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LITTLE LEAGUE MISSION STATEMENT
Little League believes in the power of youth baseball and softball to teach life lessons that build stronger individuals and communities.
COACH’S RESPONSIBILITY
Your main responsibility is to provide an environment and level of instruction that will develop your Little Leaguers not just on the field, but off the field as well. Recognize solid play, and critique mistakes in a supportive way, while offering ideas on how to improve.
View Coach's Code of Conduct Agreement
Your Team’s Character Is Developed During Practice
How hustle, repetitions, and attitude can build your teams character.
The most important time you spend with your team is at practice, and the foundation for building team character is coaching a practice focused on hustle, repetitions, and attitude.
Hustle
Beginning with the first practice, start to mold the players’ mindset by emphasizing the importance of hustle. Hustling on and off the field shows respect for the game, and illustrates a high level of discipline and mental toughness that makes your opponent take notice.
There is no talent needed to run on and off of the field, but it shows the other team that you are ready to play and want to play. Even if your team is losing, you still need to hustle because it shows the other team that they will need to play to the final out to earn a win.
Repetitions
Your players will never be perfect, but with ample repetitions, players do improve. Sound fundamentals are the key to success, and the only way to get better is by putting forth an honest effort and paying attention to details while executing each drill.
I’ve seen too many practices where a coach spends a major amount of time hitting to a position player with the rest of the team waiting for their turn. This approach does not engage the team, nor does it help them get better. To be more effective with the time you have, break out into smaller groups, one group per coach, and work on different fundamentals. A good example would be one coach with four to five outfielders working on fly balls. The small group is engaged and getting several more reps in a shorter span of time.
During this same time, another coach could be working with the range and mobility of the infielders. The third coach may be in the bullpen area working with pitchers and catchers. Maximize your time and get as many reps as possible.
Attitude
Maintaining a positive attitude in the face of disappointment and having a short memory sounds simple, but each are important skills to master that require work. Your team will respond the way you react to a win, a loss, a play, or questionable call. Baseball and softball are games of failure, and it is easy to lose focus when a play or at-bat doesn’t go your way. Players should know that if they allow the recent past to affect them, and don’t accept those experiences as teachable moments, then the next time the ball is hit to them or during their next at-bat, it will be that much harder to find success.
Remember that this is a game, and the lessons learned will go beyond the ball field. Yes, it is nice to win, but I can tell you that I remember my players’ successes, achievement and growth more than my wins and losses. Practice your team like you want them to play and the time spent will make for a much richer, long-term experience for you and the players.
8 HELPFUL TIPS FOR NEW LITTLE LEAGUE® COACHES
(From https://www.littleleague.org/university/articles/8-helpful-tips-for-new-little-league-coaches/)
You stepped up, and volunteered to coach a Little League® team. First, thank you! Without committed volunteers like you, local leagues would not be able to provide kids with the opportunity to have fun with their friends, and play the game they love. Second, if you have little experience in running a youth baseball or softball team, we’re sure you have questions. Below are some simple, yet helpful tips to make sure you understand your role as a manager/coach, as well as ideas that will ensure your coaching experience is the best possible for you and your Little Leaguers®.
Rulebooks
To be a successful Little League coach, you must learn the rules and regulations of the game. Little League makes available Rulebooks for each league for Little League Baseball®, Little League Softball®, and Little League Challenger Division®. Reach out to your Board of Directors to make sure you have a copy. We highly suggest not only reviewing the Rulebook before the season, but throughout, as well. Rulebooks clearly inform coaches of the official regulations and playing rules, which will help you manage your team. From pitch count regulations to mandatory play to definition of terms to safety procedures, Little League Rulebooks provide you what you need to know.
Print versions of the Rulebooks are available through ShopLittleLeague.org. Local Little League programs using their League ID number can purchase hard copy Rulebooks. Rulebooks are also available through the Apple, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble bookstores. The eBook format, optimized for use on all mobile devices, features each program’s complete rules, along with search functionality.
Important rule and regulation updates, as well as information about how to purchase rulebooks is available at LittleLeague.org/Rules.
Player Evaluations
Leagues differ with respect to how they operate player evaluations. No matter what the procedure, however, it’s good practice to carefully study each player, and monitor his or her skillsets. Does the Little Leaguer catch pop-ups well? If so, you could be looking at one of your outfielders. Does the Little Leaguer field ground cleanly? If so, you may have found your shortstop. If there’s a running exercise at the tryout, and a boy or girl shows impressive speed, he or she could be your lead-off hitter.
Make sure you know your league’s player selection method, as well, to be prepared to build your team.
Practice Plans
When your team is formed and the season nears, it’s important to put together practice plans for each practice. Keep in mind, Little League is a developmental program. Be sure to structure each practice to include fundamentals – proper hitting, fielding, base running, etc. Try to structure your practices with little down time in order to keep the players’ attention. And, be sure to have fun and allow for plenty of water breaks. For those volunteering at the Tee Ball or Coach Pitch Baseball levels, Little League has created easy-to-implement curriculums.
Parents Meeting
After the first week of practice, schedule a meeting with your team’s parents to better introduce yourself, explain your coaching philosophy, and to share your goals for the team. Be sure to explain that Little League is not a win-at-all-costs program, and that your responsibility is to develop players and for those players to have fun. Also, mention that if there are any concerns during the season to address those with you directly. At the meeting, it’s a good opportunity to remind parents that their role is to show their support from the stands, and to let the coaches coach the team. Alert parents as to your preferred means of communication – phone, text, email, or team website, such as those communications tools available through Sports Connect. Be clear that you’d appreciate knowing if a player cannot attend a game/practice well ahead of time, and communicate the importance of Little Leaguers making as many practices as possible in order to develop and build team camaraderie. Remind parents to provide timely pick-ups after each practice and game, and encourage them to volunteer for a position within the league.
Ask Questions
As your first game approaches, reach out to Board members and fellow coaches to answer any questions you may have. You’ve probably been so focused on practicing and developing your players that you may not have thought about how to fill out and submit a lineup card, what team takes batting practice and when, who’s best to handle the scorebook, when to clear the field when a storm is approaching, and is the home or visiting team responsible for field prep before the game or tidying up post-game.
Team Rules for Games
It’s good practice to put team rules in writing for players and parents. Be sure to list all important subjects so everyone is on the same page. Explain what time you want players at the field pre-game, proper uniform appearance (jerseys tucked in), your philosophy about food in the dugout, and the importance of sportsmanship toward umpires, opposing players, and teammates.
Games
Remember to have fun! Do not get overly caught-up in winning or losing. Your main responsibility is to provide an environment and level of instruction that will develop your Little Leaguers not just on the field, but off the field as well. Recognize solid play, and critique mistakes in a supportive way, while offering ideas on how to improve. Little League has partnered with Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) to provide a framework and tools for local Little League volunteers to develop a culture of positive, character-building competition. Use the PCA information to create a nurturing environment where Little Leaguers can thrive in, learn, and have fun!
Thank You
Once again, thank you for volunteering to coach! You’ve taken the first step in providing kids in your community an opportunity to build memories that will last a lifetime.You stepped up, and volunteered to coach a Little League® team. First, thank you! Without committed volunteers like you, local leagues would not be able to provide kids with the opportunity to have fun with their friends, and play the game they love. Second, if you have little experience in running a youth baseball or softball team, we’re sure you have questions. Below are some simple, yet helpful tips to make sure you understand your role as a manager/coach, as well as ideas that will ensure your coaching experience is the best possible for you and your Little Leaguers®.
7 BENEFITS OF PLAYING YOUTH BASEBALL
Playing baseball is an important part of almost every American boy’s and some girls’ childhood. It’s the national pastime, and fathers have been passing along the game to their sons and daughters for generations.
Getting involved in Little League as a kid provides several benefits for a young athlete. Keep reading to learn all about the benefits of playing youth baseball.
IT’S FUN
That’s right. Plain and simple. Baseball is fun. The most important part of playing little league baseball is to have fun. If your child seems to excel at it, then you can worry about getting more serious. But the main reason to play is for enjoyment.
CAMARADERIE
Camaraderie is one of the best benefits you receive from playing organized sports. Playing on a youth baseball team can help you form lifelong bonds with teammates.
During a little league season, you’ll go through ups and downs together. This builds character and strengthens friendships. If you’re lucky enough to be on a championship team, those bonds will be even stronger.
Nothing forges a relationship more than winning a championship together. Teams that win have memories that last a lifetime. They go through trials and tribulations and come out on top together. It’s something you’ll always share and cherish.
TEAMWORK
Of course, there’s teamwork. Baseball consists of nine guys playing in the field all at once. Often times you’ll have three or more players that need to make a play together to get a runner out.
For instance, a double-play needs two to three players who need to be on the same page to make it happen.
Or, a ball hit to the deep outfield will likely need a relay throw before it gets through to the catcher to stop the opposition from scoring. Everyone needs to work in sync to pull this off.
Also, when your team is up to bat, a batter and a runner need to work as a team if the coach calls for a hit and run play.
IT KEEPS YOU OFF OF THE COUCH
When you join a youth baseball team, you’ll be forced to get away from the video games and get off the couch. You’ll be outside most of the summer in the fresh air. Plus, you’ll get adequate exercise.
SPORTSMANSHIP
Playing youth baseball teaches you about sportsmanship. It will help you learn to play fair and when you get beat by a better team to acknowledge their excellent play. It will teach you that the best thing to do is learn from it when you fail.
Let’s say you strikeout in the first inning of a game, you’ll likely get three or four more times at the plate to redeem yourself. If you keep your head up and stay focused, odds are you’ll make a great play or two to help your team.
Life has adversity, and when you get knocked down, you need to keep a good mental outlook to succeed.
PROMOTES PATIENCE AND FOCUS
Baseball requires a great deal of patience. People may call this a slow sport, especially football, soccer, and basketball. It’s a very strategic activity that calls for kids to be steady, attentive and concentrated even when it’s not their turn to play.
BOOSTS MOOD AND MENTAL HEALTH
Baseball has been proven to be a great mood booster and a wonderful tool to enhance your child’s mental health. The very fact of spending time outdoors in the sun is a natural source of happiness, and sharing fun moments with their friends can be another way to improve children’s mental health and emotional development. Spending a day playing baseball in the sunshine can also aid your child’s sleep patterns, helping them sleep more and better at night.
TOP 5 BIG MISTAKES YOUTH BASEBALL COACHES MAKE
View video of this discussion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vh4NOnip-0g&t=392s
Avoid These and Have Greater Success!
- Putting Winning First – If a coach only cares about winning, that means that their putting winning ahead of their players development. Winning is nice, but player development and baseball education should take priority over winning.
- For example, if you put winning first at the beginning of the season, and don’t focus on player development, then the other teams that did focus on player development will start beating your team.
- Lack of Transparency – There’s nothing more important than having transparency with both your players and parents. Players (and parents) need to know how the player will be used so there are no unreasonable expectations.
- Not Positioning Players for Success – You don’t want to position a player at a position they don’t feel comfortable in. If a player is uncomfortable handling hard ground balls or can’t make a throw to 1st base, don’t put them in the infield. Play them in a position they’re comfortable with until they develop the appropriate skill set. Players should be put in a position that highlights their skill set. You want to set them up for success, not failure.
- Lack of Organization / Planning Ahead – A good coach has specific plans for their practices, games, and season. Coaches should have a specific practice plan for each practice (see the section on “The Perfect Practice.” Coaches should also have the plan for the whole game prior to the game. For example, you should have a sheet showing your batting order and what position each will play in which inning (see the “Pahrump Little League Lineup Template”). Obviously, this may change during the game due to pitching changes, etc. Using this will let players know when and where they will be playing. This will give the coach more time to coach and develop their players rather than figure out who will be playing where during each inning. This also helps with transparency.
- Not Continuing Their Own Learning – As a coach, you need to be a “student of the game.” You should have a plan for continued learning. If you’re relatively new to coaching, you should do as much as you can to learn quickly so you can impart this learning to your players. You should continue to learn even if you’re very familiar with the game. Please refer to the “Recommended Resources” section for helpful videos and websites.
COACHES DEVELOPMENT
Rules & Regulations
Coached need to know the rules and regulations. Please refer to the following section of the Little League website. It shows how to get the Little League Rulebook App downloaded to your smartphone: https://www.littleleague.org/playing-rules/little-league-rulebook-app/
Coaches Clinics
New coaches, at a minimum should review the following section of the Little Baseball coaching section which covers the basics of hitting catching, throwing, base running basics, etc.: The Basics: Fundamental Baseball and Softball Skill Development Series at the following link. The page also shows other helpful articles.
For more detailed coaching skills visit the Little League University site at: https://www.littleleague.org/university/, and do a search for what you are interested in.
Also see the Coaches Resources page for more advanced coaching techniques.