1. Most of the time it isn't what we are saying but how we are saying it. Players hear your tone first and see your body language second.  It is only after that do they hear the message. 
2. Take the sunglasses off.  Players need to see your eyes.
3. Learn the names of your players.  The greatest sound to a young player is the sound of his or her name. It is also the easiest way to get their attention.
4. You can't correct until they know you care.
5. Reward what you want repeated. 
6. Strive for 5 positives to every negative. 5:1 ratio. It works!
7. Substitute the word "but" with "and."
8. Use "if/then" statements. "IF you keep your head down THEN you will see the ball longer."
9. Catch them being good. It's easy to see the negative.  A great coach sees a + and says something +.
10. Do you want to right or effective? Criticize in private and praise in public.
11. Excite the players by fostering a creative, fun environment.  The field should look fun before a practice!
12. Talk with players upon arrival.  They are a person first and a player a distant second. How was school? What are your plans for the weekend? Get them excited and make them comfortable.
13. State rules at the beginning of every practice. This way you can hold each player accountable for the responsibilities that you outline.
14. Player(s) acting up? Is the plan boring? Rather than blaming the players, look inward.  Kids have short attention spans and if your plan or outline of class is boring then they are far more apt to act out.
15. Praise the player’s effort and not the result. Effort is a controllable, results often are not.
16. Foster a sense of fair play and competition.
17. Create a dialogue and get the player’s input. Not a monologue. Give them ownership of their development. 
18. Stress what it means to be a good teammate; it starts with listening and not disrupting practice.
19. Speak with a sense of excitement and sense of urgency!  If you speak in long boring diatribes, then the sound of your voice is going to cause players to tune you out and turn their attention to something else.
20. Start with a bang, end with a bang. A great opening and a dynamic closing to your practice is what people remember.
21. Present a topic in under a minute.
22. Competitions are great; however, don’t dwell on the actual winner.  This creates animosity and tears (depends on the age).
23. Speak loudly (at times). If they can’t hear you…they won’t listen to you.
24. Speak softly (at times). Occasionally changing the flexion of your voice or its level will cause the players to stop what they are doing and listen. “Wow, he must be saying something really important.”
25. Give honest, specific and sincere appreciation.
26. Become genuinely interested in other people.
27. Smile.
28. Be a good listener. Encourage other to talk about themselves.
29. Talk in terms of the interests of others.
30. Make the players on your team feel important; and do it sincerely.
31. The only way to get the best out of an argument is to avoid it.
32. Show respect for the other person's opinions and perspective.
33. If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically.
34. Begin conversations in a friendly way.
35. Try honestly to see things from the other person's point of view.
36. Represent your league in a professional manner at all times.

​

I have posed this question to thousands of coaches and parents over years.

Everyone typically nods yes and begins rattling off things like, teamwork, grit, determination, respect, commitment, etc.

The reality is the answer is...maybe. 

When done right, baseball has the potential to teach our children all of the great lessons mentioned above and so much more; it can be an awesome classroom for life.  However, study after study confirms we as parents, coaches and adults often strikeout when we fail to reframe what happens on the field and use it as a tool that can benefit a young person long after the game's final out. 

Baseball presents our kids with an endless procession of life lessons (before, during and after the game), but these lessons aren't learned automatically. It is up to us to seize, recognize, and embrace these life changing lessons by taking a big picture view of the game and its impact-- and not just the scoreboard view. It is up to us to discuss these lessons and model the behavior that will set our kids up for success in all areas of their life.

At the end of the day, whether your son wins or loses his next game, it probably won't make the biggest difference in his life.  However, the lessons the game affords him when we take this big picture approach, can follow him for the rest of his life and have an impact beyond measure.

Situation:

• An umpire makes a bad call.

Response:

• "What an amazing opportunity to demonstrate poise and resolve and focus on those things you have control over."

​
What else can baseball teach if we allow for it?

On this Small Business Saturday, my family and I cannot thank you enough for your support over the past two+ years.  I am thrilled you are part of the Next Pitch community!

As a family of two small businesses, my wife Gina and I are extremely grateful for the opportunity to do what we love, which is only possible with your support, dedication and trust; we don't take it for granted!  Whether it is baseball, softball, ballet, tap or jazz, we hope your child looks forward to being a part of one of our programs throughout the year.

As a baseball coach, I am extremely lucky to have the opportunity to teach the greatest game in the world. Every day I get to see players:

• Struggle playing a very difficult game.
• Progress and improve at their own pace.
• Compete with their peers.
• Develop a sense of accomplishment when it clicks!
• Enjoying playing the game of baseball and softball and having fun!

Most importantly, I hope players are building self-confidence that can be seen in areas of their life outside the confines of a baseball or softball field.  Isn't that the beauty and the true power of sports?

I know there are other options available to you as it relates to player development.  Please know that your support is greatly appreciated, and we hope to earn that support each and every lesson or class.

Thank you for shopping small - and I hope sports has a big impact on your child's life.

​Chris 

As the holiday season approaches, I wanted to share with you some gift ideas for the ballplayer in your family!

• Relentless Optimism (ages 12-18)  I have to admit...as a teenager...I probably didn't want a book for Christmas; in fact, I know I didn't.  However, I think all of the Darrin Donnelly books are amazing for pre-teen/teenagers as he does a great job of showing the young reader the importance of the mental side of the game and how our attitude can directly impact our performance.  He uses baseball, and other sports, to teach life lessons that will follow a child long after the game's final out as well!  The books are all inspiring stories and my pre-teen really enjoyed them.
• Matt Christopher Books: (ages 7-12)  Can't go wrong.
• Spark Catch:  If you haven't noticed, it gets dark at like 4pm now...how else can they throw outside :)
• Gift Card to Gilbert's Sports Nostalgia in Natick. Gary has been a great supporter of Next Pitch over the years by donating THOUSANDS of cards to the facility over the years.  Great guy and awesome place!  My boys have gotten gift cards to Gilbert's over the years and $15-$20 goes a long way and they can spend a solid hour in there.
• Baseball Glove or Bat: This can be a bit complicated. What size?  If I can help in anyway, or if you would like to bring your son or daughter in for a sizing, please let me know (and I will be sure they don't know the reason).  You can also take a look at this sizing guide for bats.  Most importantly, please know that if your son is playing Little League, the bat must have a USA logo on it.  Please do not confuse this with USSSA bats which are sold at Dick's and other sporting goods facilities and for use in AAU and other tournaments. Once the plastic wrapper coms off the bat, the store won't take it back and you will need to go through the manufacturer (not fun).  I would strongly recommend the Natick Outdoor Store, and while their selection may not be as big as say a Dick's Sporting Goods, Peter knows what he is talking about and can help select the right glove or bat for your child.
• Jaeger Bands...a must for every player over the age of 12.  The best arm is a healthy arm.
• Total Control Balls...Hitting without the fear of breaking the neighbor's windows.
• Pocket Net for Hitting & Throwing at Home
• 2021 Baseball Coloring Book.
• 2022 Baseball Trivia Calendar.
• ​Stocking stuffers....eye black, baseball cards, Big League Chew.
• Incrediballs for the under-7-year old player.  This is what we use in our Next Pitch classes.

For the older crowd (13+), I'd recommend:

• Tanner Tee (yes, definitely more expensive than most tees but it will last forever).
• The Mental Game of Baseball

Finally, if you are ever looking to give your child an experience he or she won't forget, a 1-2 day trip to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY is an amazing experience and a must for any baseball fan.

Most importantly, I hope you have a wonderful holiday season, and please feel free to share your ideas as well as I know our baseball and softball families would love to hear them!

​Chris

     The day I turned 15, I got a job at Grand Slam USA in Norwalk, CT; the home of Mo Vaughn and a city that loves baseball.   The facility was less than two miles from my house, and I never turned down a shift.
     I probably spent too many hours there - both working and just hanging out.  My buddy "TK" (now a coach at George Washington University) would hit and throw daily, and we were lucky to see some great instructors in action, such as George Foster (Red) and Kevin Morton (Red Sox).
     It was a great decision by Grand Slam USA to hire me for the sole reason that nearly every dollar I made I spent it almost immediately at their pro shop. I was a gear guy.
     I have worked in or around baseball for over two decades, and I always knew I wanted to run my own programs so in 2019 I decided to launch programming year-round - and I needed a name.
      If you go to an amateur baseball or softball game you tend to see a lot of players attempting to succeed at a very difficult game, while not playing in the moment.  A player is upset, frustrated or timid due to an error or strikeout in the first inning or they fear about what may happen if they lose or make another mistake in the last inning that they aren't playing "where their cleats are" and in the moment.
     The Next Pitch mentality encourage players to focus on the only pitch they have any control over... the next one.  When a player focuses on what he or she can control confidence goes up and anxiety goes down.  We can absolutely learn from the last pitch, but we can't change it as it is out of our control.  When a player masters the concept of "controlling the controllables" he or she has the ability to win a lot of pitches and achieve on-field success.