Coaches Information

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Coaching is as much a skill as bunting, sliding or throwing a curveball.
It must be learned, practiced and improved.

Managing a Little League team requires organization and commitment. Field practices, batting cage time, and game preparation are all part of delivering a quality experience to the kids. Below are some resources that may help you in managing or coaching your team.

Practice Planning

Practice time is when skills, knowledge, and sportsmanship are taught. Young players are limited in their mental bandwidth, so practices should be well planned and efficient. Break practices up into individual drill stations versus conducting a one hour scrimmage. Limit stations to small, manageable groups and rotate stations every 10-15 minutes. Every practice should focus on both skill development drills and live situations.

Baseball Video Instruction

Softball Video Instruction

Core Skills for Baseball

Communications

Communicating with your parents is vital to your success to ensure they are up-to-date on practice and game schedules and changes, and the general happenings of your team. Each coach has a team site under Teams & Schedules. Game schedules and general league information is provided, but each coach has a personal team page they can manage to provide information directly relevent to their teams.

Additionally, it's vital to have a parent meeting prior to your first practice to communicate your management style and goals for the season. Click here for parent meeting tips and sample parent letters.

Approach to Coaching

Teach at practice; coach at games
During the game you want your players to focus on the next out or next hit - so should you. You can't teach a pitcher a new pitch on the mound or teach a kid to bunt in the seventh inning. No instruction should be provided during the game - instead, make mental notes for post-game talk or a special clinic during the next practice. Games are to execute what has already been learned.

Practice for Games
Practice what you expect to see and do in games and eliminate the wasteful activities.

If you want it, then teach it
You can't expect players to do in games what they haven't done in practice.

One fix at a time
Keep players focused on one fix at a time. If you see three things that need improving in a batter, rather than discussing them all at once, focus on the most important and drill that improvement a while before taking on another fix.

Practice with Intensity
Plan every practice - on paper - against the clock. Keep things moving, keep them focused. It's the only way to build a team with the desire to out-perform.

Some drills to consider: http://www.webball.com/cms/page1151.cfm

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