A Guide for Young Batters & Baserunners

Hitting has been called the hardest act in sports, and the strain is even greater on the young player, who, under all the pressure, is still growing mentally and physically. With a clear, readily understandable tone, A Young Player's Guide to Hitting Bunting, and Baserunning dissects the mechanics of the swing and stresses the foundations of form. The authors also stress the value of flexibility, balance, and cross-training in other sports that condition the whole body--sports such as hockey, skiing, basketball, karate, soccer, track, and even balle--and help get the body in shape. Last, but certainly not least, this volume emphasizes the importance of a good attitude and the value of having fun while working efficiently toward improvement.

Agreat reference for players, coaches, and parents, A Young Player's Guide to Hitting Bunting, and Baserunning sets out everything the young player requires to develop the skills, physical conditioning, and training regimen needed for success and satisfaction in the national pastime. In this indispensable volume, veteran youth coaches Don Oster and Bill McMillan impart decades of knowledge on forming young players and helping them to attain their full capacity.

Hitting has been called the hardest act in sports, and the strain is even greater on the young player, who, under all the pressure, is still growing mentally and physically. With a clear, readily understandable tone, A Young Player's Guide to Hitting Bunting, and Baserunning dissects the mechanics of the swing and stresses the foundations of form. The authors also stress the value of flexibility, balance, and cross-training in other sports that condition the whole body—sports such as hockey, skiing, basketball, karate, soccer, track, and even balle—and help get the body in shape. Last, but certainly not least, this volume emphasizes the importance of a good attitude and the value of having fun while working efficiently toward improvement.

Don Oster has been coaching youth baseball at the highest level for decades. In 1985, as manager of a team from East Tonka, Minnesota, he went to the Little League World Series. From 1987 to 1991, his Babe Ruth League team, for which he was the pitching coach, appeared in four consecutive World Series. He is also the author of Largemouth Bass and is the coauthor of A Guide for Young Pitchers, and A Guide for Young Softball Pitchers (page 89) and Hunting Today’s Whitetail. He lives in southern Indiana.

Bill McMillan has twenty years’ experience coaching youth baseball as a manager for youth aged nine to sixteen. His teams have won nine league championships and a Minnesota State Little League championship. McMillan has been a public school teacher and a university professor. He holds a PhD in educational psychology and has worked extensively at the state and national levels on various educational programs. He lives in Minnetonka, Minnesota.