One of the toughest things to master as a youth baseball or softball player is how to hit a curveball. As the competition level starts to increase, and pitchers get older and more developed we see them have a little more control over their pitches. Up until then, hitting can seem like a breeze for […]
As recently as two decades ago, few baseball players hit with wood bats during their amateur careers. Today, it’s common for kids as young as Little League to take a portion of their practice cuts with wood or wood composite bats. In a previous article, we explained why hitting with wood is a smart idea, […]
Practice. It’s amazing how one word can either make a player or coach cringe or smile. While practice is clearly necessary for any sport, often it can become stale and boring. The goal of any coach should be to incorporate a mixture of fun baseball drills and games to keep their players engaged. Coaches: Unlock […]
It’s not always clear what the role of a hitting coach is. Should a hitting coach strive to give as much information as possible in the time they have, or is it important to internalize the concept of “less is more?” Can we best serve our hitters by teaching them the same exact swing as […]
As hitting coaches, our primary role is to serve as a translator for our players. We have to understand complex scientific concepts about how the body moves during the swing and design drills (and cues within those drills) that our hitters can actually put into practice. In fact, communicating effectively with athletes is such an […]
Over the past few years, teaching baseball and softball swing mechanics has become exponentially more science-based. For some coaches, that’s been an empowering development. Innovations in measurement and analytics have given them valuable new insights into their players’ movements, helping them better understand what’s working and what needs improvement. For other coaches, that science revolution […]
Thousands of first-time baseball and softball coaches take the field each year, and many wonder where to start. How do you keep a group of 10 or more Little League players engaged and learning over the course of a 90-minute (or longer) training session? Your first step should be to develop a written practice plan […]
When it comes to shopping for sporting goods online, few things have become as complicated as simply selecting a slow pitch softball bat. Space age materials, proprietary formulas, a range of prices and an alphabet soup of governing bodies that decide what is and isn’t legal can turn a fun experience into a tedious slog. […]
For many families, the transition from Little League to travel baseball comes with stress, anxiety and questions about what to look for in a team and what to expect from the experience — not to mention the question of whether making the switch from a more laid-back rec ball program to a more competitive (and […]
In The MVP Machine, a book that explores the world of advanced baseball training and development techniques, resistance bands are noted as a key but a once-uncommon tool that a young amateur pitcher named Trevor Bauer used to build his arm strength and ultimately become one of the game’s dominant hurlers. “When Trevor was twelve, […]
