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Reply to "Question about your Youth Program?"

Depending on the size of the LL program, below 12U there is probably little impact you can have. Maybe some fundamentals clinics and to teach baseball the way you want it played. Maybe some one-day coaching clinics to help dad-coaches put together efficient practice plans.

At 13-14U is where I think you can have the most impact. By this point you will have the kids that are at least semi-serious about baseball. I would encourage teams to practice and use your JV field. Because they are on your fields, it will make it easier to work with these coaches on developing efficient practice plans, and work on fundamentals they way you want it taught,

Encourage and help coaches to put together travel feeder teams that flow up into your program. When my son was 13, I went to the HS coach and he allowed me to cut the field down to 54/80’ for 13U travel games. (my parents also helped with a lot of the field maintenance) We would schedule 3 way double headers on the field when the HS program was not using them. The coach would come by and see the kids and also helped out with our practices. I would sometimes schedule my practices to begin as soon as the HS team was wrapping up their practices. Our kids got to know the coach and vice versa. It could also be done with the LL Jr. program. Encourage off-season travel teams made up of the Jr All-Stars.

I had keys to the batting cages and facilities and we used them (and helped maintain them) Our kids were much better because of it. The reality is that you are looking for the 10-15 best kids in the area and trying to get them ready to enter your program. When the kids hit the HS program the coach knew them, and they knew what to expect from him. It was a huge win-win for everyone. Our coach continues to be involved in the Jr Program and helps make sure there is a travel team using our fields.

We now put on 54’/80’ tournaments at our facilities. It gives the program our best $$ generator of the year, it keeps baseball active in the community; the local kids get to know the coach and the program. We have LL All-Star, Pony All-Star and local travel teams competing. We have now added 16U/18U teams so it gives our HS kids tournament experience against travel teams.
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