Starting Line-up for Success
Michael Hunt
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P. Have a Program Philosophy
Set goals and high expectations (win state)
Make the team a family
Build it from the ground up
C. Off-Season Conditioning
Weights, running, open gym
Summer baseball
Summer camps
1B. Find Good Help and Use It
Delegate authority
Use all your resources
Find volunteers (coaches, batting practice pitchers, fungo hitters)
2B. Start a Booster Club or Parent's Organization
Fundraising
Get parents involved in a positive way
Involve alumni
3B. Respect the Game
Facilities: take care of them, no one else will
Uniform: look like a player, wear the uniform right
Practice uniforms: builds unity, discipline and looks good
SS. Have a Practice Plan and Post It
Organize a time schedule and follow it
Know what you need to accomplish
Keep it moving
Post it at school so players can see and know what to expect
LF. Travel
Take a spring trip
Schedule an out-of-town tournament
Team bonding time
Prepare for state playoffs
CF. Stress Fundamentals Early and Often
Expect them to know NOTHING
Teach basic fundamentals before game skills
Sacrifice wins early if necessary to have success late
Minimize scrimmage time or create more useful scrimmages
RF. MOTIVATE, MOTIVATE, MOTIVATE
Post motivational quotes
Find what makes each player tick
Teach them how to compete
Teach them how to deal with failure
DH. Never stop learning
Attend clinics
Read books
Watch videos
Use all of your resources
Steal ideas from other coaches
Take your team to watch a college game or practice
If you don't know it, learn it or don't teach it!
Michael Hunt is the head baseball coach at Eureka High School in Missouri. This article appeared in the May 2002 issue of From The Dugout and was reprinted courtesy of the National High School Baseball Coaches Association.
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