Superb Fundamentals -- Start Early and Start Often

One of the best lines I read about the SF Giants, on their path to the World Series, summed up how they dominated the St. Louis Cardinals:

"The Giants are in command of the NLCS because they are playing superb fundamental baseball and the Cardinals are not. St. Louis is making critical mistakes on the most basic plays." (from article on SFGate)

Superb fundamental baseball vs. mistakes on basic plays.

This mentality of laser-focus on the fundamentals should start at the earliest stages of a player's baseball development.  A good coach understands that fundamentals are like the foundation of a house.  You can't build a house starting at the top, you have to start with a strong, rock-solid foundation. The notion of winning, at the youth baseball level, should be secondary to learning how to do things correctly.   It boggles my mind when I see other club players out there, on supposedly "elite" teams, make consistent mistakes on their fundamentals because they're trying to make "hot dogging" plays.  What on earth are their coaches teaching them?  Certainly not how to be a team player, because some of these kids are more concerned with making a flashy play than doing it correctly.

Bottom line, with our Cardinals, we PROUDLY emphasize three simple things: play hard, execute the fundamentals we've learned, and have fun.   We are more concerned about the kids learning the proper fundamentals than the final win-loss record.  After all, these are just kids, not major leaguers.

More Travel Team Considerations (Part 2)

Here's an important thing to consider when evaluating a travel team.

The Coach's demeanor

Do some scouting of your own to determine the coach's sideline behavior during games.  Is he a yeller and a screamer? Does he vent his wrath on individual kids if they make a mistake? Does he offer lots of praise, or is he just critical? How does the coach interact with the umpires?  Is he out of control with the officials, or does he exhibit good sportsmanship at all times?

Most top college and high school coaches follow the "5-to-1" ratio when it comes to motivating kids today.  That means 5 parts praise to 1 part criticism.  Kids today -- especially young athletes on travel teams -- need lots and lots of praise from the coach if they are going to perform well.  Critical comments should be minimal, and should be couched in very non-threatening terms.

Unfortunately too many travel team coaches see themselves as disciples of the legendary pro football coach Vince Lombardi.  The myths about Lombardi portray him as a hard-driving no-nonsense disciplinarian.  Too many travel team coaches feel that's the best way to approach kids: be loud, be demanding, and don't be afraid to single a kid out during a game for making a mistake.

This is, as you might imagine, the absolute worst way to work with kids today.  Kids don't want to be criticized, they don't want to be yelled at, and they don't want to be humiliated in front of their parents and teammates during a game.  If the coach of your child's travel team has the reputation for being this way, again, you had better think twice as to whether your child is ready for this kind of "tough guy" approach.  The truth is, most kids aren't.

Considering a Travel Team? Here's Some Points to Consider (Part 1)

This should never be a decision entered into lightly (for the sake of your player's happiness and love of the sport).  For starters, if you feel that your kid is ready and eager to try out for a travel team, take the time to ask questions of other parents in your community whose own kids have played for that travel team in previous years.  Most of the time these parents will not only be glad to answer your questions, but they'll often provide details about matters you may not think to ask about.  Listen carefully to these parents' comments, and take notes -- they can give you invaluable info about the time commitment, financial expense, the head coach, assistant coaches, other parents, the competition, etc.

And remember, the more parents you contact and the more opinions you can find, the better informed you'll be about whether this is the right step for your child.  Sometimes, especially if the youngster is athletically talented but has not yet gone through a growth spurt yet, playing on a travel team where they are going to be one of the smaller athletes will not be good for their sense of self-confidence or self-esteem.  If so, there's nothing wrong with letting another year go by (and letting them grow some more).

Why this advice?  Because most travel team coaches prefer to play the youngsters who are physically larger than their peers.  Makes no difference what the sport is, or how much athletic skill the larger child may have in relation to the smaller athlete.  There's an old saying in sports, "The big kids have to show that they can't -- and the little kids have to show that they can."

(excerpted from The Sports Parenting Edge, by Rick Wolff)

Just Another Day at Sunken Diamond

Cardinals Giving Back to the Community

This is one of those moments that as a coach, and parent, I am so proud of for our team.

The Redwood City Cardinals recently helped out a team of disabled kids play baseball locally here in Foster City.  Our Cardinals were the “buddies” for the day for their Little League’s Challenger division, and it was so great to see everyone have such a fun time – backing up the players, running the bases with them, and being the “announcers”. 

The Challenger Division of Little League offers kids with physical and mental challenges an opportunity to participate in organized baseball games.

Our Cardinals players learned a valuable life lesson - empathy.

It is so incredibly fulfilling to develop these boys not just in baseball skills, but more importantly to make them better people. For me and our coaches, that’s really one of the most important things we can impart on our young athletes. Love these kids!!!!!

Words to Play By

Using a Tee to Improve Swing Path

It is so true about repetition, especially when it comes to batting.  Practice doesn't necessarily make "perfect" -- but rather, "Practice Makes PERMANENT".  Do it right, and do it over and over again. It's all about muscle memory.

No matter the age or size of your Little Leaguer®, being a good hitter is all about making solid contact with the ball. If a player can see the ball, they can hit the ball and using a batting tee is a great way to develop hand-eye coordination and a consistent contact swing path. So, have your Little Leaguer dust off the bat and helmet, and wake up those muscles from their winter slumber by taking some hacks off of the tee. 

Miguel Cabrera 
Since leading Major League Baseball (MLB) in homers, on-base percentage and average in 2012, and becoming the first MLB player since 1967 to win the Triple Crown, Detroit Tigers’ slugger, Miguel Cabrera is known for his bat control as much as his home run power. Being such an accomplished pro, you and your Little Leaguer may be surprised to learn about one of his secrets for success. The reigning American League Most Valuable Player uses a batting tee every day! 

In the 2014 edition of the Little League® Magazine, the two-time MVP said, “Taking a bunch of swings every day off a batting tee is the best way to practice your swing. If you’re able to do that consistently, you’re going to get better and better.” 

Drills
Here are two simple drills that your player can do to maximize a consistent contact swing path. Before you begin, be sure to adjust the height of the batting tee so that the ball on the tee is slightly below the batter’s beltline. Also, be sure the player is wearing a batting helmet and is using an alloy or Little League-approved composite bat that is age-appropriate. 

From Little League.org's website

Teamwork Trumps All

Teamwork, and the abstract concept of "team" is one of the most important lessons kids learn in sports. Personally, I love it when our team gels together, and just has that indescribable sense of "chemistry" that overrides whether we win or lose a game.

(below is from "Take the Lead: Make Youth Sports What They Were Meant to Be", by Kathy Hogan)

These days many young athletes are constantly trying to improve their personal standing so they can move on to a more competitive program.  They ("...or is it their parents?": Ed) operate like free agents -- always shopping for a better deal.  In the process, their commitment to a team depends on personal gain. Inadvertently, we not only allow these athletes to be self-centered, we encourage it.  Is that the mindset we really want? Pete Carill says it best, "I look for players who realize the world doesn't revolve around them." Unfortunately, sometimes it's hard to find those players.

In youth sports today, there is tremendous emphasis on drawing out skilled athletes because they are just too good for a regular league.  In many ways, that's unfortunate. Learning to work with players with various ability levels is a life skill that young people need to learn.  Even in the pros, some athletes are better than others. The same is true in every aspect of life. Rather than constantly regrouping players according to perceived ability, we need to teach them how to be part of a team. You win some. You lose some, but most of all, you stick together. Pat Riley understood that concept: "Great teamwork is the only way to reach our ultimate moments."