Forest Hill Baseball Coaches Clinic

Responsibilities

• Provide a safe physical environment.• Be an effective and positive communicator.• Teach the skills, strategies, and rules of

baseball.• Direct the players in competition.• Be a role model.

Five Tools of and Effective Coach

• Comprehension– Know the basic rules, strategies, and skills

• Outlook– What are you seeking as a coach?

• Affection– Concern for the kids you coach

• Character– Be a model of appropriate behavior

• Humor– Ability to laugh at ourselves & with the players

Communicating as a Coach Sending Effective Messages

• Verbal Messages– Be positive & honest– State it clearly & simply– Say it loud and say it again– Be consistent

• Non-Verbal Messages– Facial Expressions– Body Language

Communicating as a Coach Receiving Skills

• Attention!– Want to hear what others are saying to you– Focus on verbal & non-verbal clues

• Listen Carefully

Communicating as a Coach Other You Will Communicate With

• Parents– Team Meeting– Ask for volunteers

• Spectators– Do not respond to negative comments from the stands

• Umpires– Treat with respect– Don’t shout or make nasty remarks

• Opposing Coach– Get to know the other coach– Don’t get into personal feud! This is about the kids not you.

Player Safety

• Pre-Game Warm-Up• Equipment and Facility Inspection• Use Appropriate Bats and Balls• Introduce a Protective Cup• Designate an Area for Warm-Up• Assign a Coach/Parent to Bench Duty• Keep Their Heads in the Game• Teach the Proper Fundamentals

Player Safety

• Heat– Provide plenty of water breaks

• Severe Weather– Lighting Policy

• Be Prepared– First Aid Kit Located in field box and concession

stand– Buy one for yourself

First Aid Kit

Emergency Steps

Minor InjuriesScrapes and Cuts

• Stop bleeding by applying pressure with clean dressing & elevate it

• Cleanse wound• Protect the wound with gauze or bandage• If bleeding is not controlled, contact medical

personnel

Minor InjuriesBloody Nose

• Have player sit and lean slightly forward• Pinch nostrils shut• If bleeding continues after several minutes,

seek medical attention

Minor InjuriesStrains and Sprains

Serious InjuriesHeat Exhaustion & Heat Stroke

Serious InjuriesHeat Exhaustion & Heat Stroke

• Treatment for Heat Exhaustion– Rest in cool, shaded area– Drink cool water– Apply ice to neck, back or stomach

• Treatment for Heatstroke– Send for emergency help immediately– Rest in cool area– Apply cool, wet towels– Ice packs to armpits, neck, back, stomach and legs

Setting Reasonable Expectations

• Goals for All Ages– Are the kids having fun?– Are the kids improving?– Are the kids learning?

Setting Reasonable ExpectationsAge Specific Goals

• 5-6 Age Group Goals– Learn the basics• Which direction to run• Runners must touch the bases• How to record outs

– Catch ball in air; throw to 1st, or tag runners• Running past 1st base• Scoring a run• 3 outs constitute an inning


• 5-6 Age Group Goals– Throwing Mechanics• Turn body; point front shoulder toward target• Keep elbow above shoulder• Step toward target• Release the ball


• 5-6 Age Group Goals– Tracking• Follow ball with eyes to glove• Use two hands to catch and field• Try and catch ball out in front of the body


• 5-6 Age Group Goals– Hitting• How to hold and swing bat• Batting Safety

– When not to swing bats; wearing batting helmets• Hitting off tee• Hitting softly tossed balls


• 5-6 Age Group Goals– Learning Positional Play• What happens if ball is hit to your buddy• Let him field it


• 7-8 Age Group Goals– Learn the basic rules• Force outs• Tagging up• Baserunning

– When you don’t have to run– Not running into or past teammates

• Balls & Strikes


• 7-8 Age Group Goals– Throwing Mechanics• 4-seam grip• Point the front shoulder, step, throw• Introduce concept of generating momentum toward

the target & follow the throw


• 7-8 Age Group Goals– Catching & Fielding• Thrown and hit balls• Fingers up vs. Fingers down• See the glove and the ball• Use two hands• Forehands & Backhands• Underhand flip• 1st Base Fundamentals• Crossover & Drop Steps


• 7-8 Age Group Goals– Hitting• Choosing the right bat• Proper grip• Hitting pitched balls• Introduce drill work

– Tee work– Soft Toss– Short Toss


• 7-8 Age Group– Learning Positional Play• Learn the positions and areas each player should cover• Cover a base when the ball is not hit to you• Basics of cutoffs & relays

Teaching Baseball Skills at Practice• Small groups

– Use buzzwords– Demonstrate the skill– Explain why it is important

• Observe your players– Note when they do well

• Bring the players together to talk about what they learned• Ask players to demonstrate what they learned at the end

of the drill• Add competition

Sample Practice Plan for 7-8

Skills – HittingGrip

• Loose grip in fingers with middle knuckles aligned.

Skills – HittingStance

• Must be comfortable• Feet shoulder width apart; slight bend in

knees• Bat head can reach outside portion of plate

Skills – HittingWeight Shift & Stride

• “Go back to go forward”• Short soft stride toward pitcher

Skills – HittingFollow-Through

• Can be one or two-handed• If other aspects are in place, occurs

automatically

Drills – HittingTee Drill

Drills – HittingSoft Toss

Hitting DrillsFront Toss

Hitting DrillsFree Hitting

Skills - Baserunning

• Run through 1st touching front part of bag on infield hits.

• Think double on all outfield hits.• Use inside portion of bag when rounding 1st.

Skills – SlidingBent-Knee

• Start 10-12’ from bag• Slide straight to bag• Extend one leg toward the bag & bend the

other• Slide on rear, not your side• Tuck your chin to chest• Keep hand up

Skills – ThrowingGrip (Four Seam)

• Index & Middle finger next to “horseshoe” across the four seams

• Thumb under the ball

Skills - Throwing

• Throwing side parallel to target• Step toward target• Point glove elbow at target as throwing arm

moves back and up• Ball is away from target

Skill - Throwing

• Elbow stays at or above shoulder• Keep glove in front of the body

Skills - Throwing

• As shoulders rotate & the arm starts towards the target, keep the fingers “behind the ball”

• Reach out towards the target• Follow-through to opposite knees

Drills – Throwing21

Drills – ThrowingOne-Knee

Skills – Pitching“Five Links of the Chain”

• Feet– Pitch from the stretch – simple


• Balance Position– Lift leg to about waist high– Butt slightly pointed to catcher– Drive toward the plate


• Power Position– Ball is taken down, out, and up.– Hand on top of the ball– Front shoulder pointed at catcher– Stride to home


• Rotation– Occurs when arm and weight come forward– Hand shift from being on top of the ball to behind

it– Elbow above shoulder in “L” shape– Back foot comes forward after ball is released


• Follow-Through– Should take care of itself if previous links occur– Should finish in good fielding position

Pitching DrillsPower Position Drill

Pitching DrillsBalance Drill

Pitching Drills1-2-3 Toe Tap

Skill – Catching the Ball

• Shoulders square to target• Feet shoulder width apart• Knees bent• Thumbs up

Skill – Catching the Ball

• Use two hands – throwing thumb on glove• Small step to the ball• Catch ball in the middle of body

Skill – Fielding Ground Balls

• Get in a ready position• Wide base, Butt Down, Hands out in Front

Drills – Ground BallsRolled Ground Balls

Drills – Ground BallsThrowing After the Catch

Skill- Fly Balls

• Use two hands, throwing hand on outside of glove thumb

• Catch the ball above your head

Drills – Fly BallsThrown Fly Balls

Drills – Fly BallsDrop-Step Drill

Drills – Fly BallsPass Patterns

THANKS!

Forest Hill Baseball Coaches Clinic

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