Table Of ContentA GUIDE FOR ORGANIZING
HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL TEAMS
A Project
Presented to
the Faculty of the School of Education
The University of Southern California
In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Science in Education
"by
Nickolas Louis Salerno
June 1950
UMI Number: EP46038
All rights reserved
INFORMATION TO ALL USERS
The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted.
In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript
and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed,
a note will indicate the deletion.
Dissertation Publishing
UMI EP46038
Published by ProQuest LLC (2014). Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author.
Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC.
All rights reserved. This work is protected against
unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code
ProQuest LLC.
789 East Eisenhower Parkway
P.O. Box 1346
Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346
£ >^ro S / b z Pr -
This project report, written under the direction
of the candidate’s adviser and approved by him,
has been presented to and accepted by the Faculty
of the School of Education in partial fulfillment of
the requirements for the degree of Master of
Science in Education.
............
Adviser
Dean
i i i
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I. HOW TO PREPARE ITEMS OF NECESSITY........... 1
How to prepare publicity ........... 1
How to use personnel data . . . . . . . . . 3
How to handle equipment inventory ....... 5
How to set the schedule for the season . . . 8
How to ready facilities................. 10
How to organize team rules and regu
lations ............................. 12
II. HOW TO PRACTICE............................ 14
How to practice in pre-season . . . . . . . 14
How to practice in early-season . . . . . . IS
How to practice in mid-season........... 19
How to practice in late-season........... 22
III. HOW TO ORGANIZE GAME PROCEDURES............. 26
How to Investigate player needs . . . . . . 26
How to handle player assignments.......... 28
How to plan strategical Instructions . . . . 30
How to make home facilities preparations . . 31
How to organize traveling procedures . . . . 33
IV. HOW TO INSURE SAFETY........................ 3©
How to utilize health cards . . . . . . . . 36
How to organize first-aid............... 37
How to handle batting practice........... 38
CHAPTER
How to take infield practice ..............
How to hit fly halls to the outfielders . .
How to slide safely . . . . ..............
How to cover a base . . . . . . . . . . . .
V. HOW TO ARRANGE CRITIQUES....................
How to utilize critiques prior to the
game ....................... .
How to set-up critiques for first
practice following the game . ..........
How to make announcements . . . . ........
VI. HOW TO UTILIZE PSYCHOLOGY ..................
How to have ideal player-coach
relationship . .
How to handle discipline problems . . . . .
How to set proper player-team manager
relationship . .
How to get ideal relationship between
players ........ . . . . . . ..........
VII. HOW TO HANDLE PUBLIC RELATIONS . . . . . . . .
How to handle public relations within
the school....................... . . .
How to have ideal relations with commu
nity organizations ......................
How to work with the newspapers . . . . . .
V
GHAPTER PAGE
How to acquire proper relationship
with parents ........... 65
BIBLIOGRAPHY................................... 68
LIST OP TABLES vi
TABLE PAGE
I. Publicity Check-List . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
II. Personnel Data Card .......... 6
III. Baseball Equipment Inventory . . . . . . . . 9
IV. Skills Check L i s t ................... . . 16
V. Coach* s Check List .............. 23
LIST OP FIGURES
FIGURE PAGE
1. Suggested Positions of Players During
Practice Sessions . * .................. 42
PREFACE
This project is written with the intent of helping
those individuals who seek guidance and instruction in the
organization of a typical high school baseball team
(enrollment — 1500 students). There are many individuals
who, because of the lack of proper training or initiative,
have failed in their all-important position, which is so
dominant and prevalent in the lives of future American
citizens who are under their influence and leadership. It
is hoped that this project will enlighten those with no
background and be of service to those with much experience
by opening up new phases which, heretofore, have been
unknown to them. Too many high school coaches place an
over-amount of emphasis on the game of baseball itself,
not realizing that in so doing they are overlooking the
really important aspects of their responsibilities. In
marriage it takes two individuals to make a success of it.
In coaching a high school baseball team it takes careful
planning to mould distinct and separate personalities into
an efficient and effective working unit on the playing
field. A coach may have a fine knowledge and understanding
of the game, yet be an utter failure because he cannot
attain proper relationship and' respect from his players, or
vice-versa. Knowing only the game or any one other phase
v iii
is only a minute factor in making for a successful per
formance.
This project will include and discuss all problems
and situations that might be prevalent during a high school
season of baseball.
There has not been enough work done in this field
and in relating fields. Today the lack of proper training
in the coaching profession is being realized much more.
We see big-name men, authorities in their chosen fields,
writing books and articles of instruction. Only through an
exchange of ideas and viewpoints, through an open mind, can
we improve ourselves into being better coaches, business
men, gentlemen, and citizens.
There is much more to the organizing of teams than
the ordinary individual thinks. Merely coaching is not
enough. Any successful coach in any sport must be a well-
rounded individual, knowing psychology, organization,
public-player-coach relationship, and the game itself.
How many times have we read of famous athletes who
have failed as coaches, and others, comparatively unknown,
who make a successful bid in coaching? The reason for this
is simple. The famous athletes usually are not conscious
of how they did a certain maneuver. For instance, Jack
Dempsey thought he threw his left hook in a certain manner
until shown by pictures that he did otherwise. Also, famous
ix
athletes who were perfectionists themselves don*t have the
patience to work with someone making mistakes at something
that seems so simple to them. Many athletes also know how
to do something themselves, but don't know how to get their
point across to instruct a pupil. Each of these points
just mentioned might prove a downfall to success in coaching,
along with the fact that many famous athletes, being leaders
for years as individuals, lack or have not had proper
training in group leadership.
Bob Zuppke, for years a famous football coach at the
University of Illinois, never played a game of football
himself. How is it then, that he, an individual who had
never played the sport himself, could coach it successfully
where others with a greater “game" background through playing
had failed? Bob Zuppke undoubtedly was a great student of
the game as well as a great student of human character.
Zuppke, with the exploratory type of mind, aggressiveness,
personality, ability to organize, and the ability to get
along with others, integrated all these fine qualities to
rank himself with the outstanding coaches of his day.
This project will cover a typical high school season
of baseball, from the preparation phase at early season to
the year's finale. Preparation, xvhich will be discussed in
Chapter I, is the vital part of successful coaching, the
phase where many do not have the proper background or
