Youth Sports

In What Size Balls Do I Need? Coach Steve Morris delivers a perspective injection for parents and coaches trying to navigate the $17 billion youth sports industry. The pressure to choose programs that will position budding athletes for success and glory can be all-consuming. Using the wisdom gained from navigating thousands of girls and boys and their parents through the gauntlet of youth sports, he has created an audiobook filled with humor and personal stories that tackles crucial topics.

Major League Baseball is a beloved American institution that has been a product of the economic, social, and media structures that have evolved in the United States over the last century. In his shrewd analysis, Will Big League Baseball Survive?, Lincoln Mitchell asks whether the sport will continue in its current form as a huge, lucrative global business that offers a monopoly in North America - and whether those structures are sustainable.

The truth is that youth anxiety, stress, burnout, comparison, injuries, perfectionism, and identity disturbance are at all-time highs. Our shortsightedness as leaders is killing the confidence and long-term success of our youth. In the book The Youth Truth, Andrew starts by sharing the shocking and scary realities facing our student-athletes today. He then dives deep into solutions: love-powered leadership and mind-set performance coaching.

The Sandlot Legacy: Chronicles of Youth and Baseball, an award-winning tale, invites you into a world where dreams are woven into reality through determination, resilience, and the transformative spirit of baseball. Journey alongside our protagonist, Jack Thompson, a dreamer undeterred by skeptics who dares to reach for the stars against all odds. This beautifully penned narrative unearths the profound power of mentorship, encapsulated in the bond between Jack and his mentor, Mr. Davis. Their relationship shines a spotlight on how an act of belief can catalyze someone to achieve their dreams.

Every parent dreams of their child falling in love with sports, and when the opportunity to coach a team arises, many of us leap at the chance without hesitation. However, as the season progresses—or sometimes just before it begins—we often find ourselves realizing that we might not have a clue what we’re doing.

Are you new to basketball or have never coached a youth team before? Are you unsure of what to do during practice or how to manage a team during a game? Are you dealing with a loudmouth parent on your team that is a bad example of sportsmanship? 50 Things to Know About Coaching Youth Basketball by Aaron Reynolds offers an approach to coaching youth sports for first-time coaches, or parents new to the game that were “volunteered” to lead the team.

There are many baseball guides out there; what makes this one different? From Coach to Coach guides are age-specific, and include only the essential drills appropriate for your players. The guides focus on a manageable number of practice plans for each skill category: base running, throwing, hitting, and fielding. You won't be buried with hundreds of drills, wondering which ones work best.

Dive into the world of youth baseball with The Youth Baseball Handbook, the ultimate guide to mastering the sport, regardless of your current level. This comprehensive audiobook is designed to transform complete rookies into skilled players, help seasoned athletes refine their game, and provide parents and coaches with the strategies they need to support and uplift their teams.

Team USA goalkeeper Tim Howard was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome in sixth grade. He went on to become a national treasure after single-handedly keeping America competitive in the 2014 World Cup. Stephen Curry was told he was too small, too weak, and too slow to even receive a scholarship to play college basketball. He outworked everyone and went on to become MVP of the National Basketball Association. Jim Abbott was born without his right hand, yet he refused to be defined by what he lacked. He went on to pitch a no-hitter in the Major Leagues.

What’s the Endgame is a guidebook designed to help families navigate youth baseball, written by former All-American outfielder at Kansas State University and professional baseball player Sean Collins, who was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in 1989.

It’s 1989, and college freshman Michael Greco is ready to leave his dreary small town—and the grief of his father’s death—behind. He has everything he needs for a great year: a starting spot on the football team, new friends, and a promising flirtation with a beautiful grad student. But just as Greco settles in to campus life, his uncle shows up demanding that he take care of his father’s unfinished business with a powerful Chicago gangster.

“The Haves and The Have Nots of Youth Athletics” by Lenzy Hancock uncovers the escalating financial barriers in youth sports, revealing how the divide between affluent and underprivileged athletes reshapes the sporting landscape. Hancock blends statistics, personal stories, and expert insights to explore the transformation of youth sports from community-based activities to costly, exclusive training grounds.

As Britain takes its first steps outside EU jurisdiction, how will football clubs adjust? With the FA keen on tournament success, the FA Youth Cup will play a key role in bringing academy products to prominence. Since 1952, the trophy changed hands every season bar one, with the likes of Crystal Palace, Millwall, Leeds United, and Manchester City lighting up the tournament with superstar teams. From Kids to Champions tells the stories of players who didn't make it at the top level, or left the game disillusioned, along with those of the important coaches and academy directors.

Before he made a name for himself as an acclaimed essayist and nature writer, David Gessner devoted his 20s to a cultish sport called Ultimate Frisbee. Like his teammates and rivals, he trained for countless hours, sacrificing his body and potential career for a chance at fleeting glory without fortune or fame. His only goal: to win Nationals and go down in Ultimate history as one of the greatest athletes no one has ever heard of.

Boat Girl is the heartbreaking memoir of growing up aboard a sailboat. Throughout the 1980's and 90's, Melanie's family lived aboard a 47-foot sailboat, spending their summers along the US East Coast and their winters in the Bahamas. But the cruising life was not all fun in the sun. The family had to work hard to pay for their way of life. They dodged hurricanes, overzealous federal agents and bullying land-kids. And they endured a boatload of family drama.

In this candid and inspirational guide to young people, Brent Bass examines challenges and contradictions facing school age students (notably student-athletes). He offers middle and high schoolers (and parents) tools for learning about peer pressure, respecting authority, being coachable, risk-taking, keeping their word, managing time, first impressions, staying flexible, spirituality, focusing, and other winning life skills.

Tim was the quarterback of his high school team, but now he faces a larger challenge. He’s eager to follow in the footsteps of his brother and play football for Indiana University, but can he even get off the bench? Before the season begins, Tim makes a terrible mistake that threatens his reputation, his relationship with his boyfriend, and even his ability to play on the team. Tim’s first year at IU could be his last, but he is determined to succeed.

Whether you are a new coach starting out or an experienced coach looking for some help, this is the book for you! After 18 years of playing baseball and many more coaching, I have compiled what I have learned over the years in this ultimate guide to coaching baseball. Be it the general rules of the game, tips and tricks, or how to overcome failure, this book has you covered.

Coaching youth baseball can be a rewarding, fulfilling, and enjoyable experience for you and the kids. Or it can be a nightmare. This guide is based on one coach's experience, and lessons learned coaching the game. It is an accumulation of ideas - some practical, some philosophical - designed to help you be the best coach you can be. From Coach to Coach, I wish you a successful baseball season!

Although its participants are still in grade school, Pop Warner football is serious business in Miami, where local teams routinely advance to the national championships. Games draw thousands of fans; recruiters vie for nascent talent; drug dealers and rap stars bankroll teams; and the stakes are so high that games sometimes end in gunshots. In America's poorest neighborhood, troubled parents dream of NFL stardom for children who long only for a week in Disney World at the Pop Warner Super Bowl.