WELCOME TO THE YOUTH COACHING NETWORK


A Free Coaching Newsletter
July 2000 Issue 5 (Links Edition)
Kelly P. Hanaway, Editor (editor@teamanizer.com)

Welcome to 100's of coaches around the world!
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IN THIS ISSUE (Table of Contents)

1. "Youth Coaching Network" Newsletter Update

      T ogether
      E veryone
      A chieves
      M ore

2. Feature Articles by Sport:

Dear Fellow Coaches,

Hope everyone is enjoying a wonderful summer vacation.  Won't be long at all now until the autumn season gets underway.
Baseball is as hot as ever.  I've received the majority of comments and requests on this sport.  Basketball, though nearing completion still generates a significant amount of requests particularly for drills (see this months drill).  Soccer continues to be consistently popular while football, hockey, and cheer are begin to take on some activity

Drop me an email if you'd like to become an author to this newsletter

"Swing Hard; In Case You Hit It"

Very Best,

Kelly P (Coach Kelly) Hanaway :-)
 

If you haven't already done so, please forward this issue to one or two of your friends or fellow coaches. Thanks so much!
 

BASEBALL: " All Star & Tournament Preparation" - Coach Marty Schupak
 

As the youth baseball regular season comes to an end,  another one is ready
to begin. All Stars and tournament play.  This part of youth baseball can be
very stressful for coaches and parents.  The All Star selections probably
were picked 1-3 weeks before the season ends.  As coaches, a “parents
meetingâ€� should be mandatory.  This meeting can be helpful with regards to
the All Star (or tournament) team's goal and what is expected from each
player. It is very important for the coaches to go over the availability of
their child for practices and games.  Remember that All Stars take place
right in the middle of the busiest vacation time of the year.  Find out from
each player the availability for practices for the summer.  A lot of leagues
don't wait until a parents meeting, but in fact won't put players on All
Star or tournament teams unless they get a written commitment for practices
as well as games.

 Another very important point is to emphasize to parents that each All Star
is expected to play  the position they are assigned to enthusiastically.
When I was first involved in All Stars, the biggest complaint I got from
parents was "how could you put my Timmy at second base when he didn't play
there during the year".  I address this to both parents and players and tell
them that if they have any problem playing any position in the field, to let
me know now because there are other players who are not on the team that are
willing to play anywhere.

  All Star tournaments for some are considered the "real season".  The
players picked for the team are the best in the league.  Games are more
emotional and intense.  Parents, who during the year sat away from each
other are now talking to each other on the same side.  It can be a stressful time
but it is also a great time for the players who were opponents during the
season, and now have a chance to play on the same team together.

Marty Schupak has been involved  in youth baseball including all stars and
tournaments for 14 years.  If you would like a copy of his 10 All Star tips
and strategies,e mail him at: cancel39@aol.com .  He is also President of
the Youth Sports Club and can be reached at his web site:
www.youthsportsclub.com or http://59minbballprc.com/
 
 

BASKETBALL: "ONE ON ONE FULL COURT DRILL" – Coach Michael Wells

The defender must make the offensive player change direction.  We want the defender to dig with the inside hand.  If the defender gets beat he must learn how to sprint ahead and get back into position to stop the dribbler.

Players switch roles on the far baseline and the drill continues coming back.

GENERAL: "How to Beat the Heat - Summer Workouts"

For an article on physiological effects of training in the heat called, "Heat Acclimatization" go to: http://www.sportsci.org/encyc/heataccl/heataccl.html

Or, for "Fluid and Carbohydrate Intake During Team Games: Research and Recommendations" at: http://www.sportsci.org/jour/9901/lmb.html

Finally, for coaches of adult teams who may be looking for an edge and who have experts available to evaluate the idea, "Glycerol Hyperhydration to
Beat the Heat?" at: http://www.sportsci.org/traintech/glycerol/rar.htm
 
 

GENERAL: "How to Organize a Practice" Part 5 - Coach Joe Izzo

This month I cover the last segment of the practice, the Conclusion, and then review the entire series.  If you are still reading this I assume that at least some of it makes sense to you.  Please feel free to tailor this concept to meet your needs.

Conclusion
Like the introduction, the conclusion in divided into two parts.  The first part is a review of the current practice.  I actually copy the overview notes from the introduction.  Tell the kids what they just worked on and why.  Ask if they have any questions or comments.  Ask if there were any drills that they did or did not like.  Make note of these for the obvious reasons.

The second part of the conclusion is announcements.  The time and place for the next practice or game.  Any special events like picture day or a parade that the team might be participating in.  Some coaches like to hand out announcement slips to each player.  This is especially important if part of the schedule handed out at the beginning of the season has to change for some reason.

I typically schedule 5 minutes for the entire Conclusion but seldom use more than 2 or 3. That leaves me a little padding just in case a drill runs over a little bit.

Practice Planning Review
I divide my practices into the following segments:
 

1. Introduction
2. Warm-ups
3. Activities
4. Conclusion

Skills should be introduced with easy drills so the basic concepts can be learned.  Increase the level of difficulty of the drills appropriately for your team.  Make sure sequential drills build on each other.  Finish a skill set with a game that uses the skill in a competition.  Remember that almost any drill can be made into a game/competition, and kids seem to have fun competing with each other.  Sometimes the more ridicules the competition the better.  Reinforce skill training throughout the season with warm-ups and more games.

Practice Planning Rules Review (see issue 1 for more details):

• Plan your practice ahead of time.
• Keep the practice moving/the kids busy (dead time will kill you).
• Don’t try to cover too much material, and don’t concentrate on one topic too long.
• Always save time to allow for a scrimmage.
• Save the “fun things” for last.
• Try to get the kids tired before “lecturing” them.

- Coach Joe Izzo
 

SOCCER "Going Beyond Soccer Mom"-  

         Excellent NEWSWEEK article:  http://www.msnbc.com/news/430161.asp
 

SOCCER "Great Values for Soccer Coaches" -

3. Monthly Poll Question

BASEBALL : Guest Coach Article

BASKETBALL : Guest Coach Article

GENERAL: "How to Organize a Practice - Part 5" - Coach Joseph P Izzo

HOCKEY: "Guest Coach Article

CHEER: Guest Coach Article

FOOTBALL: Guest Coach Article

SOCCER : Guest Coach Article

If any coaches out there would like to contribute as guest authors (or in any other way), please email me at mailto:editor@teamanizer.com.