Welcome to the Coaches Box!

Dear Coach,

Thank you for your dedication and commitment to youth in your community. Without you, too many may not have the opportunity to access and enjoy the sport that’s at the heart of what we do.

Whether you are just picking up a clipboard for the first time or you’ve lost count of the number of years you have been involved, the Red Sox Foundation Coaches Box presented by Nike has been built with you in mind. We are here to be an ally and a resource not only for you, but also for your team, families and, of course, your youth. From trainings and certifications to drills, practice plans and resources, we are thrilled to offer best-in-class content from leaders in the youth sports development.

The Coaches Box will continually be updated to ensure you are best positioned to succeed with your teams on and off the field. We also encourage you to explore our youth baseball and softball platform, which offers additional content for youth, families and leagues!

We are always here, so please do not hesitate to reach out to our team at rbi@redsox.com.

Best of luck!
Your Teammates at the Red Sox Foundation

We understand how much thought, strategy and care goes into coaching – as well as the complexity behind setting goals, planning drills, ensuring all youth are engaged and delivering a fun experience.

To augment your efforts, we invite you to dive into some of our pre-planned practice plans and guides – and don’t forget to explore our drill database to build out your own practice!

Nike & RSF Practice Plans     Baseball      Softball

These practice plans will serve as a foundation for your day-to-day strategy. Additional practice plans are in production and will be added when available, so please check back regularly!

Baseball Ages 5-8 Practice Plan

Baseball Ages 8-12 Practice Plan 

Baseball Ages 12-15 Practice Plan

Baseball Ages 15-18 Practice Plan

Softball Ages 5-8 Practice Plan

Softball Ages 8-12 Practice Plan

Softball Ages 12-15 Practice Plan

Softball Ages 15-18 Practice Plan 

Drill Database

View or download any or all of the databases below to review drills you can run at your practice. Swap in drills from our practice plans and create your own new plan! The Foundation will continue to add in great drills for you to use. Drills in the activities database are mostly geared for younger age groups but can be modified for older players. These drills emphasize keeping the practice fun for everyone!

Activities                  Beginner                Intermediate*                 Advanced

*Databases are still in production

Play Ball Playbook

Enjoy the fun of our Play Ball events anywhere you go! Download the playbook and start stepping up your game today. 

Play Ball Playbook 

Play Ball Playbook 2021 (4)

Aspen Institute: Call for Coaches        Download the Report

NIKE & We Coach: Coaching Girls Guide        Download the Guide

PLAYER DEVELOPMENT

Welcome to vRBI for athletes. This will be your home for featured video content on skill and player development. Content will continue to be updated, so check back frequently!

Skill Development

Access All Videos in the Video Library

Breaking Barriers

Jackie Robinson – On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson became the first African American to play Major League Baseball in the modern era and correspondingly broke the color barrier within the sport.

Breaking Barriers in Sports & in Life – “Breaking Barriers: In Sports, In Life” is a baseball-themed character Education program developed by MLB and Scholastic Inc.

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

Character development is just as important as player and skill development. This will be your home for featured video content on teamwork, leadership, respect, and more. Content will continue to be updated, so check back frequently!

Featured Video

Development

The Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society (PBATS) are promoting a lifetime of activity for youth by a short series of videos that focus on playing fair, safely, and with others. Check out the video below to get started and then visit their website to run the bases!

Fun at Home

Red Sox Home Fun – Stay entertained with Red Sox coloring pages, math and STEM worksheets, videos, recipes, and more! Best for ages 5-12.

USA Softball Activity Book – Have some fun with the USA Softball Team! This activity book is for youth ages 5-12.

RBI Mound Visit – Watch all video mound visits hosted by MLB. Open to all ages.

Play Ball at Home – Additional MLB content for all ages to watch, engage, and create!

MLB Summer Slugger – Interactive online course for ages 8-11 that uses the game to maintain math/literacy skills during the summer!

Fun at Bat at Home – Learn the game with this entry-level program!

Resources

Healthy Fuel for Healthy Athletes – A PCA guide for eating before, during, and after games or practices.

Play it Safe at Home – USA Softball has created guidelines and a resource portal for players that includes videos and activities.

Pitch Smart – A series of practical, age-appropriate guidelines to help players avoid overuse injuries and foster long, healthy careers for youth pitchers.

PBATS Play Campaign – Play means having fun, but the PLAY campaign also means Promoting a Lifetime of Activity for Youth. Having fun is important, but playing fair, safely and with others is important, too!

Reducing Anxiety on Game Day – Game-day performance anxiety is common in athletes of any age. Tackle anxiety before the day of the game with these tips from USA Baseball.

Boston vs. Bullies Academy – Join Bobby the Badger & Friends to learn about Cybersafety and how to prevent Cyberbullying

Preventing Bullying – Finding Your Moral Courage (PCA)

PCA Student-Athlete Online Workshop – Learn how to make positive contributions through improving oneself, leadership, and honoring the game from Doc Rivers, Julie Foudy, and other top coaches, athletes, and experts! For ages 12-18.

US Center for SafeSport Digital Safety – With online communication increasing during COVID-19, keep these guidelines in mind to stay safe.

Goal Setting & How to Succeed – USA Baseball identifies 6 simple reasons why athletes might fail to meet their goals but by knowing what those are, you can set a goal and succeed.

Other Resources

Where We Stand – For additional resources around Black Lives Matter and additional ways to engage youth

US Center for SafeSport – Stay safe online

Boston Public Schools – Help us stop bullying

CDC Smoking & Tobacco Use – Get the facts

From state-wide trainings to certification opportunities, we want you to be equipped with the knowledge and the confidence to lead your team this season.

Skill Drip Videos

The Red Sox Foundation is working with the Center for Healing and Justice through Sport (CHJS) on a number of mini coach training videos. We are calling these short videos “skill drips” as they are less than 5 minutes and convey some great insights to help you coach. Skill Drip videos will contain a wide range of topics and even though they are focused in, most of the information may be transferable. Keep an eye out for more Skill Drip videos in the coming months!

Coach Trainings in your state!

The Red Sox Foundation is committed to providing you with the tools to help you coach this spring/summer. See the trainings being offered in your state and if registration is open, click the active links to join the session. All trainings provided by the Red Sox Foundation are completely free! We hope to see you there!

Nike Training

Nike has teamed up with leaders in the sport industry to provide state of the art training tools to volunteer coaches. Coaches will be able to provide youth of all abilities with better, more positive experiences in play and sport. Register and watch for free!

All Nike Courses

USA Develops Certifications

The USA Baseball Coaches Certification Program is a certification pathway for individuals who are currently coaching or aspire to coach at any level in the game. The program aims to create a higher standard of coaching education and enhance the ability of coaches to better serve their athletes, their team, and their communities.

“A” Certification

1. Abuse Awareness for Adults: Create a safe baseball environment
2. First Aid: Respond to injuries and emergencies
3. Confident Baseball Coach: Fostering health, safety, fun, and success
4. Pitch Smart: Protect athletes’ arms

More Certifications                        More Online Courses

Drills are integral to teaching the fundamentals of baseball and softball, and instilling core values of teamwork, respect and sportsmanship on and off the field, too.

We’re proud to offer a comprehensive database of drills, highlight a drill of the month and share best practices to strengthen the impact we’re making, together.

Drill of the Month

Drill: Catcher Circuits

While home run hitters and flashy outfielders often steal the spotlight, there’s a position often overlooked that’s arguably the most important on the field: the catcher. A catcher’s impact on the game is undeniable and their defensive prowess, leadership, and game management skills are invaluable to any team. This next drill, catcher circuits, is a great tool to help build your fielding skills!

Age Range: 12 – 18

Setup:

• Grab 4 balls and lay 3 of them out on the field about 3 feet away from home plate; one near the 3rd base line, one near the first base line, and one in front of home plate in line with 2nd base
• Catcher sets up In their stance behind home plate and fielders cover 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Base

Instructions:

• On your mark, catcher pops up from stance keeping weight low and momentum through 3rd base
• Catcher will field ball with their barehand, set their feet and complete the throw
• Return to stance at home plate and repeat process with the balls In line with 2nd Base and 1st Base
• To finish, catcher receives pitch at moderate speed and fires ball to 2nd Base

The Best of New England

Have a drill that you find useful? Share it with us and we may share it with our New England community! Our Drill Database will be constantly updating and if we use a drill of yours, we will give you credit!

Email A Drill

Coach Spotlight

December Spotlight

Name: Elsa Carrasquillo

Hometown: Mission Hill (Boston), MA

Team: Mission Hill Pirates, Girls’ Softball

How many years have you been coaching? 19 years

Who is your favorite baseball and/or softball player? Jason Varitek is my favorite player, because of the way he handles himself behind home plate. The way he pops up after each throw. That’s why I love being a catcher more than outfielder.

What is your most memorable coaching moment? The most memorable moment from my coaching years was the year the girls’ softball team made it to the finals and came in second place. This is especially memorable because they thought they weren’t going to make it that far and it even started to rain during the game.

What inspired you to be a coach? When I was younger my parents both played softball and they were both really good players. Seeing the smiles on their faces when they got a homerun or made a good play, was amazing. We used to travel to different cities for games and I became so interested in the game. I then joined a softball team years later and loved to play and still play for fun with my family and friends. I like teaching young girls how to play and seeing these girls that have never touched a softball or a bat before, or being scared of the ball, get the hang of it, through practice. It’s an amazing feeling to watch them grow and to be able to attend their high school games is a joy to me.

November Spotlight

Name: Yovanni Ortiz-Marquez

Hometown: Boston, MA

Team: Roslindale Angels

How many years have you been coaching? Entering 7th year

Who is your favorite baseball and/or softball player? David (Big Papi) Ortiz. I’ve watched him as a kid growing up; love his passion for the game and his leadership skills. He’s just an absolute legend and it’s an honor to have the same last name.

What is your most memorable coaching moment? Realizing that the kids and parents believed in me to teach the game of baseball and bringing joy around the league by winning.

What inspired you to be a coach? Watching the youth having lack of confidence and motivation towards the game.

Parental and family support is vital to a young athlete’s developmental growth. 

To support all that you do, we’ve compiled the following resources to assist you in being a supportive and involved parent/guardian, coach and spectator.

Monthly Spotlight  

Resources that are refreshed every month to help you step up your coaching game and be a positive influence for your players, and your community!

Kids Need “Real-Life Ted Lasso’s”– How Youth Sport Coaches Can Heal a Generation Coming Out of the COVID Pandemic

Bullying (USA Baseball) – Learn to Spot the Primary Types of Bullying

Preventing Bullying (PCA)– Finding Your Moral Courage to Stand Up to Bullying

Creating an Inclusive Environment – 7 Ways Coaches Can Create an Inclusive Environment for Athletes

Baseball Specific Resources for Coaches

The Individuality of Coaching: USA Baseball

The Value of Positive Coaching for New Volunteer Coaches: PCA Development Zone

Identifying Success in a One-Win Season: PCA Development Zone

High- Performance Coaching: USA Baseball

11 Tips for The First-Time Coach: PCA Development Zone

A full library of resources for coaches: USA Baseball Coaches

Softball Specific Resources for Coaches

USA Softball offers resources to coaches: USA Softball Resources

An award-winning curriculum, resources, and guides to keep girls moving: Go Girl Go!

USA Softball divisional focus for coaches: MLB Softball

3 Steps to Hydrating Youth Athletes for Healthy Performance: USA Softball

Sports Nutrition Tips for Promoting Healthy Bones: USA Softball

Sportsmanship Starts Outside of Sports: USA Softball 

Resources for Inclusion

Coaching People with ADHD: UK Coaching

Coaching People with Asperger Syndrome: UK Coaching

Coaching People with Autism: UK Coaching

How to Coach Kids with Intellectual Disabilities: Special Olympics

7 Ways Coaches Can Create An Inclusive Environment: Positive Coaching Alliance

Additional Resources for Coaches

Keeping athletes safe online: US Center for SafeSport

Working through cancelled sports disappointment: PCA Expert

Ted Williams and the positive perspective of not playing: PCA Blog

Have a question about coaching? We have experts to answer you: Ask PCA

A full library of resources for coaches: PCA Coaches

Kids Corner

Red Sox Foundation’s vRBI Platform – Stay active at home with drills and skills players can do at home.

USA Softball Activity Book – Have some fun with the USA Softball Team! This activity book is for youth ages 5-12.

RBI Mound Visit – Watch all video mound visits hosted by MLB. Open to all ages.

Play Ball at Home – Additional MLB content for all ages to watch, engage, and create!

Fun at Bat at Home – Learn the game with this entry-level program!

Sports Parent/Guardian Resources

10 tips for first-time sports parents: PCA Article

Talking to your kids about COVID-19: USA Softball

How a growth mindset is deeper than having an open mind or having youth athletes try harder; it’s about actively promoting a growth mindset to enhance learning: Carol Dweck: The Rise of A False Growth Mindset 

Learn how to have a positive relationship with your child’s coach: Tips for a Positive Parent/Coach Partnership

Coaching your own child: Utilizing a Coach Hat

Importance of accountable sports parents highlighting research on the impact family members have on an athlete: USA Softball Parent/Guardian

A full library of resources for parents: PCA Parents & Guardians

Women’s Sport Foundation      Parents Guide      Guia Para Padres

Women’s Sports Foundation created a downloadable parents guide to help provide insight into the latest knowledge about motivating your daughter to become active and creating a positive and supportive environment for girls.