by Peter Caliendo
Click the link to hear the show: http://www.baseballoutsidethebox.com/2018/09/05/dutch-baseball-searching-the-world-for-the-best-teaching/
Martijn Nijhoff
On this episode of Baseball Outside the Box with Martijn Nijhoff
We discuss using new motor learning and control techniques to better your baseball development. We continue to look outside the box at other sports and countries for better ways to improve the development of the game.
We go across the world to Europe as we search for other ways to improve the development of the game of baseball. There are 3 countries in the world who have the top coaches educational programs in the world, Australia, Canada and the Netherlands, (there are others) we discuss how a small country with fewer players then the USA, Cuba, Japan, Dominican Republic can compete in the world stage and have higher percentages of professional players in MLB.
We discuss what it means and takes to develop highly gifted athletes by putting them in an environment that challenges the athlete & where mistakes can be made to grow. Also, how you respond to those challenges & errors as a coach is crucial.
Just some of the areas we cover in our discussion:
- Let’s start with understanding implicit learning and why it’s the better way to teach.
- How to use implicit learning with individuals and teamwork.
- What is chaos learning and why it’s important to the development of a team?
- Traditional baseball teaching methods are not always the best and quickest way for players to learn and get better.
- Does the environment, lack of good fields and not so good equipment benefit players to develop faster. Discuss Dominican and Cuban baseball.
- Constant repetition develops boredom and does not always have the best results.
- Variation training, ways to help the player be part of the process, more fun and builds creativity.
- Coaches need to be more creative in their training and how.
- Coaches, players and parents are all part of the learning, development process.
- Techniques, drills, must have a clear end result in order for the body to understand its movements.
- It’s all like a puzzle, how you put it together is the key.
- Discuss actual ways to help hitters and pitchers/throwers get better with implicit learning.
- Using different size bats, different weights.
- Listen to the drills Martijn explains that are unique, creative, fun and get the players to learn faster.
- What age should we be using these methods?
- Why players should be more involved in their own training.
- Giving players at a young age more responsibilities.
And so much more.
Martin was pitcher played 9 years in the Dutch Major League.
The Talent Coach for Dutch Baseball, a Lecturer at Fontys University, specialists in Perception-action, Motor learning and control. Responsible for the Dutch Baseball Talent-program from the age 12 − 18 years old, clustered in 6 Baseball Academies, the national under 16 team (AA) and national under 19 team (AAA). The group consists of 200 players. Coach of the Under 19 team (AAA). Responsible for the technical development of the players and program within the six academies and national youth teams. A Keynote speaker and a consultant pro sports. Invited by the Pittsburgh Pirates to discuss with their coaches about motor learning inspired baseball practice. During his stay with the MLB organization, Nijhoff also will meet with Assistant General Manager Kyle Stark and Director of Minor League Operations Larry Broadway.
He will be speaking at the Skill Acquisition Summit held at the Florida Baseball Ranch September 8 and 9, 2018.
Attending already are 130 coaches & 13 MLB organizations.
An International Sports Group instructor/teacher at coaching programs around the world. www.isgbaseball.com