Selected Reading Material 11-16-12

Don't Let Your Son Grow Up To Be Like Pedro Cerrano by Kevin at SportsDadHub  -  Superstitions can be fun and boost confidence, but they can also distract young players from what really leads to success. Yo bartender, Jobu needs a refill.

The 3 Biggest Mistakes Kids Make While Playing Catch... by Chad Rodgers at Show-Me Strength  -  Just to beat the horse some more - kids would improve their mechanics more quickly if they would always throw with a purpose. I especially like #1 and #2 here.

Off Season Best Time For Youth Baseball Coaches to Cement Philosophy by Dan Clemens  -  Plan ahead and hold yourself to making the right decisions when you get into the heat of the moment. This is why we have rules - you can't trust coaches to always do the right thing when competitive fires starts burning.

Little League Posts 50/70 Info Page

Details on the new Intermediate (50/70) Division continue to trickle in from Little League Baseball. Williamsport recently added a Resource Page to it's website with an FAQ section that previews some of the rules that should be announced soon.

I'm glad to know that our league has decided not to offer a 50/70 division as part of our regular season yet. I don't think it's a good option for 11-year-old rec players. I also think it's a flawed game, with base stealing having far too big of an impact on the game. Compared to Majors, you're adding only 10 feet of base paths, but allowing runners to take leads and take off when the pitcher starts his delivery.

After reading the new FAQ, it gets worse. The best part about 50/70 was the 50 - the fact that the mound would be backed up to a slightly safer distance. So much for that benefit. Little League has apparently decided that big-barrel bats (2 5/8") will be used in this new division. BBCOR or not, I think this is a big mistake. You only have to picture a big, strong 13-year-old hitting against an 11-year-old pitcher using a large-barreled bat to know that this is dangerous.

So now there is no safe option for 11-12-year-old Little League pitchers. You play 46/60 and you're facing composite bats (and the approved ones still pack a whole lot of punch). Or you play 50/70 and you're facing big-barrels. This is not good. Take a look at that Little League logo up there at the top of this post - all of a sudden "COURAGE" really begins to stand out.

Super Slow-Mo Makes Us All Students of the Game

This is so cool. Check out the following compilation of Fox Sports "X-Mo" shots from the NLCS. We've come a long way since the days of this. With such easy accessability to high definition super slow motion footage today, we all can't help but be students of the game. And the game will change as a result. The next generation of ballplayers will be more knowledgable about the mechanics of the game than any before it.

Selected Reading Material 10-24-12

7 Things Parents Do to Make Their Kids Hate Sports by All Pro Dad  -  Nice list of what not to do. Good comments too. Number 5 is probably the most common one I see.

Troubleshooting Baseball Hitting: Timing is Not Always the Problem by Jay Kolster, Cressey Performance  -  Good article on the mechanics that can help a hitter make timing a little less of a problem. Not enough young players focus on (or even know about) the correct positioning of the elbows and knees.

Trust Your Skills (Don't Think Too Much) by Jeffrey Rhoads, Inside Youth Sports  -  This one is important for young athletes. All the instruction and practice in the world won't matter if you can't relax and let it flow.

How a Real Boy Throws

Quick revisit to the Washington Post article previously mentioned about the differences in the average throwing motions of boys and girls. The article was fine, but the graphic of how a boy throws was pretty comical:

Sorry - couldn't just let that go. Here is how a real boy that has any success in baseball actually throws. His shoulders are level as he takes the ball back. The elbows bend. The hips rotate. There is a follow through. I could go on....

What To Teach Your 4-Year-Old Future Star

As a youth coach and instructor, I have the task of teaching players how to fix their mechanical flaws. Many of them consistently throw, catch or swing in a fundamentally incorrect manner. Every young player has a bad habit or ten, and bad habits are hard to break, especially as they age.

I often wish that more kids were taught a few basic things when they were around the age of three or four. If they learn it then, it's like riding a bike - they'll never forget it. Their muscle memory will be correctly programmed for life.

So for all the proactive dads of preschool prospects out there, here are some basic things you may want to teach your kid about baseball. Your wife will give you grief, but don't feel guilty. If he winds up playing baseball and loves the game, he'll eventually thank you for helping him succeed and have fun. He may not even play beyond Little League, but those Little League days will be less of a struggle.

1. Throwing:  Many young kids do not just naturally pick up a ball and throw it correctly. If you want to lay the groundwork for an accurate, safe and powerful throwing motion down the road, show him how to properly separate the hands and take the ball back. Demonstrate how to close the front shoulder and hip to his target and separate his hands with the fingers on top of (not behind) the ball and thumbs pointed down. Both hands will go up and away from the body with the palms away. I tell kids to show the front palm (the glove) to the target and the back palm (the ball) to whatever is behind them, nearly opposite the target. Show it and throw it. Otherwise the throw may be more of a push, with less velocity and more stress on the arm. Pulling the front arm back into the body (tucking the glove) at the point of release will help too.

Selected Reading Material 9-18-12

How To Brag About Your Kids by Clay Nichols, Dad Labs  -  I thought I was better than this. But I'm guilty of most of these bragging techniques. Pretty shameful, and funny.

Throw Like a Girl? You Can Do Better by Tamar Haspel, Washington Post  -  Analysis of the mechanical differences in the average throwing motions of boys and girls. Unfortunately the graphic at the top depicts a boy that clearly never made it past tee ball. More on that later...

MLB Diamond Demo: Pitching Flaws by Rick Peterson, Baltimore Orioles Pitching Director  -  Nothing to actually read here, but a great video demonstration on some of the absolute most important aspects of proper pitching mechanics. Must see tv for coaches and parents of pitchers.

Selected Reading Material 9-7-12

Is Your Child's Youth Coach a Good Teacher? by Jeffrey Rhoads, Inside Youth Sports  -  Former players don't necessarily make good coaches. You're either a good teacher or you're not.

Why Focusing Skills Are Critical for Young Athletes by Dr. Patrick Cohn  -  Think small. Focus on the details of how to execute the play. Thinking about results or what others think is a major performance distraction.

Alas, Even Little League is Mired in Politics by Bruce Maiman, The Sacramento Bee  -  Duh... As usual, it's the parents that are the problem.

How Bad Do You Want It?

Need any motivation? Let Eric Thomas preach to you about it...

What To Accomplish This Fall

Little League Fall Ball is the Spring Training of youth baseball. It's an opportunity for players to work on their skills in a low-pressure environment. Many players are learning new skills, like pitching and catching, and are just beginning to gain confidence. Others are trying to become consistent hitters, or better fielders. The instructional aspect of a good Fall Ball program creates an ideal environment for player development.

Here is a list of what players can accomplish this fall:

1. Fix Your Swing Mechanics. Don't just take BP and accept wherever you're hitting the ball as long as it's hit hard. Learn correct swing mechanics, practice them on a tee and in front of a mirror. Then put it all to use in BP. Learn from the result of each swing. If you're not hitting line drives, there is a reason. Fix it. Every player has something to work on.

2. Focus on Throwing Mechanics. You can't pitch well unless you first learn to throw correctly. Pay close attention in warm-ups to the mechanics of each throw - how the hands are separating, how the ball is positioned during the stride, what the lead arm is doing, etc. Don't just play catch. Throw with a purpose and make sure you're repeating good habits, not bad ones.

3. Get Some Pitching Experience. The low-stress atmosphere of fall games is a great time for inexperienced pitchers to get some innings. Focus on the mechanics you've learned, not what the batter does with the pitch. It's about you, not him. If you execute pitches the way they are supposed to be executed, be satisfied and keep doing it, regardless of whether he hits it or not. You can't control what the batter does, so it's misguided focus. Thinking about results will only distract you from executing each pitch with correct mechanics. The more you pitch, the more comfortable, and therefore confident you will become on the mound. Then when the games matter next spring, you'll be armed with a good delivery and the confidence to go with it.