By Nick Dixon
In baseball, the Earned Run Average or ERA of a pitcher is a number representing the average number of earned runs allowed by the pitcher in normal amount of innings in a regulation game. Earned Run Average is a statistic by which a performances of a pitcher is judged. It is a quick way to evaluate a ability of a pitcher and compare his performance to other pitchers on the team and on opposing teams. The higher the ERA, the more runs the pitcher has allowed. Pitchers with good ERAs are considered better performers than pitcher with high ERAs. The Earned Run Average is calculated with a simple mathematical formula.
This article clearly explains how to calculate a Pitching ERA.
Earned Run Average or ERA is number representing the average number of earned runs allowed by a pitcher in a nine innings. The ERA is calculated by taking the number of earned runs allowed by the total number of innings pitched and then you multiply that number by 9. You do count runs score by batters that get on base because of an error are considered unearned runs. Unearned runs do not count toward a pitchers Earned Run Average.
The simple formula for calculating ERA is: (earned runs / innings pitched) x 9 (6 or 7)depending on number of innings played in your league.
Here are points that you need to remember when calculating the ERA of your pitchers:
1. You can convert everything to a 6 or 7 inning format by using 7 in place of 9. This should be done if your league plays 6 or 7 innings. See examples shown below:
Example: 9 Inning Format A pitcher has given up 10 runs and has pitched 10 innings, that pitcher has an ERA of 10 x 9 = 9.00.
Example: 7 Inning Format A pitcher has given up 10 runs and has pitched 10 innings, that pitcher has an ERA of 10 x 7 = 7.00.
Example: 6 Inning Format A pitcher has given up 10 runs and has pitched 10 innings, that pitcher has an ERA of 10 x 6 = 6.00.
2. An earned run is any run that is scored due to the pitching of the pitcher.
3. Each out counts as 1/3 of another inning, and any men base runners on base when the pitcher is taken out of the game are counted against that pitcher.
4. ERA is generally measured to two decimal points.
5. The two base statistics needed to calculate ERA are the earned runs allowed by the pitcher and the total innings he has pitched.
I hope that you found this article informative. I thank you for taking the time to read it. luck in the coming season. Have a great day! Nick
The CoachesBest Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. Check out the BatAction Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.
Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Dixon
The Baseball Parent Guide Blog provides free youth baseball training drills and tips for helping young players succeed in youth baseball. Frequent post cover all topics related to baseball mechanics and fundamentals including how to hit a baseball and how to throw a baseball.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
How to Turn Good Practice Hitters Into Game Hitters
QuickSwingTrainer.com
One of the most repeated comments from parents of my students was, "They kill the ball in practice, but not in games." There are a lot of "5 o'clock" (batting practice) hitters, as opposed to "7:30 " (game) hitters. This is one of the most perplexing situations of baseball for parents, players and coaches. Hitters, who absolutely pound the ball in batting practice and then fail to hit during games, create much frustration and even drive some to give up playing baseball. There are a number of reasons why hitters hit in batting practice but not in games including the lack of fear or nervousness that may exist in games. Players often tense up in a game, which throws their focus off.
Usually however, there are two main reasons why hitters hit in practice but not in games.
1. Their swing fundamentals are not as good as they appear. Often, it appears to the untrained eye that hitters have great swings but in reality their swings have some fundamental flaws.
2. The hitters are not being challenged enough in practice. Coaches have good intentions in batting practice of building their hitters' confidence by laying the ball in the strike zone at hittable speeds. However, if the batting practice is not game like with different speeds and different pitches, it does not necessarily benefit hitters and they only gain false confidence.
What can be done to help hitters become good game hitters?
1. Coaches should continue to give players hitting drills that address their fundamental, problem areas. Once the season starts, hitters often stop the fundamental drill work that they did in preseason. Tee work and soft toss work keep players focused on contact points and mechanics and should be continues throughout the season. They are essential for hitters to stay sharp.
2. Coaches should have a trained hitting coach observe the struggling hitters and make suggestions how to help their fundamentals. Often, just one little fundamental tip can lead to much more success.
3. Putting hitters in game like situations as often as possible in practice is good. Hitters will begin to develop game confidence and the feeling like they "have been there before" when in actual games.
4. Coaches should challenge hitters in batting practice with game like speeds and with changing speeds (age appropriate, of course). Hitters often adjust on their own, without fundamental help, when they are challenged enough. Coaches should not allow total frustration to appear in hitters by over-challenging them, though.
5. Of course, patience and encouragement with struggling game hitters is always necessary. Coaching statements like "you can do it" and "I believe in you" are great confidence builders and confidence is very important for hitters.
Finally, coaches should not give up on struggling players because "any hitter willing to listen, learn and practice is not beyond hope." I have known many hitters who became very good game hitters after years of struggle because players stayed committed to practice and coaches remained positive and encouraging towards them.
Former major league baseball player, Jack Perconte gives baseball hitting tips and batting practice advice for ballplayers of all ages. His baseball playing lessons, books and advice can be found at http://www.baseballhittinglessons.com/baseball Jack is the author of two books, The Making of a Hitter and Raising an Athlete - his positive parenting advice and books can be found at http://positiveparentinginsports.com/
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jack_Perconte
One of the most repeated comments from parents of my students was, "They kill the ball in practice, but not in games." There are a lot of "5 o'clock" (batting practice) hitters, as opposed to "7:30 " (game) hitters. This is one of the most perplexing situations of baseball for parents, players and coaches. Hitters, who absolutely pound the ball in batting practice and then fail to hit during games, create much frustration and even drive some to give up playing baseball. There are a number of reasons why hitters hit in batting practice but not in games including the lack of fear or nervousness that may exist in games. Players often tense up in a game, which throws their focus off.
Usually however, there are two main reasons why hitters hit in practice but not in games.
1. Their swing fundamentals are not as good as they appear. Often, it appears to the untrained eye that hitters have great swings but in reality their swings have some fundamental flaws.
2. The hitters are not being challenged enough in practice. Coaches have good intentions in batting practice of building their hitters' confidence by laying the ball in the strike zone at hittable speeds. However, if the batting practice is not game like with different speeds and different pitches, it does not necessarily benefit hitters and they only gain false confidence.
What can be done to help hitters become good game hitters?
1. Coaches should continue to give players hitting drills that address their fundamental, problem areas. Once the season starts, hitters often stop the fundamental drill work that they did in preseason. Tee work and soft toss work keep players focused on contact points and mechanics and should be continues throughout the season. They are essential for hitters to stay sharp.
2. Coaches should have a trained hitting coach observe the struggling hitters and make suggestions how to help their fundamentals. Often, just one little fundamental tip can lead to much more success.
3. Putting hitters in game like situations as often as possible in practice is good. Hitters will begin to develop game confidence and the feeling like they "have been there before" when in actual games.
4. Coaches should challenge hitters in batting practice with game like speeds and with changing speeds (age appropriate, of course). Hitters often adjust on their own, without fundamental help, when they are challenged enough. Coaches should not allow total frustration to appear in hitters by over-challenging them, though.
5. Of course, patience and encouragement with struggling game hitters is always necessary. Coaching statements like "you can do it" and "I believe in you" are great confidence builders and confidence is very important for hitters.
Finally, coaches should not give up on struggling players because "any hitter willing to listen, learn and practice is not beyond hope." I have known many hitters who became very good game hitters after years of struggle because players stayed committed to practice and coaches remained positive and encouraging towards them.
Former major league baseball player, Jack Perconte gives baseball hitting tips and batting practice advice for ballplayers of all ages. His baseball playing lessons, books and advice can be found at http://www.baseballhittinglessons.com/baseball Jack is the author of two books, The Making of a Hitter and Raising an Athlete - his positive parenting advice and books can be found at http://positiveparentinginsports.com/
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jack_Perconte
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The Categories they have are: Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!
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Baseball2u.com/CoachesBest.com is the ultimate online baseball training and coaching store. With over 1400 products organized into categories Baseball2u.com makes finding that baseball training product easy and simple. Order securely online or by phone. Baseball2u.com is a fully licensed company and has a full time staff available from 8:00 to 5:00 CST. Their toll free customer service number is 1-877-431-4487.
The Categories they have are: Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!
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Monday, January 18, 2010
Little League Baseball Rules
HandsBackHitter.com - Perfect Swing Trainer
By Wiley Channell and Brownee Channell
Little League baseball isn't just simply a game played by younger players, there are a number of different rules when compared to official baseball. Anyone coaching a Little League team will have to know the variations in order to teach younger players properly.
Differences in Field Layout
When playing Little League baseball, the field is usually sized about 2/3 of a regulation ball diamond -- instead of 90 feet between the bases, there should only be 60 feet.
The pitcher stands 46 feet away from the batter's box, rather than the 60 1/2 feet for regulation baseball.
Game Rules
All players on the roster will play 2 innings in the field at a minimum, and have the opportunity to bat at least once.
Also, any players who leave the game can return, as long as their substitutes also get to play 2 innings and have one at-bat.
A game of Little League baseball lasts for 6 innings instead of 9.- A game is declared over once either side gets a 10-run lead over the other team.
After the 3rd strike, the hitter is out. It does not matter if the catcher holds on to the ball on the third strike.
There are no designated hitters in Little League baseball. All 9 players come up to bat according to their position in the roster.
All runners have to stay on base until the ball reaches the batter when pitched.
There are limits to the number of pitches any player can throw, based on age. For example an 11-year-old can only throw 85 pitches but an 8-year-old is limited to 50. Rest periods are also given to pitchers, depending on how many have been thrown.
A manager can visit the pitcher on the mound twice during an inning, unlike the regulation limit of once.
If a game is called on account of rain, it will count as an officially complete game if four innings have been played. If the home team is head, then only 3 1/2 innings are needed.
Double-headers can only be held once per week at a maximum, unless one of the games is played to continue a suspended tie game from earlier.
About Author:Wiley B. Channell is the editor of BaseballFarming.com - the information resource for baseball fans and players. Find more about famous baseball players at his site.
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Wiley_Channell
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Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Bat Rolling Baseball Bats - What You Need to Know
Advanced Skills Tees - The Best Batting Tee in Baseball
Baseball bats are the most widely produced bat in the United States. In addition, composites have overtaken the top manufactured position that aluminum sticks held for so long. With the new era of composite material, they are more durable and better performing. The performance is not limited to the distance and pop of the first hit, it will actually get "hotter" with use. There has been a scandal or controversy in the NCAA about rolled composite bats and they have decided to go back to aluminum. The problem might not have been with the bat rolling aspect but with the increased MPH achieved through the breaking in process; naturally through batting practice or the rolling process.
Big barrel baseball bats have composite that is more durable (thicker) than any other type. This is part of the reason they hit "hardballs" and not softballs. Baseball bats do pose a problem to rolling companies who want to break it in through advanced break in techniques. The barrel is rounder and shorter than others are. The perpendicular roll of a baseball bat is more difficult due to this fact. If you are not familiar with what rolling accomplishes I will go over it real quick; The resin is broken upon within the composite which gives the bat more flexibility (trampoline effect) and equates to more distance. A complete roll of a baseball stick is impossible with a perpendicular roll only, the taper will pose the biggest obstacle. This problem is alleviated with a parallel rolling after the perpendicular roll is completed. The parallel roll will cover the entire sweet spot of the baseball bat's barrel.
As I said before, the baseball bat's composite is thicker and more durable than any other type of bat. For this fact, some rollers will break down after repeated baseball bat rolling. The bearings and softer nylon rollers will not hold up under the added pressure, this is why some bat rolling companies have changed there roller material and changed their type of bearings the bat rolling machines utilize. The roller material change is the biggest advancement. Because so much pressure is needed to compress composite baseball bats the nylon rollers "warp" or deform to the bat and correct pressure cannot be achieved. This deforming of the nylon roller and added pressure causes the break down of these types of bat rolling machines.
Click to find Big Barrel Baseball Bat Rolling.
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Brock_Gibson
By Brock Gibson
Baseball bats are the most widely produced bat in the United States. In addition, composites have overtaken the top manufactured position that aluminum sticks held for so long. With the new era of composite material, they are more durable and better performing. The performance is not limited to the distance and pop of the first hit, it will actually get "hotter" with use. There has been a scandal or controversy in the NCAA about rolled composite bats and they have decided to go back to aluminum. The problem might not have been with the bat rolling aspect but with the increased MPH achieved through the breaking in process; naturally through batting practice or the rolling process.
Big barrel baseball bats have composite that is more durable (thicker) than any other type. This is part of the reason they hit "hardballs" and not softballs. Baseball bats do pose a problem to rolling companies who want to break it in through advanced break in techniques. The barrel is rounder and shorter than others are. The perpendicular roll of a baseball bat is more difficult due to this fact. If you are not familiar with what rolling accomplishes I will go over it real quick; The resin is broken upon within the composite which gives the bat more flexibility (trampoline effect) and equates to more distance. A complete roll of a baseball stick is impossible with a perpendicular roll only, the taper will pose the biggest obstacle. This problem is alleviated with a parallel rolling after the perpendicular roll is completed. The parallel roll will cover the entire sweet spot of the baseball bat's barrel.
As I said before, the baseball bat's composite is thicker and more durable than any other type of bat. For this fact, some rollers will break down after repeated baseball bat rolling. The bearings and softer nylon rollers will not hold up under the added pressure, this is why some bat rolling companies have changed there roller material and changed their type of bearings the bat rolling machines utilize. The roller material change is the biggest advancement. Because so much pressure is needed to compress composite baseball bats the nylon rollers "warp" or deform to the bat and correct pressure cannot be achieved. This deforming of the nylon roller and added pressure causes the break down of these types of bat rolling machines.
Getting back to the issue of rolling baseball bats; a bat rolling machine with upgraded rollers are needed to properly roll big barrel baseball bats, the nylon rollers will not create enough pressure on the surface of the bat.
After a big barrel has been rolled you can expect 20-35 feet of distance to your batted ball, assuming the bat is 34 inches in length. The longer the barrel the more flex or trampoline effect occurs. Therefore, as the barrel length decreases the flex decreases by an inch. In my experiences, the distance lost due to a smaller length barrel is about 5 feet every inch. So, that means big barrel bats under 30 inches will only gain about 5-10 feet.
In Summary, big barrel baseball bats can be rolled with good distance results but some factors can decrease that distance.
After a big barrel has been rolled you can expect 20-35 feet of distance to your batted ball, assuming the bat is 34 inches in length. The longer the barrel the more flex or trampoline effect occurs. Therefore, as the barrel length decreases the flex decreases by an inch. In my experiences, the distance lost due to a smaller length barrel is about 5 feet every inch. So, that means big barrel bats under 30 inches will only gain about 5-10 feet.
In Summary, big barrel baseball bats can be rolled with good distance results but some factors can decrease that distance.
Nylon rollers can deform under the high pressure needed for the more dense and thick big barrel baseball bat material. A harder roller material is needed to properly roll a big barrel bat. The length of the bat is also a factor in the distance gained, a shorter length equals a small decrease in distance gained. Big barrel bats will gain distance to your batted ball when properly rolled.
Click for upgraded Bat Rolling Machines.
Click for upgraded Bat Rolling Machines.
Click to find Big Barrel Baseball Bat Rolling.
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Brock_Gibson
The 4 Best Batting Tees in Baseball:
Advanced Skills Tee
Stay Back Tee
Hands Back Hitter
5 Position Batting Tee
Advanced Skills Tee
Stay Back Tee
Hands Back Hitter
5 Position Batting Tee
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Youth Baseball Life Skills and the Iron Man Award
By Robert Bulka
Do you want to teach your kids about life? Do you want to teach them how to interact socially? How about learning sportsmanship, leadership skills, respect, discipline and other skills essential in life? Youth baseball leagues are the perfect venue. Youth baseball has everyone you need to teach your kids important lessons about life in general. And at the end of the baseball season, it makes sense to reinforce the lessons by acknowledging the achievements each player has made in this respect.
Leadership
Good leaders are made, not born. Young baseball players can learn the qualities that make someone a leader, including: education, training, and experience. Inspiring youth baseball players requires them to be able to get the whole team working together.
A good youth baseball coach should be able to provide every player the ability to act in a leadership by using some very simple techniques. They can empower each of them in a team captain role during practices, or they can assign tasks that require them to delegate responsibilities to their teammates.
Sportsmanship
Youth baseball leagues are a great vehicle for teaching our youth about sportsmanship. When we talk about sportsmanship, we are talking about playing fair, following the rules of the game, respecting the judgement of the umpires and treating players, parents and coaches with respect. Sportsmanship also includes courtesy and grace in losing. Youth baseball is a great proving ground for applying real life experiences to teaching this skill. As a youth baseball coach or parent, if you find yourself in the position where a sportsmanship issue needs to be addressed; do it alone and away from the rest of the players. There is no need to embarrass anyone.
Teamwork
Teamwork is an life skill to teach our kids. It is particularly important for a baseball team to function like a well-oiled machine. If just one member of the infield is unwilling to act as a member of the team, an entire game could be lost. Therefore, all members of a baseball team need to work together in order to encourage, applaud and truly give each play their all. As a parent, it is important to be part of the team by attending practices and games, cheering for every child on the field and celebrating the successes of each and every child involved in the games.
Competition
Youth baseball is a way to teach our kids about competition. Children who get involved with sports at an early age are more likely to maintain a good level of fitness and activity throughout their life. Youth baseball league competition helps kids boost self-confidence, improve coordination, and build discipline, focus and respect. Team sports teach social skills and cooperation, and give kids a solid foundation and sense of belonging and partnership.
Developing a child's competitiveness while teaching them to both win and lose gracefully can help them tackle the obstacles and accept the setbacks that life will naturally encompass. Many adults who are leaders and volunteers in the community are giving their time and experience to help make the sport(s) they enjoyed as youngsters enjoyable for another generation of children.
Overcoming Adversity
How critical is it to be able to overcome adversity. The game of baseball is full of adversity. Consider that a good batting average is considered anything over .300. A pitcher is considered good if his winning percentage is over .500. players make errors and strikeout. Youth baseball teaches kids how to come back after adversity. Each time a youth baseball player comes up to bat or goes into the field, they have a chance to redeem themselves from a previous failure. Overcoming adversity gives the kids confidence in themselves and gives them the feeling they can accomplish anything. Overcoming adversity is all about gaining confidence.
Hustle
Why is hustle a life skill? Hustle is an important indicator of work ethic. What employer wants a worker how is doesn't give their all? The same is true in youth baseball - lack of hustle is viewed negatively and is frowned upon. It is important for youth baseball coaches to emphasize hustle. This means running on and off the field, running out hits, fly outs and ground ball outs. Hustle is a true quality of a champion and shows passion.
Discipline
Discipline can be defined as a system of rules of conduct or method of practice, being well behaved, self control and training to improve strength. When we talk about discipline in youth baseball, we are talking about players being able to take constructive criticism, and then applying the advice given by the coach. It also is about having good behavior and controlling emotions, both on and off the field. In this day and age discipline seems to be the one life skill that many of our children need most.
Today's family structure is much different than the past. Kids parents are divorced or they come from a single parent home, which means the parents may not be able to put in the time. The may cut them slack because they feel guilty about not being there for them. Discipline is a life skill that our children will need to be successfully in life.
Acknowledge Success and Accomplishments
It's important to acknowledge the accomplishments of each and every player on your youth baseball team. You obviously need to reward those who have excelled in the physical accomplishments, such as the progress make in hitting, catching and pitching. But also reward them for the accomplishments made in the skills described.
But there is one more life skill that is very important for the development of our children. It is perfect attendance and being punctual to all youth baseball practices and games. This is so important, that our youth baseball league has created an Iron Man award.
IronMan - Perfect Attendance
The Iron Man award was conceived by a few coaches who wanted to reward the kids who were committed to their team. It was based on Cal Ripken's record of playing in a record 2,632 straight games spanning sixteen seasons, from May 30, 1982 to September 20, 1998. The award is given to every player who has attended every day of school and every baseball game in the season. Each recipient is awarded a cash prize (usually a U.S Savings Bond between $100 and $250 provided by local businesses) and featured in the local paper.
What an outstanding way to influence our kids futures. Not only does it make the kids and their parents proud, but it makes the whole community proud and gives kid good publicity instead of the never ending pounding of isolated negative incidents of America's youth. What a great way to support and encourage the future of our communities.
Robert is a youth baseball coach who is concerned with teaching our children life skills through the experiences in baseball.
Teach Kids Baseball is devoted to providing tips and techniques for coaches, parents and players involved in youth baseball.
He also recommends instructional baseball ebooks
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Bulka
===Advertisement from our sponsor:=====
Baseball2u.com/CoachesBest.com is the ultimate online baseball training and coaching store. With over 1400 products organized into categories Baseball2u.com makes finding that baseball training product easy and simple. Order securely online or by phone. Baseball2u.com is a fully licensed company and has a full time staff available from 8:00 to 5:00 CST. Their toll free customer service number is 1-877-431-4487.
The Categories they have are: Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!
Do you want to teach your kids about life? Do you want to teach them how to interact socially? How about learning sportsmanship, leadership skills, respect, discipline and other skills essential in life? Youth baseball leagues are the perfect venue. Youth baseball has everyone you need to teach your kids important lessons about life in general. And at the end of the baseball season, it makes sense to reinforce the lessons by acknowledging the achievements each player has made in this respect.
Leadership
Good leaders are made, not born. Young baseball players can learn the qualities that make someone a leader, including: education, training, and experience. Inspiring youth baseball players requires them to be able to get the whole team working together.
A good youth baseball coach should be able to provide every player the ability to act in a leadership by using some very simple techniques. They can empower each of them in a team captain role during practices, or they can assign tasks that require them to delegate responsibilities to their teammates.
Sportsmanship
Youth baseball leagues are a great vehicle for teaching our youth about sportsmanship. When we talk about sportsmanship, we are talking about playing fair, following the rules of the game, respecting the judgement of the umpires and treating players, parents and coaches with respect. Sportsmanship also includes courtesy and grace in losing. Youth baseball is a great proving ground for applying real life experiences to teaching this skill. As a youth baseball coach or parent, if you find yourself in the position where a sportsmanship issue needs to be addressed; do it alone and away from the rest of the players. There is no need to embarrass anyone.
Teamwork
Teamwork is an life skill to teach our kids. It is particularly important for a baseball team to function like a well-oiled machine. If just one member of the infield is unwilling to act as a member of the team, an entire game could be lost. Therefore, all members of a baseball team need to work together in order to encourage, applaud and truly give each play their all. As a parent, it is important to be part of the team by attending practices and games, cheering for every child on the field and celebrating the successes of each and every child involved in the games.
Competition
Youth baseball is a way to teach our kids about competition. Children who get involved with sports at an early age are more likely to maintain a good level of fitness and activity throughout their life. Youth baseball league competition helps kids boost self-confidence, improve coordination, and build discipline, focus and respect. Team sports teach social skills and cooperation, and give kids a solid foundation and sense of belonging and partnership.
Developing a child's competitiveness while teaching them to both win and lose gracefully can help them tackle the obstacles and accept the setbacks that life will naturally encompass. Many adults who are leaders and volunteers in the community are giving their time and experience to help make the sport(s) they enjoyed as youngsters enjoyable for another generation of children.
Overcoming Adversity
How critical is it to be able to overcome adversity. The game of baseball is full of adversity. Consider that a good batting average is considered anything over .300. A pitcher is considered good if his winning percentage is over .500. players make errors and strikeout. Youth baseball teaches kids how to come back after adversity. Each time a youth baseball player comes up to bat or goes into the field, they have a chance to redeem themselves from a previous failure. Overcoming adversity gives the kids confidence in themselves and gives them the feeling they can accomplish anything. Overcoming adversity is all about gaining confidence.
Hustle
Why is hustle a life skill? Hustle is an important indicator of work ethic. What employer wants a worker how is doesn't give their all? The same is true in youth baseball - lack of hustle is viewed negatively and is frowned upon. It is important for youth baseball coaches to emphasize hustle. This means running on and off the field, running out hits, fly outs and ground ball outs. Hustle is a true quality of a champion and shows passion.
Discipline
Discipline can be defined as a system of rules of conduct or method of practice, being well behaved, self control and training to improve strength. When we talk about discipline in youth baseball, we are talking about players being able to take constructive criticism, and then applying the advice given by the coach. It also is about having good behavior and controlling emotions, both on and off the field. In this day and age discipline seems to be the one life skill that many of our children need most.
Today's family structure is much different than the past. Kids parents are divorced or they come from a single parent home, which means the parents may not be able to put in the time. The may cut them slack because they feel guilty about not being there for them. Discipline is a life skill that our children will need to be successfully in life.
Acknowledge Success and Accomplishments
It's important to acknowledge the accomplishments of each and every player on your youth baseball team. You obviously need to reward those who have excelled in the physical accomplishments, such as the progress make in hitting, catching and pitching. But also reward them for the accomplishments made in the skills described.
But there is one more life skill that is very important for the development of our children. It is perfect attendance and being punctual to all youth baseball practices and games. This is so important, that our youth baseball league has created an Iron Man award.
IronMan - Perfect Attendance
The Iron Man award was conceived by a few coaches who wanted to reward the kids who were committed to their team. It was based on Cal Ripken's record of playing in a record 2,632 straight games spanning sixteen seasons, from May 30, 1982 to September 20, 1998. The award is given to every player who has attended every day of school and every baseball game in the season. Each recipient is awarded a cash prize (usually a U.S Savings Bond between $100 and $250 provided by local businesses) and featured in the local paper.
What an outstanding way to influence our kids futures. Not only does it make the kids and their parents proud, but it makes the whole community proud and gives kid good publicity instead of the never ending pounding of isolated negative incidents of America's youth. What a great way to support and encourage the future of our communities.
Robert is a youth baseball coach who is concerned with teaching our children life skills through the experiences in baseball.
Teach Kids Baseball is devoted to providing tips and techniques for coaches, parents and players involved in youth baseball.
He also recommends instructional baseball ebooks
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Bulka
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The Categories they have are: Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!
Monday, January 11, 2010
Rediscovering the Magic of Youth Baseball
By Dave Rosene
I have seen significant changes how youth baseball has been 'taught' in the U.S. since the 1960's, and the changes haven't been positive. I didn't say coached because coaching refers to strategy and competition, and the concentration of youth baseball must be on skill development, rules understanding, and team play. We need teaching coaches for that, because today's players show deficiencies in these areas more than previous generations. When people of my era started playing baseball, it was the most popular sport in America and engrained in our culture. There were many different forms that helped improve individual skills: fast pitch, whiffle ball, ledge, penner, or just throwing popups to yourself, and we didn't need parents to organize these activities. We called our friends who would call their friends, we threw off walls or our house steps, and we had games with whoever was around and made up our own rules. We became better players by thinking or playing baseball every day. Plus we learned the game by watching baseball on television or going to major league games if we were lucky enough to get tickets.
Most youth American players today lack the knowledge and experience that we had because they have more options to take up their free time and they therefore have varied interests. By not spending more time practicing, playing, or watching baseball, they are lagging behind kids from other countries in skill development and general baseball knowledge. Why do Latin American players dominate professional baseball? In most cases playing baseball is the only sport available to kids there to participate in, and by playing constantly they progress quickly.
Can we and should we go back in time to help our youth rediscover the magic of baseball? How can we, as teachers and coaches, make the game relevant and necessary for players who get distracted and sidetracked easily. We have to show kids what made us love baseball, and pass along that love. That's the challenge we want to take on. In future articles we will discuss how to effectively teach and coach our youth athletes to maximize their talents while identifying the negative methods to avoid that I've seen too much of in the past 30 years.
DNA Sports specializes in personalized baseball and softball skill programs, college recruiting education and preparation, and coaching clinics. Learn more: http://www.dnasportsonline.com
Dave Rosene - Co-Founder, DNA Sports
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dave_Rosene
=================================
If you are looking for great coaching articles, please consider one of our sites: The BaseballCoachingDigest.com, the YouthBaseballDigest.com or the BaseballParentGuide.com. Have a safe and happy season! Nick Dixon
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Shop CoachesBest.com for your baseball coaching needs including baseball training aids, training videos, and other coaching supplies. Check out the Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting machine by SKLZ at HurricaneTrainer.com.
See the “Original” Rotational Hitting Machine at BatAction.com. Are you looking for the perfect trainer to teach proper timing and swing mechanics? You can stop looking and go to HandsBackHitter.com.
I have seen significant changes how youth baseball has been 'taught' in the U.S. since the 1960's, and the changes haven't been positive. I didn't say coached because coaching refers to strategy and competition, and the concentration of youth baseball must be on skill development, rules understanding, and team play. We need teaching coaches for that, because today's players show deficiencies in these areas more than previous generations. When people of my era started playing baseball, it was the most popular sport in America and engrained in our culture. There were many different forms that helped improve individual skills: fast pitch, whiffle ball, ledge, penner, or just throwing popups to yourself, and we didn't need parents to organize these activities. We called our friends who would call their friends, we threw off walls or our house steps, and we had games with whoever was around and made up our own rules. We became better players by thinking or playing baseball every day. Plus we learned the game by watching baseball on television or going to major league games if we were lucky enough to get tickets.
Most youth American players today lack the knowledge and experience that we had because they have more options to take up their free time and they therefore have varied interests. By not spending more time practicing, playing, or watching baseball, they are lagging behind kids from other countries in skill development and general baseball knowledge. Why do Latin American players dominate professional baseball? In most cases playing baseball is the only sport available to kids there to participate in, and by playing constantly they progress quickly.
Can we and should we go back in time to help our youth rediscover the magic of baseball? How can we, as teachers and coaches, make the game relevant and necessary for players who get distracted and sidetracked easily. We have to show kids what made us love baseball, and pass along that love. That's the challenge we want to take on. In future articles we will discuss how to effectively teach and coach our youth athletes to maximize their talents while identifying the negative methods to avoid that I've seen too much of in the past 30 years.
DNA Sports specializes in personalized baseball and softball skill programs, college recruiting education and preparation, and coaching clinics. Learn more: http://www.dnasportsonline.com
Dave Rosene - Co-Founder, DNA Sports
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dave_Rosene
=================================
If you are looking for great coaching articles, please consider one of our sites: The BaseballCoachingDigest.com, the YouthBaseballDigest.com or the BaseballParentGuide.com. Have a safe and happy season! Nick Dixon
Baseball Coaching Digest
Baseball Coaching Digest - Today's Post
Baseball Coaching Digest: Daily Post Archive
New Articles for Coaches
Baseball Coaching Articles by Coach Nick Dixon
New Baseball Blogs
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YouthBaseballDigest.com
Homepage
Today's Youth Baseball Coaching Feature Article
Videos for Coaches
Blogs & Knols for Baseball Coaches, Players & Parents
BaseballParentGuide.com
Homepage
Baseball Parent Guide: Today's Post
Baseball Articles for Coaches
Baseball Blogs
Teaching Your Child to Hit
Throwing and Pitching Fundamentals
Buying Guide For Baseball Parents
Current Topics and Issues Related to Safety in Baseball
Also:
Check out our network of baseball blogs:
Blogger (Blogspot) - baseballcoachesdigest
Blogger (Blogspot) - baseballparentguide
Blogger (Blogspot) - baseballhomeworkhelp
Blogger (Blogspot) - batactionbaseballtraining
Blogger (Blogspot) - battingcagebuyingguide
Blogger (Blogspot) - coachesbest
Blogger (Blogspot) - teeballcoachingclinic
Blogger (Blogspot) - hurricanebaseballtrainingmachine
Blogger (Blogspot) - teeballparentsguide
Blogger (Blogspot) - youthbaseballcoachingclinic
Shop CoachesBest.com for your baseball coaching needs including baseball training aids, training videos, and other coaching supplies. Check out the Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting machine by SKLZ at HurricaneTrainer.com.
See the “Original” Rotational Hitting Machine at BatAction.com. Are you looking for the perfect trainer to teach proper timing and swing mechanics? You can stop looking and go to HandsBackHitter.com.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Youth Baseball Digest - How to Calculate Your Batting Average
By Nick Dixon
Individual and team batting averages are one of the best indicators of how effective your practice drills and game preparation is. Batting average is a simple 3 digit number that expresses how often a batter has gotten a hit for the total number of at-bats. There is a simple formula used to determine your batting average. This articles clearly explains how it is calculated.
Youth Baseball Digest: Calculating your Batting Average
There is a simple formula used to determine your batting average:
H ÷ AB = BA
What the formula is saying is that you divide the total number of hits by the total number of at bats and the resulting number is your average.
If you need it to be broken down into clearly defined steps, here they are:
Step #1 - Count the total number of hits your batter has recorded in the score book, up to this date. This is a task that is made much easier if your keep your individual player per game totals updated after every game.
Step #2 - Count your total number of at-bats that have been recorded up to this date in your score book. This is a task that is made much easier if your keep your individual player game totals updated after every game. At-bats include all hits, strikeouts, reaches on errors, sacrifices, walks, and hit by pitch events.
Step #3 - Now Divide your hits by your at bats to get a number. Round the number to 3 decimal places such as.250,.333 or.257.
Here are other points to remember when calculating your average:
1. The Batting Average is a number with three decimal places that represents a percentage. For example, a batter with a.333 average has gotten on base with a hit 33.33 % of the times he has batted. A batter with a.250 average has gotten on base with a hit 25% of the times he has batted.
2. Getting on base as a result of an error or fielder's choice does not count as a hit on the hit total.
I hope that you found this article to be informative. I really appreciate you taking the time to read it. Good Luck to your team in the coming season. Have a great day, Nick
The CoachesBest Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. Check out the BatAction Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.
Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Dixon
===Advertisement from our sponsor:=====
Baseball2u.com/CoachesBest.com is the ultimate online baseball training and coaching store. With over 1400 products organized into categories Baseball2u.com makes finding that baseball training product easy and simple. Order securely online or by phone. Baseball2u.com is a fully licensed company and has a full time staff available from 8:00 to 5:00 CST. Their toll free customer service number is 1-877-431-4487.
The Categories they have are: Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!
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