First meeting with youth team...what would you do?

[bluefan89]

ok, the first team meeting with a coach pitch team is coming up this weekend. The parents and 7-11 yr olds will be doing some paperwork and getting ready for practices and upcoming season.

For those that have coached or have heard coaches giving their testimonials on coaching to the parents what do you think should be covered and talked about in front of parents and players during that first meeting?

In this group large age difference and baseball iq difference as well.

Thanks for the help

[Jake Patterson]

ok, the first team meeting with a coach pitch team is coming up this weekend. The parents and 7-11 yr olds will be doing some paperwork and getting ready for practices and upcoming season.

For those that have coached or have heard coaches giving their testimonials on coaching to the parents what do you think should be covered and talked about in front of parents and players during that first meeting?

In this group large age difference and baseball iq difference as well.

Thanks for the help

Blue, PM me your Email address and I will send you all the handouts I use. Feel free to use as you like.

This offer is open to all...

Jake

[Ursa Major]

See, Blue, I told you ... :cap:

I don't have Jake's book in front of my and can't retrieve it because I have a sleeping cat on my lap. But, my thoughts (which I think are consistent with Jake's) are:

(a) It's often helpful to spend a little time just with the parents first while the kids get to know each other in another room. Shooting pool or playing video games (horrors!) together by themselves for twenty minutes is a good bonding experience. This way you can let parents know the "good nutrition" part of your philosphies -- like maybe how baseball can help kids learn about teamwork, individual responsibility, and performing in mild pressure situations. I start by saying, "There are three things you need to know about me. One, I love baseball. Two, I love kids loving baseball. Three, I love what loving baseball does for kids."

(b) Get parents at that level as involved as you can, with the proviso that you've got the right to override them on matters of technique. Parents are often suprised that coaches want them out helping out with drills. Especially encourage Moms and especially single Moms -- at this level, they can do more than they think. And they give a great perspectice in the field of battle. (A close female friend was a first base coach in 9-10 y/o ball last year, and it was great when a kid on their team would strike out and the manager and other coaches would grimace at the kid or grouse about the umping -- but you'd hear her clear voice rise above the din: "Nice swing, honey!") And tell them to play catch with their kids as much as possible within reason -- throwing a baseball is an incredibly complex task that is largely self-taught through bio-feedback after thousands of repetitions. No player ever became great by limiting his throwing to practices.

(c) The operative word is "fun", although you might remind them at some point that it isn't necessarily "fun" for teammates when one or two kids are messing around and not paying attention and so everyone has to listen to you twice. The fun comes from learning to enjoy the baseball part. What I do with older kids is sometimes say, "We've got four goals on this team: Have fun, learn about baseball, maybe win a game or two, and have fun." When the one smartypants on the team says, "You said "fun" twice," you can respond, "Well, I thought the fun part was important enough to list it twice, but if Joey here thinks that's too much, we'll just cut the fun in half and count it only once." The kids will scream, "No, we want more fun," and the point will be made. (But make sure that it doesn't look like you're making fun of the smarty pants [but that kid usually has an overly developed ego anyway].)

[jneas]

Ditto everything Ursa said.

I give an overview of my coaching philosophy and expectations of the kids and the parents.

With the kids, it is pretty straight forward -
Have fun.
Always give your best effort.
Show respect for the coaches, parents, umpires, and other players on the team.
Spend time outside of practice playing baseball.

For the parents -
Get involved in playing baseball with your child.
Get your child to practice and games on time.
Encourage and demonstrate good sportsmanship.
Help out with team volunteer opportunities.
Let me know if there are any issues/problems that I should know about, but to do so before or after the practice/game.

I do, however, tell them that one conversation we will NOT be having is what position(s) they want their child to play. (I do, however, ask the kids where they want to play.)

Blue, PM me your Email address and I will send you all the handouts I use. Feel free to use as you like.

This offer is open to all...

Jake

Jake, are these any different then what's in your book? I picked up a copy earlier this winter - nicely done!

[Chris O'Leary]

In this group large age difference and baseball iq difference as well.

7-11 is a HUGE age range.

Be prepared for some challenges.

[Jake Patterson]

Jake, are these any different then what's in your book? I picked up a copy earlier this winter - nicely done!

I've kept adding and changing. So I think the current ones may be a little better, but convey the same message.

[Drill]

It depends how you drafted your players, did you go for the best players? Or for the players with the best looking mothers and the best cooks.

Answer the above and I will tell you how to have a successful season no matter how you drafted.


respectfully yours,

drill

[bluefan89]

It depends how you drafted your players, did you go for the best players? Or for the players with the best looking mothers and the best cooks.

Answer the above and I will tell you how to have a successful season no matter how you drafted.


respectfully yours,

drill

Drill

I hope we got some of both...I do know we drafted some pretty good player then it got down to some not so good so about 60/40 good to not so good.

Haven't met all the moms so the jury is still out on that one.


tell me your philosophy.

[Drill]

Drill

I hope we got some of both...I do know we drafted some pretty good player then it got down to some not so good so about 60/40 good to not so good.

Haven't met all the moms so the jury is still out on that one.


tell me your philosophy.

It all comes down to the bottom of the line up. If you can teach the bottom of the line up how to get on base. Snacks mean a lot for kids this age(heck they mean a lot to me at my age.) Ask for a pre-game snack, no sugar, no soda gator aide, just water and some healthy snack packs. Than a post game snack, these kids will eat healthier and play harder. Good snack food is a motivator in more than one way.


The parents will love you for at least getting there kids to eat healthy, instead of a sugar high in the dug out.


teach the bottom of the order the strike zone and go from there.


drill


PS our JV coach ask the parents the same thing and I have seen a differance. Our pitcher and the defence had a mercy no hitter tonight. 13-0

[bluefan89]

Well the first meeting and practice went well. The team looks like it will be fine, league is sort of balanced with good players.

Got to get me some good drills worked out to keep it fresh and fun while learning the game.

Like all teams there are those 2-3 that you got on the end of the draft that make you scratch your head and wonder if they would like to go back to t-ball. But it will all work out.

[Drill]

Work with those 2or3 and you will have a winning season.

Its the bottom of the line up that helps you win game



drill

[Ursa Major]

Work with those 2or3 and you will have a winning season. Its the bottom of the line up that helps you win game
drill

Uh, Drill, these are entry level kids -- mostly seven to nine year olds. At that age, it's how the bottom of the lineup views the quality of their experience that determines how successful the season has been. Winning is about sixth in importance behind (1) fun, (2) learning, (3) fund, (4) the quality of the snacks, and (5) the hotness of the moms. :hyper: The best moments come when the kids at the bottom of the lineup get a hit, and the kids at the top are the ones who cheer the loudest.