Missing Fundamentals!!!

What fundamentals do you think high school players are missing?

I saw several games today (overall good games) and noticed the teams that lost were on account of bad jumps by outfielders. The outfielders did not take a good drop step leading to a bad route on the ball resulting in a run or eventual run. One of the balls should of been caught, but wasn't for a double and then scored without another hit. The other run was a sac fly where the outfielder was not in a good position to throw from shallow right field.

This got me to thinking what other basic fundamentals lacking by today's players that need to be developed.

 

Going the other way. Most pitching at HS level will work the outside. See to many going down trying to pull it. I see the better hitters out there hitting the ball where it is pitched.

 

Basic throwing mechanics

I think many young HS position players have poor throwing mechanics that limit their ability to make the transition to the bigger HS fields. Arm strength alone may not get it done. Throwing with the proper "L" arm angle, pointing and tucking the glove instead of having it dangling at the side, planting and exploding off the crow hop, momentum toward the target, etc.

 

1000% CORRECT!!!!!!!!!

This is the number one mechanic I see lacking in many HS players. I turns me off faster than any other thing when I watch ball. If you can't throw accurately and with a bit of carry on the ball I don't have many places for you to play. Unless you are Manny or Ortiz. Any of them in the area?

Yes, I see a lot of poor baserunning, some shoddy fielding and a few swings that resemble Charles Barkley's Golf Swing but throwing gets you noticed. AND throwing poorly gets you marked off the list before it's even time to run or hit.

 

Sounds like to me there has been some bad coaching.

 

Talking about coaching, many dads coaching all the travel teams were not equipped to coach 12 kids through the fundamentals to build them up. I am not trying to say they were bad coaches, but that they simply do not have the time. With all the games, time spent at the field for 5 games in a weekend it takes a lot of their schedule and they ultimately miss time for just playing catch in the back yard and hitting their sons ground balls that give the player so many needed reps. The repetition is what builds fundamentals.

This lack of time on reps has lead the kids down the path that a few hours at practice during the week will make them better rather than a few minutes every day focusing on their swing and footwork. The fundamentals seem boring so they don't work on them. However, as they get older, those kids that spend the time will rise to the top!

As coaches today, we have to be innovative in teaching high schoolers how to work at learning the game and how to work at developing their skills.