April 27

April 27 Update

Long Term Athlete Development Part I

This week, each of the blog posts will focus on Long Term Athlete Development. Some of them may be longer than usual, but will be jam-packed with beneficial information for our athletes and coaches. Long Term Athlete Development, or LTAD, is a model for player development spanning their entry into a sport or activity (at any age) and their progression through that sport. It is a model of player progression that lays a framework for age-appropriate developmental activities and strategies. Baseball Canada's current LTAD framework has been around since 2007.

Baseball Canada's LTAD "[provides] a logical training, competition, and recovery program that follows the natural window of opportunity in each player's physical, mental, and emotional development" (p. 10). What this means is that there are specific development windows which players are most capable of learning specific aspects of sport, what Baseball Canada has termed the "10 S's related to sports training and performance" (p. 9). These are stamina, speed, skill, strength, suppleness, structure, p(s)ychology, sustenance, schooling, and socio-cultural. As coaches and leaders, we can plot out how and when we address each of these 10 S's to facilitate the best learning, growth and development for our players. Several objectives have been established through these 10 S's, including "[promoting] a lifelong enjoyment of athletic activity", "[providing] a structured player development pathway", "[describing] best practices for elite player development, "[creating] long-term excellence, and "[providing] equality in access and opportunities to athletes throughout Canada" (p. 17). These will be achieved through "logical and integrated training and practice programs", "application of growth, development, and maturation principles", and "optimal structure for competition at all stages of LTAD" (p. 17).

For example, it is not appropriate to teach our Rally Cap-aged players how to throw a curveball. This is mandated in the age-specific rule sets for these age groups (breaking balls are not permitted until 13U), but it is also a difficult, skill-based movement that does not benefit the player in learning. It is a skill that they physically cannot perform, as their hands are often too small to hold the ball properly. It is also a skill that would allow the player to disproportionately dominate their age group. It is unlikely that any other player would be able to hit a curveball. Therefore, there is no challenge to an athlete in this age group using a pitch like this. Further, they lack the physical literacy to consistently throw this pitch in the same manner. They are far better served with learning how to grip a baseball properly and fixating on how to throw a baseball with high intent. Skills that scale are the important tools that we have to arm our players with at any age group. Skills that scale hit each of the 10 S's that the LTAD prescribes.

Now, this example is a rather specific situation that coaches have to address. What do we teach our athletes during the course of a practice or a season? What is age-appropriate? How can I keep their attention and engagement? I'll provide an example below. Please note that many of these skills, drills, and activities are modifiable and can be adjusted based on age of players, ability, equipment available, size of space available, and other factors.

Simple, Age-Specific Throwing Progression

5U - Introduce basic throwing skills. Minimal, if any cueing of movements. Game or objective focus for the activity. Much of their learning will happen away from baseball practice. Most of these players will model after older players and parents for throwing. Encourage parents to play catch with their kids at home.

Hula Hoop Throwing - lay out several hula hoops around your players, about 10-20 feet away. Players can throw a variety of balls overhand or underhand into the hula hoops surrounding them. They can score points based on how far they throw, regardless of where or how they throw the ball, provided that this activity is set up to prevent athletes from failing.

7U - Marginally increased specificity in throwing skills. Coaches can introduce basic, and relatable movements for athletes to copy, such as "riding a surfboard" to balance their weight distribution. Focus on games or a specific objective for throwing practice.

Target Practice - Line players up on the foul line. GIve each of them a soft baseball to throw. Set players up in a throwing position and have coaches stand approximately 20 feet away. The players' objective is to throw their balls at the same time and try to hit a coach in the outfield grass. Players earn points if they can hit a coach.

9U - Progress throwing further. Coaches can introduce set movements for players to mimic in order to throw, i.e. "gunsight throws" or "rocker throws". Focus of selected drills and activities should still be on games or objectives. Players can throw longer and farther. Introduce pitching later in the season.

Assassin Catch - One of my favorite coaches, Coach Ed Servais of Creighton University, asked our coaches' clinic what the best target is for throwing a baseball to. Nearly all the coaches in the group said "the chest". His response was, no, the best spot to target is your partner's chin because he's never known a baseball player that would try and miss a ball thrown at their head. This game builds off that concept. Players will partner up to throw. This can be played as they gain distance while throwing or from a set distance. Players receive 2 points for hitting their partner in the head or 1 point for hitting them in the chest. The objective is to earn the most points or a set amount of points.

11U - Continued instruction on throwing fundamentals. Coaches should introduce game-specific throwing scenarios, such as relay throws. Emphasis on pitching instruction.

Ultimate Baseball - Lay out a field in the outfield or nearby greenspace (soccer fields work). Split group into two teams, forward hats and backwards hats. One team will start with the ball, and their objective will be to pass the ball up the field to score at the opposing team's endzone. If a player possesses the ball, they cannot run, they can only pivot. They have to pass the ball to another player on their team. The defending team must give at least three stride lengths of room while defending an opposing player. If the offensive team drops the ball, the defensive team will restart the game in possession of the ball. The game continues for a set time length or score.

13U - Continued instruction on throwing fundamentals. Increased emphasis on game-specific throwing scenarios, such as throwdowns to 2nd base by catchers. Emphasis on pitching instruction and refinement, such as introducing change-ups and breaking balls for players who are ready.

One-ball Dodgeball - Have players go to the outfield grass. One player will start with a soft or bouncy ball. Their objective is to hit other players with the ball and absorb them onto their team. Players cannot run with the ball. They must throw it and hit an opposing player or go and retrieve it and throw it again. Opposing players must remain on the outfield grass in fair territory for the duration of the game. Coaches can reduce the playing area as the game progresses. The game ends when there is one player remaining. That player wins and begins the next round.

15U - Shift from throwing instruction to the refinement of throwing techniques. Introduce position-specific throwing routines and advanced throwing skills, drills, and strategies for athletes. For example, double cuts from the outfield wall.

Rundown Game - This game works on how to properly execute a rundown in-game. Split the group evenly in two. One group becomes the offensive team and the other is on defense. Have the defensive team split into lines at 2nd and 3rd base. The offensive team must start as baserunners at 2nd base. The objective for the defensive team is to hold the runner caught in the rundown at 2nd base or record an out. The objective for the offensive team is to get to 3rd base or further. In my version of the game, the defensive team has specific requirements to meet, they must establish the side of the basepath they're working on, maintain a set method of communication, follow where their throw goes and go to the back of the line at that base, and record an out in two throws or less. Both teams will have a chance to play offense and defense. The winning team scores the most points.

18U - Here is our final chance to progress our youth athletes. This age group will largely focus on refining their throwing skill set and maximizing the distance they are capable of throwing. Many players will have either individualized throwing programs or position-specific ones. Much of practice will focus on games and objectives that replicate game-speeds and game-like scenarios.

21 Outs - The objective with this drill is to make 21 outs, enough to complete a baseball game at this age group. The coach will have players take their positions in the field. The coach will hit fungos to players to simulate realistic plays that they would see in a game. As baseballs are hit, extra players can be utilized to run the bases to try and score runs and work on their situational baserunning skills. This drill can be modified to work on high leverage situations too, such as starting runners in scoring position and having the defense practice making throws in these situations.

I'll continue with breaking down Baseball Canada's current LTAD document on Wednesday and Friday!

Yours in baseball,

Coach Lovie
Baseball Development Lead
Sherwood Park Minor Baseball Association
baseballdevelopment@spmba.ca