When I was growing up, there was no such thing as Fall-ball until I started playing in college. For most of my youth, I would get out my soccer ball after my last baseball game of the summer and put away my baseball stuff and not even look at it until around February.
Today, Fall-ball is played at all levels. Until this year, my 14 year old son was never interested in playing baseball in the fall which was perfectly fine with me. Playing other sports is great for kids and I have always encouraged players to NOT play baseball year-round.
That being said, if Fall-ball is being played then it is important that players and coaches approach it correctly. To help people do that, I've listed below five suggestions for getting the most out of the fall months.
Instruction v Games
My biggest pet-peeve about Fall-ball is some people's incessant need for more games. Because of how youth baseball is structured today, it is not uncommon for teams to play 3-6 games per weekend and only sneak in one practice in-between during the regular season. I can understand that to a degree once the season starts but I greatly dislike this structure during the Fall. The Fall season should be about instruction. It's ok to mix in some games here and there but the Fall is really the only time players get the chance to break down the game on a field in good weather and truly learn how the game is played in a relaxed setting. The winter months are too cold for most to be on a field and the spring and summer months are when the competition ramps up. That leaves only the Fall for on-the-field, hands-on instruction in a relaxed, less-competitive atmosphere. That is, of course, if they are not playing game after game after game as if the Fall is just a continuation of the regular season. I have seen countless organizations brag about how many games their teams play. Unfortunately, when I watch many of their players, it is clear that they are falling short in some very basic areas of the game. There is a time for games and a time for instruction. The Fall is the best time for instruction.
Be specific!
If Fall ball is about instruction then every player involved must know what kind of instruction they need. General instruction for teams is terrific but as kids get older, their unique strengths and weaknesses require a tailored approach. That process starts with every player being very honest with himself to determine what parts of their game need work. Some players may know what specifically they need to work on but others may need to sit down with a coach to help identify areas that need growth. These can be tough conversations for kids because nobody likes to hear a list of things they are not doing well. However, this is essential in order for players to know what specifically to work on during the fall months.
Learn new positions!
Because of the instructional and relaxed nature of Fall-ball, these months provide a great opportunity to play some new positions. Infielders should spend some time in the outfield and vice versa. Kids who don't pitch or catch should give it a shot just for the heck of it. Playing different positions has a ton of value. A true shortstop who plays a few games in the outfield will see the game from a different angle and perspective which can help him when he returns to shortstop in the spring. A career outfielder may find out that third base is actually better suited for his skill set. Playing different positions has the same effect as playing different sports. Different positions, like different sports, require different muscle groups, skill sets, footwork, and so forth. All of those things are great experiences for developing athletes as a whole and more specifically for baseball players.
Focus your performance!
When you listen to veteran major leaguers talk about spring training, you will often hear them talk about a goal or game-plan for their at-bats or pitching outings. Hitters may take a game and say that their goal is to hit the ball the other way in every at-bat regardless of the situation. Pitchers may say that an outing in an early spring training game is just to work on fastball command on the outside corner. These are things that these players know they need to work on and they use the non-competitive spring training games as the place to focus on these specific needs. Players can take this same mentality during Fall-ball. Have specific game-goals and use this more relaxed fall period to work on them. Most young players do not get a "spring training" time period of a couple months to do this so the Fall is their chance. Of course, providing the environment for players to do this becomes essential for coaches and organizations. As I stated earlier, knowing what to work on is key to this as well.
Become more aware!
This year's Hall of Fame Induction class in Cooperstown, NY, included Derek Jeter. I was listening to one of Jeter's former managers (Buck Showalter) speak about him and among the many things he said Derek did well, he was most impressed with how aware Jeter was when he was at the ballpark. He said that Jeter's eyes were always searching for information whether he was out in the field, in the on-deck circle, or in the dugout. Great players often have an elevated sense of awareness of things that are happening around them. This allows them to look at a given situation and "see" more than the average player. This also gives them a greater ability to know how the play is likely to develop before it even happens. For example, on defense, most players simply wait for the ball to be hit and then react. Jeter and other very aware players start to react before the ball is even hit. This ability comes from a lot of time on the field and the mindset of "there is a lot going on around me that I need to be paying more attention to." Watching how opposing runners take leads, seeing how a pitcher gets his change up or curve ball grip, and noticing how an on-deck batter swings the bat are all examples. The Fall months are the perfect time to either start doing this or ramp it up if you are already doing it. Heightened awareness is essential as you move up in levels but it does require heightened attention and heightened practice. There is a lot more going on around you than you think. Look around and learn!
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