Best of 2012

These are a few of my own favorite posts from the year...

Creating Good Muscle Memory (1/3)

Which Youth Players Will Be High School Stars? (1/12)

Prepare for Youth Tryouts (2/23)

Top 10 Youth Swing Flaws (4/6)

Top 10 Youth Pitching Flaws (4/25)

What I Have Learned This Year (7/28)

Baseball Doesn't Have To Be So Expensive (8/4)

What To Teach Your 4-Year-Old Future Star (9/20)

A Case For Finishing Out Your Little League Days (11/20)

Teach Your Player To Coach Himself (12/16)

And in case you missed it... the Best of 2011.

Teach Your Player to Coach Himself

I had a great hitting session today with a young player who has improved his swing each week that we've worked together. This was only his third lesson with me, but he has quickly learned the swing well enough to just about coach himself. He knows what a correct swing should look and feel like, and he knows his own tendencies so well that he can usually tell me what he did wrong any time he doesn't drive the ball. If he pulls a ground ball, he may say "rolled." Or if he pops it up, he might say "chopped." We both know what he means, and he's usually right. Knowing what happened allows him to make an adjustment on his next swing.

The best thing I can do for a player is give him the knowledge necessary to coach himself. As an instructor, I can't be with him for every practice, game or tryout. But if he can

Selected Reading Material 12-5-12

Prepare the Child for the Path, Not the Path for the Child by Michael Boyle, StrengthCoach.com  -  GREAT article about letting youth sports teach important life lessons on how to succeed and fail. "Those parents who consistently prepare the path for the child by confronting teachers and coaches, changing teams, changing leagues and changing schools are making life-long losers out of their children." The truth hurts.

At Age Thirteen, Say Goodbye to Hover Mothers and Helicopter Dads by Tom Swyers  -  While we're on the subject.... Some good advice on allowing your kids to gain some valuable experience handling their own problems.

The Trophy Mom's Gift Guide for the Sports Mom  -  For the most important person on your list. Don't think I'll get the hockey pants though.