SITKA LITTLE LEAGUE COACHES CLINIC Brandon Marx Updated

SITKA LITTLE LEAGUE COACHES CLINIC Brandon Marx Updated 9/30/19

Creating a Baseball “Program” • Fostering a Commitment to Learning – American Baseball Coaches Association – USA Baseball – Podcasts (Youth Baseball Edge; Outside the Box) – Off-season Player and Coach Development • Sitka Baseball Club (www. sitkabaseballclub. com) • Sponsoring more Pro Taught Coaches Clinics • Creating a Common Language – Organization / Communication / Teamsnap / Gamechanger / Groupme, etc. – Collaboration

6 Tool Player Development 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Hitting for Average Hitting for Power Throwing Arm (Velocity) mechanics Running Speed Defense / Fielding Mental Game Hitter, Pitcher, Catcher, Infield-Outfield

Zen & the Art of Coaching Youth Baseball

1. Be Present (Be Here Now) 1. Process vs. Results 1. “Just Do It” mentality, not “Don’t or “Didn’t”. 2. Yin Yang of Failure being part of success.

5. 6. Keep it Positive Teach the Player the tools to be their own coach 7. Ask more questions than give answers, so kids can “find their own way”. - how did that feel? - did that feel better than the last one? - Did you see the spin on that ball?

8. Players should write down their goals for the season 9. Players should also write down the sacrifice they are willing to make to achieve their goals. 10. One must Give in order to Get.

11. Less is often More 12. Patience with physical errors (getting better) 13. Reward Mental accomplishments as much or more than physical ones. 14. Time, Place & Manner for Correcting Mistakes (make list for after game; delegate to bench coach; and for next practice). 15. This game truly is a game of joy & suffering (surfing emotional highs and lows). Learning to cope with / or redirect that energy and process it quickly will lead to better outcomes and results.

Three Legged Chair of Hitting 1 • Mechanics 2 • Timing 3 • Mental Approach

Mechanics of Hitting – Plate Coverage • Posture / Stance / Positioning • Stride in line w/ pitcher • Contact point – Force / Solid Contact • • Starts w/ ground > legs > hips > shoulders “bio-kinetic chain” Load > stride > separation Bat speed – Swing Plane in all zones • Slightly upward 4 -16% angle; high pitches less so or level • But subjectively, many feel they need to swing down. so we teach to the individual. • Staying “inside the ball” back elbow slotted in ribs “staying connected” • Barrel extends “through contact” top hand up • “short to, long through the ball”

PRE-PITCH TAP PLATE GET LOOSE, GET RHYTHM, 50 -50 BALANCED / CENTERED SOFT FOCUS ON PITCHER’S UPPER BODY AT PITCH RELEASE HARD FOCUS ON RELEASE POINT TIME YOUR LOAD (WEIGHT SHIFT BACK) BALL IN FLIGHT STRIDE = SEPARATION BETWEEN HANDS AND FRONT KNEE (WEIGHT SHIFT FWD) FRONT HEAL DOWN =LAUNCH (“TURN THE BARRELL” “GET BARRELL BEHIND BALL EARLY”) AT CONTACT FINISH TOP HAND UP; BOTTOM HAND DOWN BACK LEG “POWERL” STIFF FRONT SIDE EYES ON CONTACT PUSH THROUGH CONTACT W/ TOP HAND UP HANDS HIGH (BAT / HANDS END UP NEAR NECK AND FRONT SCAPULA / NOT SHOULDER) BACK TO PLATE

DEMONSTRATION

TIMING • • Perceived Velocity Outside Pitch vs. Inside Pitch Distance from eyes (high / low pitch) When to start your 3 sec. load & stride ? – High Velo: right before release – Mid Velo: right at release – Low Velo / Junk Baller: right after release

TIMING DRILLS Three Plate Drill - Barry Larkin Drill - Pitcher leg kick w/ 3 sec stride to foot down (tee) - front toss inside & outside - front toss firm and soft (2 strike drill) (sit fast ball & adjust) - side toss / bounce drill / w/ screen to pull side -

Mental Side of Hitting • Have a Plan (approach) – Develop Confident Hitters (can’t hit if you don’t think you can) – Yes, yes aggressive approach – Know your count, and what it means (0, 0) vs. (0, 2) vs. (3, 0) vs. (2, 1) – Flushing mistakes / Controlling Emotions – Toughness / Focus / Wanting to hit in pressure situations (practice this with competition periods) – Visualizing success – Simplify your focus and decisions (sit on fastball, thigh or above) – Turning Failure into success is a choice ! (create reward system for handling failure well) – Have a Team First Focus (the only stat that matters is W or L, but W and L with grace. – If Ump makes a bad call, let your team know he’s calling low strikes / don’t question the strike zone. – Quality At Bat Focus / not about just getting hits. (BB, SAC, HHB, 6 pitch at bat, 6 pitch strike out!)

More Drills Tying it Together • Use Batting Tees at all levels, especially AAA and minors, majors – (work on mechanics / slow it down) • • Step Tee Drill (work mechanics) Bucket of Line Drives w/ launch angle Soft Toss – all zones (bat speed, torque) Front toss – underhand (2 strikes) (vision, seeing the ball, timing, no mechanics)

Launch Angle / Exit Velocity • When exit velocity is < 80 -85 mph you want line drive launch angles of around 10 -20 degrees. • When exit velocity is > 80 -85 mph you can start encouraging adjustments to swing plane to achieve launch angles of 25 -45 degrees. • It’s rare for youth players to achieve 80 -85 mph exit velocity. So the old adage remains true. Emphasize swing plane and mechanics that maximize gap to gap, line drives. Structure hitting routines into competitions around this emphasis. See, e. g. , Diamond Kinetics / Driveline ABCA lectures

Catchers • Position 1: Receiving no runners • Position 2: Receiving w/ runners • Position 3: Blocking

Blocking Drills • Full Gear, on knees in blocking position, coach bounces bucket of balls off of chest, player stares ball into chest, chin down, catches with chest. • Bear Hug drill, no glove, teaches how to catch ball with chest vs. glove. • Live Blocking (outside, inside) turn shoulders

Receiving Drills • Shoulder’s square, easy toss to catcher (bare hand), sway, and hold ball where caught (don’t move ball into zone), toss ball to side, and ready for next ball. • Use small training glove and receive bucket of strikes and balls (catch between thumb and pointer finger.

Receiving w/ Runners / Transfer • • • Slightly open stance, butt up Quick Glove to hand transfer (back shoulder) Bring right foot under body, into Power T Step with left foot to 2 nd Base Throw to the bag Practice retrieving blocked balls and throw to first & second.

Infield Skills & Drills • Posture / Posture ! • Pre pitch, chest forward, elbows out, athletic. • Posture (stay low, get proper glove position below the ball early) • Quick feet to the ball • Right, left, flat back upon receipt of ball • Receive Ball Out Front, butt up (not down) • Soft hands, bring to center of chest, transfer • Replace Feet, Throw

Infielder’s Arm Slot / Throwing • Work on Staying Low through transfer • Center of chest to “V Slot” (archer’s pull) • Shuffle step (replace your feet) – Right foot replaces left foot (shoulders in line with target) • Allow Players to use unusual arm slots – Encourage athletic plays – 4 corner drill, throwing uphill (from 3 o’clock)

Infield Drills (ground balls / catch play) • • Catch w/ a purpose (10 in a row) before finish Teach a shuffle Step Teach functional catch (slow roller, bh, fh, gb) 4 corner drills (flip drill w/ tag) 4 corner drill (toss drill w/ tag) pickle drill 4 corner drill (short hops w/ throw) 4 corner drill (in between hops w/ throw) 4 corner drill (shuffle step catch)

Fielding Drills (infield) • Short Hops on knees (forehand, bh, front) • Grounders (no feet) (bucket drill) • Grounders (w/ feet) emphasize flat back, out front, • glove presentation (fingers down, not out) below ball early, adjust up at last second (glove does not track bouncing ball). • Slow Rollers: run upright to ball, get ball on run, throw off right foot from 3 o’clock armslot.

3 Rules of Rundowns • Ball Out and Up • Sprint to get runner to commit (pick lane) • 1 Dart throw to the chest of your teammate – Receiver needs to “shorten up” – Receiver should say “ball” when runner is about 12 -15 feet away, depending on speed of runner. – Avoid fakes – Don’t sprint if runner has already committed

Cuts & Relays & Trailers • “Cut”= when the cut man decides to “cut” the ball off because it is either (a) off line, or to throw the ball to another bag. • “Relay” = when the cut man/woman catches a good throw between knees and head high and “relays” the ball to get the lead runner. • A “Trailer” or “double cut” trails your cut off, and positions him/herself about 20 feet behind the cut to get a mis-thrown ball from the outfield that is below the knees or above the head of the lead cut. • http: //probaseballinsider. com/baseball-instruction/positioning-for -double-cuts-and-relays/

Drills for Cuts & Relays • A Good Pregame is great especially when it covers all the cuts & relays including trailers. • Its good to make your outfielders run a bit to set up game like situations. • player covering 2 nd has to yell “through” if the throw is on line, one committed • Line Drills w/ trailers and communication

Developing Pitching Command • Strength & Conditioning (Grind Fitness) • Daily Flat Ground Routine (work all pitches, mixing looks, work pick plays-with location) • Work 60 % from Stretch • Develop repeatable mechanics by focusing on measurable objective goals (good spin, spin rate, repeatable location, velocity) • Maximize gamelike reps w/ live batters / counts / competition (bull pens w/ bright construction twine at bottom and top of zone) • Always adhere to pitch counts and sensible weekly pitch count routines • Emphasis on First Pitch Strikes and “pitching to contact”

Some Good Resources • Antonelli Baseball – Swing Plane <https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=8 ABEYb. Ghi. Bk#t=88. 589967108> • Gamers Baseball, Alaska – Swing Plane <https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=xau. Ki. Omzka 4&t=96 s> • Trosky Baseball – Infield Skills / Drills https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=3 eb 0 T 8 Nx 5 CE&list=PLl. LSv. Oz. Wb. O 9 Mj. W 8 SPEg. Qxp. VZ 07 GX 5 k. Ir_ • Daily Throwing Progression <https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=Rm. FSIUWn. AEI> • Biomechanics of Pitching <https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=yz. O_BVXkh. E 8>

LAUNCH ANGLE: DIAMOND KINETICS HTTPS: //WWW. YOUTUBE. COM/WATCH? VW =SWJKQVY 24 YOUTH CATCHER’S INSTRUCTION HTTPS: //WWW. YOUTUBE. COM/WATCH? V=5 BYK 4 SIBFBW&T=1174 S CUTS &RELAYS: ANTONELLI BASEBALL HTTPS: //WWW. YOUTUBE. COM/WATCH? VH = JRSO 0 JSFGE