Make sure you are in sync with the V head coach – teach the “program way”. Particularly with hitting mechanics, fielding mechanics, defensive play philosophies, etc. Make sure you also get your assistant on that same page as well.
Determine what your rules are regarding effort, behavior, field maintenance, etc. and communicate with players and parents early on. Uphold them.
Take an inventory of how many practices you have and what things need to be covered, what needs covered twice and by what time frame. Then put together a master practice list.
Have practices planned out in advance but the plan needs to be flexible.
Keep practices loaded with constant action and variety – lots of fundamentals, lots of competitions, lots of game situation learning and competing.
To do that, you need to run multiple stations much of the time. To that end, if possible, recruit another assistant, preferably a non-Dad but any good baseball guy will be helpful.
With two assistants, this will allow you to occasionally roam and see everything going on instead of having your head buried in one station while the sole other assistant does the same in another.
Remember that frosh ball is developmental. Move kids around (within reason) to different positions. But try to strike a balance with playing to win. Kids like to compete, not just develop.
Hit at the end of practice. They'll eat all of thier dinner if they know dessert is coming.
Do some team bonding stuff. Maybe one practice might be going to a local college game on a Saturday and talking about the game for the first several innings and anything but the game the next few innings.
Have something cool planned for rainout days... something like Pizza and “Remember the Titans”.
Every kid is different and will respond to different words, approaches, motivators. Find the key to each of them.
