Coach's Role
Review the 8 Helpful Tips for Little League Coaches to better understand a coach's role. Coaches serve as a positive role models to players and parents, teach fundamentals, sportsmanship, playing rules, strategies and playing tactics. They communicate schedules, expectations, events and activities with players and their families.
Skills Matrix & Practice Plans
The USA Baseball Youth Baseball Skills Matrix is a development plan that outlines the appropriate age to introduce new skills and concepts to players. Includes practice plans.
Tee-Ball & Rookies Guides
The Little League International Tee Ball Program Guide and Rookies Program Guide are great resources for newer coaches.
Playing Rule Books
Coaches should be familiar with the rules outlined in the Little League International Rule Books.
Parent Meeting
During the first week of practice, schedule a meeting with your team’s parents to better introduce yourself, explain your coaching philosophy, importance of sportsmanship among players and spectators, and to share your goals for the team. Be sure to explain that Little League is not a win-at-all-costs program, and that your responsibility is to develop players and for those players to have fun. Also, mention that if there are any concerns during the season to address those with you directly. At the meeting, it’s a good opportunity to remind parents that their role is to show their support from the stands, and to let the coaches coach the team. Alert parents as to your preferred means of communication – Game Changer App, phone, text, etc. Be clear that you’d appreciate knowing if a player cannot attend a game/practice well ahead of time, and communicate the importance of players making as many practices as possible in order to develop and build team camaraderie. Remind parents to provide timely pick-ups after each practice and game, and encourage them to volunteer for a position within the league.
Bring the Fun
Did you know, that approximately 70% of kids stop playing organized sports by the age of 13 because they say it’s not fun anymore. That’s why MCLL leaders must do their best to keep fun in the game. The first impression you want to make on your players is that this is going to be fun! Bring plenty of energy to the field. Make jokes, smile, laugh, play games, have competitions. Check out some ideas on how to make practice fun.
Team Building
Teamwork is the foundation of any successful sports team. One of the fastest ways to build a strong sense of teamwork is to organize team building activities during the season. The key to a successful team building activity is to make it a fun event, emphasize collaboration, and involve everyone - including players, coaches and parents. Relay races, tug-o-war, obstacle courses, the human knot, birthday lineup, team caterpillar, potato sack or ankles-tied races are loads of fun!
Recognition
Encourage and reward your players! A few ideas: consider giving an award certificate for MVP, most improved, best sportsmanship or best attitude. For older divisions, coaches can come up with a something to award to players, it could be a rotating award that is given to different players each week (i.e. rotating golden bat or batter's helmet or WWE wrestling belt). Or, it could be as simple as giving a player a Gatorade, fist bump, let them go first in a relay race or have them lead the cheer at the end of a game/practice.
Forms
Forms that coaches may need access to:
Safety Training Requirements
Coaches must complete required training outlined on our Safety Training webpage.