Teaching You How to Teach: Tip on Communication

When teaching hitting, I always try and use references that players are familiar with. For example, instead of telling a player to stride at the pitcher I may say "take your back pocket towards the pitcher on your stride". This enables a hitter to perform a movement a coach would prefer keeping their hip aligned properly on a stride and resulting in proper balance and alignment when a hitter starts their swing.

Often, as coaches we have to get a player to over compensate in order to get the results that we need. For instance, a hitter may have trouble moving their hands back as they stride. Therefore, when I work with a young hitter instead of just telling a player to move their hands back during their stride, I have a player to start their hands in front of their nose (point of reference and provides consistency). By changing my communication strategy, it allows a player without thinking, to move their hands back as they stride forward. As a hitter becomes more comfortable they work on moving their hands back to their normal spot. Not only have you helped a hitter mechanically, but you also gave them a way in which they can correct themselves in the future.

The above is just one example. I have provided my coaches a few simple things in which they should consider when teaching baseball to young kids:

1. Stay within your player's knowledge base. Remember baseball plays are not scripted. A player has to be ready for any scenario that may occur, therefore, it takes time to know how to react in each situation.

2. When teaching baseball use objects that help with the teaching process ie. cones, towels, tape, in order to provide players a visual and teaching reference.

3. Use tape and color code things so that players can use it as a quick reference and recall. For example, when working on the how far a player's prefers their hands away from the body in their initial stance, a coach, can easily use a put a piece of tape on their player's bat handle. This allows a player to place the bat, with the tape, on their shoulder for a quick reference and also provides better consistency when setting up their hands in their stance.

Greg

www.teachingcoaches.com