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TITLE AND SUBJECT OF ARTICLE
What I Know And
Remember About Baseball - Teaching
When teaching baseball or any other sport
regardless of age, the players in ability to understand
what the coach is trying to express is sole
responsibility of the coach. Teaching involves respect,
clarity, organization, motivation and context.
People learn by example, Coaches who are respectful of
children are not just modeling a skill or behavior, they
are meeting the emotional needs of those children, and
create the conditions for children to respond whole
heartedly.
Baseball,coach,teaching,players
When teaching baseball or any other sport regardless
of age, the players in ability to understand what the
coach is trying to express is sole responsibility of the
coach. Teaching involves respect, clarity, organization,
motivation and context.
People learn by example,
Coaches who are respectful of children are not just
modeling a skill or behavior, they are meeting the
emotional needs of those children, and create the
conditions for children to respond whole heartedly.
Clarity, to effectively communicate using clear
ideas, clear goals, clear questions and clear
conclusions. This level of interaction is truly age
dependant but as a coach you must identify and speak to
each players level of clarity. Relate to the age and
reference level of your players.
Coaches are not
teachers replete with pedagogy that work for every
player. Granted, in the High School ranks and beyond
this changes, but the majority of players do so through
the recreational leagues where Dads, Moms, Uncles, Aunts
and Grandparents of all backgrounds volunteer for the
joy and frustration of being the coach.
Be
prepared for practice with written notes and time
schedule. Organization is likely the most critical
aspect of any type of teaching. With all that is
involved with being the coach, pen can paper can be your
greatest allies. Organization is also a quality you can
expect from your players.
As the leader, when you
present a well formed and organized practice, game or
gathering, your players see the success that is gained
from organization. It will never be obvious, and you
will never have a player come up and thank you for being
an organizational icon. But they will learn, and all
advances in being personally responsible and organized
will always be a benefit.
There are many
situations in baseball that can only be taught in
situational settings. For regularly successful practices
routine is king. For a portion of every practice, set
aside time for drills and skills that everyone can
perform correctly. This repetitive success is the
building block for situational success. Routine drills
also bring the team together as a whole as every ones
efforts are focused on the singular event.
Cooperative effort may also be a solution for conveying
a concept or skill. There are times where having a
senior player take a role in teaching a skill to the
team. Not only will they be able to communicate on the
correct level, but again we provide a superior
opportunity to practice leadership and build self
esteem.
Skill drills can do a lot for a player.
It is an excellent opportunity for the coaches to
examine the individual movements of each player and
corrections as needed. The downside is that most drills
do not involve the context of the game. Within the
practice regime it is critical to combine multi skill
activities into drills.
Once the skill is placed
into the context of the game, players can readily
identify the significance of the drill. If someone known
to you walked up and told you to walk 2 blocks south
then 1 block west, it is likely you would not walk at
all. Now if this same person gave you the same
instruction with the context, I found a bag of cash and
you can keep it, it is highly likely that you would
briskly walk the 3 blocks.
A great drill for all
ages above t-ball is the practice steal. No batter, with
a good lead off first the runner heads for second when
the pitcher releases, catcher makes the throw to second
where the tag is made.
This drill helps the
pitcher get over the worries of a runner stealing,
catcher gets a real action throw to second, the catch
and tag are evident and your runner under the watchful
eye of the coach makes the perfect slide.
Way off
the beaten path is having the players perform a skit.
Players read from the script as they act out the events
on the diamond. Not only does an exercise like this
really change things up, but it also provides the
opportunity to practice a little public speaking, humm,
homework, social skills and baseball at the same time,
nice.
Fun, clarity, organization, motivation and
context, these are the keys to effective teaching at any
level. Be prepared to take it easy on yourself if the
plan you created does not seem to work. Allow yourself
the grace to make changes on the fly. Enlist the help of
others to convey concepts that elude your ability.
What I Know And
Remember About Baseball- Glove Frustration
In the mid 70’s growing up in East Tacoma,
not the best neighborhood and not quite the worst, there
was little to do for a boy whose lot in life was to stay
at home with his older sister and younger brother while
mom was at work. There were no such things as ‘after
school activities’ or ‘select leagues’. We had the Boys
Club. A mere 8 blocks from home (if you knew the
short-cuts, 13 if you followed the streets). The grumpy
old man that ran our boys club, Jim, was actually a m...
baseball glove,baseball,hit,run,selection,history
In the mid 70’s growing up in East Tacoma, not the
best neighborhood and not quite the worst, there was
little to do for a boy whose lot in life was to stay at
home with his older sister and younger brother while mom
was at work. There were no such things as ‘after school
activities’ or ‘select leagues’. We had the Boys Club. A
mere 8 blocks from home (if you knew the short-cuts, 13
if you followed the streets). The grumpy old man that
ran our boys club, Jim, was actually a monument to
commitment. He was still the grumpy old man that ran it
when I was in college.
Games were on Saturday and
the turnout was usually light. Some Dads, some Moms,
some Grand-pa’s. There was always 2 or more Dads with
new shiners they received the night before; proud of how
they mixed it up. Some of the Moms were a little more
quiet. Covered with scarf’s and over-sized sunglasses or
just a little extra make-up if the swelling wasn’t so
bad.
Grand-pa’s were always the regulars. Chewing
on smoldering stogies and arguing about something from
the moment the left the parking lot. If they weren’t
arguing with each other they stood shoulder to shoulder
nagging the umpire about his vision. Which I thought was
funny as I could only imagine what these seniors could
actually see through the pop bottle bottoms they wore
for glasses. Morning games always had lighter
attendance. Afternoon ones a few more. Standing at the
end of the fence were the Dad’s sipping out of a paper
bag.
The Club provided the shirts, hats, bats,
catchers gear and the standard GI issue duffle bag to
lug it all around in. We provided our own gloves. Pants
and shoes were the run what ya brung variety. Gear was
predominately purchased at the B&I. With its own
celebrity, Ivan the Gorilla, we all went there, we all
wore the $4 jeans, we all sported various versions of
what was offered, but we never talked about it.
For myself, Rawlings was the brand. 12” glove, genuine
leather with a deep well pocket. I used this glove from
1972 to 1983. At a team practice or game. I could
identify, on the run, every glove on our team; who it
belonged to, what position they played. The balance of
the team could do so as well. We didn’t have much, be
there was a lot of pride in our gloves. How they helped
us make the impossible plays. Catch the un-catchable
ball. Just like the pro’s whose named adorned them. Even
after moving to rural Puyallup in 77, players were the
same, gloves of greater variety but still everyone know
who’s was who’s.
Not so with current players.
Gloves seem to be designed to last 1 season. $50 - $75
of annual parent frustration. The love of the glove is
not the same. Disposable tool for a generation
proclaiming recycling. Its just beyond my consideration.
As a parent, finances are substantially different
then when I was growing up. I tend to save my money and
buy the best of what I need. This goes for my kids as
well. I have no qualms about getting the better end of
what is available to meet their needs. My oldest on a
whim decided to try out for a select baseball team and
playing up a year. To my amazement they took him, but
the backyard glove I’d taught him with would not be
sufficient for the rigors he was to encounter. So, no
problem, just find a good glove for a left hand thrower.
WHAT A JOKE! I went to over a dozen stores and looked
through hundreds of gloves.
I soon discovered
that gloves go on sale in January when the shipments
come in and the best selection is available. May is for
good sales on what is already left over from the current
year. Add to this that all sporting goods buyers believe
that less than 1% of all players are left handed and
100% need a glove 12” or larger and you are hard pressed
to get something age appropriate. Finally, not all
gloves available for right hand throws are available for
left hand throws. Seems the makers also feel that left
hand throwers only need the larger gloves as well.
As market conditions have virtually wiped out the
mom and pop sporting goods dealers in my area, box
stores that have taken over have little to no ability to
special order anything. If you do, its full MSRP +
shipping + handling, +, +, annoying. The final selection
seemed to have all the credentials, good brand name,
endorsed by the Little League king himself, a little
large, but small enough hand pocket to keep it in place,
$60. Game ready and good pocket.
Within 6 weeks I
was tightening up the laces, after 14 weeks, the outside
finger area had broken down. Glove performance was poor
and frustration was gaining speed. My player was loosing
faith in his gloves ability to protect himself from the
ball. My faith in this selection for him was also lost.
Off to the internet. Find a suitable replacement
that I don’t need to re-purchase every year. East Bay,
Just Gloves and Sports Diamond dominate the google and
yahoo searches. All styles of the 3 majors (Rawlings,
Wilson, Louisville) are there plus some of the up and
comers (Nokoma, SSK, Nike, Reebok, etc ) but how do you
justify a $89 glove to a $350 one.
How does one
determine the upper youth model will give more than 1
season. Back to the internet to search owner comments
and the individual pieces that make up a glove.
Steerhide, that’s the ticket. Its generally thicker and
denser than the run of the mill cowhide. The majors only
use it in there most premium gloves. Even the up and
comers reserve Steerhide for their top of the line
gear.And when you find ads that tout their special
process is "just like steerhide", well that tells a
solid story.
Do I recommend handing a $350+ glove
to a 9yr old, no.
Can I justify $120, well,
compared to the prospect of spending $60 each year, if I
get 2 years out of $120 it’s a break even. If he can
keep it all through high school, then all the better.
Where did I find a steerhide glove that met all my
criteria? http://nw.kelleyusa.com. These guys have just
what you need for the price that is extremely right.
They are a small company that offers direct pricing and
distributorship.
Shrewd as I can be, I bought a
distributorship and the mandatory inventory. I
rationalized this by the fact I can get their best stuff
at an even better price and at the very worst, give it
away to the players we have in the family. I was very
pleased with all the gloves they sent. Everything
delivered as promised.
The recurring proof for me
is when I attend shows and young teenagers arrive at my
table with their Dads and attest “this is just as good
as the (brand x) we have been looking at and half the
price!”. That seals it for me. These young players spend
hundreds if not thousands of hours reading, examining,
touching gloves from every source they can find. To see
so much enthusiasm just moments after introduction, it
truly re-enforces my belief in these gloves.
Overall, better gloves solve several problems;
1)
they last longer, period!
2) you only have to break
them in once.
3) annualized return on dollars spent
is greater.
4) you get a lifetime of baseball
memories attached to one very personal glove.
So,
is $120 a good price to pay? I say yes!
Copyright
2007 reprinted in whole with permission.
What I Know And
Remember About Baseball- The Sweet Spot
The spot on the baseball bat where you can
smack the ball as hard as you like and all you feel is
the rush of the swing and the sound through your ears.
There has been a lot said about exactly where this spot
lies on the bat. But truth be known, it’s a different
location on every bat. Variations between wood, metal
and composites can shift the spot dramatically. Width of
the spot can also change. Manufactured materials seem to
have a better consistence in the spot where wood ...
baseball
softball,gloves,youth,mit,hit,run,score,success,coaching,training
The spot on the baseball bat where you can smack the
ball as hard as you like and all you feel is the rush of
the swing and the sound through your ears. There has
been a lot said about exactly where this spot lies on
the bat. But truth be known, it’s a different location
on every bat. Variations between wood, metal and
composites can shift the spot dramatically. Width of the
spot can also change. Manufactured materials seem to
have a better consistence in the spot where wood can
vary wildly from bat to bat; even when turned on the
same lath from the same stock.
So much thought
has gone into the location and exploitation of the spot
that even hard core physics gurus continue to study it.
http://www.physics.usyd.edu.au/~cross/baseball.html is
just one place where they publish some pretty
interesting things. I particularly like the graph of
what a bat does during the process of the swing and
contact. If you really want to spend a few weeks
brushing up on the bio-mechanics of baseball
http://webusers.npl.uiuc.edu/~a-nathan/pob/ has a bevy
of links and references to keep your eyes blood shot for
days. Albeit these may be too much for the casual
athlete or even seasoned coach, they are still a good
reference to have on had when you need additional
credentials.
Back to the matter at hand. How do
you find the sweet spot on your baseball bat. T work.
Set up a T at a nice level for a comfortable swing.
Ditch the batting gloves and with a gentle swing, enough
to knock the ball to 2nd or so, start hitting and
concentrate on the ‘feel’ in your hands. It should not
take too many strikes to figure out where the zone lies.
Striking the ball on the inside or outside of the sweet
spot will send vibration down the bat and into your
hands. Search for the zone that sends the least
vibration to your hands.
Next, mark from the
inside to the outside of the spot with wide masking
tape. Take a few more knocks to confirm you have the
spot. Now, with batting gloves on take full stride and
swing at the ball. Take 5 or so then check the tape.
Getting the picture. You have already determined where
the spot is, now you are confirming what your swing is
doing. Are the marks inside, outside or not even scaring
the tape at all.
Not only does locating the sweet
spot on your bat give you good information on what part
of the bat you should be making contact with, but you
now have solid information on what is happening when you
swing at the perfect pitch.
Proof positive
feedback on what the swing is doing allows the batter to
determine what portion of the movement is incorrect and
make the adjustment. Practicing a swing 100 times does
damage where practicing a perfect swing 20 times helps.
Affirmation of a correct swing goes miles in the
confidence and overall skill development of the player.
Coaches and Parents can talk for hours and still not
deliver the reinforcement a few swings marring a piece
of tape will do.
You can also mark this spot with
a permanent marker for later tape application. Remove
the tape after each T session. Having glue build up on
the baseball bat does nothing but make a mess and you
don’t want to inadvertently alarm an umpire to thinking
something is up.