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Help a Dad Help his Son be better. I need a better education

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  • Help a Dad Help his Son be better. I need a better education

    Hello All,

    Only been Lurking for a short time. Been reading a lot of threads here and there. My son is turning 9 in the fall and will be moving on to his first season of kid pitch in the Babe Ruth League and will do his first run during the Fall Ball here in Florida. He's been through 1 season of T-Ball and the last 2 years of Machine Pitch. He's doing well and is on one of the All Star teams carrying on after the regular season. He works hard and practices every day at home with the pitch back and I also have a bucket setup in the back yard to help him with his throwing accuracy. His hitting is pretty good, but could always be better. He hasn't yet been up against kid pitch yet so I know he'll basically be starting from scratch again.

    I need help and insight on things I can do to make certain he's learning the right way to do things and not continuing to practice the wrong way and developing bad habits that will prevent him from continuing to get better. My knowledge and skill at baseball is pretty limited. I played 1 season of Little league when I was about 8-9(1978) and gave up on it and lost all interest back when MLB was going on strike every other season it seemed. A lot has changed since then to say the least and through my son, I've begun to develop the interest again, if at least in Little League.

    Aside from this forum, where else can I turn to learn techniques, skills, equipment information(the whole wood, composite, alloy bat thing really sent me spinning), differences in leagues etc.

    Thanks for so far, giving me a pretty good insight on what I don't know and need to learn more about.

    John

  • #2
    Originally posted by JohnMcD348 View Post
    I need help and insight on things I can do to make certain he's learning the right way to do things and not continuing to practice the wrong way and developing bad habits that will prevent him from continuing to get better.
    Welcome. Good for you to seek to expand your baseball knowledge, and I wouldn't worry about impeding your son's progress. I'm sure he's figuring it out, and you're just guiding him. You're not going to "ruin his potential" or anything like that.

    Originally posted by JohnMcD348 View Post
    Aside from this forum, where else can I turn to learn techniques, skills, equipment information(the whole wood, composite, alloy bat thing really sent me spinning), differences in leagues etc.
    Personally I found Cal Ripken's books and videos to be hugely helpful, as he's always been a "student of the game" as were his Dad and brother. "Play Baseball the Ripken Way" is a good primer with great fundamentals. But he's not the last word in baseball, I learned lots from others too. Am learning I should say, the process never ends.

    Go to games (minor league is fine) and watch carefully, have your son watch carefully, keep score, talk about the plays between innings. You'll both learn a lot that way.

    Teach yourself the basic skills and practice them, which will make you a better teacher. Hit off the T, practice throwing, etc.

    Personally I wouldn't get too caught up in the equipment debates: just get him a solid bat he's comfortable with, a quality glove, decent well-fitting shoes.

    Most of all, relax and enjoy sharing baseball with your son. Keep it fun for both of you.

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    • #3
      Cal Ripken makes quality videos. If you have Comcast they may still be available On Demand.

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by tg643 View Post
        Cal Ripken makes quality videos. If you have Comcast they may still be available On Demand.
        One or two are available on Netflix. I know the pitching video is.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Roothog66 View Post
          One or two are available on Netflix. I know the pitching video is.
          Really? Thanks for the info. I know what I'm doing tonight, lol.

          EDIT: Darn... The Ripken videos are on DVD only. The bright side is they have at least three videos; Pitching, Defense, and Hitting.
          Last edited by Mur5; 05-04-2012, 10:39 PM.

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          • #6
            Originally posted by Mur5 View Post
            Really? Thanks for the info. I know what I'm doing tonight, lol.
            My wife especially loves it when I put in the Catching Coach's 2 1/2 hour video on a Friday night!

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            • #7
              Originally posted by Roothog66 View Post
              My wife especially loves it when I put in the Catching Coach's 2 1/2 hour video on a Friday night!
              Haha - I just finished my second run through Coach Weaver's video and passed it along to the head coach. My better half was happy to say the least! I'll have to login to Netflix when she's not looking tonight

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              • #8
                Hi John!

                Welcome! It is a rewarding experience you are starting. Maybe you could volunteer to help out at his practices. You could learn a lot of baseball skills and drills that way, and see where your son might need some help skill-wise. Then search this forum for help. Good Luck!

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                • #9
                  Hi John,
                  Welcome to BBF... Is there specific items in which you feel you need help???
                  Jake
                  "He who dares to teach, must never cease to learn."
                  - John Cotton Dana (1856–1929) - Offered to many by L. Olson - Iowa (Teacher)
                  Please read Baseball Fever Policy and Forum FAQ before posting.

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                  • #10
                    The toughest aspect of being a great sports dad is staying out of your son's head.
                    Ideally, as your knowledge increases, it will be combined with wisdom.
                    This board is a great resource. Primarily, IMO, because of posters such as Jake, Mud, Song, Ursa, et al, who combine knowledge with wisdom.
                    Skip

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                    • #11
                      Thanks. I've been looking through the Ripken way. My son's ball park is one of the Babe Ruth Leagues and I've already completed the two Ripken Coaches courses for certification. I've been an Assistant coach for this past fall season and we just completed our Spring season this morning where I helped again. I also bought the Play Baseball the Ripken Way a few days ago when I ran across it at the local books a million.

                      I think I've been lucky that he's had quite a few really good Coaches that were very skilled and were able to work out his initial problems with batting and such. Bat size and weight were the biggest part. I just didn't know. So much has changed in the last 35 years that it's almost like relearning a new language.

                      Thanks for the tips. I'll be asking a lot of things in the coming years....

                      Keep them coming. I'm appreciative of any insight and advice I can get.

                      Comment

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