By Dean Herbert This is the first in a series of articles on motivation and youth. The information is based on actual surveys of youth athletes as well as the sports psychology studies. There are four critical understandings to motivation. 1. Motivation is a complex construct (no single approach addresses all aspects of motivation). 2. [...]
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Proper pitching mechanics are key to your success! Before a pitcher begins transferring his weight toward home plate, he has to establish a solid starting point or foundation (Balance and Posture). This foundation must be set properly or a pitcher will not have balance in his delivery. With little or no balance, too much pressure [...]
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As we know, nutritional deficiency can make it easier for organisms to invade the body. Therefore, a well-balanced, consistent diet may be your best ammunition. Here are some additional strategies for your nutritional arsenal: Small Trades Can Yield Major Payoffs Examples of small trades that may lead to the major reward of strengthened immunity include [...]
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By Jodi Sheakley (Part 1 of 2) When one hears the term, “opponent,” we picture the athletes who sport a different team’s logo. Yet many of our rivals don’t even wear athletic jerseys. Some of our toughest opponents include cold and flu viruses, bacteria that cause strep or staph infections, and a host of other [...]
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By Joey Bilotta Think soccer stardom is won on technical skills alone? Think again. Beyond individual ability, scouts at international soccer schools look at how players work with their team. They don’t want to sign a player who’s going to disrupt harmony within the squad. They’re going to research, talk to coaches and parents, and [...]
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Every year, new boards come into youth baseball leagues around the country and begin making decisions about the upcoming season. Those most pressing issues are usually the ones handled first. Therefore, we spend most of our time in the winter board meetings talking about tryouts, scheduling, team selections, managers, uniforms, registration and the like. What [...]
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I ran into a friend of mine who is on the board of the local Little League where I served eight years. He was telling me about some changes the league was making which they felt were very positive. One of their new ideas is to create a division above the current “Machine-Pitch” level where [...]
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by Dr. Thomas P. Johnson, M.D. Parents and managers frequently will ask, “How do I get the youngster to care?” Children feel free to care when they have the self-confidence that makes them think they have a chance for some satisfaction in the activity. You help a person care by increasing his sense of confidence. [...]
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Years ago, Little League International, published an article entitled Prepare the Child, written by Dr. Thomas P. Johnson, M.D. This article is one of the best we’ve seen relative to parent/coach relationships with young athletes and applies to any sport, not just baseball: I am very pleased to have the opportunity to be here because [...]
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My 13 year-old daughter plays soccer for a highly-ranked competitive team. She loves it. It is probably her favorite thing to do in the world. She and my 15 year-old son referee rec games on weekends as a part-time job. Last Saturday, I went to pick up my son from the game he was doing. [...]
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