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The Art to Giving Baseball Lessons
I am in my 25th year of giving baseball lessons and the cool thing is that I am still learning as I go. I am not only learning new tricks of the coaching hitting trade, but also learning how to more effectively work with players. There is an art to working with each player according to their personality, as some players, coaches can work harder physically, get more technical with, and challenge physically and mentally, than they can with other players. Coaching youth is not a one teaching method works for all and doing the wrong thing with a player can turn them off to baseball, or at least, to baseball lessons.
As implied, all kids are different and providing the right touch with each individual is crucial to them earning the coach’s trust. It is important that baseball coaches observe how much the player wants to be there, as often, parents are the only reason the child takes lessons. This determination tells the coach how hard they can work the player. Over doing the workload and insisting players work harder, usually backfires with these type kids. Coaches, who are good readers of players’ personalities, have the best chance at succeeding as baseball coaches, especially with teaching baseball lessons.
Baseball lessons, an art to it
Top Tips for Giving Baseball Lessons
Get a grip on players’ personality, so coaches know how hard to work players. Over working or under working a player may turn them off, so getting a grip on a personality is very important. Most kids are a little nervous, at first, so that is to be expected.
Try to get a hold on attending parent’s personality also – parents have personalities ranging from the over involved to the “I don’t care, just make them better” personality. That determination influences how to take the course of the instruction, too.
Expecting players to understand and be able to perform everything correctly immediately is an unrealistic expectation of many, especially player parents, so coaches must caution them of thinking players will improve immediately.
However, no matter how bad a player is, there is usually only a couple of things that players need to do to improve quickly, so finding that one or two drills pays immediate dividends.
The “keep it simple method” is always best – over loading players with too much to think about or do is not good.
Challenging students is best, but only after they are ready for that – over challenging some players immediately is demoralizing for many young players. Knowing how to challenge players up to a certain point and then backing off a little is a key to great baseball lessons.
Showing enthusiasm, encouragement, and belief that players can get it, is the attitude coaches should have, no matter how discourage players get.
Most kids have short attention spans and get bored quickly, so adding variety to the baseball lessons is important especially for those not that enthused to be there.
Use demonstration, pictures, and video, when possible, as that saves a lot of time and words.
Give homework, but with the instructions, that doing something the right way a few times is better than a ton of practice the wrong way.
Baseball lessons should be a joint learning session between players, coaches, and interested parents. Sure, the session should be enjoyable, but the fun part follows, when coaches give kids the impression that they truly care that players improve. Caring that players improve is the best thing baseball coaches can do for players, even beyond making it fun for them.
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