Youth Baseball Tips: Load For Successful Hitting

Baseball Player University Host Jeff Forney says: A hitter must go back to to go forward in the hitting process



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Baseball Hitting Tips - Excellent One Liners About Baseball Tips on Hitting

Baseball Hitting Tips - Excellent One Liners About Baseball Tips on Hitting
By Guest Author Larry Cicchiello

Sometimes you can say a lot with only a few words. The following list of baseball tips on hitting will prove just that point

"Everything goes toward the pitcher."

Your body should be going toward the pitcher and not toward third base if you are a right-handed hitter or toward first base if you are a left-handed hitter. It's a very common baseball hitting problem because it is extremely unnatural to go toward someone who is throwing a baseball in your direction. But, the truly great hitters all do it.

"Outstanding hitters have slow feet and fast hands."

The faster you move your feet around the better the chances are that you will get "sloppy." A steady, balanced foundation is as important to good baseball hitting as it is to building a house. Even if everything above the foundation is perfect, whether it be hitting a baseball or building a house, if the foundation is not perfect it will lead to many problems. And "fast hands" are of the utmost importance when hitting a baseball. It's very frustrating, especially for power pitchers, when a hitter literally just flicks the bat out with very quick hands and hits the ball hard for a hit.

"Short and quick is so much better than long and strong."

I can not overemphasize how being "short to the ball" is a very critical factor and one of the better baseball hitting tips. Being "short" is an absolute necessity and will enable you to catch up to any fastball. I would rather pitch against a baseball hitter with a long and very powerful swing than someone who is "short to the ball" any day!

"Stride and then swing."

They are two separate movements yet quite often weaker hitters will do them at the same time. Watch and you will see this very common baseball hitting problem often. They should happen in rapid succession but they are separate movements that should be done as smoothly as possible.

"Tension is a hitter's worst enemy."

An expression that's been around for decades and is still one of the better baseball tips on hitting. Hitting a baseball effectively is not an easy thing to do. If you tighten up your muscles it is pretty much impossible to be a good baseball hitter. That's one of the reasons some very good hitters will have a little waggle with their bodies or their bats while waiting for the pitch. It's almost impossible to tighten up your muscles when you are moving them. Relax and "let the air out."

"To hit the ball harder, you don't necessarily have to swing harder."

Don't place too much emphasis on how hard you swing the bat. It's a very common baseball hitting problem, especially with younger players.They swing too hard and miss the baseball by a foot. Focus heavily on getting the sweet part of the bat on the ball as often as you can. Trust me, one of the most important baseball tips on hitting is to just get the bat there and watch what happens. Let the bat do 90% of the work for you. Bat manufacturers spend millions of dollars on research to have the ball jump off the bat when hit on the "sweet spot." Nobody will ever notice how hard you did or did not swing at the pitch. What they will notice is your "seed" going up the right-center or left-center field gap!

You CAN improve and overcome any of your baseball weaknesses if you are a player, a coach, or if you are a baseball parent and your child is struggling! Larry Cicchiello has some FREE baseball tips on hitting and FREE baseball pitching tips available at http://www.LarryBaseball.com. Get ready to be raising more than a few eyebrows!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Larry_Cicchiello

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3269147

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How To Develop A Balanced Hitting Base For Youth Baseball Players!

How To Develop A Balanced Hitting Base For Youth Baseball Players!
By Chip Lemin

When I see a youth baseball player shooting line drives all over the field, there are certain things I look for in their swing. The first thing I usually notice will be that the player is balanced during the entire swing. Balance in a baseball swing is something that will deliver consistent results for the hitter. The balance in a baseball swing begins with the stance. The player's weight should be evenly distributed on both feet to start. When the player begins the trigger, or start of the swing, some of the weight will then shift to the back leg. These subtle movements were not always clear to me. I learned most of this from watching our team take hitting instruction from a professional instructor.

Some people will groan about paying someone to help a youth baseball player learn to hit properly. I must say years ago I was not a believer in hitting lessons. I thought I already knew all about hitting. My child has always been able to hit well, mostly due to natural talent luckily. My child was asked to play in a tournament with a travel team. This team used hitting instruction. As I watched how much it helped my child improve, I wanted to know more.

The best baseball swings are usually short and compact with a smooth follow through. Most parents teach their kids to take a long stride. I was guilty of this this. I also let their arms drop down too low, developing a long slow swing. Most of my mistakes were at the tee ball and coach pitch level with my first child. My eyes were opened at these hitting instructions that I had a lot to learn. Taking a wider balanced stance is the beginning of a solid base to hit from. The first thing the instructor did was widen up my kid's stance. This improved the balance right way. It also makes it harder to take a long stride to the ball. I am in favor of hitting instruction as early as the player will accept it. Don't ever force them to go. My child was a little hesitant until watching other kids having fun doing it.

My early ideas about keeping the elbow up, and the long stride, did not lead to a balanced powerful swing. I quickly learned to accept a new way of thinking. The earlier a youth baseball player learns to develop a balanced swing the better. A balanced swing makes it easier to hit to all fields. A balanced swing is much easier to repeat over and over from a good balanced base. The first move to the baseball from the trigger position will be with the hands. This is difficult for young players to learn at first. The are many drills to help instill this important part of the swing. I will share some of them with you soon in an upcoming article.

We have covered the very basics of the balanced hitting base of the swing. Most players will have to widen their stance to at least shoulder with. Some players even a little more may be needed. My child has a wide stance. This helps keep the toes on the ground during the beginning of the swing. If a player is lifting up the toes during the swing, they are shifting their weight improperly. The hands should be held as high as the player feels comfortable with. They should not be buried up against the body either, We are trying to eliminate movement that is not needed in the swing. When there is less movement, it is easier to stay balanced. So go find a quality hitting instructor that both you and your child feel good about. Get some references from others if needed. Go to lessons with an open mind. You will both learn a lot about balance in the baseball swing.

Thanks Coach Chip

Chip Lemin has been a promoter of youth baseball since they started using aluminum bats. That's a long time. I have witnessed many good people get into coaching without solid coaching skills and it is not fun for them or the kids.Today's newer coaches are also being shortchanged on sportsmanship, like there is none. Visit my site to sign up for a insightful, informational, free coaching e-course at http://www.baseballecourse.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chip_Lemin

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/987285

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Here's Some Baseball Thoughts And Quotes For Youth Baseball Coaches And Players

Here's Some Baseball Thoughts And Quotes For Youth Baseball Coaches And Players
By Guest Author Chip Lemin

Here are baseball thoughts and some quotes that I thought all you youth baseball coaches would appreciate. There are far too many hot dog players and coaches in youth baseball today. I believe we must honor the game baseball by example. Most of it is just common sense and courtesy. I'm not giving you any secret formula to success. Let's behave like mature adults and remember we don't have a team full of future professional baseball players even though others may think otherwise.

Everyone on the team must be willing to trade sweat, effort, and sacrifice for success. When looking at yourself as a player, the critical. There are too many egotists among players today. Egotism is the anesthetic which deadens the pain of stupidity.

Success is costly. You must exchange something solid in yourself for success.

Concentrate on improving your weaknesses. It is more obvious than your strong points.

No player ever becomes a success by giving up. Keep trying.

If your coach criticizes you, it indicates that he is watching you, so appreciate that.

Never alibi. Excuses never win games.

Be confident. Say to yourself, I can I will, I must.

Be a good team player. Encourage your teammates and cooperate with them. They in turn will do the same.

Don't yell at the officials or umpires. They are seldom responsible for your success so don't blame them for your failure.

Your conduct, both on the field and off the field of, is a true test of you as an individual. It reflects your degree of dependability, responsibility, and the extent of your self sacrifice.

Here are some anonymous quotes...

If what you did yesterday still looks big to you, you haven't done much today.

The coach may not always be right, but he's always the coach.

When I won I thought I was lucky, but the harder I work, the luckier I got.

Every athlete has problems, the winners handle theirs.

The player who refuses to be beaten is tough to beat.

Not always a winner but never a loser.

If you know anyone who has always received a fair deal, get a witness- you're seeing a miracle.

Repetition is the mother of education.

I will get ready and perhaps my chance will come.

Enthusiasm is like a coat of paint- it covers up a lot of mistakes.

Little things make big things.

The surest way not to fail is be determined enough to succeed.

The player who does what he pleases is seldom pleased with what he does.

When a winner makes a mistake, he says I was wrong. One loser makes a mistake, he says, it was not my fault.

Hustle! You cannot survive without.

Enthusiasm and action will overcome fear.

The greatest key to success is a good attitude.

If You Think You are good, then why not be better. If you'd think you are better, then be the best.

Winning is not everything, but wanting to win is.

It takes a cool head to win a hot game.

I will leave you with this, it pertains to more than just baseball.

You can never get ahead of someone as long as you are trying to get even with them.

Thanks for your time, I hope these quotes, the ones without quotation marks around them, will help you get through this long winter waiting for baseball season start.

Thanks again, Coach Chip

Hello My name is Chip Lemin. I'm a long time youth baseball coach who loves to promote this great game of youth baseball. Promoting sportsmanship in this game of youth baseball is something that really needs I feel. I have a free course that will give you some solid coaching information along with great help on the inter-personal relationships we must have to be good youth baseball coaches.

Things such as parents, travel baseball, getting parents to help out, how to communicate better to parents and players, just to touch on a few. This course will help to organize practices like an elite coach. How to motivate players and other coaches with your positive attitude. It really is not very hard to be a great coach when you know what to do.Best of all you will learn how to have fun with these great kids that you have the privilege of coaching. Do yourself a favor and check it out, it's free,you will get 1 part every couple of days in your e-mail. Coaching can be fun and rewarding if you have a plan in place first, and you have an idea what you are doing. I would like to help you with that.

Sign up at http://www.baseballecourse.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chip_Lemin


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Youth Baseball Hitting Drills: Load For Successful Hitting

Baseball Player University Host Jeff Forney says: A hitter must go back to to go forward in the hitting process
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Coaching Youth Baseball - Team Building Ideas

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Coaching Youth Baseball - Team Building Ideas
By Jake Wyatt

When coaching youth baseball, you often end up with a bunch of boys who may not know each other. Team building is very important to ensure a cohesive team, one where the players support each other rather than compete with each other.

At the first practice, you need to break the ice with the players. Some will be very outgoing, some will be shy. Try to gently get all the boys to introduce themselves and share something simple about why they like to play baseball, or perhaps what position they like to play. This will help you get a feel for the boys as well.

Here are some great ideas to help the boys become a team that plays well together:

1. Have activities outside of practice. One or two pizza parties or hot dog picnics gets the families together and lets the boys get to know each other outside of baseball. Have a few gifts (packs of baseball cards) to hand out for drills that center on knowledge of the sport. During the event, ask questions to generate conversation.

2. Pay particular attention to boys who are not fitting into the team during practice. Figure out ways to gently include them into the practice routines. For instance, if you are doing hitting drills, make this boy catcher for the day. Or put him in charge of counting or measuring. This can be difficult to do without being obvious, but with some thought a good coach can make it happen.

3. Have a rule that during games, the players in the dugout pay attention to the game. They should be making a lot of noise in support of team members who are on the field.

4. Make it clear, in your initial meeting with the boys, that you will not tolerate whining, bullying, or meanness. Point out that in order to win, all the players must support each other. Establish the consequences for unacceptable behavior right away, and stick to it.

5. Have some team-building activities during practices. For instance, have the players stand in a circle and pass the ball around the circle. Time how long it takes. Then ask them to try again and beat their time. Watch them work together to figure out how to go faster.

In coaching youth baseball, if you successfully build a strong team spirit, your team will play better and have more fun during games!

In order to be the best possible baseball player, training should happen year-round and be a joint effort between the coach, the player and the parents. Get more free tips to improve baseball performance, reviews of e-products related to baseball, and links to training resources at http://youth-baseball-training.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jake_Wyatt


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Youth Baseball - How to Handle Stress

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How To Handle Stress
By Jim Bain

The regular youth baseball season is winding down, and except for a few divisions in certain leagues, which are still being hotly contested, you know if your team is headed for the playoffs or not. If you're one of the talented, or lucky teams that are headed into Post-Season play, how well you perform very well may depend on how you handle the stress.

Briefly, and in layman's terms, stress is that anxious feeling you experience before an important event or test, such as a championship game or a college entrance exam. It's that queasy unsettled feeling in your stomach which makes you feel as though you may throw up, or not being able to stop bouncing your foot up and down.

The inability to handle stress can render an athlete totally unable to compete, literally making the player so sick, he's unable to perform. However, on the flip side of this situation, an athlete accustomed to stress and has developed the ability to control it, can channel this anxious energy into a positive thing, which allows him to explode onto the playing field with an abundance of energy and motivation.

So how do we control or learn to channel the anxious energy stress creates? Perhaps we should examine what creates stress first. In my experiences I found Fear, fear of failure, creates most types of stress. For instance, while in pre-game warm ups against a team which is clearly in the wrong division and your team has defeated four times by an accumulated score of 52 - 1, you are loose, humorous and anxious to get the game underway.

However, during the same pre-game warm ups against a known and powerful opponent, or worse yet, an unknown opponent, you are fidgety, somewhat sick to your stomach and constantly scanning the other team attempting to assess their skills.

In the first scenario, there is a calmness created by the complete belief and confidence of not only winning the game, but more importantly, you know you'll perform well. Previous encounters with this team's pitchers have resulted in nothing but your success and there's no reason to believe today will be any different.

The second scenario paints an entirely different picture. The game is very important, an elimination game from the tournament, which your team must win or go home. This added weight of winning means everything, puts nerves which are normally calm, on edge and irritable.

Fear, fear of the unknown and what it can mean directly to you, sends your nerves into a frenzy. Will I be able to hit this pitcher? Will I let a ball go between my legs? Can I steal without being thrown out? These and another hundred questions race through your mind because of your fear of failure. Of course you don't want to let the team down, but what directly happens to you, success or failure, is what spurs stress to an unhealthy level.

Let's exam one method to not only defeat stress, but turn it into an ally.

Fear of failure is created when the mind wonders if the body did everything it could to prepare for this test. For instance, if you had planned on going to the batting cages on two separate days before this game, but stayed with your girlfriend at the swimming pool instead, your mind knows this and knows you're not as prepared as you could be. Because of this there is an increased anxiety of possible failure.

However, if you had gone to the batting cages twice a day for two days prior to the game, and was hitting bullets off the fastest pitching machine available, your mind knows you are prepared. The nervous energy you now experience can be channeled into a positive adrenalin resource which very well may give you that spurt of energy which allows you to catch the line drive, instead of missing it by an inch.

Proper Preparation is a major key to handling stress. Remember, you can not hide from yourself and you can not lie to yourself.

Jim Bain, former Minor league baseball player, who since retiring has dedicated his life to teaching baseball to youth, shares his advice on pitching baseball drills on his exciting info packed website: http://www.learn-youth-baseball-coaching.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Bain

Baseball Tips on Hitting - Practice is Essential For Your Baseball Hitting Success!

Baseball Tips on Hitting - Practice is Essential For Your Baseball Hitting Success!
By guest author: Larry Cicchiello

Real good hitters are not born that way. They have worked very hard and spent countless hours to reach that status. There is simply no substitute for hard work and practicing your baseball swing. Are you willing to pay that price?

You've got to go out and hit, hit, hit and then hit some more. Some professional players take 500 swings a day in the off season. It's not by accident or good fortune that some of them bat.330 or hit 45 home runs. Maybe that's why they are professional hitters, because they pay the price and work very hard at it.

Back in the 1970's, I heard about a golfer who just won a major tournament. Do you know what this golfer was doing after the final round of golf? He was practicing for a couple of hours hitting balls out of the sand trap because he had a poor shot out of the trap late in the tournament. Need I say any more? This player won the tournament and was practicing for several hours after his victory!

Good hitters are usually always practicing something. If you've had problems at the plate for a couple of games, it's not a big deal at all and "welcome to the club." Go out to the field or the batting cages the next day and work on the specific pitch and or location that's giving you trouble.

It is very important to practice your swing often. The only way to get good habits is through repetition. Unfortunately, a very common problem is players have a strong tendency to practice what they already do well instead of practicing on the areas that they need work on. Avoid falling into this trap. You will be well rewarded for practicing on areas that you need work on.

Let's say you are a hitter that "eats fastballs for breakfast" but low and away breaking balls give you problems. If you spend 90% of your baseball hitting practice working on hitting the low and away breaking ball, you will become efficient at hitting that pitch also. So now, you have become a very good hitter of both the fastball and the low and away breaking ball. Do you have any idea as to what a problem that presents for opposing pitchers?

You have now become a feared hitter because you no longer have a glaring weakness for a pitcher to exploit. Oh sure, even the great baseball hitters handle some pitches better than other pitches. But the point here is that they do NOT have glaring weaknesses. And it's all because they practice what they do NOT do well at the plate. It took a fabulous M.L.B. hitter two years to learn how to hit a "slider." Do you know how he learned how to hit the "slider?" By spending countless hours of batting practice hitting the "slider."

About five years ago a reporter was interviewing one of the best hitters in M.L.B. She mentioned to him about his God given talent. He very politely told her he's not so sure that he was born with any special talent. She looked at him with a look of puzzlement on her face. He told her that when he was about 12 years old, he and about ten friends decided to practice every day at the ballpark. About a week later, only about five of them were showing up at the ballpark. A week after that, only himself and one friend were showing up.

Maybe that's one of the reasons this player makes about 20 million dollars per year. I'm not implying for a second that if you work hard and practice frequently you have a good chance to sign a contract like that. What I AM implying is that if you work hard you will be rewarded. That I will guarantee.

Are you willing to pay that price?

Larry is the successful author of several very user friendly eBooks and CD's covering 320 topics on playing or coaching excellent baseball. ANY player, coach or parent who wants to help their child will be fully equipped! Check out some FREE baseball tips on hitting and FREE baseball pitching tips at LarryBaseball.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Larry_Cicchiello

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