The Backyard Batting Cage

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published: Thursday, September 09, 2010

FRANK JOLLEY

Sports Columnist

The most creative football minds in Lake and Sumter counties weren't on the sidelines during last week's season-opening games.

If the vocal minority at Friday's East Ridge-South Sumter game was any indication, our area's top gridiron genuises are in the grandstands, making personnel decisions and dissecting gameplans.

The dark side of fanaticism, apparently, will be out in full force again this season.

As I've said countless times in the past, I feel bad for the players and coaches who put so much time and effort into making Friday Night Lights so special.

I should've been expecting to hear the second guessers, many of whom have never tried to coach a football team or break down videotape for an upcoming opponent. They watch games on television and listen to the talking heads analyze every action and reaction.

Never mind that many never suited up after playing in Pop Warner or High School. The closest most of them ever got to college football was the retaining wall behind the home-team bench.

Still, they're experts -- more so than East Ridge coach Bud O'Hara and Inman Sherman, O'Hara's counterpart at South Sumter.

Nevermind that O'Hara and Sherman have more than 65 years of head-coaching experience between them. It doesn't matter that O'Hara won a championship in Mississippi and Sherman has turned the Raiders into one of state's most tradition-rich programs.

Between them, the two coaching legends have won more than 400 games, but I guess that's also a moot point.

"Joe Warehouseworker," with his three hours of "experience" in front of the television every Saturday and Sunday is supremely more qualified to coach a high school football team, at least in his eyes.

And, if that's true, I'm proclaiming myself to be the next Grantland Rice.

South Sumter's naysayers were out early against the Knights. On the Raiders' opening possession, their quarterback tossed a pair of incomplete passes to take the steam out of a potential scoring drive. After the second incompletion, one expert voice bellowed from the anonymity of the cheap seats, "Get him out of there!"

After two passes.

In the first six minutes of the first quarter in the first game of the season.

Later on, the same quarterback tossed a 10-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter and the home side of the stadium erupted in cheers. It's safe to assume that "Bleacher Lombardi," who wanted to end the signal-caller's season after only two passes, was among the boisterous throng, albeit with a sarcastic smirk on his face.

I moved to the East Ridge sidelines in the third quarter and learned that South Sumter wasn't the only team with fans who consider themselves to be coaching legends.

As the Knights defense battled to preserve a five-point lead, one fan began offering his expertise to O'Hara and team.

"You guys have to work on that pass defense," the authoritative-sounding voice yelled almost as if it were an audiotape looped to run continuously.

Apparently, the Urban Meyer wannabe was more interested in yelling than watching. In the fourth quarter, East Ridge limited South Sumter to 2 of 10 passing for 23 yards. Over the final eight minutes of the game, the Raiders completed only one pass for 10 yards.

Perhaps my standards are too low, but that seems like pretty solid defense to me.

So what's the point here?

Why am I harping on this point ... again?

Because more and more people seem to believe that a $5 ticket to a game is a license to berate players, coaches and officials.

It doesn't

A ducat affords admission for the purposes of cheering for your son, daughter, or favorite team, and the chance to grab some cheap eats at the concession stand. If you want to boo the opposition, that's fine, as long as it doesn't get mean spirited or nasty.

It does not give you right to create animosity by yelling for players to be pulled from a game -- trust me, if a coach feels that needs to be done, he'll do it. They don't need a bystander in the grandstands advising them, their staffs or their players.

As for coaching accumen, I've said it before and I'll say it again. If you can do a better job, get out of the recliner and go do it!

The men and women who coach our area's student-athletes aren't doing it for the money -- they get only supplemental pay for their time and effort. They coach because they want to help student-athletes achieve their dreams.

Get off their backs and let them do what they enjoy doing!

If you don't, your sideline expertise will almost certainly be needed to replace the coaches you chase away.

Frank Jolley is a columnist for the Daily Commercial. Contact him at frankjolley@dailycommercial.com.

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by John Sickels on Oct 18, 2010 5:01 PM EDT

A couple of friends and I had an interesting discussion this afternoon regarding baseball managers.

Some managers are excellent in-game tacticians; some are excellent clubhouse leaders and good with people. The best managers have both skills, of course. Most managers are somewhere in the middle.

Let's say you have your choice between two managers. Neither of them are idiots. Neither of them are horrible at anything, but their best strengths are different.  Manager A is a mediocre tactician but an excellent clubhouse leader. Manager B in contrast, is an excellent tactician but a mediocre clubhouse leader.

Who would you rather have? And would it depend on what kind of team you have, a rebuilding club or a contending club?

Poll

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Baseball Hitting Tips - The Top 11
By Guest Author Jeffery A Wise

How many articles have you read that contain the top 10 baseball hitting tips? There are actually dozens of hitting tips but I'm going to go over the top 11. It's time to rev things up and give you some high level tips that will help you immediately.

Baseball is a thinking man's game so you really need to read these tips and think about them before running out to the field and trying them out. You should also visualize yourself putting these tips to action and then you're ready to hit.

Be a confident hitter. Every time you go up to bat you should have the confidence that you can hit any ball in the strike zone. Be patient and always be ready to attack the ball.

Know your mission. Every time you go up to bat you need a mission. Is there a runner on third base that you need to get home? Is there a runner on second base with no one out that you need to get over to third? Be mentally prepared for your mission.

Know the strike zone. Be patient and disciplined and wait for a good pitch to hit in the strike zone. If you do that the pitchers will be less likely to throw you anything out of the strike zone that you might otherwise chase.

Have consistent hitting preparation. Whether you're on the bench waiting for your turn to hit or on deck, always have good mental preparation. Check the pitcher out and see how he pitches and look to see what kind of pitches he's throwing. Look at where all the fielders are positioned and understand the best you can the kind of calls the umpire is making.

Find a comfortable hitting stance. The key is to be as comfortable as possible in the batters box. Find foot positioning that is right for you. If you are uncomfortable in the box then it will mess with your head and your other mechanics will be off.

Strive for a consistent swing. Whether the ball is pitched outside or inside, be sure to keep the same smooth swing. You may need to adjust your timing or what part of the zone you swing at, but never change your swing.

Shake slumps quickly. Nobody likes to be in a hitting slump but even the pros have them every now and then. Avoid the mental slumps by never doubting yourself at the plate. If you're striking out a lot it's because you're swinging at bad pitches. Try and be more selective.

Hitting zones. Know the different types of hitting zones and master them, whether it's the back of the plate, middle of the plate or front half of the plate.

There's more to hitting than just home runs. Try to be a consistent hitter and hit to all fields. This will make the defense play you honestly. There are many other things to do in hitting than home runs. Hit and run, bunts, opposite field hitting and more.

The final two tips I have are to recognize each pitch that is thrown and remember that each spot in the lineup has a purpose, whether it's leadoff, cleanup or the number 9 spot.

Jeffery A Wise invites you to learn the proven system of baseball hitting tips so that you can learn how to hit a baseball better. Start learning today at http://www.baseballhittingtipsonline.com by reading our information and downloading our free report.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeffery_A_Wise

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visit: http://learnbaseballhitting.com/lcp Tulane Hall of Fame Coach reveals baseball hitting drills for youth baseball instruction. Free baseball hitting tips and drills articles, videos, and photos sure to increase bat speed.

Duration : 0:8:21

Technorati Tags: baseball hitting, Baseball Hitting Drills, Baseball Hitting Tips, baseball practice, baseball tips., baseball training, bat speed, be a better hitter, coaching baseball, youth baseball

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These baseball hitting tips are about how to work patience into your practice routine. This is by far the most wrestled with virtue in baseball, better yet, all sports.

The roar of the crowd, parent, player, and coach expectations, BIG league or college scouts watching, whatever it may be, can contribute to high levels of anxiety on the ball field. You have to exercise the right muscles in your mind to be able to deliver when what-seems-like everything is on the line.

And, with this baseball hitting tips article, putting it into physical practice, the mental part will surely follow.

Dictionary.com says this about patience,

"quiet, steady perseverance; even-tempered care; diligence: to work with patience."

The main goals of the following 2 baseball hitting tips are to keep your hands relaxed throughout the swing and to keep them back.

The benefits of being patient are: Setting yourself up to go to the opposite field if need beChance for the most important 3 points to line up*Maximize power and leverage in your swing mechanicsRecognizing offspeed pitches *The major power points are your belly button, back knee, and back toe. Power, leverage, and balance depend on these three points lining up upon the finish of your swing...we'll get into more detail on this later.

Let's reveal the 20% of baseball hitting tips contributing to 80% of swing patience success...

1. Whiffle Ball Hitting Drill

What's needed:

Pitcher kneels about 30-40 feet in front of the hitter, and tosses the whiffles at regular speed.

Here's why this drill is so special...the pitcher has to speed up the arm to get the whiffles over the plate. The hitter sees fastball arm action, and as the ball approaches, it slows down because of the ball's distinct anatomy, giving a change up effect.

If you really want a challenging progression to this drill, try working away as the hitter takes the ball to opposite field.

The next baseball hitting tip maximizes power, leverage, and balance is:

2. The Tennis Ball Bounce Hitting Drill

What's needed: Tennis ballsRegular aluminum/wood bat

Pitcher throws from regular batting practice distance. Vladimir Guerrero for the LA Angels of Anaheim used to play this game as a kid, where the pitcher would bounce the ball up to him trying to strike him out. That's why he's the best bad-ball hitter in the Major Leagues.

What makes this drill so special is the hitter has to keep hands relaxed and back in order to hit the ball with any authority. The thing you have to make sure the hitter does is to stay tall throughout the swing...let the barrel go down and get the ball, don't lunge down and slump the body to get to it.

If you want to do this drill with your team on the field, try throwing with bouncy Incrediballs or harder cored tee baseballs.

Both of these patience baseball hitting drills are: Low maintenance,Low cost,Don't need a cage to hit in, andAre fairly safe for kids to compete with.

One of the most valuable points I learned with hitting is less is always more. I'd rather do one or two drills that take care of 5 different issues than doing 5 different drills taking care of 1 issue.

Return from Patience Baseball Hitting Tips to all Hitting Tips

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Baseball Hitting Tips Should Be Mostly About You!

Here Is A List Of Baseball Hitting Guidelines And Then It’s Up To YOU:

**Stand close enough to the plate so that when you’re bent over slightly at the waist, you can extend the bat and still reach the outside corner of the plate.

**As far as your baseball stance, make believe its basketball and you’re guarding another player. That’s an absolutely great starting point for the width of the feet, the bending of the knees and the bending of the waist. It will also give you a very good foundation to encourage effective baseball hitting. Your weight should be on the balls and you should be leaning slightly toward home plate.

**Relax and let the air out. Tension is a hitter’s worst enemy.

**Grip the bat where the fingers meet the hands. Not the palms. Use a medium grip because a tight grip will actually slow down your bat speed.

**Your chin should be away from your chest. Your head should be facing the pitcher and completely relaxed, just as if you are watching television. Watch the pitcher’s cap, as it is a very good point to focus your eyes on because it is close to the height where the pitcher will be releasing the ball. Your eyes will be focused properly and will not have to refocus.

**The height of the back elbow should be lined up like you are going to punch a balloon that’s about chest high and in front of you. Please don’t listen to that old cliché that’s been hollered out for decades to “keep your back elbow up.” It is one of the worst baseball tips on hitting you will ever hear. To have your back elbow up by your back ear works for very few hitters. The goal is to be in a good, comfortable baseball hitting position and having the back elbow up too high is not a comfortable baseball hitting position for most.

**When the pitcher breaks his hands apart, shift your eyes from the pitcher’s cap to the pitcher’s window. (His window is simply where he releases the ball.) Go back and “load up” by cocking the wrists and the hips a split second before the pitcher releases the ball.

**As the pitcher is actually releasing the ball, stride forward with your weight about 70% back on the INSIDE of the back leg and about 30% on your front foot.

1000
**As the ball is pitched, you must turn your head and follow the ball into the hitting zone. If you leave your head turned and facing toward the pitcher, when the ball arrives in the hitting zone you will be looking at the ball out of the corner of your eye which only makes baseball hitting tougher. It’s been referred to many times as “keeping your head behind the swing.”

**When swinging, keep the front shoulder and front hip closed! The baseball hitting is not taking place by your third base coach if you are a right-handed hitter or by your first base coach if you are a left-handed hitter. Not staying “closed” is a recipe for disaster.

If you do not keep your front side “closed,” three very negative things will occur that will prevent you from being efficient at baseball hitting:

1. Your head will pull off the ball when your front side opens up early and you will be looking at the ball out of the corner of your eye. Baseball hitting is difficult enough when you do see the ball well.

2. Any power you have will be lost because your body will be in a different spot from where the actual baseball hitting is taking place.

3. Tough low and away strikes will cause many baseball hitting problems for you. It simply will be physically harder to reach the low and away pitch.

Throw the barrel of the bat at the ball. You can break all rules and not follow all the excellent baseball tips on hitting, but if you can consistently get the sweet spot of the bat on the ball, you will be very successful.

Please note that the “load up,” “stride” and “swing” are three separate movements. They are separate but they should happen very quickly and be done as smoothly as possible.

Remember that you go back slowly and you go forward quickly. It’s called the “calm before the storm.”

One of the best baseball hitting tips you will ever learn is to keep the front elbow pointing downward at the start of your swing. If you don’t, you will be a fraction of a second late to the ball because you will have a very slight loop to your swing. A fraction of a second is an eternity when you consider a fastball takes less than a second to hit the catcher’s mitt. You must go from point “A” to point “B” in a straight line. The only way to achieve this is by keeping the front elbow facing downward at the start of your swing.

The ideal baseball swing is level only at the point of contact and not before!

By: Larry Cicchiello

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Larry Cicchiello is the author of “Excellent Baseball Coaching: 30 Seconds Away.” Baseball coaches, players and baseball parents who want to help your child will benefit. Larry is comfortable sharing some FREE baseball tips on hitting and pitching from his eBooks, which cover 320 baseball topics.www.LarryBaseball.com/product/all

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While parents are busy decorating the house and getting heaps of candy ready, kids are trying to figure out ways to maximize their sugary intake and show off their costumes. They can do both of those at two Dover events: Safe, Spooky Halloween Parade Friday, Oct. 29, and Goodies and Goblins Saturday, Oct. 30.

Safe, Spooky Halloween Parade
The parade registration starts at 5 p.m. in the Minor Street alley parking lot (between Governors Avenue and Bradford Street intersection). The parade begins at 5:30 p.m., and awards are given out for best costumes at 6 p.m. Categories include cutest, scariest, most original, best theme (two or more costumes), prettiest, funniest and crowd favorite.
Following the parade, families can stick around for some trick-or-treating on Loockerman Street from 6 to 6:30 p.m.
For more information, call 678-2940 or visit www.downtowndoverpartnership.com.
The city of Dover’s trick-or-treating is from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30.

Goodies and Goblins
For the 37th year, the Dover Kiwanis Club is sponsoring a night out for families with its Goodies and Goblins event at 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30, at the Delaware Agricultural Museum and Village, 866 N. DuPont Highway, Dover.
It features trick-or-treating in the village and a costume contest from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Judging ends promptly at 6:30 p.m., and prize winners are announced at 7 p.m. Kids should register at the door for the costume contest. Age divisions are 6 and younger and 7 to 11 with three prizes in each category (scariest, funniest, most original and cutest) and age group, and for groups of two or more. Prizes are $25 for first, $20 for second and $10 for third. Admission is $1.

HALLOWEEN EVENTS

THURSDAY, OCT. 28
Hartly Harvest Hoedown from 6:30 to 9 p.m., Hartly Fire Hall, 2898 Arthursville Road, Hartly. Parents must accompany children to this costume party with entertainment, food and games. $4 for children 12 and younger.

FRIDAY, OCT. 29
Children’s costume parade down Loockerman Street at 5:30 p.m. (registration at 5).

Halloween Dance from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., Hartly Fire Hall, 2898 Arthursville Road, Hartly. Adults 18 and older only. Costume contest is at 10 p.m., entertainment is by DJ Davy Dave. $8, $10 per couple, $1 drafts, $3 mixed drinks.

“Monster House” at 7 p.m., Smyrna Opera House, corner of South and Main streets, Smyrna. The PG-rated movie is free, but donations are encouraged.

Halloween Hayrides at 6 and 7 p.m., Killens Pond State Park, 5025 Killens Pond Road, Felton.

SATURDAY, OCT. 30
Dover Halloween trick-or-treat, 6 to 8 p.m.

Children’s Halloween Party at 1 p.m., Walter L. Fox Post No. 2, 835 Bay Road, Dover. The community party is for children 10 and younger, and includes fun, games, prizes and refreshments. Admission is free. The program is a project of the children and youth committee.

Monster Bash benefiting Kent-Sussex Industries, Inc. at 7 p.m., Sheraton Dover Hotel. The event includes live music by the Honeycombs, live and silent auctions, and a costume contest. Tickets are $60, or $100 per couple. For more information, call Michelle Cain at 302-422-4014, ext. 3009. Checks can be sent to KSI, attn: Michelle Cain, 301 N Rehoboth Blvd, Milford, DE 19963, with a note that it is for the Monster Bash.

Halloween Hoopla at 10 a.m., Smyrna Opera House, corner of South and Main streets, Smyrna. Pumpkin painting and mask making for kids.

Halloween Crawl from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Kent County libraries. Kent County Public Library will have movies and activities about mad scientists running throughout the day. Harrington Public Library will recreate Dracula’s castle and invite kids to visit for chills, thrills and candy.

Marydel Hartly Little League Boo Park from 6 to 10 p.m., Marydel Hartly Little League, 705 Taraila Road, Marydel. Fantasy trail for younger kids and a scary trail for bigger kids. Candy will be handed out. Food and hot chocolate will be for sale. Admission is $2 per child. For more information, call 492-1529, email marydelhartlylittleleague@msn.com or visit www.eteamz.com/mhll.

Trick or Treat from 2 to 4 p.m., Killens Pond State Park. Kids can dress up in their favorite costumes to walk around the campground and collect treats.

Costume Contest from 4 to 5 p.m., Killens Pond State Park. There will be prizes for scariest and most original costume, and for the best-decorated campsite. Meet at the Campground Pavilion.

Halloween Hayrides at 5, 6, 7 and 8 p.m., Killens Pond State Park.

SUNDAY, OCT. 31
Trick-or-treating from 1 to 4 p.m., Dover Public Library, 45 S. State St., Dover.

Trick-or-treating in Camden corporate limits; those with Camden-Wyoming Post Office service but not located within the town’s corporate limits should check local government agencies for trick-or-treating schedules.

ONGOING EVENTS
Wicked R Western Productions’ annual Wicked Woods
Wagon ride through the woods, haunted trail down the main street of Wicked Woods’ Western town. 7 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays in October at Wicked R Western Productions, 2621 Sandy Bend Road, Wyoming. $15. Event is for 8 to 10 years old and older. Call 492-3327 (FEAR) or visit www.wickedr.com; call for weather cancellations.

Haunted Chicken House
Wagon ride around the haunted chicken house, weather permitting, and a tour through the chicken house. 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays in October; if planning a visit with a large group or later than 10:30 p.m., call to see if the site is still open. Event benefits Hartly Fire House, Kelly J. Fritchman Memorial Swimming Scholarship at University of Delaware. Haunted Chicken House is at 1302 Proctors Purchase Road off of Route 8, Hartly. Event is recommended for 8 and older. $10, $8 for those younger than 12; parking is free. For more information, call 359-3395.

Haunted Forest at Lister Acres
The Harrington Fire Company’s annual Haunted Forest at Lister Acres is the CarnEvil of Horrors, including a haunted animal barn, sideshow ghouls and clowns. The event works with and benefits the Harrington Parks & Recreation Department. 7 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays in October at 5417 Milford/Harrington Highway, Harrington. Event is recommended for 8 and older. $10, $8 for 8 to 12 years old. For more information, call 398-7975 or visit www.harringtonhauntedforest.com; for weather cancellations, visit the website.

Milford Neck’s Haunted Forest
Guests will walk through scary scenes set up on a private farm with guides and scary, costumed characters. 7 to 10 p.m. Saturdays in October at Route 1 between Milford and Frederica; from Dover, travel south on Route 1 until passing the Portable Shed Sales, and make a U-turn to go north on Route 1 to the first dirt driveway. Turn right and follow signs. Event is for older children at parents’ discretion. Free, donations are accepted to keep the operation running and expanding. For more information, call 242-9393.

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“You have what you want!”

How’s that statement make you feel?

Defensive?  Irritated?  Maybe even angry?

I remember hearing about Competing Commitments in one of my Personal Development seminars.  At the time it seemed vague and not too applicable to my life.

Boy, was I wrong!

Here’s what I’ve learned from my personal experience and from coaching others. Maybe it will help you understand WHY the statement “You have what you want” holds a lot of truth.

Before I get started, here’s a disclaimer. I am not talking about things that are completely beyond our control….such as a grandchild that’s been diagnosed with terminal cancer, or an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.  I’m talking about the countless number of things in our life that we SAY we want, yet we have a higher commitment to something else.

Here’s an example.

I want to release 10 lbs. I’ve wanted to do this for over a year. I tell myself that I am committed to it!  However, I have a Competing Commitment that enjoys comfort food!

Here’s another example.

Mary says that she wants to retire within the next year. She’s committed to getting her finances in order so that she can live on her retirement paycheck.  However, Mary also likes to buy new things. Lots of new things.  You see, her Competing Commitment is that she loves to spend money and she loves new clothes more than she loves to save money or readjust her priorities.

One more example.

Ben says that he wants to do an online business. He says that he’s very committed to spending 10 hrs per week learning about how to do marketing online. He’s committed to being on calls, writing articles, and getting his business off to a good start. BUT he is also committed to coaching Little League, playing golf 2 times a week, and helping with Relay for Life.  Ben says he’s extremely committed to his online business…but his actions speak differently. What he’s REALLY committed to…his comfort zone, staying busy, being valued for his contribution…obviously interferes with what he says he wants…an online business.  Building his online business would ultimately give him the time and financial freedom he says he wants more than anything.

Once we are aware of the concept of Competing Commitments, we begin to understand that we really do have what we want.  It’s easier to go with immediate gratification or to stay within our comfort zone, than it is to say “no” to things we enjoy.

To stay true to the Commitments that will move you closer to  your Dreams:

Recommit to your dream.  Ask yourself, “What do I really want?”Post your commitment. Write it out and post it near your computer or do a Vision Board. Decide what you are willing to surrender to achieve that commitment. Be realistic. What activities are you going to have to change? Remember, you have to be able to live with those changes.Find a Mentor or a Coach. This is someone who will come alongside you and help you stay true to your desires. Perhaps you need skills that will help you be successful or accountability. A good Mentor/Coach will help you break down your goal into attainable steps.

Competing Commitments will continually jump out of the bushes and attempt to derail you. When you get off course, push ‘em back into the bushes, and keep moving forward!

Remember, you have what you really want.

A mentor with a servant’s heart,

Margi Starr

http://margistarr.com

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Tulane Baseball Hall of Fame coach in baseball beat r? V? To teach the secrets of baseball. Hundreds of players use our training baseball and r? The results are not less? Amazing. 45 players have? play professional baseball!
Learn Baseball Hitting Tips for Coaches and Players & Dominate
This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 20th, 2010 at 12:44 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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Praise is the easiest and most effective way to motivate young baseball players. Understanding and faith in the "Power of Praise" can be a Little League baseball coach better and more effective coach. Knowing how and when praise is the key. This article describes the value of youth baseball coaching honors.

Good coaches have a variety of skills. They know how to teach the game of baseball. You know how they communicate their thoughts and comments almost immediately.They know how to fix without humiliation. They know how to motivate you without intimidation. They love the game of baseball and that love is shown through their actions and behaviors. But it is one of the universal characteristics of successful baseball coach youth who know the "Power of Praise '.

Good youth baseball coaches know that children respond differently when they are trained and taught the game of baseball. Many children do not take constructive criticism. All children do not respondequal to harsh words and strong statements. But one thing is that 99.9% of all children respond positively to praise. Love the words of encouragement and words that tell them he was doing a good job of feeling.

As a youth coach must always consider the fact that many children we coach heard many positive words. It 's sad and true that many children never hear the words or praise or encouragement at home. special words are "words of respect" for a young man. Want to love, appreciate and respectJust like most people. Many children who are hungry for coaches attention, discipline and above all praise. The more they are praised, the more they want to earn more praise.

So, if you fight a player or a bad day, find something that he does is right and praise him for his action to see. Make your day a better day. I do not intend to give out undeserved praise or false. Make sure the praise is earned and deserves. Children can sense when a coach is sincere, genuine, even if theTrainer praises a player. False praise is unnecessary and counterproductive.

A good rule to live as a youth baseball coach, who has a way to praise each player on your team at least once to find every day. A pat on the head or back takes little time and effort on your part, but can do wonders for a child self-esteem and ability to do.

I hope you enjoyed this article. Thanks for taking the time to read it. Good luck to you and your team. Your friend in baseball, Nick.

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Youth Baseball Coaching - Outfielding Drill
Posted on YouTube by CoachBuford

http://www.YouthBaseballVideo.com - This baseball fielding drill will help young players react to a fly ball in the outfield. Focus on starting in an athletic ready position, taking a decisive drop step, finding the ball, and getting underneath it to make a play.

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Thanks to Our Sponsor: Nedco Sports - BatAction Hitting Machines
www.BatAction.com

---BatAction Machine at CoachesBest.com
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---BatAction Machine Video Clips
---BatAction Trainer - 15 Reasons Why You Must Own This Machine
---Message to Parents From Coach Nick
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BatAction Demo Videos on Youtube

Check out these video demos of some of the most popular baseball training products on today's market. Click below and see the Advanced Skills Tee, Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer, and the Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine.

--Video of the Advanced Skills Tee is used by a college hitter during a hitting drill.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M30Ti00ZaOk

--Baseball Batting Tee - The Advanced Skills Tee - Baseball Trainer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkvPoPWa7NU

--Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine - Youth Baseball Batting Trainer - Youth Hitting Drill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dFE150AKDs

--Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer - Demo Tape Shows How the Machine Loads, and Operates During Use. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFwoJ8Vh1nU

--Derek Jeter Hurricane Batting Machine - Baseball Backyard Batting Trainer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtxZk74y1L4

--Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine - The Backyard Basketball Goal for Baseball Players http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJBn9VS9WDI

--Youth Baseball Batting Trainer - Hitting Drill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ0JjILe73k

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To get to the general election, Knoblock faced tough opposition in St. David resident Bruce Staggs and Benson resident Eliot Montijo.

According to the unofficial results, Knoblock defeated his opponents with 885 votes. Staggs took second with 577 votes and Montijo garnered 501 votes.

There were a reported 37 write-in votes.

A grateful Knoblock said he is looking forward to the general election against Sorensen and Judd.

"I appreciate the support from the voters. In the general election, I will stick with my message," Knoblock said. "I want to stick with my goal to keep Benson a safe place and eliminate crime. Virgil ran for this job in the past and I won. I feel the public is happy with what I'm doing and will support me because crime is down."

Knoblock said criminal cases in his court have decreased by 20 percent, and repeat offenders are down 50 percent.

Democratic candidate Sorensen, said he wants to serve the community fairly.

"I have no connection to a local business or family," he said. "I have no law enforcement background and I think it will help people know they will be treated fairly."

Sorensen, a longtime Benson teacher, is an 18-year Benson resident.

Judd, a local educator, is running as an independent in 2010, after running as a Republican candidate in 2006.

Judd is the son of former Cochise County Sheriff Jimmy Judd, who also held the JP3 seat for several terms. He is a retired Tucson police officer and former Mohave County sheriff's deputy and detention officer.

Judd said running as a Republican in 2006, the votes were split down the middle, but several years ago, he realized a judge shouldn't be affiliated with a party.

"I feel that every judge in the nation should be non-partisan, and never lean toward any one party," he said. "I am running because I feel I can do a better job and make a bigger difference in the community."

Judd said one of his biggest concerns is the growing drug problem in the community, noting that there are too many cases going through the court.

With certification as a Drug Recognition Expert, Judd said he can assist officers more, and he has the training to identify what kind of drugs a suspect is taking in a matter of minutes.

Judd said he is also more qualified because of his community service, from his coaching little league teams to volunteer work.

There are no candidate debates scheduled at this time.

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PRLog (Press Release) – Oct 11, 2010 – Allstate agency owner Daniel Castricone was recently named an Agent Hero by Allstate Insurance Company’s New York Region, and awarded a $500 grant for a local youth program.

Castricone donated the grant to the Tuxedo Little League, where he has volunteered as a manager for the past seven years.  

“As an Allstate agent, I believe it is my responsibility to demonstrate the Good Hands Promise in the community every single day,” said Castricone, whose office is located at 40 First Street in Nanuet. “It is an honor to be able to donate my time as a coach and now this grant to the little league, and hopefully touch the lives of the kids who are involved.”

In photo (left to right): Allstate agent Daniel Castricone, Tuxedo Little League President Mike Rost, Tuxedo Little League Vice-President Sam DiPinto

The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation’s largest publicly held personal lines insurer. Widely known through the “You’re In Good Hands With Allstate®” slogan, Allstate is reinventing protection and retirement to help more than 17 million households insure what they have today and better prepare for tomorrow. Consumers access Allstate insurance products (auto, home, life and retirement) and services through Allstate agencies, independent agencies, and Allstate exclusive financial representatives in the U.S. and Canada, as well as via www.allstate.com and 1-800 Allstate®.

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Today’s video from our Baseball Hitting Videos series covers                                           

the basic batting stance, including how to practice the right style

sure to increase bat speed. Tips include taking the bottom hand

to take you to the ball, the top hand, which is the power hand that

forms a ‘V’, and how to keep your hands inside to perform the

‘Power V’.

Click below to view the full video!

Tags: Baseball Coaching Tips, baseball hitting tips, Coaching Youth Baseball

This entry was posted on Friday, April 24th, 2009 at 8:09 am and is filed under Video Analysis. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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