Recommended Coaching Tools
Being a baseball coach is an important position to be in. A position that most would say has many rewards. In one sense it should be thought of as a job. Sure, you may not be getting paid for the time you spend between the lines with your players. However, think about your payment or reward being the first time a player succeeds at something they struggle with. The first time the catch a fly ball, turn a double play, strike out the side and so much more.
When it comes to the job of coaching, you wouldn’t show up without your tools to get the job done. Just as a carpenter needs a hammer or circular saw. A baseball coach needs a glove, bucket of balls, fungo and so much more. Here is a list of my recommended coaching equipment that I always bring to the field with me. Sure, I may not need every tool in my bag at every practice, but these pieces of equipment allow me to be a better coach.
Batting Tee
A batting tee is a piece of equipment that every coach should have. You can find this training tool at every level of baseball. From players just taking their first swings in tee ball. All the way to professional players on T.V. When it comes to batting tees, Tanner Tees is where I put my trust. Their batting tees are built to last. Constructed from durable materials like rigid metal pipe and hard plastic base. They resist falling over and have a flexible rubber top. The flexible top allows for good contact feel and lasts a long time. Everything is replaceable on the tee incase you were to break something. It also breaks down so it can be traveled with easily. I have been using the same Tanner Original for years and have never had to replace anything on the tee.
Portable Pop up net
Pop up nets, often referred to as bow nets, are an essential tool for every baseball coach. Even if you have access to a bating cage, you are going to have a need sooner or later for a pop up net. I like to use mine before tournament games, during practices for different stations or even to have players throw into. Two of the major brands I would recommend would be BowNet and Powernet. Bownet is really the leader of the industry as far as portable nets. They are very portable and assembly can be done in less than a couple minutes. Also they offer a one year warranty against defects and most parts are fully replaceable. PowerNet also makes many portable pop up nets. Although they may not be as big of an industry leader as BowNet, they do come in at a better price point, while still offering a quality product.