Newtown, Pa. 18940
215-968-3089
NEWS AND EVENTS MEDIA
How can you as a coach prepare for it? Are you ready on both sides of the ball?
Too many times we see bunting practice being done at short range with a pitch speed not realistic to "game speed" situations. Our recommendation is to make the practice as game like as possible. Kids in general will have a slight fear of turning or pivoting their body towards the pitcher, they will feel vulnerable to being hit by the pitch. Fear is part of the game and part of all types of competition, it is what can drive most to excel and conquer their fears which is a life lesson in itself, but for another time. So practice bunting from the same distance they will bunt in a game at the same speed of the pitch.
OFFENSIVE PRACTICE: Take the time to clearly go over the bunting technique. At Big Leagues we are huge believers that there is no one way to bunt, in fact our philosophy is we do not care how you bunt, just get it done, I joke many times that I don't care if you stand on your head, just get the bunt down. Now obviously there are some techniques that will help increase the chances of a successful execution of the bunt, but you get my point. What ever stance or technique is comfortable for that individual should be used and perfected. Stress to your players that they need to get the bunt down first, THEN run, not the other way around, it is called a sacrifice or suicide squeeze for a reason. Also stress the importance of not being too cute with the placement of the bunt. Getting it down in fair territory is the big battle then the pressure is on the defense to catch throw and catch the ball again to record the out.
DEFENSIVE PRACTICE: We would go over bunt defenses for hours upon hours in college and in the professional ranks. There were many long mornings in spring training going over bunt coverages. Again for a good reason, how many times have we seen on a TV a professional team screw up a bunt coverage and it opens the flood gates? It will seem boring, it will seem mundane, but it is very important. Growing up Boyertown baseball was a powerhouse in the region and country when Legion baseball was at its peak. They would literally bunt teams into submission, they could execute a bunt and drive a team nuts. Texas University can do the same thing. I have seen our teams as young as 11U dominate teams because they can bunt and defend the bunt. Take the time to go over the bunt defenses and then take some more time, it is worth the time. We can take a thousand swings off a tee or in batting practice, but we only take a few reps when bunting. The same theory applies, if you want to become good at something, time and repetition is key. As always if you have any questions or need suggestions please call and we would be glad to help. Happy Bunting!
A Common Stretch That Could Potentially End Your Playing Career
Did you know that one of the most common shoulder stretches could end your playing career? This stretch is typically performed during a pre-throwing stretching routine under the assumption that it will improve throwing velocity by increasing the flexibility of the shoulder into external rotation. Stretching the shoulder into external rotation at 90 degrees (See Image) should be avoided because it targets the already loose ligaments of the anterior capsule. Further stretching the anterior capsule will lead to shoulder instability and highly increase the probability of injury.
A healthy shoulder relies on a delicate balance between static and dynamic stability in the glenohumeral (shoulder) joint. Static stabilizers of the shoulder consist of the joint capsule, labrum, and the glenohumeral ligaments that attach to the labrum. These stabilizers create a negative pressure (suction) within the glenohumeral joint that keeps the head of the humerus centrally located. The dynamic stabilizers consist of the rotator cuff, and the scapular muscles. The larger scapular muscles control scapular stability, glenoid position, and produce forces necessary for shoulder movements. The rotator cuff muscles keep the head of the humerus centrally located throughout the entire range of motion.
Over the course of a playing career, the shoulder undergoes adaptive changes as a result of the extraordinary forces produced during the throwing motion. The dominant (throwing) shoulder develops an increased range of motion (ROM) into external rotation and decreased ROM into internal rotation when compared to the non dominant shoulder. The increased ROM into external rotation is a direct result of the progressive loosening of ligaments within the anterior capsule. This ligament laxity not only affects shoulder ROM but also increases the likelihood of glenohumeral translation (movement of the humeral head in the socket). On the flip side, the decreased ROM into internal rotation, also referred to as GIRD (glenohumeral internal rotation deficit), can be attributed to tightness in the posterior cuff muscles (i.e., infraspinatus, teres minor). This posterior cuff tightness is also hypothesized to increase humeral head translation which is the chief cause of injury to the labrum and rotator cuff tendons.
As leaders in the field of arm care, we feel a responsibility to inform the baseball community about the dangers of this widely used stretch. The anterior capsule is already loose because of the forces created by repetitive throwing and should not be further stretched as this will create instability. Stretching into external rotation at 90 degrees should only be performed by a medical professional after an injury or surgical procedure to recover lost ROM.
Written By Jim Moran, PT, ATC, Shoulder Specialist and Tim Terry, DTC Student, Research & Education and supporters of the Crossover Symmetry which is used by the instructors of Big Leagues Academy.
Getting your catchers more involved. by Ryan Engelhardt
It has been said, there just isn't enough time to fit catching work into a practice. I can suggest at least 20 minutes you never knew you had. The time is "Infield Practice." I know that some of the items in infield practice that need the catcher’s involvement. There are at least 20 minutes that go by when all they do is catch the ball and flip it to the coach. I suggest that at the beginning of infield practice another player fill that role, and even maybe rotate with other infielders. During that time the catchers, all of the catchers if possible, are off to the side working on blocking, throwing, passed balls, etc.
When it is time to do the plays that involve the catcher, call them back over and run them all at one time. "It will take a dozen outstanding plays by the catcher to make teammates forget a single disastrous E-2 that could have been prevented by practicing catching skills."(Baseball Catchers website)
We know that scheduling a practice is always a challenge. But the outlined solution is an easy fix that will provide at least 20 minutes every practice for your catchers to work on their skills.
Stations vs. Mass practice time.
In the world of soprts, we are always searching for practice methods that allow for peak skill in games. The time length of practices is huge in allowing an athlete to perform at peak level. Too little or too much practice can eliminate the opportunity for a "best" performance. Scheduling a practice requires the efficient use of time available for each skill and/or drill.
- Practice cannot get boring.
- Time must be spent economically.
- Too much practice leads to fatigue and possible injury caused by overuse.
- Intensity is a necessity, but level of intensity cannot be maintained for long.
Consider massed practice versus stations practice (short). Take 60 minutes of time available for practice, and spend it wisely. The way we spend the hour can be of great significance. Six, ten or twelve sessions of 10-5 minutes duration has many advantages over a one-hour session in perfecting any skill or drill.
- Athlete stays more alert.
- Intensity is more likely.
- Repetitions are maintained at a near-perfect level.
- Energy level stays constant.
- Fatigue less.
- Motivation easy to maintain.
- Attention rate is improved.
- Opportunities for learning are increased.
A normal practice session takes between one and two hours. Time spent after that can be counterproductive. While a practice might require the teaching of many skills, we need frequent practice. Too much time spent on one skill eliminates the practicing of others. Proper scheduling allows the economical expenditure of time.
5 Easy Rules for Parents to live by.
5. Refrain from coaching your child or their teammates during the game. Let the coaches lead your children; it is tough to concentrate on the field when you have instruction coming from all angles.
4. Refrain as much as possible from asking your child’s head coach questions immediately following a game about playing time, positions, at bats etc. I like this to be the 24 hour rule. After any competition the mind is sometimes swimming with a hundred what ifs and I should have done that. Let the coach gather his thoughts over the next day and then give him a call. Do not use emails as I have seen too many times, emails can be taken out of context and a lot of bad can come from them. I think every coach would agree that a phone call is always best.
3. Leave the umpire alone. As hard as it may be, we must remember that they too are only amateurs and are doing the best they can. No one ever wins by screaming at the umpire and in most cases it will hurt more than it will ever help. It is a thankless job that few can do but many ridicule.
2. Be a positive role model by displaying sportsmanship to the other team, coaches, umpires and fans. I saw excellent examples of this throughout the weekend and it makes the environment for everyone that much more enjoyable.
1. Remember children participate in the games for fun and at the end of the day it is for the youth, not the adults
7-Step Warm-up for Spring:
- Take a jog to center field and back: depending on the size of the field and the temperature, 2 jogs out and back may be required
- 20 Jumping Jacks
- Skipping: the length of the base paths for two reps
- Backward lunges in place: to prevent over-striding and ensure proper technique
- Dive back into a base: I saw this done by the Mississippi St coach. He has his players practice as part of the warm-up diving back into a base. It is easy to use the foul line in left or right field when warming up a whole team. A step and a dive is all that is necessary.
- 10 Burpees: Sometimes called squat thrusts, we all did these back in gym class.
- Jog to center field again (x2)
14 Big Leagues Academy Showcase Players commit to Colleges
The College Bound Showcase Team has been a great success for the past 4 years and this year has followed suit. Coaches Ryan Engelhardt, Harry Daut, Kevin Dougherty, Shawn Fleming, Chalie Kelly and General Manager Josh Tyler pride themselves on providing young college bound baseball players an opportunity to play with fellow high caliber players and gain exposure needed to be seen by college coaches. The 2010 summer and fall baseball program had a tremendous amount of talent. The following players have committed this week to continue their careers at the following colleges by signing letters of intent, and currently there are 5 more athletes waiting to make their decisions of where to attend after considering their choices.
Ryan Hartley, Greg Guers, Kurt Sowa, Ryan Filipowitz, Tim Lazor, Dylan Tice, David Pine, Jimmy McDade, Daulton George, Larry Brittingham, Ryan Downs, Jeff Cochran, Craig Lapree, Sean Trymbiski
