Lakeside Little League: Coaches Guidelines
Coaches GuidelinesLakeside Baseball Mission Statement
Lakeside Baseball is committed to excellence: motivating and challenging participants through a partnership of players, coaches, parents and community. Success for our young people will be defined as the self satisfaction in knowing they have done the best that they are capable of doing. Our program will always be about the players not the hits, runs, or errors. We want to build them up at all times. We will create and nurture an atmosphere where our players understand hard work, a positive attitude and fun are the keys to success; there are no short cuts and no gimmicks.
Guiding Principles
1. Baseball is a game of failure. A good coach can do 2 things. He can encourage and nurture his players or he can discourage and diminish any confidence a player may have. Our coaches will encourage and help them develop a healthy approach to baseball and life.
2. Baseball is about fundamentals, play catch, hit, throw, fielding, and running bases. These basics techniques will be part of every practice. We will be a fundamentally sound Little League.
3. Lakeside will be a positive influence in our community. We must all work together to make our neighborhoods a better place, parents, coaches, board members, and players all working toward a common goal. We must give a little back.
4. Coaches, parents, and players will always role model integrity, respect for each other and the game of baseball, and class both on and off the field.
Coaches Expectations
1. Be prepared for practice
a. Practice plan, teach the fundamentals, teach the game
2. Communicate – what you teach is more important then what you know
3. Have patience – every young person learns a different way, find a way to connect. Positive attitude a must
4. Approach – Have fun coaching – keep a positive, negative, positive approach to coaching
5. Be demanding – set the bar and stick to it, not performance related but attitude and approach related goals are the key.
6. Create repetition – make it instinct
7. Role Model – sportsmanship, integrity, strength of character, successful attitude. Remember no kid is trying to throw balls or strike out. They are just kids playing a game….
8. It is what you teach that counts – no one remembers last years standings, every player will remember the basic fundamentals. Prepare them for the next level rather than winning at all costs….
Do’s and Don’ts
Do - Teach the game, cutoffs and relays, positioning, fielding, catching and throwing techniques.
Don’t bunt in an American Minors game. No one likes to have the bat taken out of their hands.
Don’t have a take sign in American minors. Not even 3-0. Give the green light 3-0 in lots of situations in majors and upper minors.
Do – Let your kids swing the bat, you will never learn to hit unless you swing.
Don’t steal in the Minors just because NO ONE can throw anyone out. Be selective; teach your players how to manufacture (by hitting the ball) runs
Do – Teach good base running, 1st to 3rd, secondary leads, freeze on a line drive, tag on a fly ball at 3rd, sliding, run through 1st.
Don’t Run up the score, just because you can take an extra base in a 15-2 blowout, DON’T. Remember these are kids playing, if you don’t like getting humiliated your kids won’t either.
Do – Respect the other team and the game by being good sports.
Don’t - Do weird little league plays like fake-bunt-take and dance down to second trying to score a run from third or hey batter batter…swing, etc.
Do - Learn the basics of the swing. It is NOT Elbow Up, Bat Back, Stride while swinging
Do - Give each kid a primary and secondary position. Most won’t learn the more than 2 positions.
Don’t – Bury a kid in right field all year, if you do there is a pretty good chance he won’t be back next season.
Do - In majors, Rotate starters. The three that start this game will finish the next one, etc. Let them know that you have to continuously earn the right to be one of the full game players. Give the benefit of the doubt to your 12 yr olds, this may be their last baseball experience.
Don’t – Talk playing time with your parents. If you do the only HONEST answer would have to be “Your son is not good enough to play more” Nobody wants to hear that. If you are fair and do not bury a kid everything should be fine. Remember, for the most part we manage the parents.
Do – create great memories for your players
Don’t – Win at all costs – a Little league championship does NOT come with a ring…..
Do – Know the rules and the rule book. Teaching your players the rules will help them understand the game.
Don’t – Abuse the umpires, you can’t argue balls and strikes. Be Gentleman, remember you are a role model
Do – Teach pitchers how to throw strikes and field their position
Don’t – Yell 'throw strikes' from the dugout. No one purposely wants to stand on the mound and walk the world…
-Mike C Knapp