Teaching Better Baseball

The following is from a forum I posted on recently helping Coaches strive to give value to their players.

Coaches,
I'm not exactly sure where all of you are located, but I can say in the high schools that I have coached at in the past (both Div 1 SoCal schools), we have had instances where 120 freshman showed up for tryouts in January. My partner and I operate a club organization which has a 12u (6th grade), 13u (7th grade), 14u (8th grade) and 15u level (incoming freshman). The 14u, 15u acts as a feeder team for the high school program. Our program is year round.

I coach the 12u, 13u teams and my main focus is to take everyone that wishes to play and make them a better team. The 12/13u teams are generally players just coming out of little league and need to learn the "real game"...(i.e. leadoffs, pickoffs, double cuts, etc) Currently I have 18 players on my 12u team, and 27 players on my 13u team. Both teams are separated into game players and practice players. Practice players are told from the beginning, right after tryouts, that they will be guaranteed no game time, and that their primary goal is to bump the game players off the game roster. This has been tremendous in that the better players are pushed because those with lesser abilities bust their asses a heck of a lot more than those with better abilities. I do schedule extra games so that the practice players also get game time in, thus allowing them to showcase their newly learned abilities.

Again, my primary focus is to take everyone and build their abilities, not to win NOW, but to win in the future. They are taught discipline, responsibility, sense of urgency and work ethic. The majority of the teaching comes at my levels. By the time they graduate to the 14u level, they know: leadoffs, picks, backpicks, steals, hit/runs, run/hits, bunt/runs, squeezes, double squeezes, double cuts, infield defense and signs, 1st/3rd situations, bunt coverages, delay steals, critical thinking, pitch sequences, etc.

The dynamic of the 14u team is different. Game rosters are based on practice and game performance. We use statistics both at practice and games to determine execution and although there are game players and practice players, execution determines who gets to play and who doesn't. Since much of the framework and intricacies of the game have been taught by me, players can now focus on execution and performance.

By the 15u team, on top of the players who played in our organization, we also get new players coming from other club organizations, but that are going to the same school. The dynamic of this team is that everyone plays so that the coaches may see which players will compete and which will fall to the wayside.

(Coach), as I read, you have done brilliantly with how you've approached your team thus far. Remember, you are a teacher first and foremost to these kids. Leave the coaching up to the high school coaches. What do you have to focus on Varsity for? Those kids who will make the team already know how to play...the varsity coaches will take care of them and their learning curve is not at all steep for them. Your biggest impact is on the kids that need that extra effort to help push them over the edge. If you can't make them good enough for the Varsity team, then focus on making them good enough to be the best player on their rec ball teams when they go back. Imagine the experience they will have when your effort, determination and teaching help them to become the "stud" on their rec league teams... For some of those kids, that will be the last baseball they play, and you have the ability to make it the best possible experience for them.

The cream will rise to the top. Those that CAN play will compete with or without your help. The fat WILL be trimmed...not by YOU, but by the Varsity coaches. You will make a name for yourself, along with the school, for being fair, determined, disciplined and hopeful. You have already seen things change...stay the course.

"That's why I have pulled these other kids out of the speed drills. They're not ready and it kills the drill."

This is the correct approach, have separate groups or speed drills for those who are still learning.

"I thought kids that can't play might drop out, but they keep coming back."

Why do you think they're coming back? Because you are providing them with VALUE and instruction. You are giving them a sense of community, enjoyment and participation. They will remember that. It is a positive experience for them.

"Have given these kids that can't play as well every opportunity. I don't spend extra time with them as there are too many kids out there to do that. I expect them to do their part. They can hustle, run, pay attention, pick guys up just like everyone else. Told the teams that the goal of the fall program is for each of them individually to work on a particular aspect of their game. we talked with them individually about that. We do stations and drills for alot of reps. We also work on situational drills as a team so they become automatic in spring. Told them that the goal of any team is to come together and peak at the end of the season, whether it be twelve weeks or twenty weeks or forty weeks. To that end the better players get more playing time coming down the stretch for fall and spring. Told the kids if they play and have their heads in it, they will see more playing time. If play is slop or mental game is slop, they will be sitting more in Saturday games. Ones that are serious about their game at practice get more game time. If they loaf around too much at practice, they sit in games. The kids that can't play aren't really a bunch of hustlers - surprise."

The minute you stray from this approach, the less value you will be providing. This is excellent.

Lastly, I do not advertise for my teams. We place an ad in the community paper (not large periodical) announcing a tryout date, but that's it. Players are not recruited, chosen, etc. Parents and players show up to tryouts solely on word of mouth and reputation...all are offered either a game player or practice player position. Those that choose to stay, stay...those that dont', leave. This past August at tryouts, those that didn't stay with the team didn't because they were underage.

Remember, a blind fool can cut all but the best players, and win. Only those that are Teachers BEFORE Coaches are the ones that truly have success. Stick to your guns, enjoy the experience and remember the value you are providing your team.

Hope this helps,

Coach Corral