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I just wanted to  drop you a note concerning your Youth Baseball Coaching book. I've read many  positive reviews of your book, but they're all from coaches and a coaching  POV. Personally, I am not a coach, nor do I have any desire to coach;  however, I bought your book three years ago with a desire to attain a little  knowledge of what goes into coaching youth baseball as my sons (then 5 and  8) were starting to play Ripken Baseball. I must say that the perspective  you put forth in that book was both refreshing and spot-on in regards to  what should be important to put into and get out of the sport at the youth  level.

I used your book (still do) as a guide for the informal 'baseball  practices' that I have with my boys and the results have been enjoyable as  well as rewarding for all three of us. My oldest son has developed terrific  plate discipline thanks to your methods...his on-base pecentage usually  ranks among the best on the team, despite the fact that skill-wise he's always in the middle of the pack. And my youngest son, though he can't field  a lick, was probably the #2 or #3 hitter on his pitching machine team and  was voted the MIP last year. I credit your book for a lot of  this.

So, thanks again, snd sorry to be so long-winded, but I just felt  you might want to hear from someone who used your book not so much to  'coach' from as to understand what my kids (and I) should try to get out of  the experience.

Thanks again,

Chris Mier
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL

Coach Reed,
 
As you can probably tell, I've developed a passion for coaching youth sports.  But, also a low tolerance for incompetent coaches who don't know what they're doing but aren't open to suggestions from parents THEY asked to help out.  I'm in that situation now with baseball.  So I'm not guilty of being one of them, I keep studying your books.  Your baseball book seems to be even more phenomenal than your football books.  Wish you had one for basketball too!  God bless you both!
 

Because of my situation with my son Caleb’s baseball coaches, yesterday I read all your baseball coaching articles on your website.  I was so excited about what I’d learned that I immediately ordered your baseball coaching book (to go along with the 5 football coaching books I’ve already purchased).  After picking up my 5 year-old son from school, we immediately went to the park to practice just one thing:  batting, specifically (1) the sweet spot on the bat and (2) NOT practicing so much batting mechanics.  Today, we played the #1 undefeated team in our T-ball division. We got slaughtered 20-6, primarily because of incompetent coaches focusing on teaching “fundamentals” (and not much of that) instead of how to play in the game.  My son had 2 times at bat.  Each time, I just yelled to him, “Sweet spot!” He hit 2 homeruns—including a 3-run homer!  He scored 4 of the 6 runs we had.  After his first homer, the other team’s coach asked if my son can play on his all-star team!  I wholeheartedly believe that his batting success today was completely due to me implementing your coaching strategy.  I can’t wait to get my baseball coaching book next week!
 
Lonnie Howard
Coach Assistant
Sta-Mo PONY Baseball
Stafford, Texas

This year in Little League, I took a Manager’s position, bought your Coaching Youth Baseball book, applied a great deal of your philosophy, came in 1st place in the regular season, and won the post-season tournament.

davegrube@electro-mec.com

Your books are the best. I think I have all of your sports related books and you have done a great job. FYI – the last two teams I coached after reading your books on Football and Baseball won their league championships.

Larry A. Pankey
Atlanta, GA

Dear John Reed,

I am happy to offer feedback, as you have asked for it at the end of your books. You are free to edit and use this feedback if you wish.

I managed a group of 10U boys in an 8-team league near Charlottesville, Virginia. They play in a state-of-the-art facility built and maintained privately by another author, John Grisham. The league is highly competitive, as it is one of the most attractive and inexpensive places to play baseball anywhere (John Grisham underwrites everything and supplies all things, including bats and balls).

We finished with a 14-3-1 record, including 3-0 in the tournament. We won the championship, 6-4. We won it for the second consecutive year in this age class, which had not been done in this league before, at any age class.

I am compelled to write because I have had the opportunity to do something you have written about: Compare the use or non-use of a technique, against a similar background, to determine its effectiveness. Last year’s team was not taught using your method; this year’s team was. Almost everything else was quite similar.

Last year, we were one of the teams with a good percentage of offensive and defensive talent. We practiced much more often and thoroughly than most, so we also had the advantage that preparation brings. We did not generally signal things. We let the pitchers make their pitches. We stressed long-swing offensive fireworks and strong defensive field play. We finished 18-2-1 and won the tournament championship. Every other team more or less approached the game in a similar manner.

I read as many books as I can get my hands on between seasons, and I read your baseball book this winter. Knowing that the returning team would be fairly light on offensive and defensive talent, but above average in the battery, I concluded that your book offered the best strategy for this team.

I applied your strategies fully and consistently. This year’s team had three above-average players and a majority of 8-9 year-olds new to kid-pitch baseball. With their inability to hit into the outfield, I made two-strike hitting a separate endeavor for them. We used the bunt, your chop swing and what I called a short swing. I did not allow them to take a full swing with two strikes, ever. We signaled to the hitters, coordinating their activities with the baserunners on occasion. The baserunners were mostly left to their own devices but encouraged to be very aggressive. Practices always included baserunning, sliding and short-hitting techniques. I abandoned long-swing teaching (the typical batting cage), visiting it only during pre-game tune-ups for timing and during their live scrimmage at-bats. We charted every pitch and every hit. We generally threw the (John Reed) book at them.

The difference between our team and the remainder of the league was remarkable. We quickly became known as the baserunning bunters. As you intimated, many adults (including some on our own team) were violently and vocally opposed to short-game tactics. By the second half of the season, when the boys had gotten it down, we averaged less than three strike-outs a game. We played some teams that had as many as 13 strikeouts in a game against us. Where their boys were useless or worse at many at-bats, ours always had a fighting chance of reaching first base. Every boy had gotten on base and scored a run by the first third of the season, including one who had never played before. On other teams, there were kids who did not get a hit or score all season.

We were OK defensively, but the lack of size and experience in a rising 8-9 year-old was very much a limiting factor. Following your advice, I placed my best fielder at first base, when he was not pitching or catching. I insisted on very high competence in the battery (especially at catcher) and at first base, then tried to make the remainder of the team as good as they could get. I assigned positions and kept them there, with each boy having a backup.

Our boys quickly learned several offensive strategies unique to our team. For example, the lead-off man bunted for a base hit over 80% of the time, then was advanced to third by fake-bunt steals and passed balls; at that point, the second man would lay down a bunt or short-swing chopper and head off to first base, creating a first-and-third the other team did not suspect. Very often we scored this way, and when we didn’t we were able to load the bases on successive bunts while the other team focused on the boy at third. We did this to win the semifinal, 2-1.

In the championship, we were holding a 6-4 lead in the bottom of the sixth; the opposition had boys on first and second with one out. We had already proven that we would make infield miscues; the score should have been 6-1. The situation was absolutely ripe for a bunt or some kind of short swing to get everybody running and to give us a chance to throw the bal all over the place (the entire left side of the infield and outfield was 8-9 years old). Even so, the opposition batters, boys we knew from the previous games and from their position in the batting order were not strong batters, came up and swung away. There was no effort at a bunt or two-strike adjustment of any kind. So, they each struck out to end the game. The other team’s coaches got exactly what their stupidity bought them: Second place despite having a wealth of clearly superior talent (all of their games leading up to the championship had ended in mercy-rule shortened games).

I will point out that if you added up the ages of the boys on the teams to figure out who should win, we would have been the sixth-place team this year. The team we beat in the semis had only one new player (everyone else was 10 or 11) and the one we beat in the championship had only three. Of all the teams we faced, I cannot remember a single bunt executed against us, and all but two of them did not seem to have any idea about bunt defense. One team’s coaches were shouting it out to their players for the first time in the fourth inning of our game against them.

So, my conclusion, having made this comparison of typical and Reed techniques, is that your strategies are more fundamentally sound and offer more of a competitive advantage than all of the other books I have read, combined. By focusing on what 10 year-olds can do, instead of treating them like mini-MLB players, we crafted a style of play that fit their meager offensive talents like a glove. They were as good as they could be defensively. Combined with the lack of defense for our style of play exhibited by other teams, we were able to take an inferior team (talent-wise) and win the championship.

I will end by suggesting that in your next edition you give more time to the reactions others will have to this system. A coach who implements it has to be prepared for lots of derision/antagonism and misunderstanding from the rest of the league. It made all of the other teams look very, very poorly prepared, and the coaches and parents tend to be defensive when they are publicly embarrassed. I found that when we were executing our two-strike chop swing, many in the crowd (and most of the coaches) continued to insist that we were bunting. Even when we drove the ball by their too-infrequently-drawn-in infields, they did not understand the strategy. Even now, with the season over, I have people tell me our system was inferior and somehow not an acceptable form of baseball. Pointing out that empirical data (wins and losses) ought to be the bottom line in arguments about the appropriateness of our team’s approach gets nowhere with these people. Future coaches using your system need to understand that this is very likely to be their experience.

For me, I would not have traded this season for any other. We were giving our kids every chance to succeed, based on our strengths and the opposition’s failure to understand our approach. We were really coaching, rather than just organizing and watching. We had a plan, a unique plan, and nobody ever came up with an answer for it. Thank you for writing so clearly on the subject; I believe your price is at least $30 cheaper than it should be.

Yours Truly,

Brad

John,

I picked up your baseball book a couple of years ago and swear by your philosophy and approach. The attached pictures are from our first tournament game this summer, a 12-0 victory. My favorites are of the boys sliding. We practice sliding on cardboard (the kids call it the magic cardboard) every single practice. (You will note that we are still working on our bunting form.)

Thanks for sharing all you have learned with those of us responsible for teaching.

Mike Rodrigues,
Hopedale, MA

John, I exchanged messages with you a few years ago after purchasing your baseball book and my managing my team to its first league championship. We went on to be in the championship game three more times...we won one more of those. I attribute our success to what I applied after carefully reading your book two times and reviewing portions of it from time to time. Thanks again for all of the great experiences over the past few years.

Sincerely,

Dennis Rapkins

John,

I can't thank you enough for publishing that book! So many things you said were so right on the money, it was amazing - it was clear that my guys knew how to run the bases.

I read your book from cover to cover, and then used it as reference over and over as I coached my son's little league minors team this past season. I took your advice (because it made sense) and focused on baserunning, and stressing good "at bats" instead of batting averages.

I had already been designing practices similar to your style, but my focus changed after reading the book. Eliminating batting practice (during practice) was the best thing that happened to our team.

The team I coached had a record of 11-1, won the league championship, and everyone improved in at least one aspect of the game. They slid well, ran the bases aggressively, knew how to defend the bases, and had an absolute blast using their new "tricks." In our first game, my son drew a walk, and as he ran toward first, he glanced over and noticed the pitcher and catcher (and second baseman and shortstop for that matter) weren't paying attention, so he bolted for second. The opposing first baseman said out loud, "Hey, I didn't know he could do that", and it became so clear to me how right you were.

I could give you ten more examples of how I modeled our program to what I read in your book, and again, I can't thank you enough. It is the right way to coach, and the right way to teach kids how to play baseball, and how to be a part of a team.

I will approach next season with the same vigor, and will always be looking for ways to improve my coaching, so that the kids will keep getting better and love the game.

Thanks again.

Dave

Last season we had batting practice two times a week and before every game and the team hit .267

This year, after reading your book, we hit soccer balls off a tee in pre-season, preached pitch selection, had NO batting practice during the season and hit .406 as a team. .606 OBP too! Go figure.

Loved your book!

Robert J. Merlino, Jr.
508-397-2816
FAX 508-861-0163
merrob@comcast.net

Dear Mr. Reed,

Recently, I completed my first season of managing a little league team. (Actually, I coached t-ball when my son was in pre-k and he skipped playing until last year) After the draft but before the second practice I had the privilege of coming across your book. Prior to that, and for three weeks until the season began, I read five other books on coaching including one you mentioned in your book by Jeff Burroughs. Other than a book entitled Making Baseball fun, which had many games to play in practice, none held a candle to yours. I mean that very sincerely.

First, my experience with the draft was roughly like you described. I figured it was rec ball and the kids were young so how intense could it get. I was definitely in for a surprise.


After studying your book, which is a masterpiece in the youth coaching arena, I adopted many of the components of practices that you suggested. First and foremost we practiced baserunning and defending it. Over and over and over again. My slowest kids could get to second on a walk passed ball. Every one could slide or turn at second and all were looking for extra bases all the time. I'm not going to get into the number of outs based on over aggressiveness but c'est la vie. And every infielder as well as all of their parents knew exactly how to tag. You could hear the parents yelling on a good play, "TAG ON THE GROUND" You would have been very proud. By game 6 one of the other managers said " I can't believe your team. Nobody runs like that. It's fantastic. Tonight my whole practice is devoted to defending that running.”

Our practices were a ton of fun with pepper games, t-ball scrimmages OF-IF relays, bunting and bunt defense and position clinics strewn throughout. Batting practice consisted of hitters pitches and pitchers pitches with soft toss before games. The kids loved it and the parents came as often as I asked. My son and I were out there almost everyday and it seemed like three or four teammates would always show up. We had a wonderful time. Our final record was 14-4 for second place and we made it to the championship game. Unfortunately, our best player missed the last inning of the first championship game and then the next two games for a family vacation. Otherwise, who knows? One of your most devoted proteges might have really made some news.

Most important of all, my son and I really had a great time and I have you to thank. I can't say enough about you and your philosophy.

Sincerely,

Rich Ehrlich, Coral Springs, FL

P.S. I tell all the other coaches about the book and your website and have done my best to encourage the safety reccommendations you suggested.

P.P.S. Coach Bob Merlino & I received a lot of praise for our coaching from the parents. I shrugged it off to what I learned in YBC. I told them to buy it, or else.

By the way - if ever you update YBC, or perhaps just for your website, suggest or encourage YBC reader/coaches to team up with another YBC reader/coach, if possible. This was the first time in 8 years of LL that I had another YBC minded coach to work with and what a breeze it was - we were on the same page on probably 99% of any issue.

After a first season of Coaching Girl's Softball for my daughter, I stumbled upon your YBC book in a Border's bookstore in 2000. I couldn't believe my eyes that it was the same John Reed that wrote my Real Estate books! I found one of your Football coaching books in a Barnes & Noble in Englewood, CO the week of 9/11/2001

Also, I'm in the middle of my umpteenth re-read of YBC as well as my first read of "How to Publish ...."
My experience is that after I began reading your YBC book in the Summer of 2000, my Youth Softball/Baseball teams have had winning seasons as defined as winning more than half the games. Usually 60-75% of their games. I had one year where we lost only two games. My teams are usually in and out of first/second place throughout the 18 game season and make the playoffs. I have coached three All-Star games and won all three.

I have a bell curve of talent on the team: some pretty good players - some players who start the season as a liability. I get all players to bunt, lay off bad pitches, and run like crazy. I usually get warned by Umpires to tone down the baserunning or the opponent will be "Mercy'd" (Mercied ???).

I am assistant coach. The Head Coach was glad to have me as his assistant this 2006 season as my team won the AAA World Series last year. Also, because he remembered that my 2005 baserunning smoked his team last year. I allowed him to read your YBC book for three days at the start of the season to make sure he was ok with my coaching philosophy. He read the part about baserunning, so he knew that was true. Then he read the part about batting practice. What he recalls about last year is that his team's batting stunk until they QUIT having batting practice halfway through the season.

So I get to focus on baserunning, batting discipline/pitch selection, walking, and bunting. So far it's been a lot of fun. We coaches also work on staying as quiet as possible DURING the games. We joke to each other (quietly) about the mating call of the frustrated Youth Coach: "Keep your arm up!" "Just throw Strikes!", etc., etc.

Typically I coach Third Base. What I love to do is discreetly point out to my baserunner at Third that the Pitcher tends to look down at the ground on his stroll back to the mound and then give a look toward First. I mention that if I said "GO!" it would already be too late and the opponent would hear me and would tip off the pitcher. I then state: "I think I'll look awayfor a moment and I guess when I look back I'll see you sliding across homeplate!". I do this with the reliably fast runners who I timed earlier in the season. It's a beautiful thing to see when they make their own baserunning decisions and succeed! The opposing coaches usually start asking me to tone down sending the kids. So I stand with the opposing coach away from Third base - away from my baserunner. And the kids do it all on their own. The opposing coach mutters and I walk away.

My 12-year old son James has benefited from my emphasizing the points in your book over the past seven years or so.

I suppose James ought also to be a Walk Leader… His best hits come with two strikes on him. He comments that his best hits (Triples & Doubles) he doesn't really feel - they just seem to fly off the bat. I guess those would be Batter's Pitches. Once on base he usually steals his way home. I wouldn't say he's the athlete that your son was that went to Columbia. But that's the beauty of it - he's just an average kid with above average baseball performance by following what I estimate is at best just 10% of what you've got in your YBC book. We do no batting cage practice. We occasionally smash basketballs & soccer balls on batting tees with the inverted toilet plunger. I recently started doing soft-toss with poly-balls just prior to games. I perhaps get half the team (of 14) through the drill before the game starts.
One thing I may have mentioned in the past is that I myself NEVER played Little League. I was cut in the first tryout and never played. ALL of my other friends made Little League. I had played Farm League and thought I was at least competent. Years later I went out for football in my Senior year in High School. I was the fifth or sixth string bench warmer. More accurately, I was the starting player's tackling dummy. I would not quit.
Some years ago people started telling me I ought to see the movie "Rudy", about the kid who wanted to play football at Notre Dame and wouldn't give up. I finally watched the DVD this past Christmas 2005 with my son and nephews."Rudy" was EXACTLY my High School football experience - I had to pay to see my own team games as I was never dressed. Finally, I dressed for the final game on Thanksgiving day. I got in the last two plays. I was at Defensive End. Play right to me. Tackle! Game Over!

After my "Rudy" High School experience, I went to college. I walked on the football field and got to play some Freshman year. I was a starter both ways Sophomore year. I was a very late bloomer. Inside of four years I had gone from a 160 lb. Junior in High School to a 225 lb. Sophomore in College. That's why I like to take on and work with the "Projects". I was one myself. I know most kids have the potential if they CHOOSE to improve themselves. Your youth baseball coaching philosophy allows even the "Projects" to see improvement within a single season when they are on my team. I have one of those very Projects on my team this year. You should see him bunt! He's even hitting line drives to the outfield since he's improved his eye on the ball via bunting.It's wonderful to see these kids brighten when they realize they can do it.

Thank you Mr. Reed!
Michael P. Sullivan
sullmp@verizon.net

Coach,

You may quote me again

The Cardinals are now Preseason Tournament Champs, League Champs, and Post Season Tournament Champs, not to mention several 2nd place and 3rd place Tournament finishes
Not Bad for a drafted Rec Team and it is all due to the knowledge learned in your book and your studious approach to learning all you could about the game and then translating it down to youth baseball and not to mention your coaching and playing experience. Coach Reed Thanks for taking the time to give back to the game and the kids.

Dave Tarver
Ponca City Cardinals

Hello Mr. Reed

Your book is outstanding. I am encouraging every coach in our select league to obtain and implement your training program. You do a tremendous job of translating baseball knowledge into principles that can be applied on the field by non-professional coaches. I am extremely appreciative of all of your efforts.

I had been told that your book was out of press – so I had been buying used copies through Amazon. Then one of the moms’s asked me why I was paying more than 30.00 for used copies when I could get them new directly from you.

I think your book is tremendous. My wife saw your book on the counter this morning and starting reading it. She was very impressed. We had a coach in San Diego last year that fully implemented your teaching and took an (inherited) 3-18 team to first place the next year. We were spoiled with his coaching excellence (completely based upon your book).

Certainly you may quote me. I would be delighted to send you an actual testimonial if you like. You have set a standard of excellence that should be taught by many more coaches. Now that I understand your principles I look at most practices as a misuse of time and direction.
Cliff Gardner

Coach Reed,

The Dust has settled and [our team] the Cardinals come back through the Loser's Bracket to win the Tournament Championship, Beating the winners bracket team twice to do it. I just want to Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us and for putting the pen to the Youth Baseball Coaching book, that is a must read for all coaches.

Sincerely,

Dave Tarver

John T. Reed's "Youth Baseball Coaching" is the best book out there on the subject. It should be a must read for anyone with a child beginning play in any of the youth baseball organizations. If I would have had the information in his book I wouldn't have been screwed by the crooked people running the local Little League in my first few drafts. The examples given about brother, coach, manager options, etc. were all used on me. My "expansion" team was never given a chance to compete. When first starting out I read anything I could get my hands on on the subject, I wish I would have found this one first. I'm now coaching at the High School level and I still refer back to Youth Baseball Coaching for tips.

Kent Effinger
Portland, Or.
KDEflyers@comcast.net

All bases covered by Reed. A must for youth baseball coaches.

Raymond Pascali, Philadelphia, PA

Rating: Excellent
Comments:
as a third year pony coach im really glad to have his books to help,,,we have tryed some of the stuff and wow it makes a big differents
THANK YOU AGAIN
Brian Heist

“I read and used Youth Baseball Coaching a few years ago while coaching my son's Little League team. It proved to be a tremendous resource. Howard Goldberg

“Thought you'd like to know...Our coaching staff took a 2-5 team and won the 4-5th grade city championship, going 11-1 and outscoring opponents 18 to 8 in our last 12 games. I credit the knowledge from your baseball book, specifically the batting order forumula, as a key factor to the squad's turnaround." Dave Bonko

“I just got back from Morristown Tn. from the 12yr old states. We won district 9 championship this year and regular season was my best year in 6 with the major Pirates. I changed a lot with my coaching techniques after reading several of your articles on youth baseball. It made a big difference. Thanks for making it available!
Chuck Hall
St B little League
Clarksville TN

I have a question on coaching all stars. But first I would like to thank you. I bought your book "Youth Baseball Coaching" two years ago when my son was 9 years old. He was drafted into the majors that year and I helped coach his team. After the season, the league had no one to coach the 9 year old all star team so I volunteered for the job. That's when I purchased and began reading your book. I didn't have much chance to implement your principles as we only had one week to practice. But I was hopeful that I might eventually get to manage my son's team and put your and my knowledge into use.
In March I was informed that I was going to be given a team to manage after all. It was a team that had finished last the last three years. In the last three seasons they had 1, 2 and 3 wins in that order. 5 kids were returning from that team, 3 of whom had been on the team all three years.
To make a long story short, we went 10-5. We beat the first and second place teams 2 out of 3 games each and made the playoffs. In the best of three playoffs (top 4 teams) we lost in the first round in three games to the eventual champion. We lost the last game 9-7 and had the tying run at the plate in the last inning before losing.
The kids and parents were ecstatic about our season. Six of our kids made the 11-12 year old all stars (two teams from our league). That was half our team. No other team in the league had more kids on the all stars than us.
I tell you this as a tribute to your principles and practices. I really instituted a lot of your coaching tenets and therefore would like to say thanks again for writing your book.

Thanks so much for everything,
Dave Johnson (not the ex-Oriole).

On 5/15/02, I got a call from a Seattle-area user of Youth Baseball Coaching who said his local league wants to disband his 8-0 minors team, or move them up to majors, because they are winning too much.

Another reader told me he got chewed out during the 2002 tryouts by a league official who said, “You know you’re going to have to teach some hitting this year. You can’t do like last year.” What had he done last year? What I said in my book: being extremely selective on the first two strikes and bunting or fake-bunt-and-slash on the third. What was the 2001 team batting average of the manager who was told to teach hitting this year? Would you believe .700? Yeah, I guess they need to work on their hitting.

“This is the second time I have ordered your book. (I passed the book onto someone else and they never returned it. What a surprise!) It is by far the most helpful book for getting the most out of a youth baseball team. I have a fine reputation around my town for winning and creating a team environment where every player feels a sense of worth towards the team. My winning percentage and my pleased parent percentage reflects this. I give your book a lot of that credit. We shared a lot of coaching philosophies prior to my reading your book. Your book either enhanced those philosophies or confirmed them and since they went against every book I ever read.
I know a few of my counter parts have already ordered your book and I think you can expect more (Morganville/Marlboro, NJ area). Keep up the good work.” Nick Picarello

“I have your youth baseball book and used it to coach a team to second place in our league tournament. This same team last year ended up in 8th.” Rick Pressgrove

“Immensely enjoy your coaching book for baseball. I bought it after being asked to coach a machine pitch team this spring (the league has far more eager players than eager coaches). I reluctantly accepted the coaching responsibility because I was hoping my son would get drafted by one of the coaches from whom he could really learn (last fall's season was a real disappointment in that respect). I played ball in highschool but felt very unprepared for the responsibility. As a reslut, I've invested a good deal of time preparing for practice and games employing many of the principals you outline. The trend in outcomes is good, but the trend in player development is even more rewarding!” Ed Locke

“At the start of the new year I picked up your book on Youth Baseball Coaching to help prepare for the forthcoming season. Since then, I've read and re-read it many times. It has more underscoring, personal notes and stars added to it that it barely recognizable.

Unfortunately, our Babe Ruth league is suffering stiff competition from alternative (and lesser sports) and they scrubbed one team. The short stick was drawn by me and I lost a team.

Now, it’s been excruciating watching the practices the coaches run for my son’s team. The real success is that the one-to-one time I spend working with my son has been very productively used. We've taken the position clinic and used it for the positions he plays, 2nd and LF. It's made such rapid improvement in his skills that a couple of parents have asked if I'd work with their boys, too. Thanks again for this valuable resource. This should be a must read before they trust a team to a coach in the various youth leagues.

You're welcome to use my quote. I live in Salt Lake City, Utah. I'm already looking forward to next year! I've been guaranteed a team for the
next three years.

Regards,

Richard C Holland
(801) 501-7102
(801) 232-6361 Cellular

“I have applied your concepts to our little league team this season and I'm starting to reap the rewards. We're in a building year (we finished first last year so I got the last pick each round in the draft; I brought up your suggestion of a blind draft, there was some interest but it didn't go any further than that. I also made a rookie mistake in the draft; soccer is big in our town and a lot of kids play both baseball and soccer in the spring, I know, I know, baseball is for spring and soccer is for fall. We have one practice/week on Saturdays, the same day as the soccer games, so consequently, practices are not well attended. Some of the coaches had soccer rosters during the draft, to avoid picking the soccer players).

Anyway, we are definitely the best sliding team in the league. Two to three times a game our good sliding technique gets us a base that we should have been tagged out at. The kids are getting even more confident now and are sliding and popping up at each even remotely close base situation. I have also been teaching the change-up to my young pitchers and it has been impressive at times. I was a left-handed pitcher in HS and college, and had the opportunity to draft a young left-handed pitcher (it's easier for me to work with a lefty). He caught on quickly and I help him decide when to throw it. Last night, he was facing the other team's best hitter, and had a 1-2 count on him. I could just tell the moment was right. Matt threw a low and outside change-up that sank toward the end, his arm speed and body speed/motion did not change one bit from his fastball, and the kid nearly turned himself inside out trying to swing at the pitch for third strike. His ear-to-ear grin was priceless. We have also had a couple of 3 to 1 plays at first base (which we drill), and we almost always get a force out at second on a ground ball (we don't try to turn '2' as the other coaches practice, although we have gotten a couple of double-plays with the second baseman, quick tag of the runner and throw to first base). The head youth football coach was watching me 'throw' infield last night, and I could hear a bunch of them talking about my 'boot one and get one' drill. I explained that this takes the pressure off of the player when he inevitably boots one, he just picks it up and throws it calmly. It happens a couple of times a game, and wouldn't you know that it happened three times last night, our players just calmly picked up the ball and threw the runner out. Our record isn't that good because we don't have dominating pitchers (next year), but we're are in every game, and drive the other teams nuts with our baserunning, bunting, etc. I am really pleased that we're doing a number of the 'little things' correctly that will ultimately pay off for us this year and next, thanks in large part to your suggestions in the Youth Baseball Coachingbook. I've even found a friendly appliance store guy who keeps me in cardboard sheets as we wear them out during sliding practice. Thanks again and it was also a pleasure meeting your son.” Kind regards, Rick Davis Duxbury, Mass.

“I've been rereading your baseball book for the upcoming season. I really enjoy it. I had come to some of the same conclusions as you did regarding coaching baseball. I taught my kids to bat left handed from the first time they picked up a bat, I thought the way most practices are run are boring and useless, and trying to change a kid's swing most often does more harm than good. I had not formulated any direct solutions and I found many in your book. I first read it last year right before I managed the 9-10 all star team. We used several of the drills. One of my favorites was the drill throwing from right field to third with a runner on first going to third. We practiced that drill often. We were in a 0-0 game with no outs. We walked a batter. The next batter singles to right. The third base coach waves the runner on first to third. I had the kid with the best outfield arm in right, he fielded the ball and immediately fired a strike to third. He made a perfect play. The runner was twenty feet from the bag when the third basemen caught the ball and was so shocked he walked right into the tag. The coach’s jaw hit the floor, he looked at me and said, ‘I can’t believe that.’ The best part? One of the kids on the bench looked at me and said, ‘Hey—it's just like we practiced.’”
Brett McBryde
Eagle River, Alaska

“Just wanted to update you on how our team is doing thus far. I spoke to you on the phone the other day, and I thank you for your time and consideration. We've played four games so far and have won three of them. The one that we did lose went down to the wire. It was 4 - 4 in the 6th inning, they were the home team so they had their last ups. Unfortunately, there was an error by our third baseman that cost us. However, the games that we did win were were were pretty ugly for the other teams. The score if the first game, without many practices due to rain, 5-3. The scores of the other games were 4-0 (shutout!!!), and 9-3 (ouch!). Thank you, thank you, thank you for this book. I don't think that I was part of the 98% of incompetent coaches because I was always reading something about baseball in order to help my teams do well. I do think though, that there is not a single book out there that tells it like it "really" is. Yours "really" does.
Thanks again, Ed Rubi

“Read your book, Youth Baseball Coaching, ‘GREAT!!’” Darrell DeWeese

“I am currently reading your Youth baseball book and I love it. I'm a big proponent of the Inner Game books and have always had to grin and bear it through years of coaches’ technical imput. Total focus will be to be selective at the plate and to wait for your pitch. I’m going to incorporate much of what you propose in your book into my Kid’s season. I really enjoy your books and I appreciate your wonderful common sense and use of simple logic and practicality.” Thanks, Jim Hawkins

“Thanks for your book. My wife bought me this book for Christmas, because she was not able to find the book I asked for, "Baseball signs and plays". I am very glad that she did. Our practices just started and I can't wait to try some of the strategies that you suggest in your book. I usually read your book at the gym, while I am on the treadmill and all of a sudden I break out in a big smile while reading. Just the thought of running some of your strategies gets me excited. I CAN’T WAIT!!! I’m glad my wife could not find the book that I originally asked for.”

“I recently read your book Youth Baseball Coaching. I’m a former college pitcher that has coached a Little League team for the past four years. Being a former player, I thought I would automatically know how to coach, but quickly realized that being a good player doesn’t necessarily make someone a good youth coach. After reading your book, I realized I was doing many things wrong and was doing a disservice to the kids I coached. However, I’m now looking forward toward next year when I can implement some of the ideas and philosophies in your book. I really enjoyed your book. Thanks for
writing it.
Rod Davis
Wells Fargo Business Credit Inc.
P6101-144
1300 SW 5th
Portland, OR 97201
(503) 886-2664 (phone)
(503) 886-4312 (fax)
rodney.s.davis@wellsfargo.com

“I have read your coaching youth defense. I have used your coaching ideas in both football and baseball, and have good success.” Russ Bill, Pitman, NJ

Book review by Scholastic Coach® editor Herman Masin
“Reed is a West Point graduate, a Harvard MBA, owns one wife and three teenage sons, milks the mind of every sport technician he meets, is a youth-sport authority of staggering proportions, and is massively bright, intriguing, and controversial. All of which are strikingly exemplified in his latest writings: Youth Baseball Coaching (Can be controversial, but is always intriguing).” Herman Masin, Editor, Scholastic Coach® and Athletic Director magazine, 555 Broadway, New York, NY 10012, 212-343-6372

Book review by Collegiate Baseball editor Lou Pavlovich, Jr.
“John Reed has written a magnificent book addreessing the problems of youth baseball and how to correct them. At 256 pages, it may be one of the most controversial baseball coaching books ever written, and without a doubt one of the best ever penned.

Youth Baseball Coaching is a wonderful book that covers virtually all aspects of coaching in a brilliant fashion. I heartily recommend it to all baseball coaches on every level for the vast information it provides.” 10/6/00 issue of Collegiate Baseball

“I didn’t have time to tell you how much I am enjoying your book. I guess you’re in the real estate business by trade. I am a dentist who coaches baseball or maybe the other way around. Baserunning is my most fun and creative part too! I liked your part on r. at 2nd goes to 3rd on single to left then creating the 1st-3rd at that point. I will use your part on creating the tiny diamond to work on position movement after the ball is hit. I did it on the board then the field but your way is better.” W B Jones, Sumnter, SC

“I've enjoyed reading Coaching Youth Baseball and I especially appreciated the discussion on safety particulary ‘taking one for the team.’ I showed it to my brother-in-law who is a pediatrician and he definitely agreed with your position.” Mike T. James, New Orleans

“I have devoured your above book and can say it has been the best youth baseball coaching book I have read yet! I am a physical ed. teacher who agrees as an educator with of the ideas you advocate in your book. After going through 3 years of being an assistant coach…I finally was given the opportunity to take charge of my son's team practices next year! I plan on utilizing the majority of your strategies. Now, I plan on ordering your book COACHING YOUTH FOOTBALL. I have shown your free internet articles to his football coaches…. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!! Steve Korinchak, Strongsville, OH

“My wife purchased your book "Youth Baseball Coaching" as a gift for my son's baseball coach as a thank you present for his efforts this year. Before wrapping up the book I snuck in some reading. After reading the first few pages I told my wife I would like to read as much as possible before she wrapped up the book since I found the book entertaining, truthful, enlightening, funny, and most of all, quite accurate.

“I played for my father in Little League way back when. If I didn't know better, I would say my father (he is deceased so I say this tongue in cheek) helped you in writing the book as he shared practically all of your beliefs. Given this, watching the way kids are coached today is often difficult for me. My father preached teamwork, patience, and taught us how to play as opposed to yelling and screaming like many others do today (and did in my day).” Jim Lacey, Media, PA

“I…very much enjoyed and appreciated your book on coaching youth baseball. I helped me a lot with my thinking. Please feel free to quote me in relation to your baseball book. I have not read other books on coaching, but purchased it primarily due to my respect for your approach to real estate - clear, direct and intelligent combined with high standards for honesty and integrity. I found the baseball book to follow those same principles.” Chuck Shinnamon

“I just purchased your book at the local ‘Barnes & Noble.’ What can I say but WOW, I cannot believe how much sense your book makes. I cannot wait to implement your methods with my team.” Rick Pressgrove

“After suffering through a season as part of the 98% of incompetent coaches out there, I was looking for some help. We are in the Babe Ruth system. I was an assistant for the Pee Wee Player Pitch, 7-8 year olds (I know it goes against your philosophy of players pitching at that age, but I don't want to take on the league). Your book was the answer to my prayers. It is awesome!

Our season is over this year, so I can't wait until next season to implement all of the info. I can hear it now from the other coaches and the league about it being too aggressive etc, etc...but I'm aslo tired of hearing about how bad our league play is and that our All-Star performance sucks. This is the kind of baseball the league needs.

I have let several friends in other leagues borrow the book and they are very impressed with it as well. I told them to get their own copies so I can have mine back to study and underline. I told them to order off of the internet and save money. Thanks again for the enlightenment.” Hugh Dearden, Salt Lake City, UT

"I really enjoyed your baseball book. It is very unique among coaching books. I made the mistake of starting the book by picking sections in the middle. That was a mistake. I realized later that you build up the case for your recommendations from the beginning.

Especially interesting was your detail of safety issues and the curious resistance to them. My kids wear batting helmets with face masks now. Only one other kid in the league wears one. He was hit in the face with a ball and required oral surgery to repair the damage. I have about $5,000 in orthodontic work between my two boys. The masks are $12 each. Pretty cheap insurance." Brett McBryde, Coach Knik Little League Minors

"I'm just about finished reading your Youth Baseball Coaching book. Very interesting. Filled with more real information than many other books I've read put together." Dan Nichols

"It was a pleasure to read your book, Youth Baseball Coaching. I have tapes, books, gone to camps, etrc. and I wholeheartedly agree with your approach to coaching kids." Kevin Underkofler

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