This is a wonderful time of the year for baseball. Every age group has great things going on right now.Youth leagues like your local Little League and Cal Ripken, Dixie Youth, and PONY are finishing up their local seasons. They have or will soon be starting their playoffs. Then they’ll be selecting their summer travel / All-Star / Select teams that will be traveling to compete with teams from local towns. They dream of district, state, and regional competitions, and have a glimmer in their eyes of glory that few get to experience.
High Schools across the country are in the throes of their playoffs. For example, teams in New York are battling for county championships this week, while Texas schools are in regional battles. And today, 64 of the best teams in Division I college baseball begin their quest to Omaha, home of the College World Series.
So what are all of these teams doing now?
The smart coaches are doing two things. The obvious one is continuing to do whatever got you here. If your pitchers and hitters and fielders are succeeding, keep them doing much of what they’re doing now. But if you do the same exactly thing over and over, your players will get bored. Their bodies and minds will stop getting better, and this is not the time to lose any advantage you may have. If they aren’t getting better while your competition is, that’s not a recipe for a championship.
Do something that is more fun than strictly baseball related. On a nice warm day, you can end practice with a competitive water balloon toss. Give the winners a sundae – after all everyone else is wet and cooling off. This works with player of any age.
The other thing a good coaching staff will do is work with the guys that may not start, but can contribute. The path to any championship is almost always filled with twists and turns. Last year, spot starter Frankie Vanderka won a huge game in the college regionals for Stony Brook University at LSU. That propelled the Seawolves to their first trip to Omaha. On the mound or at the plate, who might become your Frankie?
If you need help with anything for your hitting or pitching, see what advice and products we have at www.tipsfromthecoach.com. They can help you win.
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