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The Great and not late John Wooden says you are only a failure if you have not given a complete effort at all times whether on the field of court. What do I mean? if you are get beat by another team or individual it's OK as long as you gave your best. It happens, you tip your hat and move on. Sure we're disappointed in the outcome but not in our effort. After the games are gone what are the players going to take with them about sports and competition?

Stephen K Reynolds is publisher of the LSR Unlimted "Free" newsletter which focuses on helping newcomers & seasoned pros learn the secrets to marketing in the ever changing world of the internet! Working from home on the internet allows him the time to coach little league baseball in western Montana. For more information on this e-mail lsrwealth@gmail.com

We had players giving up on plays when they should have been going all out and making the other team beat us with their best instead we gave them easy outs. here is the main point I'm driving here is to make the other team beat you, don't hand it to them. That is not acceptable. I mentioned something to them at practice last night and the best player on the team said well we won anyway! Wrong answer!!

Getting adults to understand the importance of a clear perspective on winning and losing is very difficult let alone do the same with little league baseball players. Here I will show why it is important that adults need to show the way for young athletes to understand the objective in sports.

Instilling A Winning Effort Into Little League Baseball Players

Remember coaches you are a teacher and these values go way past playing baseball. Teach them the right way to play the game and have fun with it.

Let's get right into it shall we. Too often i hear especially at the major boys level (11-12 year olds) it all about winning! Well that's great, I like winning as much as anyone and i get very competitive. However I am an adult and and the coach who needs to keep the players with a great understanding of competition.

We play one of the better teams in our league and that 3 runs wouldn't have been enough and we left 3-4 runs out there on the field with a lousy effort.

We are not talking about pro sports here yet that same axiom should and does apply with them most of the time. My point is this you can win a game and not be happy with your players effort and they need to hear about it.

Just last week I watched the team my son is on and that I help with win a game 3-1 against a young team that we should have defeated 8-1 or more. To the other teams credit they played us hard and were right there at the end. Our team made base running blunders that took us out of innings and eliminated additional scoring opportunities.

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How to implement this Baseball Hitting Strategy:

Much like everything in life, you get better at things the more times you do them. Baseball Hitting is no different. For this reason, the best baseball hitting advice anyone can give you is to practice your swing. Mickey Mantle was said to swing the bat at least 100 times a day right handed and then do the same left handed. Also, modern day players like Barry Bonds are said to swing the baseball bat 500-1000 times a day. If this strategy works for the pros, it can also work for you.

Over time, you will see your strength grow and should develop a more natural swing. Also, as you get stronger you can increase the number of overall swings. This is an excellent Baseball Hitting Strategy to follow.

Bottom line is do not let a lack of access to a batting cage prevent you from practicing your swing. It should not matter whether you have access to a batting cage or not. In the end, all you really need is a baseball bat and a strong desire to improve.

1. The best strategy is to divide up the swings throughout the day. After you get up in the morning, take 25 cuts batting from the right side and then take 25 cuts batting from the left side. (It does not matter if you are not interested in switch hitting, practicing swinging from both sides will allow you to develop your muscles more fully.

How To Improve Your Baseball Hitting Simply Through Practice

From here, you can incorporate this repetition principle into other aspects of your Baseball Hitting routine. For instance, if you do not already practice your swing by hitting off a tee, it is a good idea to acquire a basic hitting tee and a bucket of whiffle balls. The cost is minimal as these two items can be purchased for under $65, but the benefits to your Baseball Hitting can be quite large. A Hitting Tee affords you the opportunity to practice your baseball hitting of inside and outside pitches. For example, if you have difficulty hitting outside pitches, you can set your self up away from the tee so to practice hitting outside pitches. Over time, you will see your skill improve because of the repetition principle.

3. Then, take 25 cuts from each side right before or after dinner.

How To Improve Your Baseball Hitting Simply Through Practice

4. Finally, take 25 cuts from each side right before bedtime.

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Some manufacturers of baseball batting gloves include Easton, Franklin, Mizuno, and Rawlings. They make each with a variety of materials, including leather and fabric. The gloves work well to allow batters to rely on their equipment without thinking about how it performs. They offer players the ability to grip the bat and properly protect their hands from the elements. The materials used are waterproof, and some of the gloves come with anti-microbial materials. Some retailers can also offer the convenience of purchasing baseball equipment online.

The design for batting gloves is pretty basic on the surface. But because they are so important each manufacturer has its own unique approach. Each manufacturer has its own designs as well. These designs the manufacturer hopes will create stand apart gloves.

The Internet offers customers a fast and convenient way to find whatever they need. Players have a large selection at their fingertips and with such selection can choose good equipment at prices that work within their budgets. Because they can buy merchandise that is of the necessary quality to play the game well and at prices that work for them, players of all skill levels can rely use the Internet as a reliable resource to peruse the many different batting gloves available and find the particular gloves that work for them.

Fastpitch Softball - Shortstop Positioning

Situational positioning of the Shortstop may be the most common coaching oversight in Fastpitch Softball. My guess would be 95% of the teams put the shortstop in the middle of 2nd and 3rd and never move her. Okay, that's great with no runners on base, but what about all the other situations.

Runner on 1st Base

In 10U & 12U it's almost a given the runner is going to steal. In 14U and up, the odds are still pretty strong that at some point the runner will try to advance, either on a straight steal or on a bobbled pitch. We KNOW this is going to happen a very high percentage of the time.

So why is your shortstop still in the hole? How many times have you seen the shortstop have to cut the corner to get to the throw in time, and therefore be two or three feet in front of 2B and unable to make a tag? Aaaaggghhh!!! I hate that! And there is no reason for it to happen.

When there is a runner on 1st base, move your shortstop about 5 feet towards 2B. More if need be. Depending on your age group, the odds are probably between 50% up to 95% that there will be a play at 2B. On the other hand, the odds of the ball being hit to SS are much lower. You might even get lucky and have a ball hit up the middle which the SS can field and tag 2B or even turn a double play.

Lead Runner on 2nd Base

If you use SS to cover 3B on steals, the same philosophy applies. Move her about 5 feet from the hole towards 3B. It's a very tough play for SS to cover 3B on steals. She has to get their, find the base, catch the ball, and make a tag. How many throws to 3B have you seen wind up in the outfield because the runner and SS got tangled up at 3B? Too many. Take the precision timing out of the play by getting her in a better position before the play starts.

By placing her in the optimal position before the pitch is thrown, you also avoid her breaking to the bag while the pitch is on the way. Huh? I'm sure you have seen shortstops break to the base as soon as the pitch is thrown, and then have a ball hit right where she should have been standing. Since she is breaking on the pitch, her momentum increases the size of the hole immensely. Whereas, if she is positioned correctly before the pitch, she can hold her position longer before making her break to cover the steal.

The Hardest Play for a Shortstop Runner on 1st and the batter shows bunt

I will cover this play based on age in more detail at a later date, but for now lets get the basics down. This play requires extreme discipline by the shortstop. First, you need to understand that if the player does bunt the out should be made at 1B. Don't even think about going to 2B to get the lead runner! So if the ball is bunted where does your shortstop go? Third base. Otherwise, the base is uncovered and the runner on 1B can make the turn at second and keep going to third. Oh, how you are going to hate that when it happens to you. So if the ball is bunted, make the out at one, be looking to throw across the field to third, and cover 3B.

What if the batter misses the bunt or fake bunts and takes the pitch? Here is where the extreme discipline comes in. Shortstop has to cover 2B on the steal. Therefore, the correct positioning is the same as protecting against a straight steal. Before the pitch, move her approximately 5 feet towards 2B. This puts her in position to cover 2B on a steal and should the ball be bunted successfully, she should have ample time to beat the runner coming from 1B to 3B.

Make a mental note to yourself, after each batter look at your shortstops positioning. This is a chess game. Think about what you expect your opponent to do in this given situation, and position your shortstop appropriately.

Jim Moyer is the author of http://www.mysoftballcoach.com. Having coached over 600 youth fastpitch softball games, Jim decided to put his knowledge online to allow parent/coaches to draw on his unique experience.

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Why are you playing fantasy sports? Is it for recreation or is it because you enjoy competition? If you fall under the first category then this article really isn't for you.

I play to win and I have won quite a few times. So here are 10 strategies that I apply when I am drafting.

1. Know Your League Settings

I know this one seems obvious, but it is very important. What are your leagues settings and how will that effect your draft. Is your team a roto league or is is a head to head league. Each format requires different players. In roto leagues consistency is important, but as long as their stats work out in the end then it's all good. Whereas an inconsistent player in a heads up league may cost you a few wins.

What stats are being used to keep score? Why don't owners know this? It is inexcusable to be clueless. This determines the value of a player in a particular league. A guy like Todd Helton in a league that has Avg. OBP. SLG. and OPS is a 4 stat stud where if he was in a traditional league he would be a bottom tier 1st baseman.

KNOW YOUR SETTINGS!

2. Research

If you want to do well at a fantasy baseball draft then you have to research a little bit. You don't have to be obsessed like I am and look at obscure stats, but you do need to do some. When you get into the late rounds you will be shooting in the dark if you have not done adequate research.

3. Don't be afraid to reach for players

Many times an owner will be afraid to reach on a player because the other owners will criticize him for it. Well often it is the guy that reaches for a player that will end up winning the league. Those who reached for Miguel Cabrera in 05 most likely won their leagues and the same is true for those who reached for Prince Fielder last year. So blow off the critics and draft your team, not theirs.

4. Don't draft a closer until late

Don't make the mistake of spending a 4th round pick on a closer. You can find efficient closers late in the draft or on the waiver wire. Last year there were over 50 closers that compiled more than 10 saves. I actually never draft a closer. Usually I will scoop up a closer off of waivers and do just fine with them. It is only one stat so I don't believe you should overemphasize it.

5. Draft for consistency

I prefer consistency over one stat studs. I am always looking for a guy who bats around .300 and scores runs and steals about 10 bases. Consistency makes you a 5 stat threat.

6. Avoid focusing on one stat

If you take a look at the bottom dwellers in a league they usually are great in one or two stats and absolutely horrible in the rest. This happens for 2 reasons:

1. They were clueless at the draft

2. They focused on one particular stat

Guys that focus on power are usually strong in RBIs and HR, but weak in AVG, Hits and SBs. They also struggle with long droughts at the plate. (a no-no in a heads up league)

Guys that focus on speed end up being strong in SBs and Average but are not competitive in HR and RBI.

It is fine to be strong in one particular stat as long as you are not punting 3 or 4 stats to be strong in them.

7. Don't be a Robot

This strategy has won me more league than any other strategy. Think differently from the rest of the owners. I won't get into too much detail because I am going to write about this strategy exclusively so just remember the concept.

8. Be Able to Adjust

Rarely does a draft go the way you want it to, actually it never does. It would be great to end up with 5 studs on your team, but there is a problem with that thinking...everyone else has to draft too. There are going to be guys that get drafted earlier than you had them going and it messes with you rankings. Let it go and stay focused. You should be able to make adjustments quickly because you have researched the players.

9. Think Ahead

This is a strategy that is not for the weak at heart. I occasionally will draft 2 guys back to back that play the same position. I know that sounds stupid, especially when I do it in the early rounds, but it works if you do it right.

If you are really strong at a shallow position then you can use that as leverage in a trade.

This is what I did last season:

I drafted Utley in the 1st round and then Phillips in the 5th. 2 of my first 5 picks were spent on 2B. I then turned around and traded Utley for Hanley Ramirez and a throw in.

At that point I had a great SS and a great 2B. Han-Ram was draft in the 2nd round and ended up being the best SS last season. Brandon Phillips was the best 2B last season. I could have never acquired a team like that without thinking ahead.

10. Be Realistic

You can't win a league through the draft alone so don't be hard on yourself when one players don't work out the way you planned. Everybody has one or two of those guys. Try your best to stockpile talent to trade away and don't be afraid to make the trades either. Not only is this unwise but it is no fun at all.

Usually the 4th or 5th place teams never make a trade during the season. They laugh at the 11th and 12th place teams that made the bad trade and that is there reason why they play it safe. Of course they ignore the fact that the 1st and 2nd place winners made trades that made them champion.

Nobody remembers who finished in the middle of the pack.

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