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Family resources
Practical guides and articles for players, parents and coaches, from Coach Murphy Su’a’s four decades of coaching and the DITR team.
Start with our guides
Guide
College Baseball Recruiting: A Guide for Families
How recruiting actually works, the levels of college baseball, NCAA eligibility basics and a year-by-year plan.
Guide
Mental Skills for Young Athletes
Simple routines that help kids handle pressure, bounce back from mistakes and stay focused, in sports and in school.
Baseball skills and coaching
How to Throw a Baseball Correctly: A Coach’s Guide
Learn how to throw a baseball with the right grip, footwork and arm path. Coach Murphy Su’a explains each step and how to teach a kid to throw.
Youth Baseball Drills: Hitting, Fielding and Throwing
Simple youth baseball drills for hitting, fielding and throwing, with reps and what each fixes. A coach’s guide to baseball fundamentals for kids.
Baseball Tryouts: How Players Can Prepare
Get ready for baseball tryouts with a coach’s checklist: what coaches look for, how to prepare, and tips for tryout day. Written by Coach Murphy Su’a.
Softball skills and coaching
Softball Hitting Drills for Every Level
Softball hitting drills a coach uses with beginners through college players: tee work, soft toss and front toss, with reps, fixes and a simple weekly plan.
Softball Pitching Drills for Beginners to Advanced
Softball pitching drills from a coach of baseball and softball: windmill basics, step-by-step drills, arm care and when to see a doctor or athletic trainer.
Softball Fielding Drills: Ground Balls, Fly Balls and Throws
Softball fielding drills for beginners through advanced players: ground balls, fly balls and throws, with step-by-step reps, fixes and a simple practice plan.
Advanced hitting and recruiting
Baseball Swing Mechanics: What a Coach of College and Pro Hitters Teaches
Baseball swing mechanics explained step by step by Coach Murphy Su’a, who has coached college and pro hitters for 40+ years. Stance, load, stride, finish.
How to Increase Bat Speed: Drills and Training
Learn how to increase bat speed with sound mechanics, simple drills and smart offseason training from Coach Murphy Su’a, a college and pro hitting coach.
How to Get Recruited for College Baseball
How to get recruited for college baseball: a quick summary from former college head coach Murphy Su’a on video, contacting coaches, JUCO and eligibility.
Mental skills and resilience
How to Gain Mental Toughness: A Coach’s Guide for Young Athletes
How to gain mental toughness as a young athlete: five daily habits, simple practice drills, and how parents and coaches can help kids handle pressure.
The Mental Game of Baseball: A Guide for Players and Parents
The mental game of baseball from a coach of 40+ years: pre-game routines, handling mistakes and mental toughness for hitters, pitchers and fielders.
Overcoming Obstacles: How Young Athletes Build Resilience
Overcoming obstacles in sports: how young athletes bounce back from a bad game, fear of failure or getting cut, and when parents should seek extra support.
Leadership and sportsmanship
Youth Mentoring Programs: What They Are and What to Look For
Youth mentoring programs pair young people with caring adults. How they work, what good ones include and what parents should ask before enrolling.
Good Sportsmanship: What It Means and How to Teach It
Good sportsmanship means playing fair and showing respect, win or lose. See clear examples, why it matters and how parents and coaches can teach it.
What Makes a Good Team Captain?
What makes a good team captain? Learn the traits, daily habits and responsibilities that build trust, plus how young athletes can grow into the role.
Youth leadership skills
Leadership in Sports: How Young Athletes Learn to Lead
Leadership in sports is learned, not assigned. See the types of leaders, real examples and simple drills coaches use to help young athletes lead.
Student Leadership: What It Is, Key Skills and Real Examples
Student leadership explained: a clear definition, the key skills and characteristics, and real examples in class, on teams, in clubs and in the community.
Leadership Activities for Teens: 15 Ideas for Teams, Classrooms and Groups
Leadership activities for teens: 15 simple, low-cost ideas for teams, classrooms and clubs, each with group size, time, steps and a debrief question.
Conflict Resolution for Teens: A Guide for Parents and Coaches
Conflict resolution for teens made practical: a 6-step process, scripts and real scenarios parents and coaches can use with teammates and friends.
Public Speaking for Teens: How to Speak With Confidence
Public speaking for teens is a learnable skill. Get a step-by-step speech plan, practice drills and tips to calm nerves, for students and the adults who help.
South Bay guides
Youth Leadership Programs in the South Bay
Leadership programs, councils and camps that Torrance and South Bay teens can join, and how to choose one.
Teen Volunteer Opportunities
Places South Bay teens can volunteer and earn community service hours.
Youth Baseball and Softball in the South Bay
City-by-city guides to Little League, PONY and girls softball in Torrance, Palos Verdes, Redondo Beach, Lomita, Carson, San Pedro, Hawthorne, Manhattan Beach and El Segundo.
Looking for a free clinic?
Our baseball and softball clinics are free for every participant, at every age. The next clinic season is in planning.