Guest-coaching my 13U team this weekend was a fantastic experience – one that made me realize how many critical skills go into preparing these young athletes for the next level. High school baseball has its own set of expectations, and the sooner players start building these habits, the smoother their transition will be. Below is a checklist of must-have ...
🎶 Music must be blasting as kids exit the car We want a multisensory experience. Music gets the good vibes going before practice. Blast music before practice and throughout practice. It just feels better this way. 📖 Use storytelling to teach life lessons Instead of talking about life lessons, teach them through stories. Begin each practice with an intentional ...
After coaching other people’s kids for 15 years, I’m finally coaching my own son and his buddies in our Fall SpeedBall League. He’s 6, turning 7 next week, and coaching him has been one of the greatest joys of my life. Watching him experience all his baseball firsts: First day at Legends camp. First win in a real game. ...
Captain Fun here. You know I’m a big believer in positive coaching. It’s at the core of everything we do. But as both a coach AND a parent, I’ve learned something important: Sometimes, you need more than just positivity. The other day, I was coaching kids on how to tag up. They were goofing off, and no matter how ...
Baseball, both at the professional and youth levels, is experiencing a significant increase in arm injuries. Over the last week, MLB star pitchers Spencer Strider and Shane Bieber have been added to the long list of pitchers needing Tommy John surgery. However, this issue extends far beyond the major leagues.Dr. James Andrews, a leading expert in sports injuries, highlights a ...
There’s a saying which goes, “good coaches know their practice plans, great coaches know their players.” The gist of the message is: Having a well designed practice plan is great, however you’ll never get the most out of your practice if you don’t truly get to know your players. Each player on your team is going to need you ...
Is your ballplayer getting cabin fever, as another atmospheric river rains out games and practices? ☔ 😥 If you are struggling to keep your child active and engaged with baseball and softball on a rainy day… look no further! Here are 10 creative and fun ways your child can stay active with baseball and softball, and take their skills ...
These are lessons learned after 15 years of coaching youth. Things I didn't even realize I did until I sat down to write this. They work for me and my coaching style. Hopefully some will work for you... To get your kids to focus at practice you need to make a competition out of EVERYTHING. If you are doing your job ...
“Coach David. Is the game over already” It was 8:45am...October 8th at Twin Creeks. I woke up at 5:30am to drive 1 hour and 15 minutes from my apartment in Laurel Heights of San Francisco to the Twin Creeks tournament complex in Sunnyvale. My 9U AA team was playing in the Sunday morning 8am game as the bottom seed. ...
These are lessons learned after 15 years of coaching youth. Things I didn't even realize I did until I sat down to write this. They work for me and my coaching style. Hopefully some will work for you... To get your kids to focus at practice you need to make a competition out of EVERYTHING. If you are doing your ...
