Baseball Positive

SAVIORS OF THE GAME …parent helpers
Why are practices not productive and fun? Many would agree that a major reason is logistics; the time required to set up each drill, to transition between drills and breakdowns in the flow the current drill we are running. Planning can be partially attributed to these concerns. But a real factor is we are dealing with kids. Yes, it is true, young people do not always follow directions perfectly, and they can legitimately misunderstand instructions. In the drills themselves, kids make physical mistakes that slow and delay the drill activities.
COACHES please comment below with your techniques for running faster paced practices, or your experiences with unproductive practices and tell about the circumstances.
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http://www.baseballpositive.com/blog-page-set-up/2020/9/8/saviors-of-the-game-parent-helpers

Saviors Of The Game .….parent helpers — Baseball Positive Why Do Kids Quit Playing? Great numbers of youth softball and baseball players leave the sport each year because the game is not fun. The game  is not the issue; it is the experience kids have participating in  the game.  A large part of participation is practice. The

MENTAL APPROACH TO HITTING - THE PITCHER IS YOUR SERVANT
…establishing a positive mindset when stepping into the batter’s box

This is the first of a 3-part series on helping kids with their mental approach to batting.

“Hey Pitcher! bring that ball to me. You need to throw it right here…through the strike zone. And if you do not bring that ball to me, I do not have to swing. If you don’t bring that ball to me; I go to first base for Free…. so c’mon, Serve it up!”.
COACHES please comment below and share what you tell your hitters to help them improve their mental approach when batting.
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http://www.baseballpositive.com/blog-page-set-up/2021/1/2/mental-approach-to-hitting-the-pitcher-is-your-servant-establishing-a-positive-mindset-when-stepping-into-the-batters-box

Mental Approach To Hitting - The Pitcher Is Your Servant …establishing a positive mindset when stepping into the batter’s box — Baseball Positive This is the first in a 3-part series on establishing confidence in young hitters through a positive mental approach:   Part 1:   The Pitcher Is Your Servant …establishing a positive mindset when stepping into the batter’s box Part 2:   The Swing Zo

IS THE STRIDE IN THE BATTING SWING EXTINCT?
…these two videos provide insight on the answer

A misconception about the stride is that it adds power to the swing. The stride is a precursor to the swing. Professional hitters and coaches will tell you that the role of the stride is timing; not power generation. Incorporating a stride or a leg kick into the swing, as a timing mechanism, can benefit some athletes. For a few, this action enhances the rhythm in their actions for maximizing power generation…

COACHES, please comment on your experience; the good, bad, and ugly, with players who do, and do not stride.

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The Stride in the Youth Batting Swing — Baseball Positive When should we begin teaching kids to stride? What role does the stride play in a youth ballplayer's swing? This blog post explains how to teach kids to generate more power in their swing and increase the frequency of making solid contact.

IMPROVE YOUR TEAM’S PITCHING AND DEFENSIVE PERFORMANCE
…teach your catcher proper positioning in relationship to the batter

The role of the catcher extends far beyond receiving pitches. The catcher is an integral part of the team defensive unit; required to make throws to bases on bunted balls and balls tapped in front of home plate; when runners attempt to advance via a steal and on blocked pitches in the dirt.
The closer the catcher is to the field of play, the quicker they can field balls in front of them and they are closer to the bases when making throws. Shortening the distance of throws results in greater accuracy and can be the difference between an out or safe call on bang-bang plays...

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http://www.baseballpositive.com/blog-page-set-up/2020/11/16/z8xuiay13cgrflv4zae11jceear34s

COACHES: Please comment with ideas of how you make time in your practices for catcher specific training. ...or any other thoughts regarding the development of catchers at the youth level of play. ................No doubt there are a lot of coaches out there who could benefit from your insights, and who would be very grateful!!

Improve Your Team’s Pitching And Defensive Performance …teach your catchers proper positioning in relationship to the batter — Baseball Positive Would we like to increase the number of strikes our pitchers throw? …improve our pitchers’ confidence; reduce the number of past balls and wild pitches in a game; improve the quality and effectiveness of our Team Defense. We can accomplish all these objectives by teaching our catchers to positio...

HEAD GAMES..the key to successful athletic performance

When searching out resources for improving youth baseball and softball skills we find oodles of drills on YouTube, tons of devices that surely will make the difference. However, often it is the most basic tweak that has the most significant impact on improving performance.

COACHES and PARENTS, please comment on your observations of head movement while watching kids play.

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Head Games ...the key to successful athletic performance — Baseball Positive How do we give our child or the players on our team an edge in developing their skills?  What is the latest technique, gadget or drill that can help them improve their performance?  When searching out resources for improving youth baseball and softball skills we find oodles of dri