Every parent imagines their child underneath the lights when they pick up their baseball glove for the first time. You can visualize the crowd cheering their name as they step to the plate, bat in hand, ready for greatness. As a parent, you can do things to get your child on the right path to success. These four ways to make your child better at baseball will help their game both physically and mentally.
Educate Them
It’s excellent how many little things your children will pick up on if you do something together. Playing casually at home can go a long way in improving your child’s game. Things as small as consistently playing catch will have them ahead of their peers. More detail-orientated practice can help them work on some fundamentals of the game, such as learning the best bat position. Even if you don’t have a baseball field to play on, you can practice at home with your favorite baseball bat and practice balls.
Lastly, watching other baseball games together allows your child to pick up things quickly. Watching what professionals do clues them in on the proper ways to play the game. It’s doubtful that a child will instinctively know when to hit behind the runner to move him up a base.
Positive Reinforcement
Children never want to disappoint their parents, no matter what they are doing. However, failure in any sport, at any level, is inevitable. You need to be there for your child in a positive light when they do struggle. Do not get angry if they take strike three looking, boot a grounder, or lose a fly ball. They’ll likely already feel terrible for their error, so there’s no reason to make them feel worse. Turn that negative feeling into a positive opportunity to teach them that overcoming adversity is just as good as winning.
Mental Health Awareness
Your child can have all the physical preparation in the world. But according to Yankee Legend Yogi Berra, 90 percent of the game is half-mental. Mental health and development are crucial for your child, as it helps them learn not to dwell on mistakes or feel overwhelmed. Getting your child in a positive mindset helps both their game and their quality of life down the road.
Stay Competitive
It can be fulfilling to win, be competitive, and achieve specific goals. While winning isn’t the only thing that matters, it’s okay to give your child a competitive edge (unless you’re Vince Lombardi). Playing for the love of the game only goes so far; therefore, giving them something to strive for encourages them to improve consistently.
These four ways to make your child better at baseball are solid ideas to remember even beyond the game. It’s great to set goals, have a positive mindset, and do things together, no matter the activity. Nevertheless, following these tips will have your child on the road to becoming a Little League legend.
