Youth & Travel Baseball Blog, Updates, Coaching & Instruction

Critical Batting Practice Statements

The key to coaching sports of any level is gaining the trust of players. Without that trust, players are hesitant to listen and try suggestions. The key to gaining trust begins with the tone of voice that coaches use and of course, what the coach says. Nowhereis theprocess of gaining trust more important than with the batting practice statements one uses. Along with building trust, the words one uses helps kids develop confidence and patience to perform the most difficult skill in all of sports.

Reasons kids don't have fun are usually adult related

Failing to captivate kids is not always a coach's fault, even though they may be the ones blamed for it. With some players, it's not the coach, but a lack of competence or love of the sport that causes the reasons kidsdon't have fun. Players rarely persevere for long without liking to play at least a little from the beginning or without having some degree of accomplishment.

Ron Washington and Me

I am not one of those that always say, "The way we used to do things was the best." I believe in getting on with the times. However, with some of the coaching methods now, like what Ron Washington teaches, I am not sure it is helping youth ballplayers. It is important to realize that kids are just developing their skills and 95% of them will never advance even to play high school baseball. Those are the players I am most concerned with here, the majority.

The Organized Coach

Creating a comfortable feeling for kids, and their parents, begin with being an organized coach. People like to see leaders well-prepared in all type situations. When coaches are always running late or seemingly not ready when practices and games begin, that feeling of comfort leaves everyone a little on edge. When kids have too much idle time on their hand, trouble or boredom result, which should be the last thing coaches want to see.

How to Build Confidence in your child athlete

How to BoostHitting Confidence

Practice is when a hitter can think, make adjustments and work on different aspects of hitting. Coaches can boost hitting confidence in practice by knowing the right things to say and do. Of course, working on the hitting fundamentals is a never-endingprocess and the best coaches know how to keep players focused and willing to practice through thick and thin, and there are always more thin times for most ballplayers.

Sports Parents Guide - Don't Worry, you can still be a positive parent

This sports parents guide suggests you can still be a positivecoach and parent and teach life lessons along the way.

It seems as though positive parenting and positive coaching get a bad rap these days. People assume it means nothing but praising kids and attempting to build up their self-esteem all the time.

Developing staff chemistry is a must

Giancarlo Stanton What The Heck

Here I go again, making people say, "Who are you to be telling one of the greats what to do?" Oh well, the life of a blogger. Here goes, can someone send this on to Giancarlo Stanton? I have learned that there are two things one should not mess with Mother Nature and the fundamentals of hitting a baseball.

Sports Parent's Rules for Athletes

Nowadays, nothing having to do with youth sports is easy as it was many years ago. Believe it or not, there was a time when parents would send theirkids off to practices and games without it being a big deal. At least, that is how I remember it when I grew up. Today, drama seems to surround the youth sports scene. I guess it is understandable with the big business that youth sports now entail. Money seems to change things and usually not for the better.

How to Rock Batting Practice Everytime

Learning how to rockbatting practice is a joint effort between coach and player. As players advance in their understanding of the fundamentalsand hitting strategies, they can start to make decisions to help their hitting plans.

Sports Parent's Rules for Athletes

Nowadays, nothing having to do with youth sports is easy as it was many years ago. Believe it or not, there was a time when parents would send theirkids off to practices and games without it being a big deal. At least, that is how I remember it when I grew up. Today, drama seems to surround the youth sports scene. I guess it is understandable with the big business that youth sports now entail. Money seems to change things and usually not for the better.

Self-confident athletes are not born, they're made

Hitting Visualization is Crucial

Ideal Balance Position Determines Stride Length

Before even finding the best stride length for players, I want inexperienced players to understand what ideal balance position is. This concept is crucial for everything in sport and all sports. It is especially necessary with the most challenging skill of all hitting a baseball. Balance is often misunderstood when it comes to the initial stance and stride, as many people mistake style for fundamentals.

The definition of poise is no different on the playing fields as it is in other aspects of life. The dictionary definition of poise says it well "a state of balance." With athletes, I believe this relates not only to the mind but also to the body's state of balance.

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Need the right traction on the field, even without spikes?

Want the ease of a light helmet but don't want to get smashed by a ball to your head when you're playing catcher?

Do you wish you could see better out of your helmet to find and catch the ball before it hits you?

Want professional, tested equipment to bring your baseball performance to the next level?

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