Double Wing 88 Power

In Between Seasons: Looking Ahead To Baseball

Looking ahead to the baseball season, every winter I try to pick a facet of the game and look for ways I can improve on teaching it. This winter I'm going to focus on how we can improve our individual defensive fundamentals.
Our infielders need to be focused on consistently applying ground ball fundamentals. Practices need to be oriented to give them time everyday to field and make the throw on a variety of balls that they face in the game. Outfielders need to work on tracking a fly ball and getting into throwing position every time.I'm going to look for ideas on how to better teach those skills and get them to carry over into the game. I'm going to be looking for consistency in applying these skills. The whole defensive emphasis will be on preventing the unnecessary, the unnecessary extra base, the unnecessary extra out, the unnecessary extra run. Pretty standard stuff, but I believe you get what you emphasize and they're going to hear these points all spring.
Another emphasis that I want to take into the season is being mentally tough enough to play the game from pitch to pitch. Playing 3 or 4 innings that way is not good enough. It may be tough for some to accept, but the most talented players may not always be the most consistent players. We need consistent players on the field.

I'm always looking for ideas. Please comment and what you do that works well.

Why Coach?

I often reflect on why I continue to coach. Its a pretty thankless job, and can come with a lot of headaches. Every time your team takes the field you're under scrutiny. Not to mention the hours away from your own family. This week's Sports Illustrated's Point After "Confessions of a Coachaholic" reminded me why I continue to coach. Its the diagramming of plays and the challenge of getting it to work on field like it works on the paper. It's the jotting down of line ups to get the most out of each individual's strengths while trying to hide, or at least minimize, weaknesses. But mostly it's about building the connections with players and the memories built throughout a season and a player's career. One of my favorite memories is of a freshman catcher almost in tears because of the frustration of being unable to make a good throw to second to throw out base stealers, and two years later watching this same player throw out a base stealer for the final out of a state tournament game.


I'm always looking for ideas. Please comment and add what you do that works well.

End of the Season

 The season did not go as expected. We did accomplish some of our goals. Kids stayed out for the sport. We saw improvement from individuals. I always forget how exhausting the season is until the day after the season has been wrapped up, everything has been packed away and I get to go home after school. I'm amazed at how relaxing that always feels.
It really won't be long now and I'll be looking ahead to baseball season. I'll be watching the World Series with some interest. I can't help but watch for fundamental mistakes that aren't even accepted in a high school game. Anybody see the Angel's SS and 3B look at each other as the pop up fell to the ground.


I'm always looking for ideas. Please comment and add what you do that works well.

Getting Up to Speed

Right now we're facing a problem getting players to go at game speed. We've taught the techniques and blocking assignments to take care of the problem of sitting back because they're not sure where to go. We're still slow off the ball and our initial contact is soft, much less sustaining that contact. We did have a good object lesson in practice today when a smaller but aggressive player moved a bigger, athletic, but less aggressive player out of the hole. Playing at game speed is not coming natural to this group. We've scrimmaged with a late whistle to get everybody to stay with the play. We ran wedge after wedge today versus 15 defenders (yes 15) just to promote hard nosed running and sustained blocking at the point of attack. The offense at least started to move the ball.
Another problem is getting backs to cut up field on the power plays at the 8/9 hole. We've had the runner run into the back of the B kicking out on the OLB, or try to run around the outside of the kick out block. Today in practice we ran full speed 11 on 11 plays with me standing at the point to cut upfield. Its kind of interesting to watch the play from right in the middle of it.
Any ideas would be great.