Youth Baseball Digest - Arrogant Coach, You're So Vain, You Probably Think This Article is About You

One of my biggest "pet peeves" in baseball and life is when I have to associate with coaches that think too highly of themselves. They have overbearing and arrogant attitudes. They are "know-it-alls" that put themselves on a pedestal above the game, above their peer, and above their players. I would have to say that 99.9% of all baseball coaches that I have ever met are sociable, likable, and humble people that know their true worth and importance to the game of baseball. That other 1/10 of 1 percent of all baseball coaches too arrogant for my liking.

Arrogance is defined by Webster as an offensive display of superiority or self-importance; overbearing pride. You have seen coaches like I am describing. They are completely "full of themselves". They feel that they are the object around which the world of baseball revolves.

These baseball coaches are easy to spot. They are overly loud. They are overbearing. They are too flashy for their own good. They want to be seen and to put on a "show".

Many of these coaches feel that baseball is privileged to have them. They consider themselves as "God's Gift to Baseball". They highly overestimate their self worth and importance to baseball. Many of these coaches are young and too inexperienced to know better. As they mature they begin to realize that baseball coaching success can be achieved without making enemies and alienating people by being too arrogant.

I am a firm believer that two qualities that every person in life must learn are humility and modesty. Players must understand that baseball is bigger than one team, one player, one league, one season, or one career. Baseball is "God's Gift" to us as players and coaches. It is a privilege to coach and play it. Every player and coach has a duty and responsibility to protect the values and virtues of the game.

There is no need or place for arrogance in baseball. You can have pride and confidence as a player and coach without being a "jerk".

I hope this article was informative to you. Good luck to you and your team in the coming season. Have a great day, Nick.

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Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

Baseball Coaching Digest - 10 Important Facts About Composite Baseball Bats That You Should Know

Every little league baseball, high school baseball, and college baseball team in america now uses the composite baseball bat. These bats have a reputation for extreme durability in warm conditions, incredible pop, a larger sweet spot, extended break-in time, limited warranty coverage, poor cold weather durability, and noticeable handle flex. These bats are also known for having a lot of forgiveness for a poor quality swing. Many people feel that a good composite bat can make the average hitter more productive and powerful at the plate.

What are the benefits of using these bats? What are the disadvantages? This article outlines 10 facts about these bats that every baseball coach, baseball player and baseball parent should know.

10 Composite Baseball Bats Facts that you should know:

1. These bats have a much longer break-in period than aluminum bats.

2.The best way to break one in is to hit real baseballs is in batting practice by taking 100 to 200 hits.

3.When breaking the bat in, the balls should be thrown 40 to 50 mph. The barrel should be rotated 1/8 of a turn each time a good contact so as to break the barrel in evenly.

4. These bats are not as durable as metal bats. Never use your composite bat when hitting off a pitching machine or with while hitting pitching machine balls. Hitting pitching machine balls or rubber balls can do serious damage to composite bats.

5. A Composite bat should not be used in cold weather. When used in temperatures less than 65 degrees they can easily crack. The warmer the weather, the bigger the sweet spot is.

6. Composite bats are more expensive than metal or hybrid bats with most composite bats costing from $330 to $400.

7. If broken in correctly and used under proper conditions, a composite bat will outlast and perform the metal and hybrid bat.

8. Never leave a composite bat in cold weather for an extended period of time. Always take your bat inside your home at night. It is a risk to leave it in your car or truck over night.

9. Composite bats have flex in the handle so a good impact blow on the handle can cause them to break. Most breaks occur in the handle area.

10. Only hit leather cover solid baseballs. Make sure to not hit water logged baseballs with your composite bat. Heavy baseballs could damage the bat especially in colder conditions.

Buyers Tip: Different bat manufacturers have their own terms and conditions as to the warranties on their bats. Read the bat warranty policy for your bat before using it. Most bat warranties cover manufacturing defects from normal field use only. Use in commercial batting cages is not covered. If you alter your bat or mistreat it is any way, your warranty will be voided. Make sure to keep your purchase receipt. The bat company will ask for proof or purchase date and place when you ask to return a defective bat.

I hope that you found this article informative. I appreciate you taking the time to read it. Look for more articles like it at the Baseball Coaching Digest, Youth Baseball Digest, Baseball Parent Guide, and the Little League Digest. Good luck to you and your team! Have a great day, Nick.

The CoachesBest Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. Check out the Baseball Coaching Digest for hundreds of free baseball coaching articles and the daily featured article.

Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for Baseball Coaching Digest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

Baseball Coaching Digest - Why Baseball Players Are the Most Accountable Athletes in Sports

Baseball players are held to a higher level of accountability than any other athletes in the world. If you compare baseball, football and basketball to see which sport holds the player athlete more responsible for mistakes and errors, you will find that baseball holds players to a higher level of accountability. This article explains my perspective on why baseball players are the most accountable athletes in sports.

I am absolutely sure that baseball players are held at a higher level of accountability than other sports athletes. Why do I feel this way? Have you ever been to a football game and seen a player miss a tackle or block that cost his team dearly? Did the official score "flash" error on the football scoreboard? The answer is no. Have you ever watched a basketball player miss a wild open layup that hurt his team? Did the score keeper or score operator flash "error" on the scoreboard? The answer is no.

On the other hand, as baseball player can bobble a hard hit ground ball and the whole world will soon be notified and an official documentation of the mistake will be made in the scorebook. The scorekeeper will write a big "E" in the scorebook that makes the error officially known. Then the scoreboard operator will also turn on the "error" light on the scoreboard to let every player and spectator in the park know that an error was made.

That is the reason I feel that baseball players are the most accountable athletes in sports.

Maybe other sports consider adding an "Error" light on their scoreboard or writing a big "E" in their scorebook when a player makes a mistake. Then maybe the next time a player fails to execute on a football field or basketball court, they will know what it's like to be held publicly accountable and responsible like a baseball player.

I hope that you enjoyed this article. Thanks for taking the time to read it. Visit the Baseball coaching Digest, Youth Baseball Digest, Little League Digest and Baseball Parent Guide for more baseball articles. Good luck to you and your team, Nick.

The CoachesBest Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. Check out the BatAction Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

Youth Baseball Digest: The 3 Absolutes of Coaching Youth Baseball

Baseball is one of the most demanding sports to coach. The purpose and function of youth baseball is to provide a quality sports team experience that builds baseball skills, teaches team-first attitudes, builds a respect for authority and regulations, and develops an appreciation for the value and consequences of hard work.

To be a successful baseball coach, you must have an understanding how the game is taught, played and practiced. There are three absolutes that every youth baseball coach should remember when they plan, organize, and prepare their "game plan" for the coming season! This article outlines those three absolutes.

The three absolutes of baseball are:

Youth baseball is a game for youngsters, not adults.
Baseball must be taught and practiced for success to be achieved.
Discipline must be a part of every team's preparation and execution.

Now I will briefly explain what I mean by each of these absolutes.

Youth baseball is a game for youngsters, not adults.

When I say "Youth Baseball is for Youths" what I mean is that we have youth baseball for the youngsters that are playing it, not for the coaches that are coaching.You will find that kids can accept responsibility, become accountable, work hard, and learn from their team successes and failures, but at the same time they have to see purpose, see progress, and enjoy their participation. They must have fun.

For kids to love and appreciate the game they must be motivated, challenged, and enjoy the majority of their team time whether it be a practice, a workout, or a game. There is no law that says coaches should not laugh, smile, joke and have "Light" moments with the team. I consider myself a pretty good baseball coach. My team discipline is strict. But, my players know exactly when they can goof off, joke around, crack on each other, or generally be "loose" as a team. They also know exactly when they have to be focused, attentive, and acting "by the book". The point I am trying to make here is that coaches have to understand that players need to learn to relax and as much as they need to learn to work and focus. It is a coach's job to teach them to enjoy themselves without guilt so long as their enjoyment comes from wholesome and proper behavior that is acceptable.

Baseball must be taught and practiced for success to be achieved.

Baseball is a sport that required a high level of commitment and dedication. It is important that players develop good work habits as early in their careers as possible.It is impossible to fake work or fake good practice when it comes to baseball. Those coaches, teams and programs that work extremely smart, work exceptionally hard, and that always work with a higher level of purpose and commitment are the baseball programs at the top of the "food chain". So, if you plan to coach, get prepared to practice. In fact, if you need to make sure that you have

Discipline must be a part of every team's preparation and execution.

I am a firm believer that teaching team and self-discipline are two of the most important roles of every coach in all sports. To be successful a player must learn to discipline himself to stay out of trouble. To be build a championship atmosphere and environment, a coach must establish control of his players and staff. With discipline also comes respect. Without discipline, there can never be respect. Without respect your team will never achieve to its highest attention.

Players not only expect and appreciate a coach's discipline, but they also have a strong desire for it. Kids want to be controlled, instructed, and taught. It makes them feel like they are respected, appreciated, and a part of something worth spending their effort and time in. When a coach displays no backbone, no will to control, and no will to handle adversity with a firm and strong demeanor, the players will not put their full and complete trust in him. Coaches should set team rules. The coach should display a willingness to plan, prepare, organize and execute both practice and game plans. This shows a high level of self-discipline on the coach's part. Teams emulate a coach's attitude, actions, and habits.

Instilling and maintaining a firm discipline builds a strong foundation upon which to build a championship season. I hope that you found this article to be informative. Please visit the Baseball Coaching Digest, Youth Baseball Digest, Baseball Digest Blog, and the Baseball Parent Guide for free baseball coaching articles, drills, and tips. Good Luck to you and your team in the coming season. Have a great day, Nick.

The CoachesBest Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. Check out the BatAction Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.