Coaching Blog & Weekly Show
Coaching Articles
How to Run a Pre-Season Parent Meeting That Actually Works
The Meeting I Almost Skipped Last year I pulled into the parking lot for our first practice and had three parents flag me down before I even got my bag out of the truck. One wanted to know why her ...
hittingTee Work: Why Most Coaches Do It Wrong
I watched a kid hit off the tee for twenty minutes last spring and wondered why I was even there. He was just swinging. Ball after ball, same spot, same height, same lazy loop through the zone. His...
parent managementWhen Parents Disagree with Your Lineup
I had a dad corner me in the parking lot after a 10U game, three minutes after we'd won, and the first thing out of his mouth was, "Why was Tyler batting seventh?" Not "great win." Not "the kids pl...
pitchingPitch Count Rules and Why They Exist
I had a 12-year-old kid on my travel team — big arm, good spin on his curve, the kind of pitcher every coach wants on the mound in a close game. His dad came to me after our third tournament and as...
fieldingCatching Fundamentals for 8U and Up
I had a kid last spring — Mason, eight years old, gap in his front teeth, wore his hat sideways until I fixed it — who was flinching every single time a ball came at him. Not blinking. Full-on turn...
mental gameThe Pre-Game Routine That Calms a Nervous Team
I had a team of 10U kids last spring who were visibly shaking before a tournament opener. Hands fidgeting, eyes darting around, nobody talking. I'd seen nervous teams before, but this one felt like...
parent managementManaging Playing Time Without Losing Parents
I had a mom corner me in the parking lot after a Tuesday practice, kids still on the field, and she went straight for the throat. "My son played two innings last game and you had him sitting while ...
hittingTeaching the Swing to 7-8U Without Overcomplicating It
I had a kid last spring — seven years old, maybe 50 pounds soaking wet — who came to his first practice with a swing that looked like he was trying to swat a hornet. His dad had been watching YouTu...
mental gameThe Pre-Game Routine That Settles a Nervous Team
I had a 10U team a few years back that was playing in their first tournament game ever. We showed up to the field and I could just see it — kids standing around with their hands in their pockets, n...
practice planningTeaching 8U Kids to Back Up Bases
I watched my shortstop just stand there last Tuesday while a throw sailed past first base and rolled all the way to the fence. Runner scored from first. Game over. And my shortstop — sweet kid, gre...
practice planningHow to Run a High-Energy Infield Practice
Last week I watched a coach run infield for 45 minutes and the kids looked dead by minute 30. They were going through the motions—shuffle step, field the ball, throw it back. Shuffle step, field, t...
player developmentProven Youth Baseball Drills to Build Confidence and Skills Fast
Six high-rep, high-success drills that build real skills and real confidence — because in youth ball, the two grow together.
practice planningYouth Baseball Practice Plan Template That Saves Coaches 5 Hours a Week
Steal this proven 75-minute practice template. Plan in five minutes, run high-rep stations, and never stand around again.
parent managementTalking to Parents: Scripts Every Youth Baseball Coach Needs
Word-for-word scripts for the conversations every coach dreads — playing time, position changes, and the angry sideline parent.
practice planningThe Perfect 10-Minute Warmup Routine for Youth Baseball Teams
A repeatable, ten-minute warmup that prevents sore arms, sharpens focus, and gets your team ready to compete from the first pitch.
player developmentHow to Develop Every Player: Smart Lineup Strategies for Youth Baseball
Winning at 8U is a trap. Here is how to build lineups and field assignments that develop your whole roster — and still compete.
The Weekly Show
Full show page →A new episode every Monday — Coach Mike covers one coaching topic in depth, from the dugout perspective.
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17Cortadas y Relevos para Equipos de 10 años para abajo 8 min · 2026-08-170:00 / --:--
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16Teaching the Mental Game in Practice 9 min · 2026-08-170:00 / --:--
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15Cómo hacer una reunión de padres antes de la temporada que de verdad funcione 9 min · 2026-08-100:00 / --:--
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14When Your Best Player Is in a Slump 8 min · 2026-08-100:00 / --:--
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13El Windup vs. el Stretch en Pitchers Jóvenes 8 min · 2026-08-030:00 / --:--
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12Tee Work: Why Most Coaches Do It Wrong 9 min · 2026-08-030:00 / --:--
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11When Parents Disagree with Your Lineup 9 min · 2026-07-270:00 / --:--
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10Pitch Count Rules and Why They Exist 7 min · 2026-07-200:00 / --:--
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9Why Kids Step Out on Inside Pitches and How to Fix It 9 min · 2026-07-200:00 / --:--
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9Enseñando mal la paciencia en el bate 8 min · 2026-08-170:00 / --:--
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9El miedo sabotea más que la mecánica de lanzamiento 9 min · 2026-08-170:00 / --:--
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8Catching Fundamentals for 8U and Up 9 min · 2026-07-130:00 / --:--
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8La mentalidad del receptor en beisbol juvenil 10 min · 2026-08-100:00 / --:--
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7The Pre-Game Routine That Calms a Nervous Team 7 min · 2026-07-130:00 / --:--
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7El entrenador asume responsabilidad por error táctico 9 min · 2026-08-100:00 / --:--
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6Managing Playing Time Without Losing Parents 8 min · 2026-07-060:00 / --:--
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6Después del Colapso: Cómo Hablarle a un Receptor Tras un Error 9 min · 2026-08-030:00 / --:--
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5Teaching Pitch Sequencing to Young Pitchers 9 min · 2026-07-050:00 / --:--
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5Cuatro Bolas Seguidas: Cómo Manejar la Presión en el Montículo 9 min · 2026-07-270:00 / --:--
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4Teaching the Swing to 7-8U Without Overcomplicating It 9 min · 2026-06-150:00 / --:--
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4Lo Que Fallan los Pitchers Jóvenes y Cómo Corregirlo 9 min · 2026-07-200:00 / --:--
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3The Pre-Game Routine That Settles a Nervous Team 9 min · 2026-06-080:00 / --:--
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3Lo Que Me Detuvo en Seco: Pequeñas Señales que Definen a un Equipo 9 min · 2026-07-130:00 / --:--
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2Cuando la Mecánica No Es el Problema: El Receptor que Tiraba al Suelo 9 min · 2026-07-090:00 / --:--
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1First-and-Third Situations for 10U Coaches 9 min · 2026-06-060:00 / --:--
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1El Jugador Que Lo Hace Bien y Nadie Lo Dice 9 min · 2026-07-090:00 / --:--