“Who's their catcher?” This is the first question many Major League pitchers ask when they are being traded. The pitcher-catcher relationship is critical to the success of a ball team, which means it’s vital to train your youth catchers the art of working with their pitchers.
Catchers are constantly thinking about the best way to get a batter out. Just like with pitchers, it is always an advantage if a catcher knows the scouting report on the batter or at least pays attention during each at-bat.
Noticing whether a player tends to hit for the fences or pull the ball to left field can make all the difference in a catcher’s performance at calling pitches.
In addition to having strong balance, agility, glove work, toughness, hand and foot speed, and strategic thinking, catchers need to have incredible interpersonal skills. When your catcher can properly communicate with your pitcher, your team can improve its success.
Tell the Pitcher What He Needs to Hear
Your catcher needs to know his pitcher. Without an understanding of the personality of the pitcher, the catcher will have a hard time knowing what to say. Many pitchers need their catchers to be soft and caring, while others want someone direct.
“He pitches better when he’s mad, so I try to make him that way,” Jorge Posada said about Orlando Hernandez, according to an ESPN article. Certainly, kids shouldn’t be mad on the field, but a little bee in the bonnet can cultivate that competitive spirit.
No matter a pitcher’s preference, they all need to know the truth.
A catcher shouldn’t tell a pitcher he is doing great when it’s clear he’s had much better days. Telling the pitcher the truth is essential, but most pitchers prefer when a catcher does so kindly. Rather than just saying “You need to work the inside of the plate,” catchers must tell the pitcher the way they execute better. Pitchers can often clearly see the areas where they are not effective, but they need to know what they should do to become better. Some kids have this down “naturally,” and others can gain this skill from an understanding parent who doesn’t coddle but suggests guidelines.
Treat Practice Like a Game
Rather than simply placing the glove in the strike zone and merely going through the motions during practice, a catcher can treat practice like the real game. Working all corners of the plate, as well as up and down, will have your pitcher familiar with the way you set up during a game.
Visiting the Pitcher
Paying a visit to the pitcher typically results in an effective partnership. Taking trips to the mound to talk to the pitcher and calm him down can help build his confidence. Effective catchers can make pitchers smile in tough situations, and this can relax them.
Communication Is Key, Too
Certainly, the pitcher-catcher relationship is critical to a team’s success. This makes it vital for coaches to train catcher in this art of social interaction. Certain catchers are simply on the same page as their pitchers, and these relationships often result in a low ERA. Ultimately, overall improved relationships on your team boost morale and improve performance.
Good friends enrich our lives. We’ve all had times when we’ve suffered disappointments or loss and drew strength from loyal friends who came to support and encourage us. These people, who remain faithful through good and bad, are to be treasured. In light of this, it’s extremely important that we’re deliberate and intentional in establishing godly relationships.
There are plenty of people in the world, but not all of them are suitable to be called our close friends. Only a select few, those who accept us with all our imperfections, can be allowed into our inner circle. Spiritually, there’s great danger in choosing the wrong friends; spending time with people who hide ill intentions can be disastrous for us. “So stop fooling yourselves! Evil companions will corrupt good morals and character” (1 Corinthians 15:33, TPT).
Who we hang around with influences us tremendously, for either good or bad. The relationships we foster can either build us up and help us reach our potential or tear down our sense of self-worth and destroy any positive self-image we have. Faithful friends are gifts from God; He therefore needs to be present in all our friendships. “Sweet friendships refresh the soul and awaken our hearts with joy, for good friends are like the anointing oilthat yields the fragrant incense of God’s presence” (Proverbs 27:9, TPT).
We’ve all met people who pretend to be our friends but whose motives are suspect. There are plenty of people like that in the world; associating with them can drain the joy out of our lives and leave us wondering why we feel so negative after being with them. Individuals like this can be traps for our emotional health and well-being. True friends always have our best interest at heart, and tell us the truth in love. “You can trust a friend who wounds you with his honesty,but your enemy’s pretended flattery comes from insincerity” (Proverbs 27:6, TPT).
We must also be aware of how anger affects a friendship. This emotion can lead to strife and bickering, and eventually destroy a perfectly good relationship. When we’re influenced by someone like this, their anger negatively affects our emotional outlook. This should be a red flag for us. “Don’t befriend angry peopleor associate with hot-tempered people,or you will learn to be like themand endanger your soul” (Proverbs 22:24, 25, NLT).
When selecting who gets to be our friend, it’s important to be able to recognize and weed out the ones who judge us for not being perfect. Some people need to stay acquaintances in our outer circle because they have character issues. We need to be picky who we open ourselves up to and become vulnerable with. Good friends are non-judgmental; they accept us the way we are and help us along our God-given path. “He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends” (Proverbs 17:9).
Good friendships stand the test of time. God sends some people into our lives for a brief season; He sends others to walk with us through the years, ministering to us and encouraging us in tough times by their very presence. These are the people He can work through to show us His love and kindness. Recognizing the ones He has put in our path, and nourishing those relationships, makes life sweet.
The shield defense system is a cutting-edge method to obtaining a well-rounded effective defensive skill set for MMA fighting. The concept of the shield is to use a powerful emergency maneuver to protect your vital targets from an attack, thus creating an obstruction for your opponent to strike or slam against without being able to harm you in the process. Traditional boxing defense skills such as bobbing, weaving and evasive footwork can't be your only reliable forms of defense in MMA competition. These simply will not work in most MMA uniformed training strategies because of the chaotic exchanges of erratic striking and grappling that happen in MMA. You must have effective blocking and covering skills to stop close range swarming and unpredictable attacks. This is especially important if your opponent is quick and doesn't telegraphic and is very aggressive. The shield is the only option under these conditions. There are many variations of the shielding theme so pay close attention and enjoy! Book this course.......
This informative video presents the essential fundamentals a volleyball player needs to compete successfully. Coach Julie Torbett teaches players key techniques and provides a wide variety of unique drills for practicing and mastering volleyball skills. Among the topics covered are posture, passing, setting, hitting, blocking, serving and a Five-to-Five Drill. Each area of the game is taught in a progressive manner that will maximize practice time and player improvement. The techniques and drills in this program have been instrumental in helping to create successful players at all levels! 85 minutes. Book this course......
Julie Torbett has been a Division I head volleyball coach for over 24 years. Since 2013, she has been coaching at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina. Prior to coaching at ECU, Torbett was head coach at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina from 2011-2013 and coached at UNC Asheville from 1994-2011. Julie was also an outstanding player at Penn State University as a middle back and defensive specialist. Book this course today!
In 2021, Oral Roberts became the second No. 15 seed ever to earn a spot in the Sweet 16. ORU's 5 Out System is one of the best in college basketball.
Per Synergy Sports, Oral Roberts is a top 15 offense once again this season.
Russell Springman, ORU Assistant Coach, explains that one of the biggest keys of the offense is keeping it simple.
He understands that having a few key points will drive the effectiveness of the offense compared to overcomplicating it with 100’s of points.
Here are 6 Points of Emphasis of a very successful 5 Out Offense that ORU and other coaches/organizations preach:
#1 - Screener
The screener had two jobs in regards to their set up: step away or looping under.
The second step for a screener is sprinting into the ball screen. The first 3 steps of the sprint is to create separation. The goal is to arrive alone.
The third step is the screening angle. ORU’s goal is to force defenders over the screen or put the player’s chest into the shoulder blade.
The last step is separation after the screen. The goal is to get away from the screen.
It is designed to have great spacing and an opportunity for each player to get great looks throughout the course of a game.
#4) “Why make ten passes if we can get exactly the same shot in transition?”
Assuming you have a half-decent shooter on your team, you want them to take open shots from the three-point line. Whenever you have a player that can knock down threes, you want to put the ball in his hands.
Even though it is effective to run a bunch of sets, move the ball around for twenty seconds and find your wing or guard open on perimeter, a lot of times it is easier to get open for a three in transition. The game is changing, and players want to be the next Stephen Curry. We can hate it, or we can take advantage of it - IF they have the shooting ability.
Watch how the University of Memphis likes to get their shooters open in their 5 Out Offense with this breakdown from Cody Toppert, former Phoenix Suns Coach and current assistant for the University of Memphis (click on image to see clip)
#5) The Post Game
Yes, we do play 5 Out because we have players that like to play facing up the basket, but that does not mean we should completely shy away from getting the ball to the post. Especially, if the other team is not ready to guard back to the basket actions, you can throw in coule post plays and throw them off.
Watch how long time G-League coach Tanner Massey breaks down post special in 5 Out Offense.
#6) 45 Cut and Timing
As simple and obvious as cutting is in 5 Out Offense, we need to be able to teach it the right way and make sure players are cutting from the right angles at the right time.
As Coach Jaycob Ammerman breaks down in the video below, it is absolutely crucial to cut at the right time, the cutter needs to be able to read the whole defense, as well as read where his defender is actually looking and whether he is or isn't anticipating the cut.
As effective and simple can 5 Out Offense be, we as coaches need to always look for new actions we can add and allow our players to take advantage of their skillset.
Utilize these 6 concepts into your own game and continue to grow and get better!
If we, as adults, could go back in time and alter our education or
career path, I’m quite sure many of us would. You see, some of us are
born as Natural Entrepreneurs, while the rest have to build this from
scratch. However, the Department of Education is far more concerned
about your child getting through high school, than they are about the
success of their career.
Not all individuals are cut out to be entrepreneurs, and rightfully
so, while others are simply addicted to the lifestyle. It just isn’t
made for everyone, because each person is unique. Though, I believe
there are some necessary entrepreneurial development skills that are
beneficial to all people, regardless of their path in life. As you
probably know, it’s better to start sooner than later when it comes to
implementing patterns and direction of success.
I have thrown together a few simple, yet effective, techniques to motivate your teens into understand basic business philosophy.
HOBBY ANALYSIS
Just as every teaching moment you have with a child, it starts with a
simple conversation. In our Hobby Analysis, our goal is to break apart
your teen’s favorite hobby. We’re going to change their perception of
that hobby from “tunnel vision” to “peripheral”. We need to to visually
see the landscape of all moving parts involved within their hobby. You
want your teen to focus on how many services it takes to create that ONE
ACTION, and discuss the basics of how everything works. This will open
up a better sensory awareness for business and economics, and can easily
open the door to new interests that motivate your teenager.
Here’s an example;
Let’s dissect a teenager that is heavily involved in GAMING.
Let’s use a single game for this example.
-How is their favorite game making profit? Is it free, and makes money from advertising? Does it require a subscription?
-Do some basic math with them. If there are 1 million users for this
game, and each pay approximately 50 dollars, that’s roughly 50 million
dollars.
-What are the costs?
-Does the game owe royalties to the gaming console, or is it the other way around?
-How much revenue in taxes will be sent to the I.R.S.? How much money is left?
-How many employees do you think this gaming company has?
-Let’s estimate how much money it requires to employ all of these people.
-Insurances?
-How much do Game Designers make? Is it a high-paying career? What are the prerequisites to becoming a Game Designer?
-Who prints each Compact Disc?
-Which stores carry this game?
-How much profit does each store make from selling this game? This takes away from the profit margin.
-How much advertising does this company spend in a year?
-Which types of advertising do they pursue? Which do you think is more effective?
I’m sure you get the point by now. We’re simply breaking apart every
possible aspect of this one game. We’re showing them how the companies
goal is REVENUE, and how that revenue is split up among services and
expenses.
Not only are we showing them how a basic process works for something
as simple as a game, but we’re also opening doors on other topics your
teenager may be interested in. Maybe they discovered that they like the
art of Game Marketing. The possibilities are limitless. Nevertheless,
you will widen the scope of their vision and understanding.
LITERACY DEVELOPMENT
I am a very big advocate of literacy. I believe that being able to
read and write well is heavily monitored by society and our peers, and
creates an impression of our education level. Mastering good writing can
turn an F-grade student into an A-grade professional. As they say,
“fake it until you make it”.
Being perceived as a literary scholar in your reports, letters, and
emails will encourage readers to perceive you as smart or very
analytical. Good writing is imperative to be successful in this world.
With great writing, comes great vocabulary. If you want others to
believe you’re smart, you surely better sound like it. Aside from proper
grammar, it’s helpful to know a variety of intellectual-type words.
What’s the best way to accomplish this? SIMPLE!
Pick up a dictionary and start reading. Yes, it’s really as simple as
that. So, allot about (30) minutes or so each day to reading the
dictionary. Our goal is to push those words from our Working Memory to
our Long Term Memory, in order to quickly recall them in the future.
Repetition is key!
Next, we’ll need to tune up those writing skills. This one can be
tougher, however, it’s quite simple if you just stick to the basics.
First we need to mirror other great writers. How do they write? What
type of wording do they use? Most importantly, HOW and WHERE do they
transition in their pieces.
Simply inspecting articles from others will build writing patterns in your mind. Repetition is key!
Now, just like anything, we’re going to need to perfect each piece.
The best way to do this is to write something, then go over it 5-10
times. Most of the time, you’ll find at least one word or letter that
needs to be changed. All this requires is that you read each sentence,
and ask, “can I make this sound better”?
If you can, do it!
Repetition, repetition, repetition!
ARGUMENT EXAMINATION
Next, we will go over Argument Examination which has very little to
do with arguments, and is more focused on Perceptual Awareness and
Conflict Resolution.
Disagreements are inevitable, but how you perceive them and deal with them depends on you.
Let’s start by locating a basic argument on television or the
internet. A simple search on YouTube will quickly reveal a few videos to
use for this exercise.
Have your teenager view the video.
Ask them which party they believe is correct in the argument, then ask them why they believe that.
Now have them describe one of the individuals in the argument.
Let’s ask questions like;
Why are they arguing that position?
What type of mood are they in?
Did anything significant happen to that person that day?
Do they have any family or home issues currently going on in their life?
What type of household were they raised in?
Of course, your child will not know all of these answers, but we only want them to CONSIDER the questions for their conclusion.
Repeat Task #4 for the second person.
Now, have your teenager argue BOTH sides as if they’re trying to win
the argument in a court of law. What is their reasoning? What are their
excuses?
After arguing both sides, ask them what has changed in their belief?
Do they agree with their initial conclusion?
Do they have more compassion for the person that was wrongfully arguing?
Were either one of these individuals wrong for stating their position?
Here, we’re simply pulling every aspect of the argument apart. This
is because it’s important to understand every angle of a disagreement,
why it is caused, and what is the reasoning.
The quicker we can understand all sides of a conflict, the quicker we can resolve it.
CAREER GUIDANCE TOOL
Our last exercise is a fun, effective, and builds the creative mind.
Here’s a neat tool that will encourage your teenager to discover new
careers and most importantly, new passions.
From Kindergarten and through our college years, we’re taught to
pursue a handful of widely known careers, like; Doctor, Nurse, Lawyer,
Police Officer, etc.
Nothing is wrong with choosing one of those careers, however, there
are many more “behind the scene” services that support all of these
primary career fields. Many that are unknown to the general public are
actually GOLDMINES, and your child may find that one of these unknown
careers are a lot more fitting for their personality.
Let start on pulling these apart.
Let’s list TWO close passions that your child enjoys.
Example; Basketball, Designer Clothes, Gaming, Exercising, etc.
Now, let’s physically draw TWO circles onto a sheet of paper. Write
down one passion inside of each circle. You should now have a piece of
paper with two circles. Both circles should have one of the two passions
that your child has chosen, inside.
What we’ll do next is draw FIVE LINES coming from EACH circle.
For each line, I want you to list a career or service that is tied to your primary passion.
Here are a few examples;
BASKETBALL
-Basketball Coach
-Personal Trainer
-Sports Gear Salesperson
-Advertisement Design
-TV Camera Operator
EXERCISING
-Gym Equipment Salesperson
-Fitness coach
-Health Supplement Salesperson
-Gym Operator
-Athletic Shoe Designers
Of course, this process can go on and on, forever. The point is to be
able to see beyond their initial perception. We’re helping your teen
think outside of the box to discover their PERFECT career.
In addition, do your own research. Look up careers related to one of
these topics and I assure you, you’ll find some that you never knew
existed. These unknown professional services are for individuals that
know EXACTLY what they’re seeking in life. Push your teenager to find
that!
IN SUMMARY, there are many techniques and instructional videos that
can push your teen to be the BEST VERSION of their SELF. The methods
listed above are only four that I designed to be attractive to the teen
mindset, build creativity, and employ a domino effect for their
perception in the future.
Christopher B. Fields
Christopher Fields holds a Master Certification in
NLP. Mr. Fields is the Lead Instructor and Operator of Savannah
Georgia’s primary learning center for Neuro-linguistic Programming.
Chris has held the position of Certified International Investigator
(CII) with the Council of International Investigators, a Certified Lean
Six Sigma Black Belt with The Council for Six Sigma Certification
(CSSC), and currently holds an active Private Investigation license with
GBPDSA.
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