| COMPETITION | | | | Encourage healthy snacks and lots of water or |
| You must welcome competition, your team will | | | | low sugar type drinks. Also help team to stay |
| not improve by winning every game against | | | | positive no matter what happens, that may be |
| weaker teams. You should step up to play teams | | | | your biggest value to your baseball team. |
| better than yours. You will find out a lot about | | | | SPORTSMANSHIP |
| you and your players by defeat as well as | | | | This is a forgotten area in youth baseball. Coaches |
| victory. | | | | think that they are playing in the finals of the little |
| If you are to play to your full potential, you must | | | | league world series every game. Please do more |
| be willing to put out just a little more. That | | | | than just give lip service to sportsmanship, be an |
| willingness to put out a little more in youth baseball | | | | example, read up on it. Be respectful to umps, |
| often makes the difference. As a youth baseball | | | | opposing players, coach's fans, and parents. |
| coach, you should encourage your players to let it | | | | Remember it's still just a game, even if it is travel |
| all out at times and take some chances to make | | | | baseball, or little league finals or a big tournament |
| that special play. Hopefully your players will not | | | | game. Please treat everyone with respect even if |
| feel that making a mistake will prevent them | | | | they don't seem to deserve it. Remember, your |
| from really going for it. Which leads us to the | | | | players are watching you; you are the example |
| next baseball and life tip. | | | | they get day in and day out. |
| COURAGE | | | | CONFIDENCEyou must have confidence in |
| To become an outstanding youth baseball player, | | | | yourself, a positive feeling that you can do it. You |
| hitter, pitcher, or base runner, you must have the | | | | must posses a mental attitude that says I can do |
| ability to bounce back from defeat and bounce | | | | it. Give that attitude to your teammates by |
| back to victory. | | | | always being positive with them also, encouraging |
| Develop a fighting spirit that takes you through | | | | them to focus, and helping them stay positive if |
| difficulty and discouragement. As a youth baseball | | | | they hit a rough spot. |
| player you must keep your chin high because | | | | As a youth baseball player your talent will not |
| hitting a baseball is tough business, you will go | | | | develop properly unless you are willing to work |
| hitless some times. You make get knocked out of | | | | hard. There is a price to pay FOR HARD WORK; |
| a game as a pitcher. Just remember, the player | | | | we might have to give up some of our free time. |
| who refuses to be beaten is tough to beat. We | | | | As a youth baseball player, you have to learn to |
| are talking about our competitive spirit here, not | | | | work hard and do plenty of it-- and hustle at all |
| just any single game. | | | | times. Everyone on the team, including the |
| SELF-DISCIPLINE | | | | coaches, must be willing to trade sweat, effort, |
| Live clean and take good care of your body with | | | | an sacrifice for success. |
| good eating and sleeping habits. Youth baseball | | | | Please check out my free 7 part coaching |
| coaches will need to lead by example here and | | | | e-course. It covers some topics you will not find |
| remind players to get the rest they need. | | | | anywhere else. |