Archive for General
Baseball Team Attendance Policy
Posted by: | Comments2010 “Insert Team Name” Attendance Policy
Parents,
I would ask each of you to follow this policy the best you can as it will make it much easier on the coaches and ensure your kids have a great experience. I’m understanding and realize things come up from time to time but your attention to this will be very helpful.
Practice:
- Please arrive 5 – 10 minutes early to all practices.
- Please let me know ASAP if you will not be attending practice.
- If you need to leave practice early please let me know.
Games:
- Please let me know if you are not going to be at one of the games.
- Please arrive 15 – 20 minutes before the start of each game so we can warm up and set the lineup.
Thank you in advance for following this policy.
Regards,
Coaches
“Insert Team Name”
Baseball Glove Conditioning
Posted by: | CommentsMy Glove Break-in Process
Here is a quick way to break in a baseball glove. I’ve used it many times and really believe it’s the best way to quickly break in a glove.
Go to your local sporting goods store and find oven bake glove foam. Keep looking around until you find it and if not available locally I would order it from an online retailer. The stuff really speeds up the process dramatically.
The process:
- Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees.
- You want to put a thin layer of the glove foam over the entire glove. Be sure to get it between the fingers as well. Don’t put it insider the glove.
- Once you have a thin layer on the glove place it on a cookie sheet with a rag between the glove and the sheet.
- Bake the glove for 4 minutes.
- Take the glove out and work it thoroughly until all excess foam is rubbed into the glove.
- Repeat the process 3-4 times. I usually repeat 3 times for a new glove and usually once for a glove you are just trying to recondition.
- I will some times use a glove mallet on really good quality leather gloves to speed the break-in but this is not usually needed.
- After you finish this process, get some glove conditioner and rub the entire glove down as this will seal in the foam and help water proof the glove.
- I always put a ball in the glove and us a glove wrap to hold it all together during the season. This way the glove never goes flat.
- I repeat this conditioner step monthly throughout the season.
- When the season is over and I’m putting the glove up for the season I will recondition at that time and wrap it with a cloth for the winter.
There are many thoughts on how to break in a glove and most have value; however I’ve tried lots of these techniques over the years but have found this to work the best. You be the judge.
Note of caution, don’t bake the glove over 4 minutes as you risking ruining the glove not the mention the possibility of burning down the house. Please follow the directions on the can of the glove foam.
My Glove Break-in Process
Here is a quick way to break in a baseball glove. I’ve used it many times and really believe it’s the best way to quickly break in a glove.
Go to your local sporting goods store and find oven bake glove foam. Keep looking around until you find it and if not available locally I would order it from an online retailer. The stuff really speeds up the process dramatically.
The process:
- Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees.
- You want to put a thin layer of the glove foam over the entire glove. Be sure to get it between the fingers as well. Don’t put it insider the glove.
- Once you have a thin layer on the glove place it on a cookie sheet with a rag between the glove and the sheet.
- Bake the glove for 4 minutes.
- Take the glove out and work it thoroughly until all excess foam is rubbed into the glove.
- Repeat the process 3-4 times. I usually repeat 3 times for a new glove and usually once for a glove you are just trying to recondition.
- I will some times use a glove mallet on really good quality leather gloves to speed the break-in but this is not usually needed.
- After you finish this process, get some glove conditioner and rub the entire glove down as this will seal in the foam and help water proof the glove.
- I always put a ball in the glove and us a glove wrap to hold it all together during the season. This way the glove never goes flat.
- I repeat this conditioner step monthly throughout the season.
- When the season is over and I’m putting the glove up for the season I will recondition at that time and wrap it with a cloth for the winter.
There are many thoughts on how to break in a glove and most have value; however I’ve tried lots of these techniques over the years but have found this to work the best. You be the judge.
Note of caution, don’t bake the glove over 4 minutes as you risking ruining the glove not the mention the possibility of burning down the house. Please follow the directions on the can of the glove foam.
Baseball Tryouts
Posted by: | CommentsTryouts
Tryouts will always be a part of competitive baseball and while they can be a little stressful parents and coaches can do a lot to minimize it. I encourage parents and coaches to not put any pressure on the player to make the team. Trust me the player, just by wanting to tryout has the desire to make the team. They want to perform at their very best so any excess pressure will not help the situation.
Here are some tips on dealing with tryouts that I know work:
- Find out the format of the tryout and what skills will be evaluated.
- Practice those skills over and over in the days prior to the tryout. Try to replicate the tryout the best you can from the knowledge you have.
- Arrive early to the tryout. Being the first one there is always a good thing.
- Remember, you must separate yourself from everyone else on the field so make yourself memorable in a good way.
- Upon arrival and after the coaches arrive find a spot by yourself and do some stretching. You want to act and look like a professional regardless of the age group. Let the coaches see how serious you are about the tryout and making the team.
- Find a place in the outfield and do some running prior to get warmed up.
- This is not social hour so it’s best to keep the talking to a minimum.
- Make sure you hustle from the time you take the field until the tryout is over.
- Follow directions and ask questions if you are unsure of what to do.
- Coaches will always be drawn to players that have a great attitude and hustle so make sure you do both.
- The tryout doesn’t have to be perfect for you to make a team, but if you make a mistake like missing a ground ball the coaches are going to be watching how you react. My advice is to hustle after the ball and attempt to complete the play.
- Parents, tell your young players you are proud of them regardless of the outcome and don’t put any excess pressure on them.
- Prior to trying out make sure you remember this is about having fun. If you go into with the idea of having fun you will most likely relax enough to do your best.
Little League Baseball, part 4
Posted by: | CommentsLittle League Baseball, part 4
In today’s post we continue to look at the history of Little League Baseball in the 1980′s.
In 1980 George Bush throws out the first pitch for the Little League World Series. This year Softball expands to a Senior Division for 16-18 year olds.
Derek Bell plays in his second Little League World Series making him the only future Major League player to play in two World Series Games.
Little League Museum opens in 1982 at the International Headquarters and the World Series draws a crowd of 40,000
1983 saw Bowie Kuhn, MLB Commissioner throw out the first pitch at the Little League World Series.
1984 Seoul, Korea wins their first Little League World Series by defeating a team from Florida 6-2.
The Little League Board of Directors Chairman Peter McGovern dies after thirty years of service to Little League Baseball.
ABC carries the championship game live on TV for the first time and home plate umpire wears a microphone for the first time in a game thus changing how we viewed games for the next 20 years.
Peter Ueberroth, MLB Commissioner makes his first visit to Little League World Series.
Little League World Series champions from 1947, the Maynard Midgets of Williamsport are reunited on the field before the championship game.
In 1988 Tom Seaver becomes the first former Little League player to be enshrined into the Little League Museum Hall of Excellence.
In 1989 Little League Baseball celebrated its 50th anniversary marking them as the most successful youth baseball organization of all time. Little League Baseball expands to Poland. The Little League World Series draws 45,000 people and caps the end of the 80′s with a bang.
In our next post we will cover the 1990′s.
Part 1 of out Little League History
http://www.youthbaseballinsider.com/little-league-baseball-part-1/
Part 2 of our Little League History Series
http://www.youthbaseballinsider.com/little-league-baseball-part-2/
Part 3 of our Little League History Series
http://www.youthbaseballinsider.com/little-league-baseball-part-3/
Part 4 of our Little League History Series
http://www.youthbaseballinsider.com/little-league-baseball-part-4/
Little League Baseball, part 4
Posted by: | CommentsLittle League Baseball history continued…. The 70′s.
In 1971 Little League Baseball opened in Canadian Headquarters in Ottawa. The league saw a future Pittsburgh Pirate manager hit five homes runs during the World Series. Waco Texas opens a State Center for Little League baseball and the Howard Lamade Stadium was expended to a seating capacity of 10,000.
Another milestone came about in 1971 with the use of the aluminum bat which was developed in cooperation with Little League Baseball.
Creighton Hale was elected president of Little League Baseball as the second full-time president since the league formed.
Girls were allowed, by a rule change to participate in 1974 and Little League Softball programs were started.
By 1978 Little League baseball had more than 6,500 leagues for 9-12 year olds, 2,850 senior leagues for 13-15 year olds and 1,300 Big League programs for 16-18 year olds.
Little League and Senior League Softball accounted for more than 7,400 teams by 1978.
Dwight Gooden played for a Tampa Fl team in the World Series in 1979.
In our next post we will take you through the 1980′s.
Part 1 of out Little League History
http://www.youthbaseballinsider.com/little-league-baseball-part-1/
Part 2 of our Little League History Series
http://www.youthbaseballinsider.com/little-league-baseball-part-2/
Part 3 of our Little League History Series
http://www.youthbaseballinsider.com/little-league-baseball-part-3/
Little League Baseball, part 3
Posted by: | CommentsWe continue our series on Little League Baseball history into the 1960′s.
Berlin Germany became the first European entry into Little League Baseball World Series and the games are now televised live on ABC for the first time. It’s truly a monumental moment for Little League Baseball. There are 27,000 + teams with 5,500 leagues.
1962 marks the opening of Little League baseball summer camp in Williamsport, PA. Jackie Robinson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame and attending the Little League World Series.
U.S. Congress gave Little League Baseball a Charter of Federal Incorporation in 1964.
By 1966 Little League Baseball develops regional operating centers for the first time and opens it’s Southern Headquarters in St. Petersburg, FL. ABC Wide World of Sports televises the World Series this year.
1967 has Japan becoming the first Asian country to win the World Series and Ted Williams is the announcer for ABC Sports.
The Western Headquarters was opened in San Bernadino, CA in 1969. A team from Williamsport, PA participates in the World Series for the first time since the 1940′s. Taiwan wins the first of it’s seventeen World Series titles.
Part 1 of out Little League History
http://www.youthbaseballinsider.com/little-league-baseball-part-1/
Part 2 of our Little League History Series
http://www.youthbaseballinsider.com/little-league-baseball-part-2/
Little League Baseball, Part 2
Posted by: | CommentsLittle League Baseball, Part 2
Little League Baseball continued to grow as the 1950′s came around. Community involvement increased throughout the country and corporate sponsorship started to take off.
In 1950 the first Little League games outside the U.S. were played around the Panama Canal area and as 1951 came the first permanent Little League Baseball was formed in British Columbia, Canada representing the first permanent league outside the United States.
By the end of 1951 Little League Baseball had grown to 776 programs.
The growth of the league caused a lot of administrative issues so in 1952 the league attempted to create a more organized structure by hiring the first full-time President of Little League Baseball. Peter J. McGovern was there man to establish firm leadership within the organization. By the end of 1952 the league had grown to over 1500 programs and Connie Mack was a visitor to the World Series.
A milestone of great proportions came in 1953 with the first televised Little League Baseball World Series with Howard Cosell handling the play-by-play.
In 1954 Boog Powell who became the third baseman for the Baltimore Orioles played Little League Baseball for a Lakeland, FL team in the World Series. By the end of 1954 the league had 3,300 leagues throughout the United States.
In 1955 Cy Young comes to visit the Little League World Series prior to his death late that year. Mr. Stotz, found of Little League Baseball served as a pallbearer at his funeral.
By the end of 1955 Little League Baseball was being played in 48 states and 9 year old future President George W. Bush plays for the Central Little League in Midland, TX.
In 1956 due to several disputes and legal action Carl Stotz ends his relationship with the Little League Baseball organization that he founded. During this time the Little League Foundation was created and the organization had grown to over 4,000 leagues.
In 1957 a non-U.S. team won the World Series for the first time. They repeated in 1958 and Monterrey, Mexico defeated Portland, OR to take the title.
In 1959 Dr. Creighton J. Hale, Research Director of Little League Baseball developed the modern protective helmet as we know it. This year the World Series was played at it’s present site for the first time and the organization had grown to over 5,000 leagues throughout the U.S.
The second week of June was declared the National Little League Week by President Eisenhower.
In our next post we will take a look at the continued growth and the many changes coming to Little League Baseball during the 1960′s.
















