YOU CAN'T GET MAD IF YOU NEVER TAUGHT THE FUNDAMENTALS

WE ALL HAVE BEEN AT THE BALL FIELD AND HAVE HEARD PARENTS SAY THINGS LIKE "PUT YOUR GLOVE ON THE GROUND," "GET UNDER THE FLY BALL," "WATCH THE BAT HIT THE BALL," ETC. IT IS PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR A PLAYER TO SEE THE BAT HIT A PITCHED BALL. YOUR BRAIN HAS TO CREATE A PATH TO THE BASEBALL PRIOR TO SWINGING. THIS IS WHY PICKING THE PITCH UP OUT OF THE PITCHERS HAND IS SO IMPORTANT. IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WHERE CONTACT SHOULD TAKE PLACE. THE WORST TEE DESIGN EVER WAS PLACING THE BEAM OF A TEE CONNECTED TO THE CENTER OF A HOME PLATE. IF A PLAYER IS SWINGING THAT LATE, THEY WILL NEVER SUCCESSFULLY HIT THE BASEBALL AS PITCHING VELOCITY INCREASES. THE STRIKE ZONE IS THE FRONT OF THE PLATE. A BALL DOWN THE MIDDLE NEEDS TO BE HIT IN FRONT OF THE PLATE. AND INSIDE PITCH NEEDS TO BE HIT FURTHER IN FRONT OF THE PLATE, AND AN OUTSIDE PITCH OR OFF SPEED PITCH SHOULD CARRY LONGER BUT NEVER REACH THE MIDDLE DEPTH OF THE PLATE. IF A PLAYER MAKES CONTACT WHEN LATE, THEY ARE LUCKY, NOT A GREAT HITTER. THIS LEADS TO MY POINT; WE MUST TEACH OUR KIDS TO PROPERLY ATTACK A GROUND BALL OR A FLY BALL. IF YOUR CHILD HAS NEVER HEARD THE PHRASE, "GLOVE, EYE, BALL," THEY CANNOT CATCH A GROUND BALL OR A FLY BALL. A PLAYER MUST ALINE THEIR GLOVE EYE UP WITH THE BALL AND THE PLAYER'S HEAD SHOULD ALWAYS BE BEHIND THE GLOVE. SAME AS IN HITTING, A PLAYER SHOULD NOT LET THE BALL GET INTO HIS BODY WHILE CATCHING THE BASEBALL. THE BALL MUST BE CAUGHT IN FRONT. THERE ARE TONS OF DRILLS TO TEACH THIS, BUT IF YOUR CHILD'S PRACTICES CONSIST OF NON STOP SCRIMMAGE, DON'T START YELLING, RATHER START TEACHING. BASEBALL IS A FUNDAMENTAL GAME. YES, KNOWING WHERE TO THROW THE BALL IN A GAME SITUATION IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, BUT IF THEY CAN'T CATCH THE BALL, DOES IT MATTER THAT THEY KNOW WHERE TO GO WITH IT. DRILLS, DRILLS, DRILLS ESPECIALLY WHEN DEALING WITH YOUNG PLAYERS. I COACH HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL AND A MAJORITY OF OUR PRACTICES ARE DRILLS.