| It is fun to watch youth baseball games. I enjoy | | | | As parents and coaches we often forget what |
| watching the kid on the team with the least | | | | baseball is all about as we focus on winning more |
| amount of talent "accidentally" catch a fly ball that | | | | than we do developing players on and off the |
| was hit right to him. Those kids will always | | | | field. The coaches that have fond memories of |
| remember that time in their life when they were | | | | playing little league Baseball can be some of the |
| a hero; at least they felt that way for that | | | | most influential coaches to the youth. |
| moment in time. That is what youth baseball is all | | | | Here are a few things we need to remember |
| about. | | | | when coaching youth baseball pitchers: |
| I will always remember (in great detail) hitting my | | | | Youth Coaching Tip #1: Youth pitchers have to be |
| first homerun over the fence in Little League. I | | | | taught mechanics with patience and understanding. |
| was 10; 23 years ago. I remember where I hit | | | | You shouldn't be aggressive in your teaching style. |
| the ball, how far I hit it, how the ball almost hit a | | | | Most players respond with a negative attitude and |
| green car when it finally landed, who the first | | | | won't enjoy the learning process regardless of |
| base coach was, what he said to me when I | | | | how well you think you teach if you are too |
| reached first base, how the sun was setting just | | | | intense. Nobody performs well under pressure |
| above the mountains, the excitement rounding | | | | from coaches when they are overly aggressive |
| second when I could barely control myself from | | | | constantly yelling or barking at them during games |
| leaping all the way home, what my third base | | | | and practices. They are on the field to have fun |
| coach told me just as I was rounding third, how | | | | learning life's lessons and the fundamentals of the |
| my teammates surrounded me when I reached | | | | game. Pitching mechanics take time to learn so |
| home plate and the reward of the hamburger | | | | parents and coaches need to understand that little |
| after the game for hitting a homerun. It was | | | | league is a developmental league not MLB. I read |
| tasty! I also remember that was the only game | | | | once that it takes Tiger Woods 18 months to |
| my parents didn't make it to that year because it | | | | incorporate a new swing to his golf game; be |
| was my older sisters High School graduation night. | | | | patient with the youth. |
| That is the joy of youth baseball! | | | | |