Break the glass with every pitch

I heard this tip for throwing more strikes from a coach at a camp.  He heard it from another coach which is pretty much how everything gets passed down. The tip is to “break the glass” with every pitch.  Here is how it works. A pitcher visualizes a narrow rectangular box whose opening is right […]

They will see it all over your face

Quick … which of these two photos shows a genuine smile and which is an example of that fake smile just given for the camera?   As you could tell almost immediately, the genuine smile is the face on the right.  Which photo below shows a face that is afraid? I’m sure you picked the one […]

Root for yourself

Parents root for their kids.  Fans root for the players on their side too.  So do coaches and teammates.  But all their cheering, rooting, and supporting won’t make much of a difference unless a player roots for himself. The game is hard enough.  If your mind is heckling you all the time then you need […]

Don’t run him off!

When I teach base running to players, I do not just cover the mechanics, techniques, and the mental side.  I also list and explain all the words and phrases the coaching staff will use to remind base runners of the situation and what is needed from them.  One such phrase is “Don’t run him off.” […]

RUNNER!!

Go to a college game (and many high school) games and you will undoubtedly hear multiple people from the defensive team yell “RUNNER!!” when a runner takes off to steal.  My son’s 11 year old team is just starting to learn this concept.  For them, this is the first year runners can take leads and […]

Pre-game drills for catchers

As teams get older, catching becomes more of an impact position on the field.  Having the unathletic kid strap on the equipment and kneel behind the plate in order to hide him no longer works after about the age of 9.  Throwing to bases on steals, fielding bunts, giving signs to pitchers and infielders, blocking […]