Batavia Youth Baseball

1
(No Transcript)
2
Batavia Youth Baseball

• Coaching Clinic
• Rookie 6/7
• May 5, 2006

3
Table of Contents

• Clinic Objective 4
• Throwing Instruction 10
• Throwing Drills 11
• Fielding Instruction 13
• Fielding Drills 14
• Hitting Instruction 16
• Hitting Drills 17
• Position Instruction 19
• Practices 21
• Managing vs. Coaching 22
• Summary 24
• Appendix 25

4
Objectives of Clinic

• Support coaches development by increasing their
  confidence, direction/focus, and instructional
  know-how
• Support continuity of coaching, no matter the
  child, situation, or sport
• Support coaches to build players who play to
  succeed not players who play not to fail

5
Objective Playing to Succeed vs. Playing Not
to Fail

• Playing to succeed means wanting the ball when
  bases are loaded and the team needs one more out
• Playing to succeed means taking your swings at
  the plate
• Playing to succeed means having the courage to
  take the mound after giving up 6 runs in the
  previous inning.

• Playing to not fail means wanting to sit this
  inning out
• Playing to not fail means that you dont want the
  ball hit to you
• Playing to not fail means waiting for a walk
• Playing to not fail means not wanting to pitch
  anymore

• Coaches who encourage these events, build players
  who never take the attitude of playing not to
  fail
• Coaches who encourage these events build
  character, self-esteem, and a love of the game
• Turn all negatives into a positive
• Success of this objective is measured by the
  number of players that return the next season

6
Objective Continuity of Coaching

• Create Baseball IQ that builds through all
  levels of Batavia Youth Baseball
• Skills that are taught at this level transition
  to next level.
• Players can begin to understand the language of
  the game.
• A lot of drills done at this age, are repeated at
  the next levels.
• Skill continuity ensures that no matter who the
  coach is the next year, the basics have been
  covered and players will have a common
  understanding of the game
• Develop coaches that feel comfortable and
  confident in coaching at all levels of Batavia
  Youth Baseball
• Practice is critical ½ hour before a game and
  once more during the week if space allows
• Adhere to the league rules
• Pitches per player
• Use of T the league is instructional
• Rotation of players in each position
• Batting order line up should vary

7
Objective Support Coaches Development of Players

• A players success is usually related to the
  amount of meaningful practice the player has
• Coaches need to prepare programs that are
  beneficial and enjoyable
• Practice should be interesting and varied never
  ordinary and monotonous
• Players should have fun
• Players that stand idle or are not engaged in
  drills will become bored and will not get much
  out of practice
• Coaches must maintain a lot of enthusiasm by
  properly reinforcing and encouraging their
  players

8
Objective Support Coaches Development of Players
(Continued)

• All Batavia Youth Baseball Coaches have the
  following to offer
• When players are coached by paid professionals
  you take away father knows best and other
  automatic child development concepts
• Parental perspective allows coaches to know the
  days when the player doesnt show up, and
  allows latitude for that player
• Parental perspective encourages Value-added
  comments from players, other coaches, and parents
  
• Parental perspective helps coaches remember their
  strike-outs, dropped fly balls, and game ending
  at bats from their youth

9
Objective Support Coaches Development of Players
(Continued)

• Know your audience, 6,7 and 8 yr. olds need
• Short time spans
• Multiple activities
• Upbeat environment
• Huge amounts of positive motivation
• They have limited attention spans
• They do not behave the way that they do to annoy
  they are 6,7 and 8
• This level requires coaching to the lowest common
  denominator
• Focus on the basics (i.e. teach positions by
  playing follow the leader)
• If the environment is setup to benefit the
  players, the coach will reap the benefits as well
• Be kid focused
• Scrimmages do not work at this level
• Too much waiting
• Activities are fun, activities drills

10
Objective Support Instruction Throwing

• Grip of ball
• Across the Horseshoe
• Three Fingers
• Thumb underneath
• Feet position
• Same as Hitting
• Weight forward but balanced
• Step slightly past center
• Shoulder to target
• Shoulder points to target
• Dont open up to early

• Arms spread apart
• Relaxed but at shoulder height
• Elbows bent
• Hand on top of ball
• Dont Put the ball
• Hand/wrist/elbow/shoulder
• Look glove to target
• Glove becomes a camera
• Glove comes back to the chest

11
Throwing Skills/Drills

• SET-BREAK-GO
• Purpose Focus is on all aspects of proper
  throwing technique
• On SET players stand with front shoulder
  pointing to target with ball in glove, hand on
  ball at their waist. On BREAK arms separate to
  shoulder height, elbows bent, look through glove
  to target. On GO hand on top of ball, stride
  forward, pulling glove back to chest, extend arm.
  (wrist above elbow, elbow above shoulder)
• THROWING MARATHON
• Purpose Throwing to a target
• Mark on area on the fence surrounding the field,
  players rotate throwing, with proper technique,
  to the target. When someone misses the target the
  are out of the game.

12
Throwing Skills/Drills (Continued)

• CROSS-LEGGED SITTING DRILL
• Purpose to reinforce the ball rotation needed
  for accuracy
• Partners sit cross-legged on the ground 10 feet
  apart, facing each other. Player holds his
  non-throwing hand underneath his throwing elbow.
  Throwing elbow should be at shoulder height.
  Player should move throwing arm forward and throw
  to the partner. (Wiffle Balls)
• ONE-KNEE THROWING DRILL
• Purpose reinforce upper body mechanics
• Partners face each other about 20 feet apart,
  Players kneel on the throwing hand side knee with
  the lead leg forward. As player throws he
  concentrates on upper body movement
• Elbows at chest level
• Eyes on the target

13
Objective Support Instruction Fielding

• Catching Position
• Feet apart
• Knees bent
• Hands in front, catch with two
• Teach to play defense and to defend oneself
• Elbows out, fingers up
• Above waist, catch with fingers up
• Below waist, catch with fingers down
• No basket catches

• Ground Ball Positioning
• Hands in front of body
• Fingers pointing down
• Creeping in
• Butt down, shoulders back
• Always use two hands
• Glove starts on the ground
• Look like infielders
• Develop Catchers and Pitchers
• Pitchers
• Balance
• Posture
• Consistency
• Catchers
• Blocking
• Position

14
Fielding Skills/Drills

• FIELDING POSITION
• Purpose reinforce proper mechanics
• Use multiple coaches, have players line up and
  come forward one at a time, feet shoulder width,
  weight shifting forward, hands in front of their
  body, knees bent, butt down, both hands drop to
  the ground to pick up the ground ball.
• CROW HOPS
• Purpose Transfer from fielding position to
  throwing position
• Have players spread out in front of the coach in
  the fielding position. On the coaches command
  the players should jump from fielding position to
  throwing position. Check for proper starting and
  ending position

15
Fielding Skills/Drills (Continued)

• SHORT/2ND
• Purpose Fielding Technique, force plays
• Have all players line up at short or second.
  Roll ground balls to each line, have player
  receiving ground ball use proper fielding
  technique and throw a dart or flip to the
  other person covering second.
• SOFT-HANDS DRILL
• Purpose Fielding technique
• Have players stand 10 feet apart and roll ground
  balls to each other, focus on fielding
  fundamentals
• Hands in front (catch the ball in front)
• Butt down, knees bent

16
Objective SupportInstruction Hitting

• Feet position
• Weight forward but balanced
• Neutral Stance
• Shoulder width
• Rotation of back foot Squish the bug
• Head position
• On the front shoulder
• Head stays still for shoulder replacement Ike to
  Mike
• Bat position
• Slot knob at catchers feet, bat through the
  back of head
• No comment rule
• Once a player steps in the box, coaching is over,
  only encourage

• Hand position
• Power position start at shoulder height,
  straight to the ball
• Relaxed hands front hand palm down, back hand
  palm up
• Cocked wrist
• Move back before forward
• Relaxed at plate
• Tight muscles are slow muscles
• Stride separation
• Swing starts with their feet
• Finish
• Two hands all the way around
• Hands above shoulder
• Balance

17
Hitting Skills/Drills

• IKE TO MIKE
• Purpose teach proper head placement and
  movement
• Have players stand in their hitting position,
  when the swing and shoulder replacement occurs,
  their chin should move from one shoulder to the
  next
• HITTING OFF OF THE TEE
• Purpose able to focus on one hitting variable
  at a time
• Have players hit off of the tee, focus on one/two
  things at a time
• THROWING HANDS AT THE BALL
• Purpose teach players to move their hands
  directly from shoulder position to the ball.
  (Throwing your hands at the ball)
• Have players try to hit wiffle balls pitched to
  them with the knob of the bat

18
Hitting Skills/Drills (Continued)

• SWING AGAINST A FENCE
• Purpose reinforce a compact swing
• Have players set the knob of their bat at their
  belly button, the other end of the bat should
  touch the fence. They then get in their hitting
  position without moving their feet. Practice
  swinging, bat shouldnt touch the fence.
• BATTING PRACTICE WITH WIFFLE BALLS
• Purpose able to see significantly more pitches
  very quickly
• BATTING PRACTICE WITH ONE STRIKE
• Purpose teaches players to be very aggressive
  at the plate
• If the let a strike go by, the next batter is up

19
Objective Support Instruction Position

• Teach where each position is, its purpose, and
  its job/objective
• Begin to focus on individual position skills
• Teach the force who, when, where, why, and
  how
• Begin to focus on position skills
• 2nd/Short
• 1st Base
• Catcher/Pitcher
• Outfield

• Teach cut off man Outfielders to look for him
  and Infielders are to be looking for the throw
• Let players tell you the situation and the next
  play
• Encourage communication with their teammates
• Talk in the field Where is the play?
• Develop Catchers and Pitchers

20
Objective Support Instruction Practices

• Get as many adults involved as possible
• Break players into small groups with one adult at
  each station so all players are busy and not bored

• One hour- one hour fifteen is good timing
• ½ hour before game time allows for field time
  practice
• Use handout for skill development games/ideas

21
Practice Plans

• Prepare for practice
• You wouldnt show up for a meeting that you have
  to speak at without preparing
• Your audience will quickly determine if you have
  a plan and are in control
• When you have a plan, you will be more confident
  and be able to accomplish more
• Move the players quickly through drills work
  only on a limited number of keys

22
Managing vs. Coaching

• Coaching is the teaching of sportsmanship,
  developing baseball IQ and helping the players
  develop a higher skill level
• Managing is the coordination of the team and team
  events, it is being prepared for all aspects of
  the team thereby allowing you to be able to coach
• Proper team management allows for more coaching
  time
• The kids want coaching
• Management of your team includes getting others
  involved
• Assistant coaches
• Team mom/dad

23
Managing vs. Coaching (Cont)

• Managing the team means defining and assigning
  responsibilities
• Assistant coaches
• Prepare the field
• Specific skill development (hitting, pitching,
  fielding, etc)
• Management of game day lineup (see Appendix)
• Help keep focus on the team priority.Sportsmanshi
  p
• Team mom/dad
• Treat schedule (see Appendix)
• Phone tree (see Appendix)
• Get feedback from your audience, both kids and
  parents
• Is the program meeting their expectations?
• Are they developing sportsmanship skills?

24
Final Thoughts

• Unlike basketball or soccer, baseball is not
  fluid it is an individual sport disguised as a
  team sport.
• Baseball requires skill development to keep
  players in the game, confident, and self-assured
• Baseball needs to be developed so players stay
  interested forever
• Learning about baseball is fun Fun is learning
  about baseball
• Elevate your players Baseball IQ
• As a coach you have two objectives build
  intelligence and confidence

25
Appendix

• Example line ups for players
• Example Practice Plan