Type of machine: There are two primary types of pitching machines: arm-style and wheel-style. Arm-style machines are more expensive but can simulate a more natural pitching motion, while wheel-style machines are more affordable and easier to maintain.
Speed range: Consider the range of speeds the machine can throw. You want to ensure that the machine can throw pitches at speeds appropriate for your player's skill level and can adjust the speed as they improve.
Pitch selection: Some machines can throw only one type of pitch, while others can throw a variety of pitches. Consider the types of pitches your player needs to work on and whether the machine can throw those pitches.
Ball type: Some machines are designed to throw specific types of balls, such as regulation baseballs, softballs, or foam balls. Make sure the machine can throw the type of ball your player needs to practice with.
Portability: If you plan on using the machine in different locations or need to store it when not in use, consider purchasing a portable machine that is easy to transport and set up.
Cost: Pitching machines can range in price from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. Consider your budget and the value the machine will provide when making a decision.
By considering these factors, you can select the right pitching machine that will meet your player's needs and help them improve their hitting skills.
]]>Size: The size of the batting cage is a crucial factor to consider. You need to ensure that the cage is large enough for your son/daughter to swing freely and practice their hitting skills comfortably.
Material: Batting cages can be made from a range of materials, including nylon, polyethylene, and vinyl. Each material has its advantages and disadvantages, so consider what will work best for your needs.
Durability: Make sure to choose a batting cage that is sturdy and durable, able to withstand repeated use and exposure to the elements.
Portability: If you plan on using the batting cage in different locations or need to store it when not in use, consider purchasing a portable batting cage that is easy to assemble and disassemble.
Accessories: Look for batting cages that come with additional accessories, such as a pitching machine or a ball feeder, to provide a more comprehensive training experience.
By considering these factors, you can make an informed decision and choose the best batting cage for your needs.
]]>Stationary Tee Drill: Place the ball on the tee and hit it as hard as you can without any stride or weight transfer. This drill helps you focus on your swing mechanics and hitting the ball squarely.
Inside/Outside Tee Drill: Set up the tee so the ball is on the inside or outside corner of the plate, and hit the ball in the opposite direction. This drill helps you improve your ability to hit the ball to all fields.
High/Low Tee Drill: Set the tee up at different heights and practice hitting the ball at different points in the strike zone. This drill helps you improve your ability to adjust to different pitch heights.
One-Handed Tee Drill: With one hand, hit the ball off the tee, focusing on keeping your top hand close to your body and finishing with your bottom hand. This drill helps improve your hand-eye coordination and helps you develop a more compact swing.
Backspin Tee Drill: Set the tee so that the ball is slightly behind the front of the plate. Hit the ball with a slight uppercut, creating backspin. This drill helps improve your ability to hit fly balls and line drives with backspin, which can increase your chances of getting extra base hits.
Practice regularly: Pitching is a skill that requires consistent practice to improve. Practice your delivery, grips, and pitch selection often.
Focus on the fundamentals: Good pitching starts with proper fundamentals. Pay attention to your delivery, arm slot, and pitch grips. Make sure you are balanced, relaxed, and have a consistent release point.
Work on pitch location: Being able to locate your pitches effectively can make a big difference in your effectiveness as a pitcher. Work on hitting your spots consistently and mixing up your pitches.
Develop a plan: Have a plan for each batter you face. Consider the situation, the hitter's strengths and weaknesses, and your strengths as a pitcher. Develop a strategy for pitching based on these factors.
Improve your strength and conditioning: Being in good physical shape can help improve your pitching ability. Work on building core strength, leg strength, and overall endurance.
Get feedback: Ask for feedback from coaches, teammates, or even watch video of yourself pitching. Identify areas for improvement and work on them consistently.
Stay confident: Pitching is a mental game as much as it is a physical one. Stay positive and confident, and don't get discouraged by failure. Remember that even the best pitchers give up hits and runs. Keep working on your craft and trust your abilities.
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Practice regularly: Hitting is a skill that requires consistent practice to improve. Spend time in the batting cage, take swings off a tee, and hit live pitches as often as possible.
Focus on the fundamentals: Good hitting starts with proper fundamentals. Pay attention to your stance, grip, and swing mechanics. Make sure you are balanced, relaxed, and have a level swing plane.
Watch the ball: Keep your eye on the ball throughout the entire pitch. This will help you make better contact and recognize different pitches.
Develop a plan: Have a plan for each at-bat. Consider the situation, the pitcher, and your strengths as a hitter. Develop a strategy for hitting based on these factors.
Improve your strength and conditioning: Being in good physical shape can help improve your hitting ability. Work on building core strength, leg strength, and overall endurance.
Get feedback: Ask for feedback from coaches, teammates, or even watch video of yourself hitting. Identify areas for improvement and work on them consistently.
Stay confident: Hitting is a mental game as much as it is a physical one. Stay positive and confident, and don't get discouraged by failure. Remember that even the best hitters fail most of the time.
We all have been there – The Breakfast ball. Which for me was every single shot until I took it upon myself to get better over the winter with a Cimarron Net and the Ultimate Golf Mat. I found myself working all winter to become a better golfer and it showed next spring. Being a new golfer, I needed tons and tons of practice to become better and become good enough I could keep up with my group. Worried about indoor Ceiling height? I'm 6'3" and can swing in a room with 9' ceilings.
Let’s face it, range balls are expensive. Using a net and not going to the range will prepare you for an outing and save you the extra cost of needing to hit the range before an outing. With a few balls and a nice net, you are going to save tons of money over the years.
There are tons of things you can work on while hitting into a net, even without seeing the ball fly. When hitting into a net you can still focus on club path, Strike point, and Club head angle. Removing the ball flying is what helped me become a better golfer because I was able to focus on striking the ball and getting more pure shots.
Using a Cimarron Sports Net paired with the 4’x6’ Ultimate Golf Turf you will be able to get the most realistic indoor golf set up as possible. The Ultimate golf turf has 3 different turf types that replicate the Fairway, Rough, and The Green. This mat is the most “Grass” like mat in the game and allows you to work on shots from all different grass areas.
You can even pair these items with a Cimarron Golf Ball Tray which will hold your golf balls for you, and allow easy and efficient access to all the golf balls you are training with. Pairing these 3 things together will ensure that you are a much better golfer and allows you to get work in without leaving the comfort of your home.
Golf is an expensive sport, get better over the winter in the comfort of your home and impress your group with these Cimarron Golf Products.
10x10x10 Golf Package with Mat and Ball Tray: https://unique-sports.com/collections/cimarron/products/cimarron-masters-golf-cages
Ultimate Golf Mat: https://unique-sports.com/collections/cimarron/products/cimarron-4-x-6-ultimate-golf-mat
Swing Master Golf Net: https://unique-sports.com/collections/cimarron/products/cimarron-super-swing-master-golf-net-and-frame
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When I first arrive at the field on the day of a pitching outing, I first needed to get myself into the right frame of mind. I needed to get ready for this long day of competition and start mentally preparing to be in the game and on that field competing for the team. My college coaches would always use the term Check-In and Check-Out. This was meant for the mental aspect of the game. You need to know when to Check-In and when you can Check-Out. Before a game, it is a great idea to use both terms and focus on the goal for the day.
Once the game starts to get closer to begin, it is now essential to Check-In and focuses more on the game itself. I always liked to take this time to roll out and grab a scouting report and read up on the team that I will be facing. It is a great time to start to focus and think more about how you will approach each hitter. I liked to do this in the bullpen, where it was quiet, and I could concentrate on reading the report without having people talking and distracting me.
After I finished rolling out, I would then move to a dynamic warm-up which included stretching. Some prefer to have headphones in, and some don’t. That’s up to each person. Next, I would move through various things such as jogging to get the body going and do some dynamic stretching. This assured that my body would start to get ready to do a physical movement.
I then would shift my focus on doing more baseball/pitching stretches and started to get my body more focused on throwing a baseball and using my whole body to do so and prevent injury. Most people stretch and don’t focus on the muscles they use to throw a baseball—one of the most important being the legs. Most of your pitching power comes from your legs and making sure that you have adequately warmed up your legs is something that all pitchers must do.
I would then start doing my daily pregame activities, which included a good number of bands, wrist weights, and some light plyoball work. After this, I then move into catch to comfort. There is no magic about how far you go out. I prefer keeping it shorter to save my arm, but I know many people who like to long toss as far as possible. That’s not something I could do towards the end of my career with my arm health, but others loved playing long toss before throwing. Once my arm is entirely loose, I then like to start working on getting my pitches down while playing catch. This helps me waste less bullpen pitches which can sometimes be limited.
Following this, I would then get on the mound with my catcher and start my pregame bullpen. This is the most critical time for a pitcher because this is the time they have to get ready and prepare for their outing. I like to start with many fastballs and make sure that I can hit my spots with my fastball. Once I felt good about that pitch and allowed it to get my arm loose entirely, I would then move on to throwing my breaking pitches. I do this until I am comfortable throwing every pitch in-game. If I weren’t able to locate it, I would move on and come back to it. Once I can execute every pitch in both the windup and stretch, I take a seat, get a drink of water and focus on the outing. After catching my breath, I would like to get back up on the mound and run through everything one last time. Once I do this, I am then ready to step foot on the game mound and compete to the highest of my abilities.
]]>One of the best ways to use the Precision trainer is to use it for setting drills. You can align it to be in the perfect position for setting the ball. Doing so allows your setter to work on their accuracy and enable them to become better overall players. With the open-ended bottom, you can put your volleyball rack right below the trainer, and it makes for easy counting and easy clean-up. With the adjustability, you will precisely adjust this machine to be a perfect target for the ideal set. This is great for drills when you want to focus on improving your team's setting and not having the balls bounce all over the floor or needing a person in the position to receive the sets.
Next, you can place this in the perfect position for passing. Doing this allows your team to pass directly through the loop and make your team better overall passers. With its adjustable height and angles, you can indeed find the right size for your team. When practicing passing, it is vital to have something there to work on accuracy and make sure you get the right height on all passes. This is the perfect product for working on passing and precision, which is one of the essential fundamentals of the game.
Lastly, you can set this trainer up to work on serving. You can get the trainer in the exact position desired and work on your teams serving abilities. Having a target for your team to work on serving will ensure that they will be able to place the volleyball in the exact location desired in each set during games. With the net attached to the ring, you will ensure that each set is collected back in your volleyball rack. No more working on severing and having to chase balls all around the gym. This will make your practices much more effective and reduce the time spent cleaning up, which will ensure your team is getting the most out of their time in the gym.
This is an all-in-one tool. This tool allows your team to work on a variety of drills, all in one. The Precision Trainer is designed to give your players instant feedback and collect the balls while doing so. This is a revolutionary tool and is perfect for all age levels and skills. Purchase this tool now from Unique-Sports and receive Free Shipping, and find out what makes us Unique!
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Jugs 5-Point Pro-Style Hitting Tee Intro
In the first video (Linked Above), Dave states it perfectly. Golf and baseball Tees do the same thing. They are there to get the ball off the ground in good hitting positions. What most Tees don't allow you to do is become a better hitter. That's what sets this Tee apart from the rest. This Tee is designed to make you a better hitter by allowing you to work different pitch locations. This Tee allows coaches to use this for a wider variety of drills, directly translating to in-game situations. Most Tees on the market are built with cheap rubber and only have one attachment point, and fall over every time you take a swing. This Tee is the most durable Tee you can buy and allows you to have five attachment points and two posts which will allows you to use this for a large variety of drills, including the unique ones listed below by Jugs.
With this first drill (Linked Above "Drill #1"), you will set up the Tee in the points provided and what this is going to do is create the hitting plane. This setup forces you to let the ball travel so you can hit the outside third of the plate with power, which is the only way to get solid contact on the away pitch. The other post is set up to hit the inside pitch further out front, which is also going to be the best possible spot to hit the ball and make solid contact on that inside pitch. Dave adds that this will allow the hitter to get in the perfect position in the batter's box to hit both of these pitches in the prime spot. Having one stance to hit both the inside and outside pitches is something that all successful hitters need to find, and you can do just that with this drill. This drill will help you hit both the inside and outside pitches better, which will make you a better hitter in the end.
The next set drill (Linked Above "Drill #2") is all about feeling that weight transfer. With the 5-Point Tee in the middle slot and starting with your legs crossed, then transitioning to your stride and hitting the baseball allows you to feel that weight shift from your back foot through the baseball. The ball is positioned right on the front side of the plate, enabling you to let the ball travel so you can hit the ball perfectly up the middle. In the next portion of the drill, you start with your feet touching, and then you step back right on your marker, which helps you focus on that backside load and hitting the ball directly up the middle, resulting in a more successful hitter. The last portion of this drill is where you use the last two parts and simulate a more game-like situation. Dave adds that you must feel your weight go backward to come forward, really showing how vital loading your back leg is and how it can result in more power and a better overall more successful hitter.
In this third drill( Linked Above "Drill #3") , you will want the T set up with the post on the back outside peg and on the front inside peg. This drill is the "outside-in drill." Dave recommends that you start outside and work in. Any hitter can be told where to hit the ball and usually do it. But this drill, allows you to do so to put the best swing possible to the ball for all pitch locations. With the outside pitch, you want to aim for the inner third of the ball and try to hit it in the opposite direction. Pick a target, this will help you get a better understanding of what swing you need to hit the ball in that direction. Next, you are going to move the outer post to the center position. Replicate hitting the center of the ball up the middle three times before you move on to the next position. Then move to the inner post and replicate a perfect swing three times and focus on hitting the baseball on the outer third to really pull that ball. With a total of 9 perfect swings, you are teaching a hitter where they need to hit the ball for each third of the plate. This is going to improve a hitter on all pitches thrown.
In this next drill (Linked Above "Drill #4"), you will learn about timing when hitting in all directions of the field. You will set up the Tee with a post on the outside in the back peg and inside on the front peg. Place a ball in both positions. This will force a hitter to react to the ball as it leaves the pitcher's hand and prepares for both pitch locations. Next, have the player set up in the box, and once they lift their leg to start their load, tell them either in or out. This will force the hitter to adjust and adapt to both pitches and make them have better reactions to both angles. This also makes you work on hitting the ball where it is pitched so you can get the best swing on it. Using this drill in your practices will make all your hitters better at reacting to both inside and outside pitches on the fly. When doing this, make sure that each hitter is successful multiple times before completion, so they know what it feels like to hit the ball in the direction to get the best swing on it.
In this last drill (Linked Above "Drill #5"), you take all that you have learned in the previous exercises and put your skills to the test. The Tee is in the exact position as the last drill, but you will stand in-front of the net and toss balls randomly at the inner and outer Tee posts. This drill gives the player the most game-like scenario and requires them to decide on the fly. This will make your Tee drills more game like which translates to a better overall hitter. It also allows a hitter to work on hitting the ball to both sides of the field. This Tee is perfect for these drills and is specifically designed to be used with more revolutionary drills than your standard Tee.
When you buy this Tee from Unique-Sports you know you are going to get a quality Jugs product with our team of excellent customer service. We also provide Free Shipping. Buy this Tee today and start imrpoving your hitters! What are you waiting for?
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Locating pitches is something that all pitchers need to be working on when throwing bullpens. Having a pitch sequence when throwing a bullpen is also essential. Using this tool and moving it in and off the plate will help pitchers get more game like bullpens and will allow them to become more confident when pitching to a real hitter.
I have honestly never understood throwing a bullpen without simulating a hitter. You want your bullpens to be as game-like as possible so having a figure in the box is something that I feel is incredibly important. In my baseball career, we used these all the time. We made sure that we had thrown reps to "The Designated Hitter" Before getting in-game. The Designated Hitter allows you to become more confident and reduces the amount of time it takes for you to adjust to game situations.
When working off-speed, it is so important to have a target in the box to look at. You often hear coaches saying, "Aim for the knees" or "start it at his elbow" but how else would you practice this safely than by having one of these in the box to pitch at. Of course, you could put someone in the box, but that is incredibly dangerous when trying to work on pitches that you have never before thrown, or you are still working on. I remember once when I was growing up, my friend had his mom stand in the box, and he ended up hitting her in the leg and bruising it up for a few days.
The Designated hitter also has a string that drops down below the tool's "elbow" which also allows you to get a better visual and will enable you to work lower in the zone if needed. The device also comes in two sizes: one made for kids and a bigger and made to simulate an adult in the box. This tool is perfect for taking your pitched to the next level!
Cimarron Sports makes some of the highest quality items, and does so at a great price. This makes it so the net is going to be cost effective, and will also hold up for years to come. Cimarron Sports designs all kinds of sports netting products such as batting cages and screens, so they know how to build a quality that can last for years.
The Masters Net comes in 3 options. Net only, Frame corners, or Full Frame. This allows the customer to decide the application and save money in the process. The back net is double lined to be sure that it will hold up for years. The net is easily removed from the net so in winter months you can move this and mount it in a heated setting such as a basement or garage.
This cage is perfect for all applications, whether it be driving practice, or it can be easily used with a simulator to really up your game. When use this net is going to improve your game so the next time you are on the links you will impress everyone.
This product is great paired with the Cimarron 4'x6' ultimate golf mat. The golf mat has a variety of turfs all in 1 that will give you a course like feel when using. It replicates all types grass, with different thickness and heights, which will really help you master your game.
Here at Unique-Sports we are happy to offer such great products that will help you improve your game. Check out these products and more at Unique-Sports.com and find out what makes us Unique!
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Jugs has developed all kinds of equipment and has always kept quality in mind. Jugs produces only the highest quality goods. In 1981 John Paulson was invited to the world series to use the original Jugs radar gun. The Radar gun that was used during that game is now on display at the baseball hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York. The fact that the MLB invited Paulson to use his technology at the world series just shows how appreciated the brand is in this industry
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1997 was when Jugs first introduced the instant screen. This was a revolutionary product at the time, and really was the first in the industry for a portable hitting screen. In the early 2000’s when I played youth baseball, I remember seeing every team using one of these screens. Jugs went on to produce this screen for many years, and it became one of the best-known screens at the time.
In 2003 Jugs introduced the Lite-Flite pitching machine. This took a fun and powerful machine and made it affordable. They made this machine light weight and able to be used in all environments from indoor and outdoor use. When I played youth baseball, we use to set this up for our indoor practices and we were able to take game like BP in a gym without damaging anything. This machine made it so we could see game like speeds and also is capable of throwing pitches such as sliders and curveballs.
In 2018 Jugs then released one of the most revolutionary products to date. The Jugs BP3. The BP3 is capable of throwing every pitch that you could imagine. The BP3 has a programable mode that allows you to switch each pitch at the touch of a button. This made it so you could recreate game like counts and allow hitters to work on seeing pitches and relating these pitches to game like scenarios. The BP3 also has hitting circuits where it will randomly select a pitch and throw it. This is a revolutionary piece of equipment and really has changed pitching machines.
Jugs has really changed the game in field equipment. They have been changing the industry, and you can count on Jugs to have the highest quality product available. This brand has been trusted at all levels and in all stages. At Unique-Sports we are glad to sell such a quality product that we know our customers are going to love for many years. Check out our full Jugs collection on our website and find out what sets Jugs apart from the rest!
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Launch angle represents the vertical angle at which the ball leaves a player’s bat after being hit. Average launch angle is calculated by dividing the sum of all launch angles by all batted ball occurrences. That is a real fancy way of saying the angle of your swing and what the trajectory of the ball will be based upon that angle. As a guideline here are launch angles for four different types of contact:
There are two different types of hitters, there are the contact or line drive hitters (usually faster players) and there are the power hitters (usually the stronger players). They say the “sweet spot” for a launch angle for a line drive hitter is 20 degrees and the sweet spot for a power hitter is 35 degrees. Now a player with speed will want to utilize that speed and hit the ball on a line or on the ground. Typically, the faster guys are not the bigger guys with power, so they do not want to use a higher launch angle as a lot of times they are fly outs. The power hitters are typically the stronger guys and a lot of times do not run as fast, so they will want to try to drive the ball over the outfielder’s head or in the gap so they can
hit the ball out of the park or to the fence to get extra bases. Then you have the players that have both power and speed, and you get someone like Mike Trout, who currently has a $426.5 million dollar contract!
The Champro Attack Angle Hitting Tee is designed to teach hitters the appropriate bat to ball angle based upon what type of hitter they are. It has a simple design, however, has a revolutionary concept! It is difficult to explain without a visual how it works, so take a minute and watch the YouTube video
produced by Champro. The best part is that it is very affordable and can be used in the backyard or garage with a hitting net. It provides instant feedback, so your hitter is on their way to improving their game!
The idea for Personal Pitcher started back in the late 1980’s. It was developed by Chris Richard and his father in California. Chris was wanting a pitching machine for his backyard, but they just did not have the space. That is a familiar story with many people even to this day. Now there are many baseball facilities a person can go to, but the membership cost for them is awfully expensive. After much tinkering and reiterations, the first Personal Pitcher was formed. As they say, the rest is history.
Chris developed into an exceptionally good baseball player, eventually being drafted in 1995 by the St. Louis Cardinals. After having quite a bit of success in the Cardinals’ minor league system, he made his major league debut on July 17, 2000. And of course, Chris hit a homerun on the very first pitch he saw as a professional player! I say of course with quite a bit of sarcasm, Chris is on a truly short list of players to have ever done that in major league baseball history!
That is a little bit about the great story behind the Personal Pitcher, now here is a little bit about the great product the Personal Pitcher is. The Personal Pitcher is a poly balls pitching machine that will throw these balls between 20-55 MPH. It was designed to improve the hand-eye coordination, timing, and bat speed. As anyone knows, these are the keys to being a good hitter. The poly balls are light weight golf ball sized balls that have limited flight, so the space needed is much smaller than other pitching machines.
The Personal Pitcher comes with an auto-feed that will hold up to 100 “wiffle golf balls” at intervals between 5 and 8 seconds. It also comes with a 4-hour rechargeable battery, making this the most mobile pitching machine on the market! This is an ideal machine to take to a game for pre-game warm-ups. The machine also comes with a 1-year warranty and comes with a 30-day guaranty. Unique Sports stands by this product, we have even purchased one for our own kids’ hitting training.
Some other features of the Curveball Personal Pitching Machine is it will throw breaking balls that will allow your child to learn to hit them with no fear of being hit by the ball. You can also purchase the personal focus balls. These are colored poly balls that will enhance visual tracking by quickly identifying the color of the ball as it comes out of the feeder. The GroBat is another option, this is a smaller than a normal bat diameter that will improve hand eye coordination since you are hitting a smaller ball with a smaller bat. Defensive drills are also an option with the Personal Pitcher. You can work on fly balls. Typically, it is done with a bare hand and focusing on catching the smaller balls while on the move. Another good defensive drill is catchers working on blocking pitches. Using the machine aiming the balls into the dirt or ground and blocking the smaller poly balls will make you really focus on the drill!
The Personal Pitcher is one of our top sellers for good reason. It is a reasonably priced, multi functioning, and light weight piece of equipment. Plus, it works on the 3 most important aspects of hitting, hand-eye coordination, timing, and bat speed. If you improve on these 3 things there is no doubt you will become a better hitter! It is also good for all ages. You are never too young or too old for this machine and it can be used when you are by yourself and in almost any space. Two keys during the Covid19 era!
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With some people being hit with an unexpected loss of revenue, and others fearing the unknown, very little money is being spent on non-essentials. For some, the hard-earned money they have been saving for a rainy day is being spent on the sunny ones. Each youth program should do what they can to help ensure that our youth don't suffer the loss of participation in team sports for reasons that are out of their, or their parent's control.
Just like it is fiscally responsible for individuals to live within a budget, and stretch the funds available to them, youth sports programs need to get creative with their budget during these trying times as well. In many cases, this becomes a circular formula, as the majority of these programs are non-profits, so they are spending the money of the parents whose children are in the program.
But there is always a solution to be had if enough effort and thought are behind it.
As a "business guy", I look at these things through the lens of someone who wants to address the problem as if it was critical to my company's success. I would suggest that each program do the same and behave as if it were operated by a board of directors that is responsible for managing the program’s funds, providing the best customer experience, and maintaining client satisfaction. In other words, how can I get creative with our budget to equip our players with the tools they need for success without placing additional burdens on their parents?
There is not an easy solution, but we must approach the challenges in front of us as a business problem. If a business is unable to service its clients, is not able to invest in the assets it needs to operate, or price increases make their product cost-prohibitive, the business is in jeopardy and everyone suffers. In our case, it is the kids who end up suffering most.
It is the "boards" responsibility to be innovative and explore solutions to ease the strain on the families that participate in the program while ensuring they have the proper access to practice fields and equipment for training and games.
There are a few things youth programs can consider when purchasing equipment to save money.
The first thing to consider is to go in with other youth programs on your purchases. What I mean by that is to consider buying equipment with other youth teams. If you are buying a hitting net for the baseball program, consider splitting it with the softball program. This will work for soft toss machines, hitting tees, field drags, and radar guns. These are small items that can be shared amongst programs as they are designed to be used for baseball and softball.
Big-ticket purchases such as pitching machines can also be shared. Many of the top of the line pitching machines are now being made as combination pitching machines. This means they can throw both baseballs and softballs with simple adjustments to the machine. Purchasing a top of the line JUGS, ATEC, First Pitch type of machine that comes as a combination machine can be a little more costly, however, it is being split between two programs. This will make the purchase more cost-effective in the end.
Talk to other area coaches about a "timeshare" situation on some of the more costly items like batting cages and field equipment. Even if they may be adversaries on the field, they can be allies off of it. They are facing the same challenges as you, and partnerships of convenience can benefit you both.
Engage the community. Employ social media to share your story. Be transparent, and ask for feedback. The support you receive may not be monetary, but it is possible you will be surprised at the ideas and suggestions you might get from others with a different perspective.
Having good equipment is vital to youth programs. As mentioned above this can be a challenge with costs escalating. If it is possible the various youth programs that are spending other people’s hard-earned money should try to pool resources together to get the best equipment available.
Many of the reputable sporting good manufacturers are coming up with combination equipment for programs on a budget. If it is logistically possible to share equipment amongst programs every effort should be made to do this. This will help keep costs down and give programs the ability to purchase top-quality equipment.
]]>Make your kid better at sports by playing less! Kind of seems like a contradiction doesn’t it? This is the advice of renowned sports surgeon Dr. James Andrews. Dr. Andrews has seen enough. Enough of parents who think their son or daughter is the next superstar athlete and need to be pushed all year round. When Dr. Andrews first started he saw mainly professional athletes. Now, to his alarm, he is seeing younger and younger patients. Dr. Andrews started seeing a sharp increase in youth sports injuries, particularly baseball, beginning around the year 2000.
He started tracking and researching youth injuries, and what he has seen is a five- to sevenfold increase in injury rates in youth sports across the board. He is trying to help these kids, given the epidemic of injuries that we’re seeing. His mission now is to keep these children out of the operating room by focusing on injury prevention. Dr. Andrews started a prevention program he named STOP: Sports Trauma and Overuse Prevention (in youth sports). Dr. Andrews’ feels two things have lead to an increase in injuries. One is specialization and the other is what he calls professionalism. Specialism is playing the same sport year-round. This leads to a sky-high increase in overuse injuries. Professionalism is taking these kids at a young age and trying to work them as if they are professional athletes, in terms of training them year-round. All of this comes from the most renowned sports surgeons around.
I, having been a coach for 15 years and having raised two boys in youth sports and now in high school sports, have personal experience with this. I have seen at least 4 cases of youth pitchers being “the star” on their youth team and throwing way too much during their younger days including playing all year round. All 4 of these “youth stars” ended up not being able to pitch in high school due to arm injuries. I have a boy who pitches in college. When he played in high school, I was very involved with his innings (pitches) that he would throw in a season. I was also very involved in making sure he took a few months off, not throwing at all before we start our throwing routine back up. My son threw approximately 80 innings between April and July his senior year. He also played fall baseball for approximately a 6 week period. We made the decision he was not going to pitch, and just work on playing the outfield and hitting. More parents need to understand how important rest is. Too many feel that getting continuous repetition the entire year is what is best for the youth, however, that is not the case.
So to improve your child make sure they are getting the needed rest between seasons. Make sure you are involved with your ball player’s usage to make sure they are not overused to a point that could cause injury down the road. This is not to mention the fact it is good to let them just be a kid at times!
“What type of backboard do I want?” “How big?”, “How much should I spend?”, “How should I install it?”, “What questions should I even ask?” We’re here to help! Walkthrough this quick guide to help determine the perfect system for you, your family, or your organization.
The basketball system manufacturers we have chosen to as partners offer almost any configuration imaginable for all age ranges and skill levels. There is an incredible amount of information to sift through in making your choice. You first have to decide where you plan to install it, how often it will be used (and by whom), and if it is intended for recreational play or for serious games.
Buying a quality basketball system is an investment, and you need to determine the age of the player, their skill level, and how frequently you believe the player will use the hoop. If you have young children you may want to invest in an adjustable basketball system that will grow with them.
ADJUSTABLE BASKETBALL SYSTEMS: A quality adjustable basketball system can be set as low as 5’ (although 6’ -7’ is more common). As the children grow (or if older siblings or Mom & Dad want to play) the height can easily be adjusted up to regulation. There are no “hard and fast” rules, but a good estimate is:Adjustable basketball hoops come in two styles: crank or pneumatic (gas) systems. If you’re interested in long-term durability coupled with accuracy, then the crank adjusting mechanisms are rated higher. These systems are generally harder to raise and lower, but provide robust resilience against wear and tear. A pneumatic system, contrarily, is easier to adjust. These systems are just as strong as the crank systems, but after a few years commonly leak air (or gas), making the hoop not quite as accurate as its crank counterpart in the long run. Though different prices may help you make a choice in buying a basketball hoop, you want to choose an adjusting system that will fit your particular needs. Many goals have the ability to be padlocked at certain heights. If you're worried about your system being vandalized, you should make sure you have this ability.
FIXED HEIGHT BASKETBALL SYSTEMS: Since adjustable in-ground and portable basketball systems allow you to adapt the height of the hoop for kids of different heights and skill levels, they are perfect for families. If there are no young kids involved in your decision-making process, you may want to consider a fixed height basketball system. You can usually save a few dollars, and since there are no moving pieces, they are generally easy to install and maintain. Once you have determined if you need an adjustable height system or a fixed height system, you need to evaluate how hard you think the players are going to be on your investment. Do you have power players who will be dunking and crashing the boards, or do you expect the players to mostly just spend time shooting from long range? If the hoop is going to be “used and abused”, make sure you invest in a high-quality system made of premium materials and is backed by a comprehensive manufacturer’s warranty. You will spend a little more, but your investment will be protected, and you will get many more years of enjoyment from your basketball system.
At this point, you know if you need a fixed height or adjustable goal, and now you need to figure out where you will be installing it… or if you want to install it at all. There are basically three types of basketball systems you can purchase: in-ground pole systems, and combination systems. Each type offers different benefits and comes at different price points, so it is important to assess your needs in making the choice. When considering where to install your system, please keep in mind that the regulation and maximum offset (“offset” refers to the space between the out-of-bounds line and the bottom of the backboard) should ideally be about 4 feet. The farther the distance, the greater the "safety zone" you have between the players and the pole holding up the basket. Most home courts roughly incorporate a 24-inch offset to best maximize driveway length and width, allowing for a free-throw line or even a three-point line.
PORTABLE BASKETBALL SYSTEMS: One of the more popular choices when looking for a “value” system is a portable basketball hoop. Portable basketball systems generally fall in one of two categories, residential or commercial. For the purposes of this discussion, we will be focusing on residential basketball hoops. These portable hoops are most commonly found at the big box stores and can be found in almost every neighborhood. These systems typically have a large base that is weighted down with many gallons of water or sand. These are popular options for those who move frequently (although most high-quality in-ground systems are installed via sleeves or piers that allow you to relocate them quite easily), or for neighborhoods that have restrictive covenants that prohibit the installation of a permanent basketball hoop. Common features for portable basketball goals are:After you determine who is going to be using it, and where you want to put it, things start to get a little confusing. There are literally hundreds of options, but when you are looking at a basketball system configuration, you really only need to focus on its three most important components: the backboard, pole, and rim.
YOU NEED A BACKBOARD:
The main considerations in a backboard are the backboard size and the backboard material.
BACKBOARD SIZE: The size of your playing area should really dictate how large the backboard should be, though skill level also plays a part in selecting a backboard size.
Since high school and college use standard 72-inch backboards, many people like to purchase this size to reproduce actual playing conditions. The standard backboard size for the NCAA or NBA is also 72 inches, but basketball backboards come in several sizes: 42-inch, 44-inch, 48-inch, 54-inch, 60-inch, and 72-inch. Backboards on home systems usually fall in the 40-inch to 60-inch range and measure 5/16-inch to 1/2-inch thick. Regulation glass backboards measure in at 72 inches across, 42 inches high, and 1/2-inch thick.
BACKBOARD MATERIALS: The leading manufacturers, such as those found on Unique-Sports.com, construct backboards out of a variety of materials including fiberglass, graphite, acrylic, glass, steel, and aluminum. Although steel and aluminum hold up to a lot of abuse, glass and acrylic have the most professional look and provide the best play. Most home users prefer the outdoor durability of acrylic to fragile fiberglass, graphite, and other materials. So how do you decide if you want glass or acrylic?
In addition to the standard "rectangle, boards are available in square, semi-circular, and fan-shaped. Most retailers suggest that bigger is better, though depending on your individual needs, various sizes, choices, colors, and team themes are obtainable.
Most importantly a basketball backboard should produce an even after-bounce. In other words, the ball should rebound from the backboard at an even and straight bounce. The less dead spots, the better the backboard quality.
POLES:
Basketball poles come in four, five, and six-inch sizes. Thicker poles offer greater stability and can support heavier backboards farther from the pole, creating a decent overhang to prevent a player from running full-speed into the pole itself. A six-inch pole can usually support a regulation 72-inch by 42-inch backboard with a four-foot overhang.
Once you have determined the type, size, and installation of the pole we would highly recommend you consider purchasing some padding to surround that pole. Padding is important on all systems but extremely important if you have children or aggressive players. Pole padding will keep players from seriously hurting themselves if tripped, performing a lay-up, or being pushed while underneath the basket.
RIMS:
Once you have a pole and backboard picked out, you will need a rim. The game is not much fun without a rim. All regulation rims are 18-inches in diameter and mounted at a 15-inch space from the center of the rim to the front of the backboard. It should be at least 5/8-inch thick and generally come in two distinct styles:
If the answer is yes, then this is the easiest step of all… just pick up the phone and call us! The basketball product experts at Unique-Sports.com will be happy to answer any questions you may have, and make recommendations based on your intended use. We are here
]]>With the start of the Major League Baseball season recently during COVID 19, the importance of players staying in shape while not in season is on display. There have been numerous injuries already, some of it is due to having such a short pre-season window. This is why it is so important for younger players to stay in shape to be ready for their upcoming season. During this downtime is also a great time to work on arm strength, arm care, pitching mechanics, and work on pitch types and pitch location.
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This whole workout routine is to work on pitch locations for a specific purpose. The key to pitching is throwing strikes, changing speed, and moving the ball inside/out and up/down. The pitcher really needs to make the hitter “move his eyes”, meaning keep showing them different locations so they cannot get locked in on one pitch and one location. We have found the best way to work on this is to use the 9 Hole Target for instant results and release point muscle memorization. He has even broken down his workouts for specific pitch focus.
For example, he wanted to work on his inside fastball and changeup away to left-handed hitters. He threw 15 straight fastballs focusing on the middle inside and then right after that threw 15 straight changeups to the lower outside to left-handers. His next workout he focused on a middle inside fastball and then lower outside curveball to a right-handed hitter. He only threw 10 of each of these as we like to limit the number of breaking balls. This helped him tremendously with the release point of those pitches as pitching is very much built around release point muscle memorization. There are many different combinations a pitcher can work on like this.
As I mentioned before, my son has an entire program he does. It includes arm care, arm strengthening, core strengthening, leg strengthening, and lastly fine-tuning his pitches and their location.
His focused location and situation workouts with our Muhl Tech 9 Hole Pitching Target is another part of his workout arsenal. I feel doing all of these things is what will take a youth pitcher to the next level. These are all things they can do by themselves, however, I feel it is important for a parent or coach to walk them through what they are trying to accomplish during each thing. For example, not only telling them what the situations they are working on but why they are doing it. Staying ready is key when we are finally through this unique time!
]]>My son is going to be a senior in college and plays baseball there. He like so many had his season suddenly stopped a quarter of the way through. He is a pitcher and to his credit decided to stay prepared and use this time to make himself better. I will describe below some of the things he is doing to stay in shape for his summer league and to get himself ready for the fall season in college.
He has decided to follow two different programs that can be done easily at home. He is doing Crossover Symmetry and Driveline Plyo Balls. Crossover Symmetry is a band workout and they also provide a weightlifting workout schedule. When Crossover is purchased it comes with a set of bands (different resistance levels), a workout program, and how to do the exercises. I will not go into details of the exercises as they would not appreciate that information going out for free. Band workouts are made to strengthen a pitcher’s arm to provide additional velocity and most importantly to help avoid injury. The bands can be attached to a wall, a fence, or in a door. The various resistance bands will offer different levels of resistance as a person becomes stronger. They are low impact; however, they are very intense muscle workouts. They have coupled the band workout with a weight training workout. The weight workouts focus primarily on legs and core. He has also decided to use Driveline Plyo Balls. This is a weighted ball (plastic covered softer balls) that have specific drills again to focus on arm strengthening and care. He does this workout in our storage room on a cement wall.
To stay sharp with his pitching he is utilizing a Muhl Tech 9 Hole Pitching Target Net. This is a 46” high by 40” wide net that comes with 9 pitching target holes to use for pitching practice. He starts by stretching, then throws a bucket of 30 baseballs into the net moving back every few throws and ending in a long toss position (approximately 120 feet). Of course, he is not making into the net each time from that distance, but usually the ball will not roll too far away from it. He then will pull out our ProMounds Training Mound. This is a true practice mound that has the dimensions of 4” high, by 3’ wide, by 3’ long. It weighs only 21 pounds, so is very portable. He is only using this to get him off flat ground to simulate a mound. With having done his lifting, Plyo Balls, Crossover Symmetry Bands, and long tossing, he is focusing on his mechanics and his pitch location off the mound into the 9-hole pitch target.
With the workout described above, he has worked on all the important things a pitcher should be focusing on in the off-season. He has focused on arm strength, core strength, leg strength, velocity, accuracy, and most importantly arm care to do his best to avoid injury. He is a dedicated player and does put approximately 6-8 hours a week doing all these things. The best part of all of this is that with a little investment a player can do all of it by themselves at home or in a park when it fits into their schedule. This is true of any youth pitcher that wants to dedicate time into making themselves better in the off-season, or in this case during the Covid season!
]]>The Accubat has turned hitting fungos into a thing of the past. The superior accuracy of the Accubat has made it a no brainer transition for many coaches. Not only does the Accubat provide an easier solution to hitting fungos, but it is also much cheaper than buying a fungo bat.
Using an Accubat to hit Flyballs and Ground balls allows a coach to hit more efficiently and allows more reps to be completed in a shorter amount of time. One of the ways this has improved pre-game warmups is when given little time before a game for flyballs and ground balls, the Accubats accuracy allows us to get the most out of each rep.
If you are in the market for a solution to hit better ground balls and fly balls look no further than the Accubat provided to you with free shipping from Unique-Sports.com!
]]>As a collegiate pitcher, I’m always looking for ways to improve my performance and one aspect of my game I needed to improve was accuracy. When pitching to a traditional catcher it is often hard to figure out exactly where the pitch finishes, and how the pitch moved.
The Muhl Tech 9 Hole Pitch target provided a solution for me. I was able to have a coach standing directly beside me, watching my mechanics in ways there were never possible before.
I was also able to pitch to a spot and know immediately if I hit the spot I was aiming for. For example, I wanted to work on my “two strike slider” to right hander hitters. I focus on hitting the lower left green target in the Muhl Tech 9 Hole Pitch Target and then repeat the mechanics and release point once I lock in on that target. It also allows me to work my “two strike change-up” to left hander hitters. I focus on the lower right green target and then repeat the mechanics and release point once I lock in on that target.
The 9 Hole Pitching Target was a perfect training aid to help me focus on my pitch location and mechanics. The two pitches I was hoping to work on have improved tremendously now that I can see instant results with the Pitching Target. I’m looking forward to the upcoming season to see how my hard work paid off!
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