Jeff Louderback's Write Perceptions

The pre-season meeting between coaches and parents can lead to a smooth and successful youth baseball season

It’s a common scene that happens in youth baseball leagues in towns across the country. A parent is unhappy that his or her child is not in the starting lineup, batting in a certain spot in the order, playing a certain position, or perhaps that parent is displeased about another issue. The parent directs that anger towards the coach, an argument ensues and tension is created for the rest of the season.

Jack Perconte understands the challenge a coach faces with parents of players. After a 12-year professional baseball career that includes seven seasons in the majors, Perconte retired in 1987 and opened a baseball training academy in Naperville, Illinois. He estimates that he has given more than 60,000 hitting lessons. Perconte’s book, “The Making of a Hitter: A Proven and Practical Step-by-Step Baseball Guide” (www.themakingofahitter.com), details how parents can teach hitting to their children, and coaches can teach it to their young players. It also educates coaches about how to effectively communicate with the parents of his team’s players so everyone can enjoy the entire season.

“The key to a successful parent-coach relationship is having a mandatory pre-season meeting between parents and coaches,” Perconte said. “Encourage both parents to attend.

“In the invitation, let the parents know that invitation that attending the meeting is important because it will give them the opportunity to learn about your philosophies and guidelines, and it will give them to chance to ask questions,” Perconte added. “At the meeting, try to address every issue you can think of that could possibly lead to friction as the season progresses.”

Here are Perconte’s suggestions for a thorough and successful parent-coach meeting:

1. Give the parents background information about the coaches, especially about their playing and/or coaching experience related to the game. Be honest about your background.
2. Express your philosophy of coaching. The three ultimate objectives are winning, player development and fun. I suggest a 30, 30, 30 split on these objectives and applying the remaining 10 percent for the area most needed. This 10 percent will be determined by the competitiveness of the team and the league. At the meeting, clearly state the goals of the season. I believe it is alright to play to win even at a young level, as long as it is kept in perspective. Remember, you want the ballplayers to develop their skills and have fun.
3. Discuss your philosophy about playing time, batting order and positions played. Let the parents know how you plan to run the team. For example, do players have to earn their position on the field or in the batting order, or will you rotate the players? Give parents a chance to ask questions, and make sure your answers are clearly understood. Be sure to recognize and discuss the objectives of the league and level at which the team is playing.
4. Discuss when and how the coaches can be approached during the season so there are no confrontations. Set up a system where conversations are held away from the players, other parents and the crowds. There will be issues that arise from time to time, but let parents know that disagreements will be handled in a civil way away from the players.
5. Effective communication is the key to averting problems. Make sure parents also reiterate the coaches’ philosophies to the players. Most of the time, young people are happy and content with playing and being around their friends. Troubles start to when parents start to grumble at home to the players about the coach. Insist to the parents that they approach you before getting upset and expressing that displeasure at home.
6. Most issues arise because the parent does not think the coach is being fair. It is important that the coach fulfill his or her philosophies detailed in the pre-season meeting. If you change your philosophy in the middle of the season, then problems can arise.
7. Just as hitters are made, coaches are also made. Coaches should be a role model and a teacher to their players. It is easier to help players develop their baseball skills and enjoy the game when the parents understand the reasoning behind the coaches’ philosophies.

Jack Perconte played 12 years of professional baseball, including seven in the majors for the Dodgers, Indians, Mariners and White Sox, posting a career .270 average in the majors and a .311 mark in the minors. He was a 16^th round draft pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1976 and made his big league debut with the Dodgers in 1980. After retiring from professional baseball in 1987, Perconte opened a baseball training academy in Naperville, Ill. The hitting drills, mental training and coaching tips found in “The Making of a Hitter” (www.themakingofahitter.com) were culled from the 60,000 hitting lessons Perconte estimates he gave while operating the academy.

Effective communication is important for coaches to make baseball rewarding and fun for young players

It was the chance Jack Perconte had waited for since he was a 16^th round draft pick drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1976. The young second baseman had cups of coffee with the Dodgers in 1980 and 1981, but the organization decided to replace Davey Lopez with Steve Sax and dealt him to the Cleveland Indians.

“During spring training in 1982, the Indians were giving me my first real shot of being an everyday player in the major leagues,” Perconte explained. “I had success in spring training, but early in the regular season I lot confidence and never recovered. I was pitched inside during spring training, but then I was pitched away during the regular season, and I never adjusted.

“Confidence is important to every athlete. Without it, he will play tentatively and be scared of making mistakes This usually leads to more mistakes,” said Perconte, who hit .237 that season in 219 at-bats. “It is crucial for young players to develop confidence, which is why the actions of coaches and parents are so important. They can help their young players develop confidence by creating an environment where it is alright to make mistakes as long as they learn from them.”

Perconte – who played 12 years of professional baseball, including seven in the majors for the Dodgers, Indians, Mariners and White Sox, posting a career .270 average in the majors and a .311 mark in the minors – recently wrote “The Making of a Hitter: A Proven and Practical Step-by-Step Baseball Guide” (www.themakingofahitter.com). It is a book that details how parents can teach hitting to their children, and coaches can teach it to their young players. Before they teach young hitters the proper techniques, coaches and parents should understand the value of effective communication, Perconte believes.

Here are seven keys from Perconte to help coaches and parents be effective and make the game enjoyable for young players:

 

1. Knowledge of Hitting – There is no substitute for understanding the fundamentals of hitting. Learn as much as you can. Read books like “The Making of a Hitter.” Watch video of good major league hitters. Talk to established coaches, and ask plenty of questions about hitting.
2. Developing Trust – Young players will not learn from you if they do not trust you. Earning that trust involves more than your knowledge of baseball. It is even more difficult when the student if your own child. Before you point out the flaws that needs correcting, compliment the hitter when he does something positive. Say “good hit” or “nice swing.” Don’t immediately start barking out instructions. Remember, trust is developed by offering advice in a positive way. Keep your voice in an instructional tone, not emotional. Remain optimistic and encouraging.
3. Patience – Hitting is arguably the hardest feat of any sport. Remember that each player has a different personality and attitude. It takes time for a player to learn proper techniques. The player will need to perform the correct habit a thousand or more times to overcome the hitting problem. A player’s muscle memory will not change overnight.
4. Homework – A good coach will give the student something to work on or think about when he leaves practice. Involve the parents as much as possible, unless you notice that a parent places a lot of pressure on the child. Have the young hitters watch good major league hitters and/or observe photos of proper hitting techniques.
5. Challenge – Challenge hitters according to their respective skill level. If you are the coach of a team, remember that different players will have different skill levels. Changing speeds and locations of pitches provide a challenge. When you sense a player is getting frustrated, back off and get their mind away from what he is doing. Challenging players keeps them from getting bored, especially players with advanced skills.
6. Developing Aggressive Hitters – Aggressive hitters are not afraid to swing the bat. They think “swing” until the last possible second when they may hold up if it is not their pitch. They want to step to the plate with runners on base, and they want to be at-bat with the game on the line.  When you are teaching a hitter to be aggressive at the plate, remember not to get upset when he swings at a bad pitch. Teach him what pitches are best suited for his swing and have him ready for those pitches. During practice, put hitters in game situations as much as possible. This helps them learn when to be more aggressive and when to be more patient at the plate.
7. Developing Intelligent Hitters – Situational hitting is important for young players to learn. This means that a particular situation in the game calls for a batter to perform a task besides just hitting. Take signs, bunting, hit and run, hitting with a runner on second with no outs, getting a fly ball with a runner on third and less than two outs, hitting with runners in scoring position and the squeeze bunt are some of these situations.
8. Dealing With Parents – If all goes well with the parents of your players, the season will go smoothly and your sanity will remain intact. However, even coaches with the best of intentions can encounter problems. The key to a healthy coach-parent relationship is a pre-season meeting with all parents and coaches. Express your philosophy of coaching, and let the parents know about your background. Explain when and how coaches can be approached during the season so it can be done in a non-confrontational manner. Make the meeting a discussion where parents feel free to ask questions and provide input.

Teaching the fundamentals to young hitters

Jack Perconte remembers the first time he told a friend that he hoped to become a Major League Baseball player. At the time, he was a high school freshman who weighed 100 pounds.

“He laughed so hard that I never told another person that playing in the big leagues was my goal,” Perconte said with a grin.

It was Perconte who had the last laugh. He was a 16^th round draft pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1976, made his big league debut with the Dodgers in 1980 and played 12 years of professional baseball, including seven in the majors for the Dodgers, Indians, Mariners and White Sox. The Joliet, Illinois native posted a career .270 average in the majors and a .311 mark in the minors.

“One of the great things about baseball is that size doesn’t matter,” said Perconte, who was 5-foot-10 and 160 pounds during his professional baseball career. “It helps to have some God-given, natural talent, but it is especially important to be a fundamentally sound player if you want to succeed in this game at any level.”

This is why teaching the fundamentals of baseball is an integral part of Perconte’s book, “The Making of a Hitter: A Proven and Practical Step-by-Step Baseball Guide,” which was recently released by Second Base Publishing. “The Making of a Hitter” (www.themakingofahitter.com) details how parents can teach hitting to their children, and coaches can teach it to their young players.

“The art of hitting a baseball is not easy to learn, and it is difficult to teach if you don’t know the fundamentals and how to impart that knowledge in an easily understood manner,” Perconte explained. “The mental game and the ability to focus are important aspects of hitting. However, neither of those is of much use without the good, sound fundamentals necessary to perform well.”

Perconte offers these keys to help parents and coaches teach players the fundamentals of hitting:

 

1. Bat Size – A common problem for young players is their bat is too long. A rule to remember is, “Light but right, and not too long.” Many hitters grab a bat that is too long for them or sometimes too short and this definitely affects the mechanics of hitting, Perconte explained.
2. The Grip – A common problem for young players is setting the bat too deep in their hands and having to squeeze it too tight. A rule for coaches to remember is having their players relax the hands and forearms. “An incorrect grip will cause a wrong position of the hands at contact, which will affect the ability to hit the ball hard and consistently, Perconte said.
3. Plate Positioning – A common problem for young players is a lack of plate coverage. A rule for coaches to remember is making sure players can cover the outer half of the plate.
4. Feet Alignment – A common problem for young players is a stance that is too closed. A rule for coaches to remember is stay square so the hitter can see the ball and square the hips when swinging.
5. Balance – A common problem for young players is hitting flat footed. Remember, keep your weight on the balls of the feet.
6. Upper Body and Bat Starting Position – A common problem for young players is starting their hands too far from the hitting position. Remember, a hitter is stronger when his hands and bat are closer to him.
7. Trigger (Preparation) – A common problem for young players is no movement when preparing to swing. A coaching tip to remember is, “Don’t be a statue – get ready!”
8. Stride (Step Towards Pitcher) – A common problem for young hitters is stepping out. Take a soft, controlled stride towards the pitcher.
9. Hitting Position – A common problem for young hitters is losing control of the bat barrel. A coaching tip to remember is having hitters feel the barrel at all times.
10. First Move (Beginning of Swing) – A common problem for young hitters is allowing the lead elbow to rise up (chicken wing style). A coaching tip to remember is having hitters use their hands to swing the bat.
11. Swing Plane – A common problem for young hitters is having the barrel level off behind him. It is best to gradually level the bat off.
12. Contact – A common problem for young hitters is rolling their wrists at contact. A coaching tip to remember is having hitters karate chop with the lead hand and punch with the back hand.
13. Hip Action – A common problem for young hitters is a lazy hip turn. Have them drive the back knee to the pitcher.
14. Weight Shift – A common problem for young hitters is keeping weight on the back leg. Remember to throw your back side into the ball.
15. Head, Eyes and Follow Through – A common problem for young hitters is too much head movement and a lack of lead arm extension. Remember  to keep a steady head, see the ball and hit through it.”

Jack Perconte played 12 years of professional baseball, including seven in the majors for the Dodgers, Indians, Mariners and White Sox, posting a career .270 average in the majors and a .311 mark in the minors. He was a 16^th round draft pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1976 and made his big league debut with the Dodgers in 1980. After retiring from professional baseball in 1987, Perconte opened a baseball training academy in Naperville, Illinois. The hitting drills, mental training and coaching tips found in “The Making of a Hitter” (www.themakingofahitter.com) were culled from the 60,000 hitting lessons Perconte estimates he gave while operating the academy.

Help your young hitter learn the perfect swing with these five drills to teach the fundamentals

Former major leaguer and longtime baseball coach Jack Perconte has a favorite saying. Practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.

“Most coaches will tell you that hitters are not born; they are made,” Perconte said. “Hitters develop the proper swing from drills and habits they learn in practice. It is better to take 10 fundamentally correct swings than to take 100 swings the wrong way.”

Before recently writing “The Making of a Hitter: A Proven and Practical Step-by-Step Baseball Guide,” Perconte was a 16^th round draft pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1976, made his big league debut with the Dodgers in 1980 and played 12 years of professional baseball, including seven in the majors for the Dodgers, Indians, Mariners and White Sox. The Joliet, Illinois native posted a career .270 average in the majors and a .311 mark in the minors.

“The Making of a Hitter” (www.themakingofahitter.com) details how parents can teach hitting to their children, and coaches can teach it to their young players. Drills are an instrumental part of teaching hitting, Perconte believes. Here are five drills Perconte recommends to teach the fundamentals of hitting:

 

1. Pad Drill – Have the hitter place a pad or fielder’s glove under the armpit closest to the pitcher. The hitter will take a full swing and allow the pad to fall out after contact with the ball. This places the hitter in good hitting position since it is difficult to hold the pad under the front arm and be out of ideal hitting position. It also forces the hitter to learn to use his forearms and hands to swing the bat. In addition, it keeps the front elbow and knob of the bat from lifting, and thus disallows the hitter to start the bat barrel on the wrong path to the ball. Fourth, by allowing the pad to fall out on the follow through, it forces the hitter to get the proper extension with the hands and arms though the hitting zone.
2. Fake Flip Drill – The coach is off to the side or directly in front (behind a screen) of the hitter. Holding a ball, the coach flips the ball to the hitter. The coach has the option of holding onto the ball or letting it go to the hitter. This drill makes the hitter go to the proper hitting position. It also teaches quickness and a compact swing because the hitter cannot cheat and start early on the swing. In addition, the hitter will start to develop confidence and understanding as he learns to wait for the ball to get to the hitting zone before starting the swing.
3. Fast Knee Drill, or Check Your Swing Drill – The hitter takes a stride and fires back the knee while holding up on the swing. His weight shifts forward, but he checks his swing. The knob of the bat remains down as the hands come forward a few inches. In this drill, the hitter must stay back in order to develop a fast back leg (if he lunges at all the back leg will not fire forward). Also, the hitter will begin to develop a fast back knee and hips. In addition, he will learn to keep the front elbow and knob of the bat down on the first movement, thereby keeping the barrel of the bat above the hands on the first move.
4. Pull, Pivot, Push Drill – Using a much smaller bat or choking up on his regular bat, the hitter holds the bat only with the lead hand. With the top hand, the hitter straightens his fingers as if to make a karate chop and places it directly above the bottom hand touching the thumb of the lower hand. The hitter begins his swing with a slight pull with the lead hand towards the ball and then straightens the lead arm as the top hand remains on the bat and pushes the barrel through the ball. The hitter finishes the drill with the bat moving forward in only the lead arm. The top arm finishes pointing directly at the pitcher with the palm of the top hand pointing down and right at shoulder level. The hitter should also push with the back hip so he ends with the back heel up in the air and the chin up on the back shoulder. Only use softer balls or work on the tee with this drill because regular balls that are pitched at the hitter may strike his hands when he swings.
5. 1,2,3,4 Drill – This drill puts the swing in slow motion. On the count of one, the hitter takes a stride in the correct hitting position while landing on the ball of the front foot. On the count of two, the hitter breaks the back knee slightly as the weight stays back but the front foot goes down. On the count of three, the hitter swings as fast as possible with the proper weight shift. On the count of four, the hitter freezes in the finish position and is able to see the bat come all the way around to the middle of the back with the chin finishing on the back shoulder with both hands on the bat. This drill ensures that the hitter can perform and understand each move of the swing properly.

Jack Perconte played 12 years of professional baseball, including seven in the majors for the Dodgers, Indians, Mariners and White Sox, posting a career .270 average in the majors and a .311 mark in the minors. He was a 16^th round draft pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1976 and made his big league debut with the Dodgers in 1980. After retiring from professional baseball in 1987, Perconte opened a baseball training academy in Naperville, Illinois. The hitting drills, mental training and coaching tips found in “The Making of a Hitter” (www.themakingofahitter.com) were culled from the 60,000 hitting lessons Perconte estimates he gave while operating the academy.

Jack Perconte writes the book on "The Making of a Hitter"

Hitting is a challenge at any level of baseball, especially for children learning the game. After all, even the most successful major leaguers experience frustration and lose confidence during a prolonged slump. Teaching children the correct techniques is essential to developing their abilities and their confidence at the plate. With this in mind, former major leaguer Jack Perconte wrote “The Making of a Hitter: A Proven and Practical Step-by-Step Baseball Guide,” which was recently released by Second Base Publishing.

“There are many books about how to hit, but I felt there was a need for one that details how parents can teach hitting to their children, and coaches can teach it to their young players,” Perconte said. “The art of hitting a baseball is not easy to learn, and it is difficult to teach if you don’t know the fundamentals and how to impart that knowledge in an easily understood manner.”

Perconte – who played 12 years of professional baseball, including seven in the majors for the Dodgers, Indians, Mariners and White Sox – posted a career .270 average in the majors and a .311 mark in the minors. He was a 16^th round draft pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1976 and made his big league debut with the Dodgers in 1980. After retiring from professional baseball in 1987, Perconte opened a baseball training academy in Naperville, Ill. The hitting drills, mental training and coaching tips found in “The Making of a Hitter” (www.themakingofahitter.com) were culled from the 60,000 hitting lessons Perconte estimates he gave while operating the academy.

“You can tell hitters a thousand times what they are doing wrong but they will not be able to solve the problem until they put in the work and develop the correct muscle memory,” Perconte said. “Just swinging a bat without hitting something is generally a boring exercise which most kids aren’t going to do for long. If you show them drills that help them learn the proper hitting techniques, there is a better chance they will have fun with practice and develop confidence.”

Perconte believes that the best way to help children learn the correct way to hit a baseball is through educating coaches and parents. “The Making of a Hitter” instructs readers how to teach the fundamentals of hitting, incorporate advanced hitting drills, learn the strike zone, solve hitting problems and help players with the mental side of hitting.

“Even the great players have hitting coaches and are constantly analyzing and tweaking their swings. When, as a parent or a coach, you understand how to effectively teach hitting, and correct problems, then the game is more enjoyable for you and the player,” Perconte explained. “A batter develops timing from hitting a pitched ball, but he learns the proper swing from the drills and habits he develops in practice. It is better to take 10 fundamentally correct swings than to take 100 swings the wrong way.”

“The Making of a Hitter features more than 130 photos and 50-plus suggested drills. Perconte also includes stories from his professional baseball career to illustrate his points. One example is seen in chapter six, “Teaching the Strike Zone.” Perconte writes about the 1984 season, when he had an opportunity to win a starting second base role with Seattle after batting .346 for Cleveland’s Triple-A affiliate the year before. Perconte decided to choke up on the bat, which allowed him to “Stay on top of the ball and eliminate many of the lazy fly balls that I had been hitting.” The lesson is not to choke up, but “to be willing to try different things and learn to adjust.” Perconte, by the way, enjoyed his best major league season in 1984, when he collected 180 hits and batted .294 for the Mariners.

“After I was drafted, my goal was to reach the majors, but once I got there I realized that wasn’t enough. I had to be successful,” said Perconte, whose second book, “Raising an Athlete: How to Instill Confidence, Build Skills and Inspire a Love of Sport,” will be released later this year. “That 1984 season gave me the peace of mind that I could perform at the highest level.”

Perconte was never an all-star, and though he had cups of coffee with some successful Dodgers teams in 1980 and 1981, he never played in the post-season. However, he did taste success in the majors and retired with respectable numbers. Perconte believes that his challenging journey to becoming a confident major league hitter allows him to show young players that hard work can reap rewards.

“I explain to coaches, parents and players alike that even though I played at high level, I encountered the same issues in the pros that children experience when they are learning the game,” Perconte said. “I played with no confidence when I got to the major leagues, but over time that changed. If you are willing to invest the time, learn the fundamentals, and receive proper instruction, you can achieve your goals.”