There's a lot to teach young players about the game of baseball. Gripping a bat, throwing mechanics, fielding pop flies and grounders – it can feel like the list of skills to cover is endless. The key to success, however, is keeping the games and drills fun while making sure they're age appropriate for the kids you're coaching. That can be a difficult balance but it's vital to the development of your team. Below are youth baseball coaching tips to help you run efficient practices and foster a love for the sport in all your players, regardless of their skill level.
Get Everyone on the Same Page
One of your most important jobs as a coach is setting clear expectations for both players and parents at the start of the season. Having basic information like what time you expect players to be at the field pre-game, your philosophy on food in the dugout and your general rules for behavior around umpires and opposing teams will keep everybody on the same page and help avoid major hiccups down the line.
Maximize Practice Time
Youth baseball leagues are pressed for time due to scheduling restrictions. As a result, games and practice often start long before school is out, which makes it difficult for kids to manage homework and baseball. Additionally, the longer season requires leagues to schedule multiple practices per week - which can be difficult for both players and coaches to juggle.
The result is that many practices can quickly become a stale, monotonous grind. A little creativity and innovation in your practice plans can go a long way toward keeping things interesting and effective. A simple change in station rotation or adding a fun drill that targets a specific skill can give players something to look forward to and help maintain their interest throughout the season.
Be Efficient
You don't have much time at a youth baseball practice – and your voice will be hoarse by the end of an hour. As a result, you'll want to maximize not only the amount of time you have with each player, but also the amount of space and equipment available. To do this, try separating your players into small groups and allowing each group to rotate through all hitting stations in a single session – that will ensure they get lots of swings without waiting around for an extra 10 minutes each.
Keep It Fun
A common mistake youth baseball coaches make is turning practice into a drill marathon. The result can be that the kids lose their passion for the game and stop enjoying it. To combat this, make sure you add in some fun activities at least once during each practice. A simple game of base running, for example, can be an excellent way to condition the kids, reinforce the fundamentals of a good sprint and, most importantly, make them remember that baseball is a fun game, not just a serious workout.