Preface

A baseball coach is a teacher and trainer. A coach identifies educational goals, organizes information, develops lesson (practice) plans, provides learning stimulus, and monitors the progress of athletes. Whether in practices or games, the coach seeks to create and maintain an effective learning environment. This is especially true with young players.

On the field coaches quickly discover players learn and process information differently. There are various styles or modalities of learning: the three primary modes are visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. The rate of retention can be as low as 10 percent when only one style or instructional approach is used. When communicating with players, coaches develop the awareness that each learning style is valid, and an efficient teaching plan includes all three modalities. By using a diverse approach, retention is significantly increased, learning is accelerated, and the team's preparedness is improved.

The 10 percent retention factor provided incentive to write this manual. Optimizing opportunity and quality of instruction is a constant quest for coaches. Put into a player's hands, a team manual multiplies the opportunities to learn beyond the field, and it provides continuity both on and off the field. It is a useful training tool, and when combined with other modalities (verbal instruction, visual demonstration, and interactive drills), team communication and player participation are enhanced.