| The world is made up of many successful people. I | | | | the count." Both of these responses would answer |
| am talking about people from all fields. Successful | | | | my question. Instead, I usually get answers like, " it's |
| people have a knack for doing things and getting | | | | comfortable". "this is the way I was told to do it", or |
| positive results. We could fill a room up with people | | | | even "I don't know". These are all answers but none |
| from all walks of life who are successful at what | | | | of them are really justifiable. |
| they do and they would all have one thing in | | | | Let me make it clear that if you are going to teach a |
| common. They are educated in their field. They may | | | | player to do something or not do something, give |
| not claim that the way they do things is the only | | | | them an educated reason why or why not. Not only |
| way or even the best way, but they will tell you one | | | | does this add to your credibility as a coach, it gives |
| thing: " It works for me". | | | | your players a better understanding of how their |
| The same holds true for baseball as well. There are a | | | | body works. This will essentially allow them to |
| lot of ways to perform a particular task, but what | | | | self-assess and make their own needed adjustments |
| matters is the end result. If it is carried out | | | | in times when you may not be able to assist. |
| successfully, on a regular basis, then why question | | | | Little league coaches are priceless!! Without them, |
| the process? Just like the old saying goes, "If it ain't | | | | little league would not exist. However, the majority |
| broke, then don't try to fix it." | | | | of little league coaches are fathers who come and go |
| As a coach, young men and women are putting their | | | | as their child moves on. Some of them coach at the |
| trust in you that the knowledge that you offer up to | | | | next level and others don't. The marks that are left |
| them will steer them toward success. This should be | | | | behind are sometimes ones of beauty while other are |
| looked at as both an honor as well as a challenge. Do | | | | scars. As a little league coach, if you sincerely offered |
| you have a game plan to meet the challenge? | | | | everything you could about teamwork, good work |
| The first step is to gain the trust from your players. | | | | ethics, instilling values, handling adversity and installing |
| You do not have to be a baseball genius to develop | | | | a love for the game, you essentially played a major |
| your players' trust. You just have to put them in a | | | | part in each one of your players' future endeavors in |
| position where they either succeed or learn from | | | | the game of baseball. |
| their own failures. If you have given them the tools | | | | However, when it comes to teaching the game of |
| to handle adversity, to self-assess, make their own | | | | baseball to your young players, teach what you can. |
| educated adjustments and eventually take one step | | | | By this I mean, teach what you and your assistant |
| forward, you have done your job. | | | | coaches are comfortable and confident with. Spend |
| Through my experiences, working with players of all | | | | more time on teaching team concepts like positioning, |
| ages, there is one common element that I see now | | | | cut-offs/relays, base running, etc... Do not venture |
| and again. That element is, not knowing the answer | | | | into the mechanics of a particular skill unless you are |
| to the question "why?" | | | | comfortable and more importantly confident with the |
| For example, if I am working with a hitter who is | | | | way you are going to teach it. I'm not necessarily |
| having difficulty getting squared up to the pitch | | | | saying it's a matter of teaching it right or wrong. If |
| middle-in, there are certain things that I will look for. | | | | you can back up your teachings, with justifiable |
| Let's say he's hitting out of a closed stance, but | | | | reasoning and educated answers to the question |
| never adjusting his stride to the pitch location. I might | | | | "why", then who's to tell you that you're wrong? |
| ask him why his stance is closed? Very rarely will I | | | | However, an educated response to "why?" is not, |
| hear answers such as, " A coach adjusted me in the | | | | "because I'm the coach", or "that's the way you're |
| past because I was stepping out", or; " I want to | | | | supposed to do it". Keep it simple, make it fun, and |
| concern myself with the middle to the outer thirds of | | | | you will be rewarded. |
| the plate and ignore the inner part until I am down in | | | | |