Baseball Coaching Digest - The Magic of the 10 Minute Baseball Drill

One of the main reasons some kids refuse to play baseball is that baseball practice is too boring. One thing that makes it so boring is that many coaches run certain drills too long and do not break their practices into short times periods.

This article discusses the "magic of the 10 Minute Baseball Drill" and why many coaches use short time periods and drill variety to minimize boredom during baseball practice.

Why the 10 Minute Baseball Drill is Needed?

Baseball coaches and players are notorious for having short attention spans.

I have learned that I must keep our baseball drills short for two reasons. The first reason is that some of my players have short attention spans and after 10 or 15 minutes they lose interest and become bored. The second reason is that I have a short attention span and I too get bored with a drill that runs on and on without a break or change in activity.

What makes a 10 Minute Drill in Baseball a perfect drill?

I feel that three things make the 10 Minutes the perfect amount of time for a baseball drill:

1. The drill can be performed with total concentration. The kids have no trouble staying on task or focused for 10 minutes. The retention of mental skills also increases when the drill is interesting and action driven.

2. The short drill emphasizes quality not quantity. Our kids know and value the worth of a rep well done. They know when a drill has run too long. They know when a drill's value begins to diminish. They know that I would rather that they practice a skill for 10 minutes with a high level of performance quality and a true sense of urgency for rep success.

3. Total focus - Kids are more motivated to hustle, concentrate and perform a task when they know that the task will be limited to 10 minutes if the effort is adequate and the performance level is acceptable.

4. High Level of Excitement - Players of all ages can get excited about any drill or task if it is presented correctly. Coaches should show a high level of interest and excitement. A strong emphasis on why a drill is done will add to players understanding and raise their interest level.

The 4 Keys to running an effective 10 Minute Baseball drill:

1. Organization is vital to the success of the drill. It is a must to have a written practice schedule with time slots designated and allocated for each drill to be done that day. Each coach on the staff should have a copy of that schedule.

2. Player instruction in the details of the drill is important. The first time that you do it, you may have to spend a considerable amount of time explaining, demonstrating, and setting the drill up. After the first time, the players should get more and more efficient and comfortable with the drill and be able to get a lot of reps in the allotted 10 minutes.

3. Equipment must be ready to go. There can be no time used to set-up equipment or move machines, nets, and such. It is recommended that all needed equipment be prepared and arranged before practice or by other staff while the previous drill is being done elsewhere.

4. Get in a Routine - It is a good thing to establish a regular practice routine that you follow each day. You should always start with s stretch and warm-up period that is routine. Then everyday you should follow the same basic scrip as to the subject and direction of your practice. For example, you may wish to start with 2 offensive drills, and then do 2 defensive drills and alternate then until you have covered everything you have in the practice plan for that day.

At our daily practice, after warm-ups and stretches, the first thing that is done is a catchers/infielders drill that allows catchers to throw to the bases and infielders to practice catching and tags. Then we normally go into PFPs or Practice Fielding Practice. My point here is that we follow a routine that the kids know. They start each drill on their own and flow from drill to drill without wasting time.

We normally end our practice every day with one of about 4 bunting drills we use. That drill is intense and it is 10 minutes like all of our other drills.

In closing, let me make one point absolutely clear. I will deviate from the 10 minute drill schedule if the drill is sloppy or poorly done. If I have to, I will restart the clock, and make the team start the drill over. If I have to run a drill twice to get the level of performance that I expect, I will. The number focus in every drill is quality. That quality includes performing every rep at an acceptable level or standard. My kids know that I do and will start a drill, or even a practice over, if things are done poorly, sloppy, and without the right focus or energy level.

I hope that you found this article to be informative and helpful. You may find many other articles like it at Baseball Coaching Digest and the Baseball Coaching Digest Blog. Thanks for reading my articles. Have a great day, Nick.

The Baseball2u.com Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. Check out the BatAction Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

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Baseball Coaching Digest - Why Baseball Players Are the Most Accountable Athletes in Sports

Baseball players are held to a higher level of accountability than any other athletes in the world. If you compare baseball, football and basketball to see which sport holds the player athlete more responsible for mistakes and errors, you will find that baseball holds players to a higher level of accountability. This article explains my perspective on why baseball players are the most accountable athletes in sports.

I am absolutely sure that baseball players are held at a higher level of accountability than other sports athletes. Why do I feel this way? Have you ever been to a football game and seen a player miss a tackle or block that cost his team dearly? Did the official score "flash" error on the football scoreboard? The answer is no. Have you ever watched a basketball player miss a wild open layup that hurt his team? Did the score keeper or score operator flash "error" on the scoreboard? The answer is no.

On the other hand, as baseball player can bobble a hard hit ground ball and the whole world will soon be notified and an official documentation of the mistake will be made in the scorebook. The scorekeeper will write a big "E" in the scorebook that makes the error officially known. Then the scoreboard operator will also turn on the "error" light on the scoreboard to let every player and spectator in the park know that an error was made.

That is the reason I feel that baseball players are the most accountable athletes in sports.

Maybe other sports consider adding an "Error" light on their scoreboard or writing a big "E" in their scorebook when a player makes a mistake. Then maybe the next time a player fails to execute on a football field or basketball court, they will know what it's like to be held publicly accountable and responsible like a baseball player.

I hope that you enjoyed this article. Thanks for taking the time to read it. Visit the Baseball coaching Digest, Youth Baseball Digest, Little League Digest and Baseball Parent Guide for more baseball articles. Good luck to you and your team, Nick.

The CoachesBest Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. Check out the BatAction Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

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Youth Baseball Digest - Arrogant Coach, You're So Vain, You Probably Think This Article is About You

One of my biggest "pet peeves" in baseball and life is when I have to associate with coaches that think too highly of themselves. They have overbearing and arrogant attitudes. They are "know-it-alls" that put themselves on a pedestal above the game, above their peer, and above their players. I would have to say that 99.9% of all baseball coaches that I have ever met are sociable, likable, and humble people that know their true worth and importance to the game of baseball. That other 1/10 of 1 percent of all baseball coaches too arrogant for my liking.

Arrogance is defined by Webster as an offensive display of superiority or self-importance; overbearing pride. You have seen coaches like I am describing. They are completely "full of themselves". They feel that they are the object around which the world of baseball revolves.

These baseball coaches are easy to spot. They are overly loud. They are overbearing. They are too flashy for their own good. They want to be seen and to put on a "show".

Many of these coaches feel that baseball is privileged to have them. They consider themselves as "God's Gift to Baseball". They highly overestimate their self worth and importance to baseball. Many of these coaches are young and too inexperienced to know better. As they mature they begin to realize that baseball coaching success can be achieved without making enemies and alienating people by being too arrogant.

I am a firm believer that two qualities that every person in life must learn are humility and modesty. Players must understand that baseball is bigger than one team, one player, one league, one season, or one career. Baseball is "God's Gift" to us as players and coaches. It is a privilege to coach and play it. Every player and coach has a duty and responsibility to protect the values and virtues of the game.

There is no need or place for arrogance in baseball. You can have pride and confidence as a player and coach without being a "jerk".

I hope this article was informative to you. Good luck to you and your team in the coming season. Have a great day, Nick.

The CoachesBest Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. Check out the Mauer Quick Swing batting practice machine.

Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

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Baseball Coaching Digest: 5 Solid Tips for Taking Your Team From Worst to First in Batting Stats

There are five things that I recommend baseball coaches do to improve a team's offensive numbers. These are changes that coaches must put into place if they are looking to take their team to a higher level in hitting statistics. This article explains those five things that I suggest that you make a part of your regular team routine.

Your team can become a better hitting team. I am 100% confident that you can be the reason that your team has a better hitting season this year than last season. The number one thing you must remember is the saying, "Stupidity is never more evident than when a coach has his team do the same thing over, and over and over, but expects different results". If you want your team to be better than they have ever been, you have got to plan, coach, instruct, teacher, work, and organize your practices better than you ever have.

Here are three things I recommend for helping a team become a better hitting team:

1. Change Your Attitude - Teams always emulate the attitude of the coach. If you expect the team to hit better and do all of the work and preparations to do so, then the players will expect better results. Make it known that "thing are changing around here". Make it known that you have a new system, a new approach, and a new commitment to getting the job done at the plate. Let the team know that "everything counts". Every practice swing must be performed, reviewed, assessed, and critiqued. Make it known that every fundamental will be given the attention necessary to make the team better. Sub-par practice will not be accepted. We will practice like we play and play like we practice, with a stated purpose and with total focus.

2. Sense of Urgency - Make sure that your team and staff know that improvement is a must. They must realize that last year's or season's numbers were bad for a reason. Those numbers are unacceptable and unexpected this year. And explain to them that the reason for those bad numbers last season was a lack of work, a lack of commitment, and a lack of performance. The players and staff must realize the importance of making improvements. When a coach becomes better at teaching a skill, the team just got better. When a player becomes more knowledgeable on a baseball task, the team just got better. All players and staff must know that they must be committed to doing more than normal to help the team improve. Players and staff should be willing to stay after practice, come in before practice, or find extra time, outside of team practices, to work and improve on fundamentals. A player must know that the team "chain" is no stronger than the "weakest link". If a player is weak at a particular skill, until that player improves, the team will not be as good as possible.

3. Repetition of Quality Swings - Practice repetition for the sake of practice repetition is useless. Swing the bat is useless if the swing is a bad practice swing of less than game speed or game quality. You team needs to have a commitment to numbers and quality if your team's hitting numbers are going to drastically improve. My "rule of thumb" is that I want every player in my program to take at least 300 practice swing a day. Those swings must be purpose driven with no tolerance for "playing around", "goofing off" or "less than perfect execution". I don't care how the swings are performed. They can be off a batting tee, a training machine, live-arm in the batting cage, or simply a soft-toss drill. The key is to take enough swings every day to allow the player's swing to become instinctive, smooth, and as powerful as possible. The more quality swing a player takes, the more confidence that player will have.

4. Improving Knowledge - To improve quality of play, improved knowledge must take place first. Player must know what a good swing looks like. They must know what makes a stance a good stance. They must know and be able to identify good and bad hitting mechanics and fundamentals. They must hear the correct words and terminology when it comes to instruction, teaching, and practice. A coach must do his homework when it comes to learning the fundamentals of playing and coaching the game. Read books, articles, and everything else that you can get your hands on. Visit the Baseball Coaching Digest, the Youth Baseball Digest or the Baseball Today Coaching Journal to access free drills, tips, and coaching articles. Watch videos on YouTube of batting drills and coaching tips.

5. Truth and Consequences - Never lie to your team. Tell them honestly when a drill is good and tell them when a drill is bad. Have a consequence for poor drill performance. I try to keep my drills and instruction periods short at no than 10 to 15 minutes. But, if a drill is done sloppy or poorly, I have told my team that I reserve the right to always to have the team do a drill over or do a "start over". I want my players to know that we have a commitment to quality not quantity.

I hope that you found this article to be informative and useful. You may read more articles like it at the Baseball Coaching Digest, Youth Baseball Digest, and the Baseball Parent Guide. Thanks for reading this article. I wish you and your team the best of luck in the coming season. Have a great day, Nick.

The Baseball2u.com Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. Check out the BatAction Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. Available now for just $119.95 + S&H.

Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Dixon coaches at Boaz High in Boaz Alabama. Dixon is a member of the American Baseball Coaches Association and Alabama Baseball Coaches Association.

Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is considered an expert in baseball training and skills development. Dixon also serves as an active consultant to baseball equipment companies and other sports product inventors.

Dixon is also a contributing writer for the Baseball Coaching Digest, the baseball Coaching Digest Blog, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Youth Baseball Digest Blog, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

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Youth Baseball Digest: The 3 Absolutes of Coaching Youth Baseball

Baseball is one of the most demanding sports to coach. The purpose and function of youth baseball is to provide a quality sports team experience that builds baseball skills, teaches team-first attitudes, builds a respect for authority and regulations, and develops an appreciation for the value and consequences of hard work.

To be a successful baseball coach, you must have an understanding how the game is taught, played and practiced. There are three absolutes that every youth baseball coach should remember when they plan, organize, and prepare their "game plan" for the coming season! This article outlines those three absolutes.

The three absolutes of baseball are:

Youth baseball is a game for youngsters, not adults.
Baseball must be taught and practiced for success to be achieved.
Discipline must be a part of every team's preparation and execution.

Now I will briefly explain what I mean by each of these absolutes.

Youth baseball is a game for youngsters, not adults.

When I say "Youth Baseball is for Youths" what I mean is that we have youth baseball for the youngsters that are playing it, not for the coaches that are coaching.You will find that kids can accept responsibility, become accountable, work hard, and learn from their team successes and failures, but at the same time they have to see purpose, see progress, and enjoy their participation. They must have fun.

For kids to love and appreciate the game they must be motivated, challenged, and enjoy the majority of their team time whether it be a practice, a workout, or a game. There is no law that says coaches should not laugh, smile, joke and have "Light" moments with the team. I consider myself a pretty good baseball coach. My team discipline is strict. But, my players know exactly when they can goof off, joke around, crack on each other, or generally be "loose" as a team. They also know exactly when they have to be focused, attentive, and acting "by the book". The point I am trying to make here is that coaches have to understand that players need to learn to relax and as much as they need to learn to work and focus. It is a coach's job to teach them to enjoy themselves without guilt so long as their enjoyment comes from wholesome and proper behavior that is acceptable.

Baseball must be taught and practiced for success to be achieved.

Baseball is a sport that required a high level of commitment and dedication. It is important that players develop good work habits as early in their careers as possible.It is impossible to fake work or fake good practice when it comes to baseball. Those coaches, teams and programs that work extremely smart, work exceptionally hard, and that always work with a higher level of purpose and commitment are the baseball programs at the top of the "food chain". So, if you plan to coach, get prepared to practice. In fact, if you need to make sure that you have

Discipline must be a part of every team's preparation and execution.

I am a firm believer that teaching team and self-discipline are two of the most important roles of every coach in all sports. To be successful a player must learn to discipline himself to stay out of trouble. To be build a championship atmosphere and environment, a coach must establish control of his players and staff. With discipline also comes respect. Without discipline, there can never be respect. Without respect your team will never achieve to its highest attention.

Players not only expect and appreciate a coach's discipline, but they also have a strong desire for it. Kids want to be controlled, instructed, and taught. It makes them feel like they are respected, appreciated, and a part of something worth spending their effort and time in. When a coach displays no backbone, no will to control, and no will to handle adversity with a firm and strong demeanor, the players will not put their full and complete trust in him. Coaches should set team rules. The coach should display a willingness to plan, prepare, organize and execute both practice and game plans. This shows a high level of self-discipline on the coach's part. Teams emulate a coach's attitude, actions, and habits.

Instilling and maintaining a firm discipline builds a strong foundation upon which to build a championship season. I hope that you found this article to be informative. Please visit the Baseball Coaching Digest, Youth Baseball Digest, Baseball Digest Blog, and the Baseball Parent Guide for free baseball coaching articles, drills, and tips. Good Luck to you and your team in the coming season. Have a great day, Nick.

The CoachesBest Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. Check out the BatAction Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

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Baseball Coaching Digest - Can a Baseball Player Ruin His Baseball Swing by Playing Golf?

One question that I am frequently asked is whether a baseball swing can be ruined by playing golf. I have rather strong feeling concerning this topic. It is my opinion that playing golf can ruin a baseball swing in certain circumstances.

There are four circumstances that determine how harmful or detrimental playing golf is for a baseball swing. Those four different circumstances are:

1. How hard did the baseball player have to work to master his baseball swing? Was it difficult for the player to perfect his baseball swing?

The chances that the golf swing will harm the baseball swing are greater if the player is less skilled, a mechanical learner, or had a difficult time learning to swing the baseball bat properly. And if a young kid has not yet mastered the baseball swing, the last thing he needs to do is to go play a couple rounds of golf. If the player is a baseball player that has to work hard at keeping his swing tuned, I would recommend that the golf be played after he season is over.

2. What time of year is the golf being played?

Timing is everything! That certainly can be said for playing golf in the middle of baseball season. I would strongly try to discourage baseball players from taking to the links right before a big game, the league championships or just as the playoffs are beginning.

I do not see anything wrong with playing golf out of season. But I would not experiment with my golf game during baseball season. I have two reasons for this; 1) Muscle soreness may result from swinging the golf club. 2) The player may pick up a bad habit that may hurt his baseball swing at a crucial time of the season.

3. How much golf is being played?

The main reason I ask this question is that I want to know what is being neglected to get the time to play golf. If golf is becoming a daily activity, then what time sacrifices are being made? Has the player cut back on baseball practice time to play golf? Is the player taking his golf more serious than his baseball? I want my players eating, breathing and sleeping baseball. I do not mind if they play an occasional round of golf. But, if it is being taken to the extreme, I need to know. I want that player to stay focused on what he needs to do to help his baseball team. If he is considering playing golf over baseball, then that is an off season decision that he and his family must make. In the meantime, I need his full commitment and his "sense of urgency" should be in the sport of baseball.

4. How athletic is the player?

Some kids are such a gifted athlete that playing golf every day of the season does not affect their baseball swing. They know that both the golf and baseball swings are basically the same swing but the ball is just at a different level. They feel that playing golf helps them to learn to better focus their eyes on the baseball. These players are so talented and skilled they feel that that each swing type helps the other by relating back certain points to focus on.

Therefore, I feel that the more talented, more athletic, and more mentally confident a player in, the less the chances are that his swing will be harmed by playing golf.

Coaching Point: In all of these factors, there is a mental side to the controversy. You and I know that every player has heard or been told, more than once, "If you play golf, your baseball swing will suffer." If he does go to the course and plays a round of golf and his first couple at-bats are bad ones, there may be a beginning of a "mental slump" or the player may question, in his mind" "Is my swing as good as it was?"

So in conclusion, you may ask, "Should I allow my Child to Play Golf"? My answer is simple, consider, the factors I have discussed and make the best decision for your child. However, if you child shows the potential to be a future prospect in baseball, keep him off the golf course, and in the batting cage instead.

I hope that you found this article to be informative and interesting. I really appreciate you taking the tile to read it. I wish you and your team the best of luck in the coming season. Have a great day, Nick.

The CoachesBest Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. Check out the BatAction Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

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Youth Baseball Digest - Attention Baseball Coaches - Do Your Homework

This article outlines several ways baseball coaches can improve their coaching abilities during the off-season.?It points out several recommended off-season activities and resources that all youth baseball coaches should consider. Many of these activities are free and are available online.

I have a simple philosophy when it comes to coaching baseball and baseball coaches. Show me a coach that thinks he knows it all and I will should you a coach with a weakness. I have been coaching for over 25 years. I truly believe that good coaches never stop searching for better ways and methods. They never stop studying the methods and procedures of successful programs, teams and coaches. They never lose their eagerness to listen to anyone that will talk baseball.

Great coaches are "students of the game". They do their homework. I have said many times that I learn something about the game every day and that is what I set out to do every day. I will always seek new and better methods for teaching and instruction right up to the day I retire. I owe that to my players and my supporters.

Here are four recommended sources for improving your coaching skills and knowledge:

1. Baseball Clinics - Most states have state baseball?coaches associations. These associations have annual clinics. These clinics features successful college and high school coaches that speak on every aspect of coaching baseball from coaching hitters, coaching pitchers, baseball strategy, to organizing baseball practice. A few states clinics that I have attended are Alabama, Texas, and Ohio and they are all good.

There are two national associations named the American Baseball Coaches Association and the Baseball Coaches Association. These groups have huge clinics that are a super experience to attend. They have a membership fee special for youth baseball coaches. These organizations move their annual 3-day clinics around to different parts of the country each year.

Another notable national clinic are the "Be the Best You Are" Clinic in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. It is a great clinic that always has a great lineup of speakers.

2. Watch Practice - You most likely have one of the absolute best sources for learning the game and how to prepare to play it, right in your own home town. Ask you local high school coach if you can watch and observe practices. Most coaches will have no objection. I have open practices at Boaz High in Boaz Alabama. If you come and watch one of our practices, most likely you will learn or observe something that will help you or see something that reinforces something that you already teach to your players.

3. Read, View & Take Notes - There is a tremendous amount of free information available to baseball coaches online. You should fine a couple of these sites and bookmark them. Visit them regularly and print what you can for reference. Visit and bookmark such sites as the Baseball 2Day Coaching Journal, Baseball Coaching Digest or Blog, and the Youth Baseball Digest.

4. Beg, Borrow or Steal Coaching Ideas, Drills, Plays and Strategy - Two things are universally accepted in the baseball coaching brotherhood. Coaches share information and knowledge. And if a coach does not show a willingness to share, then it ok to steal or copy his methods and techniques. If your see another team or coach doing something that is leads to success, you would be foolish and unwise if you did not at least take note of it and write it down for future reference. If you see a drill, strategy or technique that appeals to you always take notes for future reference. Never be too proud to copy or use the good methods and procedures of other coaches that you observe or see.

Watch college and major league baseball games on television. Watch free videos on Youtube. Watch video clips of instruction, drills, coaching clinics, and games footage. The best way to learn how something is done is to watch it done correctly over and over.

If you do your homework, you will improve your abilities as a coach. Work hard to improve your knowledge, your presentation skills, and your situational awareness.

I hope that you found this article to be informative. Thanks for reading my article. Have a great day, Nick.

The CoachesBest Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. Check out the BatAction Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for Baseball Coaching Digest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Baseball Coaching Digest - 10 Important Facts About Composite Baseball Bats That You Should Know

Every little league baseball, high school baseball, and college baseball team in america now uses the composite baseball bat. These bats have a reputation for extreme durability in warm conditions, incredible pop, a larger sweet spot, extended break-in time, limited warranty coverage, poor cold weather durability, and noticeable handle flex. These bats are also known for having a lot of forgiveness for a poor quality swing. Many people feel that a good composite bat can make the average hitter more productive and powerful at the plate.

What are the benefits of using these bats? What are the disadvantages? This article outlines 10 facts about these bats that every baseball coach, baseball player and baseball parent should know.

10 Composite Baseball Bats Facts that you should know:

1. These bats have a much longer break-in period than aluminum bats.

2.The best way to break one in is to hit real baseballs is in batting practice by taking 100 to 200 hits.

3.When breaking the bat in, the balls should be thrown 40 to 50 mph. The barrel should be rotated 1/8 of a turn each time a good contact so as to break the barrel in evenly.

4. These bats are not as durable as metal bats. Never use your composite bat when hitting off a pitching machine or with while hitting pitching machine balls. Hitting pitching machine balls or rubber balls can do serious damage to composite bats.

5. A Composite bat should not be used in cold weather. When used in temperatures less than 65 degrees they can easily crack. The warmer the weather, the bigger the sweet spot is.

6. Composite bats are more expensive than metal or hybrid bats with most composite bats costing from $330 to $400.

7. If broken in correctly and used under proper conditions, a composite bat will outlast and perform the metal and hybrid bat.

8. Never leave a composite bat in cold weather for an extended period of time. Always take your bat inside your home at night. It is a risk to leave it in your car or truck over night.

9. Composite bats have flex in the handle so a good impact blow on the handle can cause them to break. Most breaks occur in the handle area.

10. Only hit leather cover solid baseballs. Make sure to not hit water logged baseballs with your composite bat. Heavy baseballs could damage the bat especially in colder conditions.

Buyers Tip: Different bat manufacturers have their own terms and conditions as to the warranties on their bats. Read the bat warranty policy for your bat before using it. Most bat warranties cover manufacturing defects from normal field use only. Use in commercial batting cages is not covered. If you alter your bat or mistreat it is any way, your warranty will be voided. Make sure to keep your purchase receipt. The bat company will ask for proof or purchase date and place when you ask to return a defective bat.

I hope that you found this article informative. I appreciate you taking the time to read it. Look for more articles like it at the Baseball Coaching Digest, Youth Baseball Digest, Baseball Parent Guide, and the Little League Digest. Good luck to you and your team! Have a great day, Nick.

The CoachesBest Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. Check out the Baseball Coaching Digest for hundreds of free baseball coaching articles and the daily featured article.

Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for Baseball Coaching Digest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

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