At Technique we all agree that offense is not hitting!!  How many times as a coach after a loss, you look at the score book to see you had more hits than your opponent?  It happens very often where you will out hit an opponent and yet can’t generate offense to end up on the short end of the ball game.

Offense is the ability to score runes when your team is not hitting.  How do you do that?  Bat control, ability to hit and run, hit the ball to the right side, advance runners from first to third with good base running.  Early in the season I preach about advancing first to third, I emphasize base running and really dwell on advancing first to third.  This will let my team know that I want them to be aggressive on the bases and force the defense to execute.  Having ability to run is not all you need to have a solid running game.  To have a solid running game, players must have knowledge of the running game.  Early in the season at Technique we cover all our phases of the running game.  Throughout the season we have refresher runs to keep our players sharp, let’s face it they are going to make mistakes!  That’s OK, teach when they make them mistakes, reward an aggressive mistake, criticize a mental mistake.  Mental toughness is almost the entire battle in baseball.

Remember, “SPEED NEVER SLUMPS”  hard 90, hard 70, had 65 whatever age group whether it’s 18U, 12U or 10U we preach hard out of the box 100% of the time.  Force the defense to execute and make plays.  The ability to hit and run and hit behind the runner takes work at practice during your BP sessions.  It’s important that you add that to your BP regimen, rather than just get in the cage or on the field and hack away. At Technique we like to take BP (batting practice) with a purpose.  Every minute in practice counts and should always be productive, CLOCK IS TICKING!!!!

Criticism!  How do we handle criticism?  It’s going to happen, as a coach you are going to receive and you are also going to give criticism to your players.  At Technique we feel criticism is necessary, if offered in a productive manner criticism creates improvement.  I have several ways to offer criticism, depends on the mental toughness of that particular player.  First I will offer a positive reinforcement of something they do well, I make sure to give them a compliment before the criticism.  Then reinforce that I have confidence in them to get the job done the right way.  Never a false compliment, never in a phony manner, remember always speak in truth.  Another way to offer criticism is to criticize first and firm, then take the sting off by a pat on the back, a “your better than that” verbal reminder.  Nobody remembers the beginning, always remember the end.  Make sure to walk up to your player and quietly send him a message between you and him with positive reinforcement that you are confident in his ability.

We all like to be given a pat on the back or praise for a job well done, this can also go in the other direction!  A player can become weaker, if his need for praise becomes stronger.  If you focus on what is the right, which is improvement then the criticism and compliments will become innate in the way you communicate with your athletes.

Criticism pointed at you as the coach!  Remember you are the teacher, all eyes are on you, verbal and nonverbal actions are all up for criticism.  If you focus on what you believe in, take responsibility for your actions, stay open to new ideas, turn a deaf ear to all praise/criticism then you will hear all you need to hear of both!

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At Technique we believe that in baseball you can only control two things:

1.  Attitude

2.  Throws

That’s it….

Attitude is important, players must be prepared to work hard daily with the appropriate attitude.  Players that come into Technique that have been stroked by other coaches in the past and not pushed, usually do not last.  The approach to preparation by all the players must have a positive attitude.  One negative attitude amongst the group can make for a bad day at practice.  The qualities that we are interested in as coaches at Technique are, attitude, hustle, cooperativeness, unselfishness, team player, quickness, stay aggressive, be on time and respect your teammates!  These all attribute to a great attitude and players can control that.  Players can also learn to have a great attitude by falling into the regimen and routine set by the leaders of the group.  It’s important that teams and players police one another.

Throws, we are constantly reminding our players that they can control throws.  Besides catching/fielding the baseball, throwing is a huge component of having a solid defense and winning games.  At Technique we expect sharp throws to good spots where players can execute plays.  Our throwing drills at Technique all have a purpose, all are performed at game speed and we apply a lot of pressure on our athletes at practice to execute throws.

Practice is the time to apply over the top pressure on your team to execute, execute throws to good spots, communication of cuts, energy must be high and paying attention to details/focus needs to be excellent.  At practice is where a coach is intense and puts an emphasis on execution.  Players can control two things, attitude and throws!  Coaches control the intensity and energy at practice.  Game time is where a coach teaches mistakes and makes sure players are applying what they are learning during preparation!!

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I love speed at practice, it builds focus and mental toughness.  Speed is fun, does not give anyone on the field time to sit.  At Technique we always want speed at practice and frequently we remind our athletes “THE CLOCK IS TICKING”.  Time waits for no one, time waits for no team to get better, make every second count and make it fast!!

The goal in practice is to come as close to game speed possible.  This helps performance, but it also helps in regards to observation and analysis of your team.  If your practice is just a laid back whatever routine, it’s difficult to see what they’re going to do in tough game situation.  If you make it competitive, if you make is sharp, clean and as close to games speed as possible, your observation and analysis are going to be much more accurate of your team, or what I like to refer it to “your material”.

You will come across that player that can perform at practice like a champion, then when he crosses them white lines in game situation all changes.  The speed at practice he can execute, the speed in the game may make him feel uncomfortable.   During practice you have time to see how players react to speed, obviously you can’t go full speed the entire practice, which on average at Technique is 2 hours, but you can simulate a game speed scenario along the routine.

Speed, speed and more speed makes for a better player.  The only difference between 10U baseball and professional baseball is the speed.  Yeah the field is bigger and caliber of player is different, but the basic fundamentals are exactly the same.  The speed of the game speeds up as players move from one year to another.  The mentally tough players and the players who have trained under a routine that contains speed with many reps make the transition from small field to big field much easier.

Practice fast, the game is fast, mental toughness allows players to slow it down.  Speed, speed and more speed at your next practice, try it and let me know how much fun your team experienced!!!

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In baseball there are basically two types of coaches: one that waits for things to happen, and the other that makes things happen!  At Technique we choose the make things happen approach!  Why?  It’s simply a much more fun way to play and coach the game in my opinion.  A coach can control the game with a steal, a fake steal, hit and run, first to third base running etc. etc.  Whether we are ahead, tied or behind at Technique we are always trying to maneuver with offensive tactics to keep the defense on edge.  At Technique we use creativity in the coaching box and going against the traditional coaching strategy can literally win ball games.  I once heard a comment, “Technique Tigers play reckless baseball on the bases”.  Some coaches may have taken offense to that type of comment, I personally smiled and agreed.  I thought reckless was an over the top word to use, I personally probably would have used the word aggressive!  Anyhow, when I heard that comment, I knew that our style of play was noticed.

Many teams can’t afford to wait for the big inning, often it never comes.  I encourage every coach to use hit and runs, fake steals, straight steals, fake bunt and steals to create a style of play that is aggressive and ultimately will win ballgames.  I have a saying, “if you play aggressive, you will not hear my voice, if you play scared, timid baseball I have a right to get intense, DO NOT BE AFRAID TO MAKE A MISTAKE”

One key coaching point when playing aggressive baseball when running the bases is “head up and see the ball”  Many times runners may take off with their head down and this can cause mistakes to happen, being doubled up, not seeing the ball miss the cut, can’t advance because you do not see the play develop.  Head up and see the ball is rule number one, head up to see coach is rule two.  The bases are not going to move, therefore the runner should always see the ball when making a decision if he is going to advance.  If the runner has his head up, he can also see his third base coach who will be his eyes when the ball is behind him.  Players must be “TECHNIQUE STRONG”