PLAYER DEVELOPMENT
The Thornydale Little League has adopted and has instituted since 2005 a set of player development standards to assist the team manager and the coaching staff in establishing a minimum set of teaching instructions for all baseball and softball divisions.
Each team manager prior to the season is issued a coaching manual that will assist in developing a practice plan and a more in depth technique in teaching the various skills.
Player development is a two way partnership between the league and the parents. It must be fully understood that the volunteer coaching staff has limited time during the season to fully improve a player skill level. The coaching staff provides the foundation in player development thru these standards, but the balance of the player skill development lies with the parents.
Like anything else in life, the more that an individual works at their craft the better and more improved they become with the opportunity for success. The parents MUST work with their child to realize a full skill level of development. Parents are encouraged to establish time periods where the child can be taken to the batting cage to improve bat speed, technique and bunting skills. Develop arm strength by throwing the ball on a routine basis. Working field ground and fly balls. With the foundation that the Thornydale Little League coaches provide and with the support and effort from the parents in assuring the balance of development, the individual player will eventually succeed at this sport.
If parents expectation of the volunteer Little League coaching staff is to provide 100% full player development, then the child will NOT succeed and eventually will fail and not be interested in playing the sport any further.
It must fully understood that Little League Baseball and the Thornydale Little League is NOT a day care/baby sitting service agency. The league provides the tools and foundation, but the large percentage of player development is the responsibility of the parents to build upon the foundation and to participate and partner with your child’s team and work with them as much as possible during the off times that the team is not together.
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