Synopses & Reviews
Coach Thurston is a teacher of proper baseball skills and fundamentals. Youth coaches and players will benefit from the individual skill instruction and drills."--Dan Duquette, General Manager, Boston Red Sox
"Always remind yourself that your goal is to provide a fun and rewarding experience for you and your team."Bill Thurston
Coach. You thought you were just going to sign up your child for the youth league. But here you are, a newly appointed coach. You didn't ask for it, but it happened anyway. Now you need help.
Don't despair. This complete guidebook will not only get you through it but will help you become the coach you'd like to be--the coach who can give those kids the sports experience they deserve. You've already taken a big step: you said "yes" to this important commitment. Congratulations. You'll have a great time, and Bill Thurston is here to help.
- Survive your first practice and game
- Win over problem players and parents
- Know what to do in a game situation
- Reach all your players
- Work with girls and boys
- Match your drills and strategies to age and ability
- Make it fun and rewarding
- Be the coach you never had
- Generate enthusiasm
- Improve your players and your team
Coaching Youth Baseball also helps novice coaches determine:
- How to get uniforms and arrange for practice time
- What drills are best to teach basic skills like catching, throwing, and batting
- Some of the safety concerns specific to baseball
- The 5 tips to being a good coach
- And much more!
"This book is a great source of information for youth coaches and players."--John Cerutti, former major league pitcher, Toronto Blue Jays
Here's what coaches have said about The Baffled Parent's Guides:
"Essential reading."--Jim Sheldon, Executive Director, National Soccer Association of America, on Coaching Youth Soccer
"An excellent guide to teaching kids about the game."--Larry Bird, basketball legend, on Coaching Youth Basketball
"A tool I would recommend to all youth coaches."--Jill Kearney, recreation director, on Coaching Youth Basketball
Review
Novice coaches will find instant relief for Opening Day jitters in this all-encompassing how-to primer. Includes everything from ordering uniforms to planning practice activities and development teamwork.
Synopsis
The quickest way to become an experienced coach.
You thought you were going to sign your kid up for the local youth league. Now, here you are, a newly appointed coach. Part of the successful Baffled Parent's series, Coaching Youth Baseball has everything you need to manage, motivate, and encourage an eight to twelve -year-old ball team.
Written by a four-time New England Coach of the Year, it shows novice coaches exactly how to go about building skills, developing teamwork and sportsmanship, and creating an experience that both kids and coach enjoy.
Bill Thurston leaves no question unanswered. He addresses both broad organizational issues like how to get uniforms or arrange for practice time and more focused specifics like what to do at the first practice. The Baffled Parents Guide is the ultimate coaching guide for the uninformed.
About the Author
Bill Thurston has been the highly successful coach of Amherst College's baseball team, racking up 608 victories against only 245 losses in 34 years. He has been named New England Coach of the ear four times and was inducted into the National Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame in 1997. He is a former pitching coach of the U.S. National Baseball Team as well as head coach of the Australian National Team. He is a frequent speaker at baseball clinics nationwide and has served as the rules editor of the National Collegiate Athletic Association since 1985. He has produced four instructional videos and one book on pitching techniques.
Table of Contents
Introduction: So You Said You'd Be the Coach, Huh?How to Use This BookA Word on CoachingPart One Coaching 101: The Coach's Start-Up Kit1. Creating an Atmosphere of Good HabitsThe EssentialsCompetitionEstablish Your Identity as the CoachThe Growth BookOn Risk TakingQuestions and Answers2. Before Hitting the Field: Baseball in a NutshellBasic Rules and PositioningThe Ball Is in PlayBasic Safety Measures3. Setting Up the SeasonCreate the Practice and Game Schedule and Send a Letter to ParentsCall the Parents before the SeasonSolicit Parental HelpFinding an AssistantAppropriate Numbers of Players on the TeamEquipmentQuestions and Answers4. Essential Skills--and How to Teach ThemCatchingThrowingInfield DefenseOutfield DefenseTeam DefensePitchingPlaying CatcherBattingBuntingBaserunning5. The PracticePreparation Is KeyFormat for PracticePractice Session WorksheetQuestions and Answers6. Sample PracticesBasic Beginning PracticeIntermediate PracticeAdvanced PracticeQuestions and Answers7. Game TimeThe Mental AspectBe PreparedCoaching the GameKey ElementsTaking Stock after the Game8. Dealing with Parents and Gender IssuesPerspective on ParentsBe Organized at All TimesHelp Parents Look at the Big PictureAddressing Gender IssuesQuestions and Answers about Dealing with ParentsQuestions and Answers about Gender IssuesPart Two Drills: The Foundation for Development, Success, Happiness, and a Coach's Peace of Mind9. Warm-Up: Baserunning, Catching, and ThrowingCatching the BallThrow-and-Catch10. Defensive Fundamentals: Infield Play, Outfield Play, and Team DefenseInfieldOutfieldTeam Defense11. Batting Practice: Batting, Pitching, and Playing CatcherBattingPitching and Catching12. Ending Activity: Scrimmage SituationsAppendixUmpire SignalsSample Scorebook PageGlossaryResourcesAssociations and OrganizationsWebsites and Electronic NewslettersIndexAcknowledgmentsAbout the Author