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Hi Are Baseball Traditions All Good? 'Swing It! Vol.124 July 03, 2014 |
July 4th Baseball TraditionsHappy Independence Day! America’s Traditions This week we are celebrating our country’s founding and traditions. It is good we stop and take time to reflect on the wisdom, sacrifices and dedication of the great Americans that built and fought for America. Baseball is also steeped in traditions. Baseball is an American sport and has evolved enormously over the last 100 plus years. Our local youth baseball organizations are drenched in traditions too. Many of these traditions are not in the best interests of the kids playing baseball today. Over the past 50 or 60 years the adults in youth baseball have gravitated to the allure of state play offs, national World Series, tournament trophies and all-star teams. This adult attraction to fame and glitter is at the expense of our ball players and player development. Why do we keep following these baseball traditions for youth baseball? It is mostly because nobody knows any other way. For those that do look at better alternatives they usually get some snap beat down like, “This is how we have always done it around here,” which is the common response to anyone that dares tamping down the culture of winning at all costs. Few folks have the will or knowledge to veer off of traditions or make new ones. The family traditions of generations in youth baseball with the allure of championships are all the adults really know. The entire enterprise of youth baseball in primarily designed to please and entertain adults. Providing a platform for baseball players to ‘just play’ is not really an option. Strategies for Local Baseball Organizations to add traditions that improve player development systems. Can Baseball Traditions Ever Be Adjusted?How do we ever change some of the youth baseball traditions and make it a more favorable to player development?What would local baseball look like if we had a reset button and got a chance to start over from scratch? By giving the adults another point of view. I think our country’s founders got it right and I would not change a thing in our founding documents. I also think that the founder of Little League baseball, Carl Stotz, had it right in 1939 when he started his first little league teams. But what began as a local player development system turned into a ‘Frankenstein’ in Stotz’s words in 1964. “I had envisioned baseball for youngsters on the local level, not national play offs and a World Series and all that stuff.” (By Mark Hyman, Until it Hurts, pg. 12.) Many of our baseball traditions are here to stay, good and bad. I get that. I do have plenty to say about working with the system we have and assisting the adults to make the local culture of player development systems better for the kids.
Unique Player Development Strategies for local organizations. Latest News at Coach and Play BaseballLatest News from Coach and Play Baseball Super Simple Guide Hard Copy is HerePlayer Development is the Winning ModelDynamic 101 Page Binder with 3 Audio Cds
Before you learn the baseball stuff you should really know how to build a coaching approach and style.
Here is the workbook and audio CDs that will help build your foundation to manage your ballclub. I often use the measuring stick by seeing how many of your ballplayers return to play the next year. Are you helping kids to get better, enjoy the game, and build on the experiences of being a good teammate? Are you attracting players to baseball or driving them out? Are you a magnet to players or a repellent? Use this guidebook and audio CDs to study the best practices for successful youth coaches and parents.
Super Simple Guide to Coaching Youth Baseball with 3 Audio CDs.
Baseball Impossible Player Development MakeOver 6 DVD Set Virtual Coaching Clinics & LessonsOne project I am working on this summer is virtual baseball coaching clinics. I am putting lessons together and will offer to baseball coaches across the country.Coaches and parents will be able join me online and participate in group sessions. Topics will be on various aspects of coaching and playing baseball and my player development system. Private baseball lessons will be available soon too using Face Time. We can schedule a time to meet and conduct hitting, pitching, fielding and throwing lessons anywhere in the world. Contact me anytime about anything. Baseball Clinic Guidebooks for Sports Parents Special Bundle Deal for all 4-eBooks SALE Ending My most popular player development products will be on SALE for only a few more days.
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