2010 Snoqualmie Valley Little League Manager’s Meeting & Training

1. 2010 Snoqualmie ValleyLittle LeagueManager’s Meeting & Training Presented by: Jeff Mitchell

2. Agenda • Volunteer Form • Team Medical Consent/Concussion • First Aid training • Season Preliminaries • Game Day Protocols / Pregame routine • Strategies for Effective & Impactful Coaching • Game Strategies

3. Season Preliminaries • Team Meeting • Concussion & Medical Release Team Form • Adult Volunteer Umpire • Umpire Assignment • Indoor Practices • Safety issues, care of property • Rainouts • Practices • Majors: NBE, Coast: SES, Minors: Opstad • Games – email: jday@johndayhomes.com

4. Preliminaries (Cont.) • Practice & Game Schedules (John Day) • Season Standings • Email results of game to: • End of Season Tournaments • SAFETY FIRST! • Practice under covered areas • Any batting – helmets on EVERYONE • Create a safe hitting zone • Coaches Resources: • Jim Anderson, Jeff Mitchell, svll.net, eteamz.com, Internet, books, videos, Tom Dedin clinic

5. Team Meeting • Introduce yourself & coaches • Discuss your philosophy (briefly) • Let parents know when & how to communicate with you (issues, questions, concerns, feedback on their child) • Ask for volunteers (volunteer form) • Parent coaching helpers, ump, scorekeeper, groundskeeper, scoreboard, equipment haul • Player Survey • Positions they have played, would like to play, want to get better at this year. What will make this season a success to them?

6. Game Day Protocols (Field Use) • Wet Fields • Field closure lines (only for MANAGERS!) • North Bend: 888-5628 • Snoqualmie: 831-5784, ext 50 • If game is canceled, CALL YOUR UMP! • If infield is questionable, stay off – no pregame infield – Use the outfield • Walking on them or working them with a rake doesn’t drain the water – leave them alone

7. Game Day Protocols (Pregame – 6pm game start) • 5:00 – 5:20 – Visitor in batting cage • 5:20 – 5:40 – Home team in batting cage • 5:00 – 5:35 – both teams can use the side of the infield and outfield for warm-ups • 5:35- 5:45 – visitors take infield • 5:45 – 5:55 – home team takes infield • 5:55 – plate meeting with Umpire in Chief • 5:59 – Home pitcher warms-up • 6:00 – Batter up!

8. Sample Pregame Routine (Visiting Team) • 5:00 – 5:20 - Batting Stations • soft toss, whiffle balls, live in batting cage and bunt station (up against the dugout fence) • Players waiting to hit live play “Pepper” • 5:00 – 5:30 – Players done hitting, warm-up in outfield – play catch (TWO HANDS!) • Infield “short-hops” on side of infield • Coach hits ground balls on side • Infield-Outfield Drill • 5:35 – 5:45 – Take Infield • 5:45 – 5:55 – Starting pitcher warms up outside fence; team meeting to review game strategy or goal

9. Game Roster

10. Stats Template

11. Strategies for Effective & Impactful Coaching How to be a truly successful youth baseball coach that makes an impact on the lives of your players.

12. Why are you Coaching? • Define success: • Growth of players’ • Playing Skills • Maturity • Character • Why do kids play? • FUN, FRIENDS, RECREATION Strategies for Effective & Impactful Coaching

13. Keys to Successful CoachingThat YOU Control • BE PREPARED and ORGANIZED • Be motivated and enthusiastic • Be balanced – it’s called LITTLE League • Demand Hustle – set the example • Do everything with excellence or don’t do it! • Drills, taking pregame infield, taking the field between innings Strategies for Effective & Impactful Coaching

14. Teach Your TeachersCoach Your Coaches • Teach your volunteer coaches EXACTLY how to run a drill, what you are emphasizing and how to “verbally” give adjustments to the kids • Use older, experienced players to help younger or less skilled players – partners in fielding shorthops, pepper, etc. • Challenge these kids to be “leaders” by example FIRST Strategies for Effective & Impactful Coaching

15. Demand the BestHelp raise the bar of your players’ expectations and demands of themselves • BALANCE!!! • Focus on the things that players control: • Attitude • Enthusiasm • Effort (Hustle) • Help your players challenge themselves • Don’t focus on batting avg., K’s, HR’s, wins Strategies for Effective & Impactful Coaching

16. Great Teams PAY ATTENTION! • Watch opposing pitchers • What is his “out” pitch? How does he start batters? Does he “tip” his pitches? • What’s the umpire’s strike zone like? • Which defensive players aren’t paying attention? • Is the third baseman standing too deep? • Is second baseman out of position to cover on a bunt? • Have kids keep pitch count while on the bench Strategies for Effective & Impactful Coaching

17. Game Strategies • Moving your outfield & infielders • Pitching – Location & change of speed • Lower levels: just being able to throw a strike • Intermediate: ability to pitch inside & off speed • Majors: move ball, work outside corner, change speeds, work out of zone, pitch backwards • Running game – • Being aggressive at all times on the bases • Forces defense to be in a heightened state at all times and to make plays • NOT delaying the game by messing around

18. Game Strategies (cont.) • Defense • Play for outs – outs are your friends • Can’t get an out, limit them to one base • Middle of the field • Catcher-pitcher-shortstop-centerfield • Vary types of pitchers – one slow, one fast; one tall, one shorter; right, then left; • Pitch calling – coach calls, but provide instruction to pitcher/catcher between innings about “why this pitch” was called or location, sequencing, etc.

19. Pregame Practice (at GAME SPEED) • Every drill, every action, every attitude should be conducted just as if it were in the game • Full speed, with hustle between stations (at pick up) – no “hacking” or goofing around in drills • Upbeat, optimistic, light hearted, but not uptight • Hitting – Build up hitters’ confidence with drills • Simulate “Live” hitting situations (new at bat, runner on 3rd, runner on 2nd, 2 strikes) • Challenge hitters’ weak spots

20. Strategies for DEVELOPING your TEAM • Player survey – identify kids that have a goal to play a position • assign them “homework” and benchmarks to work toward so that they can achieve their goal • “Sandwhiching” pitchers • Use out of hand games to pitch new pitchers • Start strong and finish strong (have your horse in reserve to finish) Strategies for Effective & Impactful Coaching

21. Strategies for DEVELOPING your TEAM (cont.) • Weak Pitcher, STRONG Defense • Slow pitcher, strong 3B, SS, LF & CF • Fast pitcher, strong 1B, 2B, RF, CF • Accurate pitcher: strong SS, 2B & CF • Kids can only learn to hit by HITTING! • Make your kids swing the bat! • Don’t rely on bunting your weak hitters • It takes a great hitter to be a great bunter • If you are going to bunt as a strategy, make sure that your kids understand that you will ask EVERYONE to bunt • Move a struggling hitter higher up in the order to get more AB’s Strategies for Effective & Impactful Coaching

22. Strategies for DEVELOPING your Players’ Confidence & Character • Set individual Player Development Goals • Create an environment that encourages risk taking!!! • Never punish or demean a kid who fails. They are going to fail more often than they succeed!!! • Preach that failure (when trying) is success! • If player A hits the bal 50% of the time, then the more swings he has and the more at bats he has, the more hits he will eventually get! • Set mini goals • Losing big? Win this inning • Struggling Pitcher – having fun is required – if not, get off the mound • Talk / Chatter • Get your kids fired up and cheering for their team Strategies for Effective & Impactful Coaching

23. LEGACY & MEMORIES • How do you want to be thought of? • How do you want to be remembered? • Is it a good thing to see families and players that you’ve coached in the past? • What positive memories are you going to make from your youth sports involvement? Strategies for Effective & Impactful Coaching

24. My Memories from 13 years of Little League • The last picked player who got that big hit or made that big catch • The kid whose mom was diagnosed with breast cancer right as the season began – his struggles & his successes • The kid who got his first two hits of the season in his last two at bats of game #23! • The most unlikely kid hitting a home run • Other players hitting their first home runs • My kids hitting their first home runs • That 12 year old who shows up every year transformed physically • Snow on opening day • Shop vacuums on the Majors Field… • The player who barely played LL and his mom made him write himself a note of how much fun he was having, so he wouldn’t forget at signup time next year! Strategies for Effective & Impactful Coaching

25. My Memories (cont.) • The most goofy, hyper kid becoming a team leader • The player who approached me during game 23 and said, “I’d like to pitch”. And we let him… • The grandparent of a player who went back to his home state and started coaching LL again, because he saw how much fun we were having! • The shouts of “Hey Coach” and “Coach Jeff” that I hear throughout the community • A player when asked who is someone that is having a big impact in your life said, “Coach Jeff” • Coaching all 3 of my sons on one team Strategies for Effective & Impactful Coaching

26. Questions? • www.svll.net • jmitchell@dadco.com • Cell: 425-260-6603 Softball Managers – Group up session Equipment

27. Equipment Issue • Eric Howland • Email: eric0825@comcast.net • Cell: 425-890-5485