By Staff
Coaching Management, 9.6, September 2001, http://www.momentummedia.com/articles/cm/cm0906/bbabca.htm
The American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) recently released a set of three videos, "Baseball Skills & Drills," that should be of interest to coaches and players at all levels of the game. Produced in conjunction with Human Kinetics, the videos demonstrate how to organize better practices and illustrate what drills are essential for developing fundamental baseball skills.
The "Hitting and Baserunning" video features Mark Johnson, Head Coach at Texas A&M University. "Pitching and Catching" is hosted by Pat McMahon, who was just named Head Coach at the University of Florida after leading the Mississippi State program. "Fielding" features Jack Leggett, Head Coach at Clemson and a sought-after clinic speaker.
"We chose coaches who were nationally known and who were considered experts on those topics," says ABCA Executive Director Dave Keilitz.
On each tape, the coach teaches key techniques for improving execution and provides a selection of the best drills for mastering primary skills. And special coaching points provide insight into helping players learn or perform certain skills and correct common errors.
For example, on the "Fielding" tape, Leggett introduces the topic by noting that, "While fans may be more impressed by home runs, managers, coaches, and smart players know that a great fielder can save his team just as many runs as a big hitter can add to the scorebook." He then begins with a discussion of throwing, saying it is "the skill which is both the cause of so many errors at the lower levels of competition and the key factor in developing a high-caliber defense at the advanced levels." He offers advice on gripping the ball (across the four seams), and demonstrates several drills to improve throwing mechanics.
Leggett then moves on to discuss fielding ground balls and fly balls, and explains the most important skills of each position player. He demonstrates tagging runners, holding runners on base, coverage responsibilities, turning the double play, cutoffs and relays, and more. Several useful drills, such as the relay-tag drill and the continuous slow-roller drill, are introduced throughout the video to target specific skills.
He concludes by stating, "The importance of defensive skills cannot be overemphasized. Players who have the dedication to practice these skills can make a significant contribution to their teams. Teams that play good defense are teams that don't beat themselves."
The other two videos are similarly organized. The video series costs $64.95 (each tape is also available individually for $24.95), while the Baseball Skills & Drills companion book to the video series lists for $18.95. Also part of the ABCA-Human Kinetics joint effort is The Baseball Coaching Bible, which was published in 1999. Another book on baseball strategies is scheduled for publication in the future.
"We wanted to develop a series of coaching materials that we thought would be beneficial to college, high school, and youth coaches," Keilitz says. "I think we succeeded. We were able to choose the writers and editors and shape the content so that it would best meet the needs of coaches."
Visit www.humankinetics.com for more information.