If it’s so easy to coach youth baseball and do it well, why do you see so many poor coaches? In my years as a player and as a coach, I can tell you that my opinion of poor coaching can be simply boiled down to: A LACK OF KNOWLEDGE AND A LACK OF PREPARATION! Simply stated… NO Game Plan! The great news is…both can be taught and both can be learned! And please don’t say that you don’t have the time. You do!

Here’s the math over a typical 15 week season:
10 practices of 90 minutes = 15 hours
20 games (includes exhibitions, etc.) = 40 hours
Misc. phone calls of 2 hours a week = 30 hours
Plus meetings, evaluation & draft, rainouts, team pictures, personal
instruction, travel time, etc. Lets say that = 65 hours

Plus, who knows what I haven’t added in, and the money you spend just doing these activities! You’ve just spent 150 hours… 10 hours per week (plus cash) on a hobby, community service, enjoying baseball, mentoring kids, or whatever your motive is for being a coach.

Get a plan…save your sanity… NOW! It will flat out save you time, not cost you time. It will reflect positively on your kids and your team’s play, and as a byproduct, coaches, parents and players will see a better coach who is having a better time!

So… What does it take?

1. Interest in becoming a better coach.

2. A PLAYBOOK. A simple 3-ring binder where you can write out your practice plans on lined paper. If you write in it the night before each practice or game, you will be dedicating about 25 minutes each week (based on 2 practices/games). You will begin remembering to do it as soon as practice sessions start because you will be bringing it with you and referring to it at each practice.

Hints for your Playbook

Include all the correspondence, notes, and forms from your league or school that you find yourself collecting and passing out to your players. Keep that stuff in your new “playbook.” It will easily become a habit and a central spot to refer to regularly.

Use a pencil and simply make it legible. Don’t make a big deal out of this, just get it done!

Beginning in practice #2, you should always spend 10-15 minutes reviewing any new concept you might have introduced in practice #1 or the previous practice. It is a common fault (not to mention a complete waste of time) to teach your team a concept and assume that players will perform when the time comes in a game situation just because you taught it once. And it just kills player confidence after the play because he knew he’d been taught. But obviously, not well enough. Your error, coach!
So … What’s in the binder?

The practice session number

The date, time and field of the practice.

Goal of the particular practice (keep it simple).

Each activity or drill. Note whether a review or new concept.

Time allowed for the activity or drill. NEVER OVER 20 MINUTES! If you’ll simply wear a watch, you’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish and how much fun your kids have, not to mention how much more baseball your team will learn. Keep ‘em moving: No drills over 20 minutes!!

Anything else that will help you, such as: which coach runs which drill, which pitchers and catchers throw together, reminders of when the next game or practice is. Just make it legible and don’t allow this to take up too much time. This isn’t supposed to be work, it’s an activity to keep coaching from becoming work! ENJOY YOURSELF!

Coach JP’s Note

Want to know the easiest way to teach and learn winning, fundamental baseball? Check out our newest videos aimed at younger ballplayers. Why do we suggest videos? Quality repetitions!! Learn at your own pace and on your own time. A remote control lets you slow it, repeat it, absorb it and understand it…year after year. Trust yourself to learn. If you are a dad or are coaching a team, you are your kid’s best chance of learning about the game. Camps, clinics and lessons can be great, but you are there to teach and reinforce through quality repetitions. Every day…every week…all season long! You can help! It is your responsibility to get better and learn more! You want it for your kids so you should ask it of yourself! Videos will give you a chance to help your kids quickly…and for a reasonable cost. Start a library now and watch your knowledge grow and your teams improve while everyone has a lot more FUN along the way!

The fragrance of Commonwealth Games 2006 is all around and the Indians are assessing the chances of Medals in it. Having won the bid to host the Commonwealth Games in the year 2010, it’s an issue of great speculation and interest to witness how India fares as a host too.

Looking the stats of last Commonwealth Games held in 2002, India stood 4th in rank with Australia, England and Canada at top three positions. The total medals won by India were 69 with 30 Gold medals.

Indian women notched more gold medals (16) then men (14).

In 2010, 71 nations will be participating.

A look at stats of India’s performance in previous Commonwealth Games highlights India’s winning majorly in Athletics, Boxing, Wrestling and Weightlifting. Minor wins in Shooting, Hockey and Badminton. The total number of sports in 2002 was 17 which is high as against 10 in 1994. However this increase in number of sports does not increase the chances of India winning more medals as the core sports in which India has won medals were included in 1994, 1998 as well as 2002. India has not shown any wins in sports like Gymnastics, Tennis and Swimming. In 2002, Anjali Vedpathak and Jaspal Rana won 14 gold in shooting. Women lifters won 11 gold. Women athletes Anju Bobby George and Nilan J Singh won medals. In 2010, individual wins should rule the roost again and try to bring India at rank 3.

Will the young players make an impact? That is always one of the most important questions heading into a fantasy draft, because there are often sleepers, average players, and complete busts. Last year, the top potential offensive players were J.J. Arrington, Braylon Edwards, and Mike Williams. None of them ended up having the type of seasons that warrant a high-draft pick, which definitely has to stick in your mind this year.

Ratings System

*****: The ultimate player. They have the potential to be within the top five at their position in the entire NFL this year, as well as making the Pro Bowl, or being named the offensive rookie of the year.

****: Will definitely be a starter for their team, and will perform like between an average NFL player and the ultimate player.

***: Will be an average performer, because they don’t play on the greatest team in the world, or will need some time to develop.

**: They may take over as the starter halfway through the season. Overall, they really won’t make that much of an impact.

*: They will see limited playing time, or will not perform well enough to put up anything worthy of a fantasy point.

Quarterbacks

First off, let it be known that it is too difficult to project if a quarterback will even have the chance to do well for your team. More times than not, a rookie quarterback either has an average-at-best first year in learning the system, or they sit behind the starting quarterback for most of the year. One note of advice: do not take a rookie quarterback within the first ten rounds of the draft: it won’t be worth it.

Important Statistic for QB’s: 27 non-rookie quarterbacks threw for more yards last year than Kyle Orton, who led rookie QB’s with 1,869 yards thrown.

Vince Young, Tennessee Titans ***
The Titans just released Steve McNair, narrowing the competition to Volek and Young. Young won’t sit the entire season, but when he does get in, he’ll have to learn that he can’t run as freely as he did in college. He has the most potential this year of all the rookie quarterbacks.

Matt Leinart, Arizona Cardinals **
Kurt Warner will be the man for the Cardinals, and Leinart’s playing time could end up like what Eli Manning saw two years ago under the Giants. He won’t do you any good until late in the season.

Jay Cutler, Denver Broncos *
With Jake Plummer coming off a career year, Cutler won’t even see the field. Do not even think about taking Cutler, because there is no sense in it whatsoever.

Running Backs

Important Statistic for RB’s: 12 running backs finished ahead of Carnell Williams, the leading rusher among rookies last year.

Reggie Bush, New Orleans Saints ***
Of all the players from the draft, Bush certainly has the potential to become a 5-star player. However, he’s playing on a team that was not very good last year, and will be splitting time with another talented running back in Deuce McAllister.

Laurence Maroney, New England Patriots **
Corey Dillon will still be the go-to-guy for the Patriots, leaving Maroney as the backup. However, the Patriots always find a role for their players, and Maroney will see quite a bit of playing time still.

DeAngelo Williams, Carolina Panthers *
Theoretically, it seems like Williams could have a lot of potential playing time sue to DeShaun Foster’s past injuries. However, it’s not easy to pick up yards in the Panthers’ system, and Williams will not see a great deal of playing time per game.

Joseph Addai, Indianapolis Colts ***
Addai is not the Colts’ starter yet, but once the season rolls around, he’ll have the job won. Addai could be the biggest offensive sleeper in the draft because he’s not well known, however will be playing in a system that is very well developed.

LenDale White, Tennessee Titans **
White could potentially be a red zone threat for the Titans, allowing him to accumulate some touchdowns much like Brandon Jacobs did last year for the Giants. He’ll also see some action besides the red zone, though.

Wide Receivers

Important Statistic for WR’s: This year’s receiving class was considered “not very good”. Last year, Braylon Edwards led rookie receivers with 512 yards, leaving tons of other receivers ahead of him.

Santonio Holmes, Pittsburgh Steelers **
The Steelers leading receiver is typically Hines Ward, and next they look for the running threat. Holmes won’t jump into the league with big numbers, but will be smooth as an average receiver in his first year.

Chad Jackson, New England Patriots **
Although the Patriots are starting to use Deion Branch a little more, they like to give their receivers equal playing time. The Patriots need another receiver to produce in the absence of David Givens.

Sinorice Moss, New York Giants *
The Giants already have several receiving threats, so Moss will not see a whole lot of snaps. He may find himself on the receiving end of the deep ball occasionally, though.

Tight Ends
Please note: A four-star rating for a tight end would be different than a four-star rating for a wide receiver. If a rookie tight end records 700 yards, that would be an outstanding season as a tight end, but mediocre for a receiver.

Vernon Davis, San Francisco 49ers ****
Davis will have an incredible rookie year as a tight end, coming close to some of the elite tight ends. Alex Smith needs a go-to-guy, and that will develop into Davis.

Marcedes Lewis, Jacksonville Jaguars *
Lewis will see some touches, but it won’t nearly be enough to become a consistent threat for your team.

Conclusion
Overall, it should be known that rookies rarely make a worthy impact for your fantasy team. The players with the most potential this year are Reggie Bush, Vernon Davis, and possibly Vince Young if he’s named the starter. The biggest sleeper without question will be Joseph Addai, but even he should not be taken higher than necessary.

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Chris Pokorny is the owner of Pro Football Critics, located at http://www.pfcritics.com/.