The overall idea is to aim small and miss small. So if you have a pitcher who needs to gain more precision in hitting her spots, give this drill a try. A few months ago I put up a post that showed a way to help fastpitch softball pitchers who were struggling with hitting their inside and […]

At the start of every week, give your team a ‘weekly challenge’ and announce it on your on-deck bulletin board right there on-deck. The end of 2018 is on the horizon, which means out with the old and in with the new. This may mean breaking some bad habits in the pool, re-committing yourself to […]

After the coach has thrown the ball to a return man, the return team has to find the ball then sprint to the correct spot on the field where it will have to block for the return. Special teams is one of the most commonly ignored, yet vitally important development areas for a youth or […]

Make sure that the administrators, coaches and parents know that youth sports is first and foremost “about the kids.” My son’s club soccer team, defending state champion at age 11-12, had an undefeated season the following year until it lost in the finals. As we were walking over to receive the second-place medals, the father of one […]

Over this period, I celebrated communication with coaches I idolized, cried over some seemingly dashed dreams and worked to find my way through this uncharted and never-ending territory. Much like the celebrated, daring explorers of the past, I embarked on a treacherous journey, one that was certain to be filled with obstacles, potential heartache and a […]

The key with making it work is really hitting that last dolphin kick and using it to power you through that first stroke cycle at full speed and power. Caeleb Dressel’s freestyle and butterfly are killer. He won the 50 and 100 yard freestyles at NCAA, and also upset Olympic champion Joe Schooling in the 100 yard […]

The game has obviously evolved a great deal since those days, but certain fundamental principles remain. Keeping a level head when hitting is one of them. Just because your eyes are moving doesn’t mean your head has to be moving, too. Already knew that? Of course you did. But it’s an important point for coaches […]

With stronger hands, you will be able to lift heavier weights using your back, legs, shoulders, glutes and hamstrings — all incredibly important muscle groups for optimal hockey performance. A critical observation I have made through the years of working with thousands of hockey athletes and networking with some of the top coaches in the […]

Changing tempo is a huge way to stress the defense. Once a defense gets set in your rhythm, they can adapt to it. Many people think that tempo stresses a defense. They will blindly say that the faster we go on offense, the more stress it puts on a defense. While there is a small […]

Tell them to bend their knees and drop their hips as they try to catch the football. This is not easy, but it is effective. I have seen the best of hands and the worst of hands. That is how it works in football. You have kids with magnetic hands who catch everything and others […]