How to Get the Best From Your High School Baseball Club
Running a high school baseball club can be one of your greatest joys. You can get into the heat of competition one season at a time and help young boys become men. Each season is like a story and will have its ups and downs. When you get your team to buy in and commit to the process, you can become competitive in your district and put some wins into the books. In this article, you will learn more about coaching a high school baseball squad so that your players can win in baseball and life.
1. Get in batting cages and start drills well before the first day of practice
Baseball is a sport that lives and dies by the fundamentals. Hitting and fielding win championships, so start your team on these drills early. It's not just hyperbole when people say that batting is one of the most difficult things to do in sports. If you get your players in the batting cages and on tees during off-season conditioning, they'll be much sharper once the season begins. They can build their hand-eye coordination and muscle memory so that they are in true form. Give them plenty of practice hitting fastballs and off-speed pitches like change-ups and curveballs. They'll be ready for even the best pitchers in your district when you start practicing early.
Fielding is essential to building a good defensive team. Find out who your infielders are and put them through the rigors of ground balls and situational awareness. You'll also need your catchers to get their timing together with pitchers. The earlier you start putting the skills together, the better your team will be when it counts.
2. Make your baseball club a well-conditioned team
If you are going to manage a high school baseball club, you have to also make sure everyone is well-conditioned. Time everyone on their mile-and-a-half before the season to be sure they're in good shape. You can also institute a weight training program so that everyone can improve their hitting power and strengthen their throwing arms. When you take the offseason conditioning program seriously, your team will be less fatigued and better able to go several innings even when it's hot outside.
Use the tips in this article so that you can get your team on the right page. You can also contact various local high school baseball clubs for more insight.