| Do you want to teach your kids about life? Do | | | | considered good if his winning percentage is over |
| you want to teach them how to interact socially? | | | | .500. players make errors and strikeout. Youth |
| How about learning sportsmanship, leadership skills, | | | | baseball teaches kids how to come back after |
| respect, discipline and other skills essential in life? | | | | adversity. Each time a youth baseball player |
| Youth baseball leagues are the perfect venue. | | | | comes up to bat or goes into the field, they have |
| Youth baseball has everyone you need to teach | | | | a chance to redeem themselves from a previous |
| your kids important lessons about life in general. | | | | failure. Overcoming adversity gives the kids |
| And at the end of the baseball season, it makes | | | | confidence in themselves and gives them the |
| sense to reinforce the lessons by acknowledging | | | | feeling they can accomplish anything. Overcoming |
| the achievements each player has made in this | | | | adversity is all about gaining confidence. |
| respect. | | | | Hustle |
| Leadership | | | | Why is hustle a life skill? Hustle is an important |
| Good leaders are made, not born. Young baseball | | | | indicator of work ethic. What employer wants a |
| players can learn the qualities that make someone | | | | worker how is doesn't give their all? The same is |
| a leader, including: education, training, and | | | | true in youth baseball - lack of hustle is viewed |
| experience. Inspiring youth baseball players | | | | negatively and is frowned upon. It is important for |
| requires them to be able to get the whole team | | | | youth baseball coaches to emphasize hustle. This |
| working together. | | | | means running on and off the field, running out |
| A good youth baseball coach should be able to | | | | hits, fly outs and ground ball outs. Hustle is a true |
| provide every player the ability to act in a | | | | quality of a champion and shows passion. |
| leadership by using some very simple techniques. | | | | Discipline |
| They can empower each of them in a team | | | | Discipline can be defined as a system of rules of |
| captain role during practices, or they can assign | | | | conduct or method of practice, being well |
| tasks that require them to delegate responsibilities | | | | behaved, self control and training to improve |
| to their teammates. | | | | strength. When we talk about discipline in youth |
| Sportsmanship | | | | baseball, we are talking about players being able |
| Youth baseball leagues are a great vehicle for | | | | to take constructive criticism, and then applying |
| teaching our youth about sportsmanship. When | | | | the advice given by the coach. It also is about |
| we talk about sportsmanship, we are talking | | | | having good behavior and controlling emotions, |
| about playing fair, following the rules of the game, | | | | both on and off the field. In this day and age |
| respecting the judgement of the umpires and | | | | discipline seems to be the one life skill that many |
| treating players, parents and coaches with | | | | of our children need most. |
| respect. Sportsmanship also includes courtesy and | | | | Today's family structure is much different than |
| grace in losing. Youth baseball is a great proving | | | | the past. Kids parents are divorced or they come |
| ground for applying real life experiences to | | | | from a single parent home, which means the |
| teaching this skill. As a youth baseball coach or | | | | parents may not be able to put in the time. The |
| parent, if you find yourself in the position where a | | | | may cut them slack because they feel guilty |
| sportsmanship issue needs to be addressed; do it | | | | about not being there for them. Discipline is a life |
| alone and away from the rest of the players. | | | | skill that our children will need to be successfully in |
| There is no need to embarrass anyone. | | | | life. |
| Teamwork | | | | Acknowledge Success and Accomplishments |
| Teamwork is an life skill to teach our kids. It is | | | | It's important to acknowledge the |
| particularly important for a baseball team to | | | | accomplishments of each and every player on |
| function like a well-oiled machine. If just one | | | | your youth baseball team. You obviously need to |
| member of the infield is unwilling to act as a | | | | reward those who have excelled in the physical |
| member of the team, an entire game could be | | | | accomplishments, such as the progress make in |
| lost. Therefore, all members of a baseball team | | | | hitting, catching and pitching. But also reward them |
| need to work together in order to encourage, | | | | for the accomplishments made in the skills |
| applaud and truly give each play their all. As a | | | | described. |
| parent, it is important to be part of the team by | | | | But there is one more life skill that is very |
| attending practices and games, cheering for every | | | | important for the development of our children. It |
| child on the field and celebrating the successes of | | | | is perfect attendance and being punctual to all |
| each and every child involved in the games. | | | | youth baseball practices and games. This is so |
| Competition | | | | important, that our youth baseball league has |
| Youth baseball is a way to teach our kids about | | | | created an Iron Man award. |
| competition. Children who get involved with sports | | | | IronMan - Perfect Attendance |
| at an early age are more likely to maintain a good | | | | The Iron Man award was conceived by a few |
| level of fitness and activity throughout their life. | | | | coaches who wanted to reward the kids who |
| Youth baseball league competition helps kids boost | | | | were committed to their team. It was based on |
| self-confidence, improve coordination, and build | | | | Cal Ripken's record of playing in a record 2,632 |
| discipline, focus and respect. Team sports teach | | | | straight games spanning sixteen seasons, from |
| social skills and cooperation, and give kids a solid | | | | May 30, 1982 to September 20, 1998. The award |
| foundation and sense of belonging and partnership. | | | | is given to every player who has attended every |
| Developing a child's competitiveness while teaching | | | | day of school and every baseball game in the |
| them to both win and lose gracefully can help | | | | season. Each recipient is awarded a cash prize |
| them tackle the obstacles and accept the | | | | (usually a U.S Savings Bond between $100 and |
| setbacks that life will naturally encompass. Many | | | | $250 provided by local businesses) and featured in |
| adults who are leaders and volunteers in the | | | | the local paper. |
| community are giving their time and experience | | | | What an outstanding way to influence our kids |
| to help make the sport(s) they enjoyed as | | | | futures. Not only does it make the kids and their |
| youngsters enjoyable for another generation of | | | | parents proud, but it makes the whole community |
| children. | | | | proud and gives kid good publicity instead of the |
| Overcoming Adversity | | | | never ending pounding of isolated negative |
| How critical is it to be able to overcome | | | | incidents of America's youth. What a great way |
| adversity. The game of baseball is full of | | | | to support and encourage the future of our |
| adversity. Consider that a good batting average is | | | | communities. |
| considered anything over .300. A pitcher is | | | | |