Watch as Coach Iyhia McMichael discusses bat path while hitting. She shows you how you can use other items to set up a space to practice swinging in the correct form. The next drill uses […]
4 Double-Play Footwork Mechanics for 2nd Basemen with Colby Corn – Greenville Senior High School (SC)
Watch as Coach Colby Corn explains and demonstrates 4 footwork mechanic options on a double play that allow the 2nd baseman to create space to prevent contact with the baserunner. Coach Corn shows video of […]
The Butterfly Effect
Originally Published in: The Leadership Playbook One person can have such a strong effect on the world such as Martin Luther King, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Michael Jordan, and Mother Teresa. In the same way, […]
Pitching: Water Bags & Balls with Paige Parker – Univ. of Oregon
Watch as Coach Paige Parker explains and shows practice videos of her water bag and ball daily warm-up and weekly circuit. The daily warm-up includes ball shaking, single-leg extensions, and high knees, focusing on warming […]
Mental Toughness: A Skill That Can Be Developed with Dr. Colleen Hacker – Team USA / Pacific Lutheran Univ.
Watch as Dr. Colleen Hacker explains that mental toughness is a skill, and it can be developed. It is about how an individual responds to adversity, difficult situations, setbacks, and failure. Mental toughness is not […]
Throwing: Long Toss with Megan Rembielak – MegRem Softball
Watch as Coach Megan Rembielak explains the long toss throw progression. This warmup consists of 10 reps of slow throwing formation that first starts with getting the separation between the lower and upper half of […]
Hitting Warmups Using PVC Pipe with Nicole Degenhardt – Montclair State Univ.
Watch as Coach Nicole Degenhardt shows how to warm up your hitters. These warmups assist athletes in improving their sequencing through step-by-step breakdowns using a PVC pipe. Spatial awareness, timing, and body control also play […]
The Drama Stops Here with Jen Hardy – The Academy of MotivAction
Watch as Jen Hardy discusses the weight that today’s coaches carry. The mindset of a coach feeling pressure can shift quickly if they don’t practice awareness, presence, and recognize the opportunity to become who they […]
Parents: Know Your Role
By: David Emeott Author of: Beyond the Finish Line: The Art of Transformational Coaching – Click Here The parents’ role is simple: encouraging their athlete and the team, being positive, and remaining present. The […]
Pitching: Whip Drills with Dr. Megan Brown – Longwood Univ.
Watch as Coach Megan Brown explains and shows practice videos of Whip Drills for pitching. She uses the same motion as rock skipping to teach pitchers about arm mechanics and body positioning. It highlights the […]
6-Part Bunting Progression with Vicki Corn – Greenville Senior High School (SC)
Watch as Coach Vicki Corn explains, and players demonstrate this 6-part bunting progression that uses tennis balls simulating catching a raw egg on the end of the bat. The progression starts with a toss and […]
Recognizing Effort and Strategy
By: Dr. Colleen Hacker The popularity of growth mindset literature over the past few decades has had a positive effect on people’s lives. However, a significant and potentially deleterious misconception has also emerged, one that […]
Baserunning: Zone Read Drill with Jen Fisher – Colorado State Univ.
Watch as Coach Jen Fisher breaks down a baserunning zone read drill. This drill focuses on a runner on 3rd base reading ground balls, line drives, and fly balls. The runner must tag up on […]
9-Dot Challenge with James Leath – Mental Performance Coach
Watch as Mental Performance Coach James Leath presents a group of athletes with the 9-Dot Challenge. The challenge has 4 rules and the athletes have 5 minutes to work by themselves, then with a partner, […]
Drill Progression to Introduce Blocking to Your Catchers with Kelly Inouye-Perez – UCLA
Watch as Coach Kelly Inouye-Perez explains the drill progression for introducing blocking to catchers. The drill starts with catchers fully geared up and on their knees, working on body blows. The coach throws the ball […]
Hitting Drills with Megan Rembielak – MegRem Softball
Watch as Coach Megan Rembielak discusses the hitting drills she uses. High Tee, Pause in Load, Top Hand Progression, and Stop at Extension are just a few of the 10+ drills she gives examples of. […]
Alternate-K Pitching Drill with Marissa Young – Duke Univ.
Watch as Coach Marissa Young explains and shows practice clips of the Alternate-K Drill. The focus of the drill is to help isolate timing and arm path positioning. The pitcher starts with their arm across […]
Providing Positive Feedback
By: Rainer Martens, Robin S. Vealey Originally Published in: Successful Coaching Provided by: Human Kinetics Take this short true-or-false test to raise your awareness about giving feedback: Questions Save feedback until the end of […]
Pitching Flow Chart with Josh Trevino – Texas St. Univ.
Watch as Coach Josh Trevino explains his Pitching Flow Chart and its implementation. Once the pitcher’s objective is identified, you can go through the chart. The chart includes “How do I accomplish this?” and “How […]
Quick Hands Tee Drill with Larry Wooten – Wade Hampton High School (SC)
Watch as Coach Larry Wooten explains, and a hitter demonstrates the Quick Hands Tee Drill. The hitter will be in a normal stance but will raise the back heel to take away the lower body. […]
Integrity
Originally Published in: The Leadership Playbook Integrity is the building block and most basic tenet to all other traits. If you are not an ethical person with a solid foundation of doing the right thing […]
3-Pitch Plate Drill with Marissa Young – Duke Univ.
Watch as Coach Marissa Young explains, and a pitcher demonstrates this 3-pitch plate drill. The pitcher will start on the inner part of the plate and pick 3 different pitches that they throw back-to-back on […]
How to Build Integrity with Stephen Mackey – 2Words Character Development
Watch as Stephen Mackey explains how to build integrity in athletes through sports. He discusses three exercises that can build integrity muscle: tell the truth, make commitments count, and take 100% responsibility for your actions. […]
Band Hitting Drill with Garland Shirley – Clarke Univ.
Watch as Coach Garland Shirley explains, and hitters demonstrate this band drill. This drill works on balance and coordination and helps the hitter to feel the front hip flexor working the muscles that reinforce her […]
Offensive Strategies with Chris Sommerfeld – Troy High School (TX)
Watch as Coach Chris Sommerfeld explains his offensive strategies. He starts off by explaining his goals, such as collecting bases, creating pressure situations, and the “Rule of 30.” Then he discusses the short game to […]
Catcher’s F-R-T Drill with Leah Campbell – (Retired) Rockwall High School (TX)
Watch as Coach Leah Campbell explains, and catchers demonstrate the F-R-T Drill (framing, receiving, and throwing). They change out the catchers after every 3 pitches and work on throwing to 1st base with the runner […]
Communication
Originally Published in: The Coach’s Bulletin Board It’s not what we say, but what they hear. “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” (George Bernard Shaw) NEGATIVE words […]
Hitting Drills with Iyhia McMichael – Emerson High School (TX)
Watch as Coach Iyhia McMichael explains three drills to focus on leg drive. Coach emphasizes the importance of using and training leg drive, which ensures athletes don’t solely rely on upper body strength to swing. […]
I’m Stressed and I Have the Capability of Calming Down with Dr. Colleen Hacker – Team USA / Pacific Lutheran Univ.
Watch as Dr. Colleen Hacker explains that when you are angry, frustrated, stressed, or have lost focus, your next word or thought should be “and”. Whatever the negative situation is that you need to announce, […]
Establishing Mutual Trust
By: Wade Gilbert Originally Published in: Coaching Better Every Season Provided by: Human Kinetics Athletes will never reach their peak performance unless a deliberate and sustained effort to teach and build trusting relationships occurs […]