How to Be a Good Baseball Coach
Get to know your players individually., Be upbeat and positive (not too critical!), Help your players learn to trust (and even admire) you., Don't be afraid to ask your players what they'd like or expect from you., Start with the basics., Prepare...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Get to know your players individually.
This will pay dividends in many ways.
Ask them about their favorite teams and players.
Walk a fine line between being their friend and being their mentor. -
Step 2: Be upbeat and positive (not too critical!)
in your suggestions and demonstrations of game skills.
You're part teacher, part cheerleader. , A young player will be willing to work and play hard for a coach he wants to please.
If they don't like you, the team's morale will suffer. , Their answers may surprise and enlighten you and could help you become a better coach.
Let them know that you sincerely enjoy coaching young people.
That will build an important bond with them. , Some of your players may not know much at all about the game, so start at the beginning if you have any really young players.
Once the team understands the main rules and patterns of the game, introduce them to a few fundamental drills, such as fielding ground balls or pop flies.
This will give you some idea of each player's skill level.
Preach to your team the importance of practice.
Use the old saying,"you will play how you practice". , After all, there's a big difference between practicing skills and knowing what to do when a real game starts.
For example, have pitchers throw to batters on a field with a full team behind the pitcher ready to make a play.
Sometimes a better option is to place runners at various bases while you hit the ball without a pitcher and let the fielders make plays appropriate to the situation.
This will prove invaluable to your players in real games. , The ability for a coach to call for various hitting and base-running tactics during a game without the opposing team knowing about it can sometimes prove to be the difference between winning and losing.
Managers or coaches may instruct their players to bunt, hit-and-run, steal, pitch-out or any of various other maneuvers.
Accordingly, the coach will go through a series of movements (such as touching different parts of their uniforms) to indicate what they want their players to do during the next play without letting the opposing team know ahead of time.
Generally, a coach will employ an "indicator" signal to alert their players that the next movement he makes is the signal to obey (as opposed to any earlier movements that can be ignored).
The batter and any base-runners may respond with signals of their own to acknowledge receipt of the instructions.
Signals, when done right, will usually give the hitting team an advantage over the team in the field. , This is when all of your hard work as a coach and all the hard work your players have put in pay off (with any luck).
Before the game be confident and cheerful, and let the team know that you expect to win.
Encourage your players to play hard and remain alert and responsive throughout the game. (Take your own advice: never stop concentrating on strategies and tactics to help your team win.) Other pre-game tasks include filling out the line-up card so everyone will know where they'll play in the field and where they'll hit in the batting order. (Your better hitters should hit higher in the order so that they will have the chance to hit more often during the course of a game.) , One of your main goals is to help each player improve during the course of a season.
Emphasize the importance of striving to get better every single day.
There will be times, especially late in the season or when the days get hot, that your players may lose their enthusiasm for the game.
That's when your skills as a coach are needed most.
You'll want to encourage your players to stay focused on the tasks before them and always to do their best for the good of the team.
Remind them that they'll feel better about themselves if they keep doing their best even when the going gets tough and the game feels more like work than play. , Even if the season hasn't gone especially well, your players will remember the year proudly if they finish with a flourish.
If you do make it to a post-season tournament, be sure that the team is 100% focused on the main goal.
Remind your players that "hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard".
Tell them you believe in their abilities and you believe they can beat any of the other teams in the tournament.
Your words will carry more weight if you really believe what you say! , It's a good thing to be able to look yourself in the mirror and know that you did the very best you could do for your team.
If you're going to coach again in the coming year, invite the team to some pre-season workouts (assuming there's no rule against that in your league).
As with every other team activity, the goal is to improve the players and the team.
Work on speed, agility, strength and team spirit.
Never miss a chance to compliment your players and strengthen their confidence.
You've made it through a year of coaching! Evaluate what you've learned and be prepared to apply it in the following season, which can be just as rewarding and as much fun as the one you just finished. -
Step 3: Help your players learn to trust (and even admire) you.
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Step 4: Don't be afraid to ask your players what they'd like or expect from you.
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Step 5: Start with the basics.
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Step 6: Prepare your players for a live game.
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Step 7: For older players
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Step 8: introduce signals (or "signs").
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Step 9: Game Day.
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Step 10: Season Development.
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Step 11: Finish Strong.
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Step 12: Off Season The final phase in being a good baseball coach comes at the end of the season as you look back on the year and evaluate your team's performance as well as your own.
Detailed Guide
This will pay dividends in many ways.
Ask them about their favorite teams and players.
Walk a fine line between being their friend and being their mentor.
in your suggestions and demonstrations of game skills.
You're part teacher, part cheerleader. , A young player will be willing to work and play hard for a coach he wants to please.
If they don't like you, the team's morale will suffer. , Their answers may surprise and enlighten you and could help you become a better coach.
Let them know that you sincerely enjoy coaching young people.
That will build an important bond with them. , Some of your players may not know much at all about the game, so start at the beginning if you have any really young players.
Once the team understands the main rules and patterns of the game, introduce them to a few fundamental drills, such as fielding ground balls or pop flies.
This will give you some idea of each player's skill level.
Preach to your team the importance of practice.
Use the old saying,"you will play how you practice". , After all, there's a big difference between practicing skills and knowing what to do when a real game starts.
For example, have pitchers throw to batters on a field with a full team behind the pitcher ready to make a play.
Sometimes a better option is to place runners at various bases while you hit the ball without a pitcher and let the fielders make plays appropriate to the situation.
This will prove invaluable to your players in real games. , The ability for a coach to call for various hitting and base-running tactics during a game without the opposing team knowing about it can sometimes prove to be the difference between winning and losing.
Managers or coaches may instruct their players to bunt, hit-and-run, steal, pitch-out or any of various other maneuvers.
Accordingly, the coach will go through a series of movements (such as touching different parts of their uniforms) to indicate what they want their players to do during the next play without letting the opposing team know ahead of time.
Generally, a coach will employ an "indicator" signal to alert their players that the next movement he makes is the signal to obey (as opposed to any earlier movements that can be ignored).
The batter and any base-runners may respond with signals of their own to acknowledge receipt of the instructions.
Signals, when done right, will usually give the hitting team an advantage over the team in the field. , This is when all of your hard work as a coach and all the hard work your players have put in pay off (with any luck).
Before the game be confident and cheerful, and let the team know that you expect to win.
Encourage your players to play hard and remain alert and responsive throughout the game. (Take your own advice: never stop concentrating on strategies and tactics to help your team win.) Other pre-game tasks include filling out the line-up card so everyone will know where they'll play in the field and where they'll hit in the batting order. (Your better hitters should hit higher in the order so that they will have the chance to hit more often during the course of a game.) , One of your main goals is to help each player improve during the course of a season.
Emphasize the importance of striving to get better every single day.
There will be times, especially late in the season or when the days get hot, that your players may lose their enthusiasm for the game.
That's when your skills as a coach are needed most.
You'll want to encourage your players to stay focused on the tasks before them and always to do their best for the good of the team.
Remind them that they'll feel better about themselves if they keep doing their best even when the going gets tough and the game feels more like work than play. , Even if the season hasn't gone especially well, your players will remember the year proudly if they finish with a flourish.
If you do make it to a post-season tournament, be sure that the team is 100% focused on the main goal.
Remind your players that "hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard".
Tell them you believe in their abilities and you believe they can beat any of the other teams in the tournament.
Your words will carry more weight if you really believe what you say! , It's a good thing to be able to look yourself in the mirror and know that you did the very best you could do for your team.
If you're going to coach again in the coming year, invite the team to some pre-season workouts (assuming there's no rule against that in your league).
As with every other team activity, the goal is to improve the players and the team.
Work on speed, agility, strength and team spirit.
Never miss a chance to compliment your players and strengthen their confidence.
You've made it through a year of coaching! Evaluate what you've learned and be prepared to apply it in the following season, which can be just as rewarding and as much fun as the one you just finished.
About the Author
Frank Wells
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow cooking tutorials.
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