomach. This drastically cuts down on reaction time to a pitch. Often batters that swing late do so because they drop their hands. They cannot make up the time they lost by dropping the hands resulting in a late swing. The soft toss drill is one of several little league baseball drills used for developing quick wrists and strong hands. Additionally, a tennis ball can serve as strength and conditioning tool simply by repeatedly squeezing it. Stronger hands equal more bat speed.

The last component to successful hitting is in the lower body. As previously mentioned good balance is mandatory for a proper swing. The biggest mistake hitters make is over striding, resulting in an off balance swing. Instead of taking a giant, clumsy step, have your child lift the front (left foot for a right handed batter) off the ground and simply place it back on the ground. This helps to keep their weight back, a crucial element to hitting well and for power.

The other key role of the lower body is the hip twist. A drill called "squashing the bug" is one of several effective little league baseball drills to teach hip twisting. In this drill, the batter will hold out their left arm (for a right handed batter) in front of their body and hit the left hand with the right mimicking a one armed swing. The drill should be used to emphasize correct usage of the feet and maintaining proper balance. The batter should look to sharply turn the right, or back, ankle as if to squash a bug with the toes.

Remember the core components of hitting, balance; see the ball and careful timing between the upper and lower muscle groups of the body. Hitting and hitting well is a difficult task. Improvement will only come with the development sound habits, practice and work ethic.

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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Free Youth Baseball Drills

Article Title: Free Youth Baseball Drills
By Kenny Buford

Defensive Drills that Don't Bore

One of the hardest things when selecting baseball drills for youth is coming up with drills that build muscle memory but don't bore the players so much they lose interest in the action altogether. This task is especially arduous when selecting defensive drills, since good defense is all about being prepared for whatever comes your way, and the only way to learn that is by playing out the various game-time situations. The following free youth baseball drills aim to keep players so engaged and interested they forget they're building defensive skills.

Catching the Notorious Pop Fly

One of the most important defensive skills is how to catch a pop fly. To prepare your team for these high, straightforward catches, try this drill. Give each player on the team a ball and have them line-up one behind the other. Player one runs towards the coach, tossing the ball when close enough. The player then runs long, starting around 50 feet, while the coach lobs the ball high up into the air.

Players then turn around, spot the pop fly and catch it. To up the competitiveness of the drill, players who fail to catch the ball are assigned a letter in a predetermined word, such as HORSE. Once a player gets all the letters, they are out. While players are running to catch the ball, remind them to stay on the balls of their feet, since it will keep their strides shuffling and quick.

Mastering the Unpredictable Grounder

The next of the free youth baseball drills is perfect for teaching players to properly field the often wildly unpredictable grounders that inevitably will come their way come game time. To set up the drill, set up your fielders in a row. To cut down on wait time, set up a number of different stations with a coach or assistant managing each station.

The coach hits five ground balls in a row to the first player in the line who fields each grounder and throws it back towards the coach. After fielding the five balls, the player returns to the back of the line. In this drill, the most important thing to remember is staying low when fielding the balls. Make sure players are standing with their feet slightly wider than their shoulders, and constantly keeping their eye on the ball.

When looking for free youth baseball drills for defense, sometimes you want a drill that players can perform on their own without much help so you can concentrate on watching each player and correcting them when you see errors. This drill is perfect for that, since players are set up facing a wall, which basically provides its own grounders.

Line up players facing a wall or fence. Players should be at least 15 feet apart and approximately 20 feet away from the wall. Give each player a ball and at the sound of your whistle, players begin throwing the ball towards the ball low enough to get a grounder back. Have players count the number of grounders that are able to successfully field in a row without having one slip past or between their legs in a one-minute time span. Encourage players to beat their personal bests, and if they are excelling at 20 feet try moving them further back from the fence.

About The Author

Kenny Buford has coached nearly every level of baseball in a career that spans several decades. You can get instant access to his championship baseball practice plans and more youth baseball drills by visiting his website:

http://www.Baseball-Practice-Plans.com/

For a limited time, all coaches who visit Kenny's site will also get a free copy of his special report: "The 7 Biggest Mistakes Baseball Coaches Make". Go get your free copy today!

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Four Steps to Organize Your Little League Practice

Four Steps to Organize Your Little League Practice
By John R Di Nicola

The only chance you have as a Little League Coach is try and get yourself organized. I have listed out the very basic steps to organize your practice. You have so so many constraints on you it very difficult to get all the practice completely covered. The amount of practice time is limited maybe to 3 days per week. Getting practice fields is a major problem in most instances. The length of practice is another. You cannot hold marathon practices three to four hour practices. Using a planned schedule will enable you to have practice that are fun for the players therefore they will learn what what you trying to teach them.

Scheduling Practice -

You have a such a short time to prepare your team usually about 3 to 4 weeks. It is important you are organized your practices so that you may over come the constraints that come with being a Little League Coach.

Getting Practice Fields


number of times you practices: weather, all players can make to all practices.
practicing to much parents complain
not practicing enough

Fielding, Defense, Pitching and Hitting

Fielding


Outfield
Infield

Pitchers


Pick off - 1st base, 2nd base, 3rd base, and covering home
Run downs
Out field: Cut off men, short stop, 3rd base, 2nd base, 1st base, Pitcher
Throwing to bases -2nd,3rd, home
Situations - Simulate a game situation with coach hitting and player running

Hitting Stations


Hitting off of a "T"
Soft Toss
Live Hitting - 10 swings
Bunting

Pitchers


Throwing a bull pen with catcher

You look at this say wow! You just have organize yourself. Make sure self a template (using Microsoft word) for your practice days. Plug in your dates. You can do A, B C, D and rotate them through your practice schedule. It is a must that you get parents to help. You will need at least two to help to run a practice. You will have to do two of these segments each day and possibly a third.

You will find defense is one of the most important segments you must cover everyday. You can never hit enough ground balls to your infield. So fielding must be done just about every day. You may want to have just your infield come and work on ground balls and going over where they positions themselves for cut off from outfield. You can do the same for pitchers. Bring the pitchers and catchers to practice their defense and working on their wind up and delivery.

Best thing a you can do is make sure you are organized! Stick to your schedule and make adjustments as you go. Please do not get frustrated and not follow an organized plan.

You will soon realize the areas that you need to work on a little longer as you play games. During game you are still coaching as if it were practice. when situations happen taken player aside and talk to them.

You Never Stop Coaching!

Practice Makes Prefect

Thank you for taking the time to read my article. If you would like further information on this topic or information you can E-Mail me at: jdinicola@easypitching.com

You can follow us on Twitter - http://twitter.com/easypitching

Web site: http://www.easypitching.com

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Fun Indoor Baseball Drills For Kids - A Tip From the Pros For What to Do on a Rainy Day

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Fun Indoor Baseball Drills For Kids - A Tip From the Pros For What to Do on a Rainy Day
By Matt Mc Dermott

Have you ever been at a loss for what to do on a day when it rains before youth baseball practice? You want to keep the kids' enthusiasm high, but you may not have access to a huge indoor facility where you can do all sorts of advanced practice techniques. If that is the case, you may be wondering how you can beat the other team which may have better access to indoor equipment and facilities.

Take a tip from the pros on what they do on rainy days. It will help your kids have a new indoor baseball "drill" they can do any time; and it works perfectly with what they do already!

One of the benefits of having been in the minor leagues is that you see kids when they have the opportunity to come on the field after games. They imagine all sorts of fun scenarios such as hitting the winning home run, striking out the last batter, and turning an amazing 6-4-3 double play. If you use their imaginations properly, you will have a great "rainy day" technique which will help your kids get better.

Here are some visualization suggestions:


In a quiet room tell the kids that they are going to work on hitting. Choose a specific task to help them focus, such as seeing the pitch leave the pitcher's hand. Instruct them to see the situation as if the kids are already at bat (not like they are watching themselves on a movie screen). Have the kids see themselves successfully completing the task. While the ideal number of repetitions is 21 or more visualizations, that is probably unrealistic. Have the kids do 3 or 4 repeats of successfully accomplishing the task, and then make a change. For example, have them repeat everything again except this time the pitcher is throwing from the other side, the sky is overcast, or the team is down by 2 runs. Again, choose one change and have the kids repeat a successful visualization 3 or 4 times
Move on to defense and choose one aspect on which to work, such as fielding a ground ball to the back hand side (or catchers blocking a ball to the back hand side). Again, have them visualize 3 or 4 times and then make a change (overcast, team is up by a run, bases loaded and 2 outs, etc.).
Move on to base running, repeat as above
Move on to throwing, repeat as above

There have been numerous reports of basketball players improving their free throw percentages just by using mental imagery and many other articles citing the benefits of mental imagery for athletes (e.g. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/siforwomen/issue_three/think/). Teaching your kids this skill early will give them a jump on their competition.

Over time, you can have your kids successfully practice all sorts of situations so that they are familiar with the scenario before it ever happens. In addition, they have only practiced success in their minds so they reduce the odds of making errors or failing to perform in clutch situations.

This indoor baseball drill for your kids will help them go a long way in learning what elite athletes already do today. Since young kids already have active imaginations when it comes to baseball, it should be an "easy sell" on your part. If there is any hesitancy, tell them that pro baseball players use this skill to overcome hitting slumps and they should be fine with it!

Matt was a backup and bullpen catcher in professional baseball for parts of 5 seasons, and he gave post-game lessons to kids after home games throughout his career. He gave these suggestions to kids and their parents during some of these lessons, and repeatedly was thanked by parents for how much their kids improved. If you are a youth baseball parent and want to better enjoy your time as a parent in the youth leagues, then learn the same advice which professional baseball men give their closest friends who are a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/siforwomen/issue_three/think/">http://www.youthbaseballparents.com/">Youth Baseball Parents. You also can get a free report taking these visualization suggestions to the next level, and you will help your kid overcome being nervous when at bat.

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


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Getting Kids to Youth Baseball Practice on Time

Getting Kids to Youth Baseball Practice on Time
By Marty Schupak

As the season starts, we want to get off to a good start with our team and what is expected of them. Of course, youth baseball is unlike a school team sport and you cannot force a player to practice or even force them to be on time. However, there are certain things you can do as a coach to ensure your team develops good habits.

My own personal pet peeve was having the players arrive late for practices. My practices usually run no longer than one hour and if a player is fifteen minutes late, he misses a full quarter of a practice. I have tried a number different tactics. The first one is, I give each player a number as they arrive at practice and they keep that number throughout the practice. Whoever arrives first is number one and when it comes to batting practice he or she goes first. The players remember this and after a couple of practices, you will notice the difference with players arriving early to get a good number.

Another technique I use is to start practice with a mini batting practice even before warm ups. After you do this a few times, you'll notice the players arriving early and telling you that they go first. Do not do this technique every practice but every once in a while. Practices, especially early in the season, will set the tone for a successful and fun season. The kids take notice when the coach arrives early and organized. Use these two techniques to get your players to arrive on time.

http://www.YouthSportsClub.com

Marty Schupak has coached youth baseball for 18 years and is the creator of "The 59 Minute Baseball Practice", "Backyard Baseball Drills" and author of the popular book, "Youth Baseball Drills". He 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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Baseball Coaching Digest - What is the Most Important Thing in Coaching Little League Baseball?

Baseball Coaching Digest - What is the Most Important Thing in Coaching Little League Baseball?

By Nick Dixon

If you ask 100 baseball coaches the question, "What is the Most Important Thing in Baseball?", you will get a wide variety of answers. Some will say winning is the most important thing. Some will say that "expecting to win" is the most important thing. Others will say that helping kids grow, mature, and develop a sincere love for the game is the most important reason for playing baseball. When I ask myself this question, I have one simple answer. This articles explains what I feel that the most important thing in baseball to me is that I see some level of improvement every day.

This "level of improvement" can be in any aspect of the game. I may leave practice knowing that our team improved their knowledge and skill in defending the bunt. I may leave a game knowing that our team, although we lost, learned how to "come back" and compete when we were down by 4 and made it a one run loss at the end.

You may see an improvement in team unity, team chemistry, or team leadership. You may see a certain player show improvement in pitching control, hitting the off-speed pitch, or reading the pitcher to get a better jump when stealing a base. See these improvements are what coaching and playing baseball is all about.

Is it better for a team to show absolutely no improvement in a season and go undefeated because they dominate their league or for a team to play.500 baseball on the season, but show incredible levels of improvement from the top of the lineup to the bottom? You see what I mean? Improvement is the "name of the game". Improvement is what coaching baseball is all about.

Coaches must keep in mind that only half of the teams that play every day, win. The other half lose. Should 50% of the coaches feel their day was a total loss ever day they play? When it comes to playoffs it is a fact that less than 1/100 of 1 percent of all baseball teams will end their season with a win each year. The other 99.999 % of the teams will find themselves ending their season with a loss or not being in the playoffs.

Now, I want you to know that I value winning as much as any coach on this planet. But what I am saying is that coaches must make winning a goal and getting better a priority. You should feel satisfaction when you see improvement on a daily basis. If you do not see improvement, chances are that you will find it difficult to win anyway. So the message here is to make it known to you team that you want to see them improve as players and as a team every day in some way. It is their job to make it happen. It is your job to give them the opportunity to do so in practices and games.

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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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Drills For Little League Pitchers in the Bull Pen

Drills For Little League Pitchers in the Bull Pen
By John R Di Nicola

The Bull Pen is where you can get the most done working with your young pitchers. Here they are working on their wind up and delivery. The pitchers will go through this station while the team is working on infield outfield practices. Once you have had a practice or two you can determine how much time you will allot for this station. You most likely will not get all the pitchers completed. Also your pitchers will be playing a position so you will have to schedule stations with that in mind.

You will most likely have to schedule several practices with pitchers and catchers only before the season starts. You can get so much more accomplished by working solely with the pitchers. Listed below are drills you can do in the bull pen and the actual field.

1. Wind up and from the Stretch - Mechanics

* This is the most important part for the young pitcher. Unless you get real lucky and have a pitcher who has pitched before you basically will be starting from scratch. To help the young pitcher feel comfortable you might want them to pitch from the stretch. History has shown they tend have better control when pitching out the stretch. A big factor that at the 7,8, and 9 year old level there seem to be a lot of base runners so they spend most of the time in the stretch position.

2. Locations

* This is the only time when you can really work on their control. You give them five places to look at while they are in their wind up and delivery.

1) The catcher right shoulder 2) Right Knee 3) Left shoulder 4) Left Knee 5) catcher's mask.

They first throw 10 pitches to catcher's mask. You instruct them to reach out and pull the catcher's mask off. Show them the index finger and middle finger out in front with arm extended and snap them down as to pull down when releasing the ball.

* Have them throw 5 pitches to each of the other locations. Once they are in the ready position they should pick up one of the locations and keep their eye's focused on the location till after the release of the ball.

* In time you should see improvement, However if a player is not improving with his control you to redirect him back to a position and try and find another pitcher.

Organizing your Practice

Set up your schedule and rotate your days you do the drills. You will find that some of the drills they will pick up quicker than others. The biggest thing is you cannot have marathon practices. By keeping the practices short and crisp you will keep players motivated. I found if you have a practice schedule and post it, will show the players approximately how long each drill will be and what to expect.

Practice makes perfect.

Thank you for taking the time to read my article. If you would like further information on this topic or other information you can EMail me at:
jdinicola@easypitching.com

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When To Pull A Pitcher in a Youth Baseball Game

When To Pull A Pitcher in a Youth Baseball Game
By Michael Sakowski

If you have watched youth baseball games at the 7-12 year old level, you have probably witnessed the act of "pulling the pitcher" in the middle of the inning. In some cases, the result is the pulled pitcher bursting into tears! Yes, these kids can be pretty hard on themselves. One may argue that such events are just a part of growing up and the youth that was pulled must learn to deal with it and move on. Still, there are measures that may be taken to minimize the trauma on the youth pitcher that is pulled.

Screen Your Pitchers Well

Make sure your pitchers can pitch at least 3 out of 5 balls in the strike zone and preferably 3 out of 4 in the strike zone. If the pitcher is pitching hit-able balls, one of two things will happen: The batter will strike out, or the batter will make a hit and place the outcome in the fielder's hands (and provide the fielders some valuable practice). If the pitcher is only throwing 1 or 2 balls in the strike zone out of every 5 pitches, the result will be a lot of walked players and runs scored on stolen bases - this really is not how the game should be played and is very frustrating for the pitching team.

Also make sure your pitcher can throw at a speed fast enough to prevent repeated heavy hits for home runs. They do not have to pitch lightning fast. If they are lobbing the ball at a "toss-speed" however, batter after batter will be hitting balls for home runs and you may have no choice but to replace the pitcher.

Communicate With Your Pitchers

From the start, let your prospective pitchers know what is expected. Let them know that if they pitch out of the strike zone repeatedly with the result of an extended inning, they may be pulled. Be patient however - I think a lot can be learned by a pitcher "working through" his temporary difficulties. If you screen your pitchers well, you won't have to pull pitchers much, if at all.

Michael Sakowski works full time and volunteers as an assistant coach for his son's youth league baseball team. He also has researched effective youth baseball methods and has published a website, Youth Baseball Basics that provides helpful information to first time baseball players and first time baseball parents.

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

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Coaching Baseball - 4 Things the On-Deck Batter Should Always Do and 4 Things He Should Never Do

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Coaching Baseball - 4 Things the On-Deck Batter Should Always Do and 4 Things He Should Never Do
By Nick Dixon

Baseball coaching is teaching the big and little details of the game. Every position or location on the field requires a player to observe and to be aware of what is happening. Many young batters on deck often do no pay attention to what is happening. They are often guilty of looking into the crowd or even talking to someone through the fence. On-deck batters that do not closely observe the pitcher and the catcher are missing a greatly opportunity to "scout" the opponent. The on-deck circle is a crucial location from which the observation process should be done. Here are 4 things that the on-deck batter must do and 4 things they not do.

On-deck batters should always:

1) Identify the ARM SLOT of the opposing pitcher? Is the opposing pitchers arm motion, over the top, side-arm, at 1 O'Clock, or 2 O'clock, 3 O'clock or submarine? The on-deck batter must know this before getting into the batting box. Knowing the "arm slot" or pitchers arm angle during the delivery will accelerate the batters ability to "pick the ball up" or see the ball in the pitchers hand before it is released. Picking the ball up early allows the batter to see the ball out of the pitchers hand at the release point.

2) Take practice swings every time the pitcher throws a pitch to the batter ahead of you. Try to pick up the pitchers speed, timing, rhythm, and release point. Time the fastball by taking a stance, loading, and swing in rhythm with the pitching delivery. This timing warm-up exercise should be taken facing the pitcher.

3) Does the pitcher have a tendency to work slow or fast? If the pitcher works too slow or fast, you may want to call time and step out to change the pitchers rhythm.

4) Does the pitcher throw a lot of off-speed or junk pitches? Does the pitcher have below average, average, or above average pop on the fastball? You will move up in the box if the pitcher is a slow ball junk pitcher and move deeper in the box if the pitcher has high velocity on the fastball.

Coaching Point: There are other duties of the on-deck hitter at the high school, college and even travel ball level. If the batter ahead of you gets a RBI hit, you may have to move the bat out of the sliding zone if the umpire does not move it. Only do this if time allows. The on-deck batter will may also coach the scoring runner at the plate by using signs or verbal call to signal "get down", "you are up", or a "needed slide location to avoid a possible tag".

1. Never talk to the crowd, fans or family through the fence. The on-deck batter should be seeing and concentrating on what is happening on the field. This is for performance, concentration, and safety reasons.

2. Never Swing Before looking. For safety reasons, never swing the bat in the on-deck circle without looking to make sure that he is clear of the fence and that other players have not approached him. Making sure that everyone is clear of you before you swing a bat is a rule for all batters, of all ages, to live by.

3. Never talk to the batter unless it is positive praise or encouraging words. "Warning" the batter that he better look out for that curve-ball is not encouraging words. Simply telling the batter that he can do it and to keep his eyes on the ball is far more appropriate and productive.

4. Never take a knee or kneel in the on-deck circle. If a ball is hit toward you, you must be able to move quickly.

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

Little League Digest - Proper Baseball Swing Mechanics and the "Belly Button" Rule of Hip Turn

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By Nick Dixon

Little league Digest: Baseball Batting Coaching Tips: Teaching Hip Turn Mechanics and Using the "Belly Button" Rule to Improve Baseball Swing Quality

The hips play an important part in the baseball swing process. The turn of the hips helps to generate power and bat speed. There are several important coaching points about the involvement of the hips in the swing. The "B B" rule is one good way to teach young players the degree of hip turn on various pitch locations. This article presents several coaching points and explains the "B B" rule.

Here are 10 Coaching Points related to Hip Movement Mechanics:

1. The degree of hip movement is determined by the location of the pitch.

2. The hips must turn more when hitting an inside pitch.

3. The hips will turn less when hitting a pitch away.

4. The hips should not move before the hands and bat.

5. To free the hips, the back foot must spin, rotate or turn onto the toe.

6. The hips follow the barrel. The hips should open behind the barrel, not before it.

7. Premature front side or hip movement will cause a batter to pull the head and to pull of pitches.

8. The correct hip movement is a spin. Lunging or sliding the hips forward is not acceptable.

9. The hip movement should be a thrust or fast rotation. The faster the rotation of the hips, the faster the bats speed.

10. The degree of hip rotation can be taught by teaching the "Belly Button" rule as explained below.

The "Belly Button Rule" is explained as the following:

The Belly Button should follow the barrel of the bat through the baseball swing process. The location of a pitch determines hip turn. The degree of hip turn determines where the belly button is pointing when the batter finishes the baseball swing. The belly button should always finish in a position that points toward the direction in which the baseball was hit.

For example, when a ball is hit to the opposite field, the batters "Button" should point or be directed toward the opposite field when the swing is completed. If a batter pulls an inside pitch, the belly button should follow the ball and point toward the direction in which the ball was hit.

Coaching Point: For right and left handed batters, if the ball is hit through the box, up the middle, the belly button should "shine" or point toward second base when the swing is complete. For right handed batter, is a ball is pulled, the belly button should finish pointing toward third base. If a right handed batter hits the baseball down the right field line, the button should point toward first base when the swing is completed. If a left handed batter pulls the baseball, the hips should turn completely and the button should finish pointing at first base. If a left handed batter hits the ball to left field, the hips should turn less and the belly button should finish the swing pointing the 5-6 hole or between 3rd and 2nd base.

I hope that you found this article to be informative and helpful. Thanks for taking the time to read it. I wish you and your team good luck this season! Have a great day, Nick.

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 Little League Digest the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

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


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Youth Baseball Digest - Good Pitcher Sometimes Can Not Throw a Strike - 10 Things to Check First

By Nick Dixon

If you have a young baseball pitcher that at times looks like a Josh Beckett or Randy Smith and other times he struggles to throw two strikes in a row, what can cause of his control problems? There are 10 key elements of his delivery that should always be checked first. Those key elements are outlined in this article.

There are 10 key elements of his delivery that should always be checked first. Those key elements are outlined below.

The 10 most common causes of control problem in Little League Pitchers are:

1. Pitcher is Not Concentrating on The Target. The pitcher does not keep his eyes locked in on the target from the start to the finish of his delivery. Many young pitchers when get half through their delivery they look away. They take their eyes off the mitt. They must keep their eyes focused on the target at all times during the delivery.

2. Bad Stride Foot Angle - The pitcher is not steeping in the direction of the target. The stride foot landing must be close to an imaginary straight line from the middle of the pitching rubber to the middle of home plate. If the pitcher steps too far to either side of this imaginary line, there will be control problems. The stride foot should land no more than an inch or two off that line to either side. It is best for some part of the stride foot to land directly on that line.

3. Bad Stride Foot Landing - The stride foot should land flat. Many times young pitchers will land on their heel. This can and will cause control problems.

4. Stride Leg Does Not Flex or Bend - Many young pitchers lock the stride leg. This locking action makes the body "pole vault" upward upon the landing of the front foot. The stride leg must bend slightly to allow the pitcher to drive and snap the hips.

5. Dragging the Back toe - The back side toe should be lifted up and out of an imaginary bucket. If a pitcher sometimes drags the back too when throwing the fastball, his control will be inconsistent. Sometimes a pitcher will intentionally drag the back toe when throwing off-speed pitches. That is acceptable so long as the pitcher is conscientious of the action.

6. Inconsistent Release Point - The pitcher is not consistent with his throwing arm extension toward the plate or his release point. To have consistent control, the pitcher must release every fastball in the same release spot. He must release very breaking ball at the same release point. It requires a lot of pitching practice to master the muscle memory that allows these release points to be consistent.

7. Not Finishing Low Enough - The pitcher does not bend at the waist. The pitcher must bend, get low, and drive through the pitch delivery. Trying to pitch while standing more upright is going to cause problems and a lack of control.

8. The Finish and Following Through are Poor - Pitch quality suffers when a pitcher does not finish properly or execute a smooth proper follow through. The pitcher's throwing arm should finish with the elbow below his off side knee. The pitcher's chin must finish down and the head should be in front of the stride toe. The head should finish lower than the waist with the back leg foot lifting above the pitcher's entire body.

9. The Trunk rotates too early - Many young pitchers open the front shoulder prematurely or rotate the truck of the body too early. The shoulder should stay closed until the weight is shifted onto the stride foot. The torso rotation should be delayed until at least 60 to 70% of the pitcher's stride is completed.

10. The grip is inconsistent - The pitcher must practice pitching enough to get a consistent feel for each pitch grip. The pitcher should keep the fastball gripped as far out in the fingers as possible. Pitchers that sometimes grip the ball wrong or change their grip without knowing it will definitely have problems throwing pitches consistently and hitting their sports.

I know that some of these keys were elementary, but sometimes it is the simplest thing that throws the most advanced pitcher we have off his game. I would always check these 10 keys to see if I could diagnose the problem and correct it as soon as possible.

I hope that you found this article to be informative and interesting. wish your team good luck in the coming season. Have a great day, Nick.

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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Coaching Baseball Pitchers - Multi-Purpose Baseball Pitching Drills to Improve Control

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By Nick Dixon

Learning correct baseball pitching mechanics are the first step in the making of a pitcher. Once proper mechanics are mastered these two drills can be used to hone skill, increase concentration, build confidence, and improve control.

Here are two drills that can bed used to help improve a pitchers control. The two drills are "Pitch Tracking" and the "20 X 4" Pitching Drill.


"Pitch Tracking"


Great Drill for Hitters, Catchers, and Pitchers!


The pitcher is throwing to a catcher as he normally would in pitching practice or bull-pen work. The pitcher is throwing at his normal pitching distance. The purpose of the drill is to increase a pitcher's level of concentration, to work a catcher, and to allow one batter or two batters learn to "track" every pitch.


Variation #1: One Batter - Right or Left handed
C --------------------------------------- P
B


Variation #2: Two Batters - One Right and One Left handed
B
C --------------------------------------- P
B


Variation #1 - One batter is standing in and tracking every pitch from the pitcher's hand to the catcher's mitt. The batter does not have a bat. The batter will assume his regular stance and imagine that he is holding a bat. The batter will "track" or watch the first three pitches out of the pitcher's hand until they hit the catcher's mitt, making sure to keep his head down and eyes on the ball all of the way. The batter must have a batting helmet on. The next steps to the drill are explained in the second paragraph below.


Variation #2 - Two batters are standing in the batter's box without bats. Each batter will assume his regular stance and imagine that he is holding a bat. The batters will "track" or watch the first three pitches out of the pitcher's hand until they hit the catcher's mitt, making sure to keep his head down and his eyes on the ball all of the way. The batters must have a batting helmet on. The next steps to the drill are explained in the paragraph below.


Next the batters will swing away with their "imaginary" bats. The batters will read the location of each pitch the pitcher throws and hit the ball where it is pitched. When two batters are tracking, they will do opposites. One will pull a pitch in a location that his tracking partner will hit to the opposite field.


The coach can call out a count such as 2-0, 3-1, 1-2, and 0-2 to allow the batters, pitchers, and catchers certain mind-sets in different situations.
Note: If your hitters are too young to perform this drill, have a coach to stand in. The coach may wish to wear a helmet and wear a glove for protection. This is a tough drill, but it is great for developing concentration. Make sure all batters wear helmets and other proper protective equipment.
Coaching Point: The hitters do not hold a bat. The batters will swing a "invisible" bat. They must attack and hit every pitch according to its location. This drill is great for teaching hitters to see spin and to teach them to see a pitchers release point.


"20 X 4" Pitching Drill


Improves Control & Concentration


This drill is a pitching drill in which the young pitcher works at a smooth, rather fast pace, but only throws 50-60% of normal speed. The pitcher should not be allowed to throw full speed. The objective of the drill is to teach concentration and develop great control. The pitcher has to throw 20 strikes before 4 balls are thrown. The pitcher should be allowed to perform the drill at a shorter distance at first. After several practices, the pitcher should be able to move to the regular pitching distance within. If 4 balls are thrown before 20 strikes, the pitcher must restart. Care should be taken to not overwork the pitcher. Keeping the distance short, emphasizing accuracy not speed, and making sure the pitcher is properly stretched and warmed-up should prevent any chance of arm injury.


With younger players you may want to make the drill a 10-3 drill. 10 strikes must be thrown before 3 balls or the drill is restarted.


Visit BaseballCoachingDigest.com for a great selection of Baseball Coaching and Training Articles. 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.
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Nick_Dixon

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If you are looking for great coaching articles, please consider one of our sites: The BaseballCoachingDigest.com, the YouthBaseballDigest.com or the BaseballParentGuide.com. Have a safe and happy season! Nick Dixon

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Baseball Coaching Digest - 12 Baseball Coaching Tips For Coaching Your Third Baseman

By Nick Dixon

The third baseman must be a fierce competitor that shows no fear or intimidation. The third baseman must have a solid arm, quick reaction speed, great feet, and be mentally tough. This article gives 12 tips for playing third base like a major league baseball player. Those tips are:
1. Start with the glove on the ground. It is much easier to work up than the work downward with the glove.
2. Make sure to get your glove out and on the ground as you take your steps before the pitch. Taking tinny steps toward the plate gets the body moving and makes your reaction quicker to a hit ball. The body reacts quicker if it is in motion than from a still position.
3. Nothing gets by you. A good third baseman knocks everything down and keeps everything in front of his body. You have time to retrieve the ball and complete the throw with most batter/ base runners.
4. Always be ready and willing to field balls hit in the 5-6 hole. It is easier for the third baseball to cut a ball a ball and make the throwing working toward the bag, than a short stop having to make a back hand play.
5. Adjust you position to the bag according to the hitter. If you have scouting information that a player is likely to bunt, play shallow and in front of the bag.
6. With a left-handed batter batting you should play even with the bag and cheat a little to your left unless a scouting report suggest that you play differently.
7. With a right-handed batter batting you should play deeper and closer to the line unless a scouting report suggest that you play him differently.
8. Dive and knock down all balls that are hit to your right that you can reach. Never assume a ball is foul. Play everything as if it is a fair ball. Knocking the ball down that is fair nearly always holds a base runner to a single rather than allowing the runner to advance to second base.
9. Use an overhand throwing motion whenever possible to make your throw flatter and more accurate. Make your throws to first base chest high to make them easier for the first base man to handle.
10. Throw to second base that are double play feeds should be slightly toward the first base side and chest high to help facilitate a good turn and throw to first by the middle infielder to complete the double play.
11. You have jurisdiction over the pitcher and the catcher on pop fly balls. If the short stop or left fielder calls a ball, you must "bail out" to clear the catch zone for them.
12. When executing the cut off and relay. Sneak a peak to get a good initial alignment with home plate. Listen for the catcher "fine tune" your alignment. Make sure to circle the ball in flight to allow you to field it with your shoulder turned and aligned for a relay throw to home plate. If you throw to the plate, make sure that the throw is a "tag high" shot in the perfect spot to make the catch and tag easier for the catcher. If the catcher calls for a "cut 2", make sure that your shoulders are properly turned before making the throw to second base. A throw away at 2nd could allow the runner to advance to third.

I hope that you found this article to be informative and interesting. I appreciate you taking the time to read it. Good luck to your team in the coming season. Have a great day, Nick.

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

Making Outfield Play a Priority at the Youth League Level

By Andy Pohl

Many youth coaches simply do not place a priority on developing a strong defensive outfield, nor do they dedicate significant practice time to working on the skills associated with the position. The lack of focus on outfield play at the youth level results in sub standard defense at the high school level and beyond. Instead of teaching the entire roster how to play the outfield, coaches choose to consistently put their best players in the infield and hide their less talented players in the outfield, hoping they do not see much action. What a disservice to these players! As young infielders get older, you can be sure many will have to be moved to other positions, in particular the outfield. With that being said, youth coaches need to set everyone up for future success by teaching all of the players how to play the outfield at a young age. This will greatly benefit those players who will have to transition to the outfield in the future.

Teaching outfield skills not only better prepares players for the demands of high school competition and beyond, but it also sends a message to the team that every player on the field is just as important as the shortstop and pitcher. In addition, by focusing on outfield play, youth league coaches will see significant improvement with their last line of defense.

Because outfielders often see less action than infielders, especially at the youngest levels of youth baseball, it can be difficult for a player to stay mentally focused on the game. Youth league coaches have often accused their outfielders of 'not being in the game' when their reactions appear slow to a ball in the gap or a fly ball hit right to them. While young outfielders are certainly prone to mentally drifting in and out of the game, it is the coach's responsibility to keep the outfielder's bodies and mind actively focused in on the game. While most coaches and players define action as being in the act of making a play with the ball, coaches need to convey that action for an outfielder also includes being in the right position to make a play. Being in the right position includes backing up an infielder, hustling after a foul ball, or simply being in an alert ready position as the pitch is delivered. With this definition in mind, action for an outfielder can be achieved after each and every pitch, regardless of whether the outfielder touches the ball or not. Once the team buys into this definition, you will have outfielders who are alert, focused, and who have a thorough understanding of the importance of their role.

Andy Pohl - Co-Founder, DNA Sports

DNA Sports specializes in personalized baseball and softball skill programs, college recruiting education and preparation, and coaching clinics. Learn more: http://www.dnasportsonline.com

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

"Why You Should Coach Youth Baseball" By Chip Lemin

By Chip LeminThe next time you go to a youth baseball practice or any type of youth practice, take notice of what most parents do. They pull up in their vehicle, drop off the player and leave. At the most they may notify the coach that they are leaving.

This is not to say anything negative about the parents, this is what most coaches will encounter.

Thank goodness they have people like yourself, will come to practice and stay to help. That makes you a very good candidate to become an excellent baseball coach. Because you have read this article, and made it this far shows me that you have what it takes to be a fantastic coach.

Coach Chip.

Chip Lemin has been a promoter of youth baseball since they started using aluminum bats. That's a long time. I have witnessed many good people get into coaching without solid coaching skills and it is not fun for them or the kids.Today's newer coaches are also being shortchanged on sportsmanship, like there is none. Visit my site to sign up for a insightful, informational, free coaching e-course at http://www.baseballecourse.com

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

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