How to Organize a Youth Baseball Practice Pete Moore Head Baseball Coach Hatboro-Horsham High School pmoore@Hatboro-Horsham.org

Coaching Youth Baseball Players 1 Why do you coach? 2 Are you guarding a cement slab? 3 What does a successful practice look like? 4 How do you structure a practice? 5 What have I learned in my 17 years as a head coach?

Why do you coach?

Why do you coach? A passion for the game of baseball

Why do you coach? A passion for the game of baseball A desire to give back to your community

Why do you coach? A passion for the game of baseball A desire to give back to your community A need for volunteers in your organization

Why do you coach? A passion for the game of baseball A desire to give back to your community A need for volunteers in your organization A chance to do something with your son

Why do you coach? No matter what your reason is for coaching – we all have a responsibility to keep it fun while teaching the players the fundamentals of the game. Keeping it fun is the best way to get kids to come back and play in the future.

Are you guarding a cement slab?

Are you guarding a cement slab? Why do you do what you do at practice?

What does a successful practice look like?

What does a successful practice look like?

What does a successful practice look like? VS

What does a successful practice look like? Keep the kids as active as possible and create as many challenges as possible We lose kids to other sports for two main reasons: Less down time in other sports Less failure in other sports

What does a successful practice look like? The more coaches you have that can help facilitate stations, the better off you’ll be. Keep the stations brief so that you can keep their attention. Move groups to different areas for the different stations. Get kids comfortable being uncomfortable.

How do you structure a practice? Stretching Throwing Team Defense Individual Defense Batting Stations Base Running ***Impromptu Team Challenges***

How do you structure a practice? Stretching It helps develop a routine and is habit forming Dynamic Stretching Explain the practice plan (hang a copy up)

How do you structure a practice? Throwing Straight back and forth catch? Kai Correa’s Throwing Program Philosophy

How do you structure a practice? Team Defense Infield/Outfield (it’s a routine for us) 21 Outs (use the player’s age as your goal for outs) Pop Up Priorities Bunt Defense 1st & 3rd Defense Cut Offs

How do you structure a practice? Individual Defense – A Skill A Day

How do you structure a practice? Individual Defense – A Skill A Day Pitchers PFPs, Pick-offs, Bullpens, Flat Ground

How do you structure a practice? Individual Defense – A Skill A Day Pitchers PFPs, Pick-offs, Bullpens, Flat Ground Catchers Receiving, Blocking, Bunts, Throwing to Bases

How do you structure a practice? Individual Defense – A Skill A Day Pitchers PFPs, Pick-offs, Bullpens, Flat Ground Catchers Receiving, Blocking, Bunts, Throwing to Bases Infielders Perfects, Ground balls, Short Hops, Back Hands, DPs

How do you structure a practice? Individual Defense – A Skill A Day Pitchers PFPs, Pick-offs, Bullpens, Flat Ground Catchers Receiving, Blocking, Bunts, Throwing to Bases Infielders Perfects, Ground balls, Short Hops, Back Hands, DPs Outfielders No Glove, Fly Balls, Ground Balls, Do or Die, Line Drives, Sliding Catches, Head Flips

How do you structure a practice? Batting Stations Break up into groups so that there is less down time Hit on Field Tee work or soft toss (TCB Balls are great for this) Base Running group Shag Group

How do you structure a practice? Base Running We like to feel like we outwork everyone in practice and running the bases hard is a part of this. We set a goal to beat out 80% or more of all bobbled groundballs in the infield.

How do you structure a practice? Base Running Drill Set up with a runner on each base and two at home plate Man on 1B goes first to third Man on 2B scores from second Man on 3B tags up and scores simulating a sac fly Left hand batters box runs out an infield single Right hand batters box hits a double

What have I learned in my 17 years as a head coach? Importance of focusing on what you can control

What have I learned in my 17 years as a head coach? Importance of focusing on what you can control Players act like their coaches

What have I learned in my 17 years as a head coach? Importance of focusing on what you can control Players act like their coaches You can’t coach every kid the same

What have I learned in my 17 years as a head coach? Importance of focusing on what you can control Players act like their coaches You can’t coach every kid the same Don’t forget that this game is tough!

What have I learned in my 17 years as a head coach? Importance of focusing on what you can control Players act like their coaches You can’t coach every kid the same Don’t forget that this game is tough! Change what the kids think success means (QABs)

What have I learned in my 17 years as a head coach? Importance of focusing on what you can control Players act like their coaches You can’t coach every kid the same Don’t forget that this game is tough! Change what the kids think success means (QABs) Coaching your kid is hard on your kid

What have I learned in my 17 years as a head coach? Importance of focusing on what you can control Players act like their coaches You can’t coach every kid the same Don’t forget that this game is tough! Change what the kids think success means (QABs) Coaching your kid is hard on your kid Gatorade of the Day motivates kids

What have I learned in my 17 years as a head coach? Importance of focusing on what you can control Players act like their coaches You can’t coach every kid the same Don’t forget that this game is tough! Change what the kids think success means (QABs) Coaching your kid is hard on your kid Gatorade of the Day motivates kids Dressing as a team promotes togetherness

What does being a successful coach mean?

What does being a successful coach mean? Will we win another championship?

What does being a successful coach mean? Will we win another championship? I also feel successful when our players are making a positive impact on our community off of the field.

What does being a successful coach mean? Will we win another championship? I also feel successful when our players are making a positive impact on our community off of the field. I want my players to grow to be good fathers and respectful of other people in their communities.

What does being a successful coach mean? If we can use baseball as a means to teach our players to be disciplined, responsible, and respectful (teammates, opponents, coaches, umpires, fans, etc), then we are helping to instill values that they’ll carry with them throughout their lives.

EBFBL Youth Baseball Coaching Clinic Pete Moore How to Organize a Youth Practice Mike Dertouzos Coaching Catchers Bob McCreary Coaching Pitchers Tim Johnson Everything Defense Lee Saverio Coaching Hitting