Leaders are built in the weight room. Coach gives examples of players who were not the best players, but they were good energy guys in the weight room and performed well on the field when […]
Hit and Run Mentality with Scott Stricklin – Univ. of Georgia
Coach explains that in a hit and run situation the ball does not have to be hit on the ground. They want to drive the ball and smoke it but avoid fly balls. The batter […]
Find Ways for Your Athletes to Compete During Practice with Niko Gallego – UCLA
If you can compete in drills, you will compete in games. Coach gives examples of different ways to make drills competitive for infielders in practice. Emphasize the little things in the drill and this helps […]
Knee Through Hitting Drill with Brad Sanfilippo – San Jose State Univ.
Coach explains the knee through or knee down drill is for hitters that don’t use their backside well. Use this drill with a tee or front toss and exaggerate the hitter’s movement.
Catcher’s Pre-Pitch Glove Movement with Brian Whatley – San Diego Padres
You can’t be late on certain pitches. Coach explains that the pre-pitch glove movement should mimic the setup. An example is on a called outside pitch the catcher mentally should be prepared to move the […]
Pitcher’s 70 ft. Warm-Up Drill with David Berg – UCLA
Watch as Coach explains a ‘strength over the rubber’ drill, 70 feet from the plate. The goal is to get the weight off the back foot, lean forward, gather to the backside, and deliver the […]
Developing Buy-In for the Game Plan with Buck Showalter – (Retired)
Watch as Coach explains that the #1 challenge is how to get the players buying in to a team concept. For the players to buy in, they need to see results on the scoreboard as […]
The 1 BIG Lie & 3 BIGGER Truths
Don’t fall for the same lie we always hear… My hot take of the week: One of the biggest lies you hear over and over again in athletics is “Sports develop leadership.” I can tell […]
Wade Gilbert’s “Coaching Better” Breakouts Session 2: Winning Your Practices & Athlete Learning
Live Wade Gilbert breakouts session held on July 16, 2020, hosted by Coaches Insider and Human Kinetics. In this session, Dr. Gilbert discusses two main topics surrounding practice and athlete learning: Topic 1: Quality practice […]
What Kind of Hitter You Are with Dan Spencer – Linfield Univ.
Fast ball hitting fools. Coach explains that most players think they are fastball hitters and they are not. Most players are breaking ball, bat speed hitters who need to cheat to hit the fastball which […]
Infielder Arm Acceleration Drill with Dennis Rogers, Retired – Riverside CC
Get the ball out earlier. Watch as Coach explains many infielders do not have good arm action or strength and this drill works on arm acceleration. This is a partner drill that emphasizes getting the […]
Give Praise to the Right People with Chad Caillet – Texas A&M Univ.
Watch as Coach explains the importance of praising the right people. In every big inning something that is not sexy happens and it is often the result someone doing the little things that starts it […]
Three Techniques to Catch the Low Pitch with Blake Allen – DePauw Univ.
Watch as Coach explains, and a catcher demonstrates three techniques for catching a low pitch. The catcher can roll the thumb up, roll the thumb under or hinge at the elbow. On the rolling options, […]
Executing the Double Play in the Middle
By: Sam Piraro, San Jose State Univ. – Retired Most baseball people, especially those who are involved at the upper levels, understand the importance and significance of the Double Play. Being able to secure two […]
Wade Gilbert’s “Coaching Better” Breakouts Session 1: Relationships and Winning Your Team’s Trust
Live Wade Gilbert breakouts session held on July 9, 2020, hosted by Coaches Insider and Human Kinetics. In this session, Dr. Gilbert discusses two main topics surrounding trust and building relationships: Topic 1: Building athlete […]
Baseball Can Make You Successful in Life with Stephen Mackey – 2Words Character Development
Watch as Stephen Mackey explains his belief that you can learn everything you need to be successful in the game of life from playing baseball. Physical skills learned have a shelf life but mental skills, […]
Timing Game When Stealing 2nd Base with David Olson – Bellevue College
It takes 3.5 seconds to 3.7 seconds to steal 2nd base. Coach explains that he times all his players on their speed to 2nd base based on a 13 ft. lead. When calling the offense […]
Developing the Secondary Pitch with Scott Shepperd
Developing a secondary pitch. Watch as Coach explains in pitcher’s warmup, at 120 feet he wants them throwing a changeup downhill as hard as they can. The emphasis is on the pitcher’s arm moving fast […]
The Basics Really Work with Alan Stein, Jr.
Watch as Alan explains that in today’s world, it is popular to keep chasing what is hot, new, flashy and to ignore what is basic. This is a mistake, as the basics do work and […]
Teaching Situational Hitting in Baseball
In my formative days of playing baseball the majority of the practice focused primarily on fundamentals of the basics. However, rarely if ever was there any discussion of technique. As I progressed into high school […]
Articulate Your Vision with Greg Simmons – Charlotte Christian School (NC)
Building a Culture. Watch as Coach explains the importance of articulating your vision and plan to athletes, parents, and administrators. He explains the evolution of his program from when it started to present day. One […]
Practice Mental Training for Pitchers in Game-Like Situations with Doug Williams – College of San Mateo
Watch as Coach explains that many times, a pitcher is completely different on the mound than they were in the bullpen. The mental approach of the pitcher will impact their mechanics and they must create […]
Developing Breaking Balls with Scott Shepperd
Watch as Coach explains that it doesn’t matter if you call it a curve or slider, they just want their pitchers to have a breaking ball defined by their fastball velocity and it must have […]
Identifying Which Cues to Use for Each Athlete with Nick Winkelman – The Language of Coaching
Watch as Nick discusses identifying which cues to use for each individual athlete. Before you can influence an athlete, you must try to understand them, and it is important to be flexible and adaptable with […]
Six Steps in Mastering Tough Conversations
Provided by: Raise Your Game Effective coaches and leaders stand firm in telling their people what they need to hear, not necessarily what they want to hear. Trust and truth go hand in hand and […]
Pitch Count Situations with David Berg – UCLA
Training with a purpose. Watch as Coach discusses putting pitchers in pitch count situations instead of just throwing pitches in practice with no substance to it. The goal is knowing when to use the plate […]
Catcher Warmups with Brian Whatley – San Diego Padres
3 Basic Catcher Movements. Watch as Coach and a catcher demonstrate this warmup drill that incorporates the 3 basic movements of transfer, block and receiving.
Follow Through Is a Hitting Absolute with Scott Laverty – Chapman University
Short to the ball and long through it. Watch as Coach explains that all good hitters, throughout the ages, have a long follow through. The batter stays on plane and the wrists turn and roll […]
Developing a Running Form
By: Mike Roberts Originally Published in: Baserunning Provided by: Human Kinetics A baseball player should become a track athlete in a baseball uniform. Improvement in an athlete’s running form, regardless of speed, comes from enjoying […]
Defending a Runner at 2nd Base with Justin Scali – Piedmont Univ.
No look or one look. Watch as Coach explains that the less a pitcher looks at a base runner on 2nd, the easier it is to control him. They use pick plays, inside move plays […]