Youth & Travel Baseball Blog, Updates, Coaching & Instruction

Opportunity of a Lifetime It's easy to be an Inspirational Coach

What a great opportunity of a lifetime to be an inspirational coach - and maybe, even be remembered for the rest of kids' lives.

Youth coaches should not miss the opportunity of a lifetime, because if the following method, to be an inspirational coach helps just one kid, it will have been worth it.

Things are beginning to turn homeward bound towards number one on my major league stadium ratings. Very exciting time because, as those who have been following know, my top criteria for stadium beauty is how well I played there. I am so ready to talk about my game winning hits, great plays, and team successes. However, I am sorry to disappoint again, especially me, but success in my seventh rated stadium was elusive. However, there was an almost home run, which was but was not, (should have been playing horseshoes) and a historic catch of mine.

Understanding Difference with Short Term Goals and Long Term Goals

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I often write, as many others, about how youth sports are a great venue for adults teaching life lessons to kids. However, it works the other way, too, with kids coaching parents, as I tried to get across in this illustration from my book, Raising an Athlete How to Instill Confidence, Build Skills and Inspire a Love of Sport.

Spring Training Mindset is Harrowing for Some

Hitting Drills for Baseball that Produce Contact

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Basics of Baseball Begin With These

Jackie Robinson Movie "42" - My One Wish I am so excited for the Jackie Robinson Movie, "42." I feel I have a personal connection to Jackie Robinson. I came up through and played for the Los Angeles Dodgers organization as a second baseman.

Hitting Mind Games to Overcome Hitters battle different mind games that make hitting more difficult. Issues like a lack of confidence, bad hitting mechanics, a lack of knowledge of the strike zone, and pressure all play games on players' minds. Another aspect of the hitting thought process, although rarely considered, is some common hitting assumptions that batters make that lead to bad at-bats.

Parents: Careful of the Mixed Message

Often unknowingly, parents give kids a mixed message when it comes to playing youth sports. Parents mean well of course, when they insist that kids go out and have fun, but they do not realize the mixed message they send with the "I just want you to have fun" statement.

The mixed message comes about because rarely is the have fun sentiment left at that. Many parents do one or many of the following things before, during, or after games that put pressure on kids and suggests that sport is more than just going out and having fun.

The baseball answers to swinging late have to do with either a long swing or not seeing the ball very well. As with all problems, it may not be just one thing that solves the problem, but a combination of many things. Good coaches have many possible baseball answers for problems and combine those to solve the problem.

Baseball Drills are Crucial for this Reason

Why I Write Check the News

Sometimes I wonder why I write about the importance of being a positive sports coach. After all, most adults, who volunteer to coach, have great intentions, are hardworking, and are good role models for kids, whether they know the game or not. However, it does not take me long to realize why I write about positive sports coaching.

Head Control - It's not What is in the Head

MLB Players Kids should Watch Bat the Most

Toughest of Youth Coaching Decisions - Missed Practices

Not all youth coaching decisions have the same impact on teams. Bad youth coaching decisions actually ruin team's seasons.

Developing Quick Hands and Glove Control