With our busy schedules most of us spend our day mired in the complexity of our lives. Yet a simple story or thought can be all that is needed to help us cope and enjoy our day-to-day existence.

Life is simple but not easy and it is easy to complicate that which is simple. With this in mind I thought I would begin our newsletter for 2004 with a story. As we reflect on our goals and new years resolutions I hope that this short story can be an inspiration to do better and to see and feel "how wonderful life is".

In the end each and every one of us is responsible for our own happiness. Happiness is a choice! You and only you can decide to choose to be happy. It is not a choice based upon circumstances, but how you choose to handle those circumstances.

As you read the story keep in mind that, whether or not you choose to be responsible for your own happiness, it is a choice either way...and how you make that choice will have a great impact and influence on how your child will learn to do the same.

That is why sports can be so good for children. Life's drama unfolds in sports allowing children to learn to make choices...the theatre of life in many ways is reflected in sports. What a great opportunity for parents, coaches and significant others to help teach some very valuable lessons.

My Best, My Choice,

Coach Joe Hernandez



An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by.

The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and ask if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.

When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter. "This is your house," he said, "my gift to you." What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well.

So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than the best. At important points we do not give the job our best effort. Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built. If we had realized that, we would have done it differently. Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your house. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Build wisely. It is the only life you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity. The plaque on the wall says, "Life is a do-it-yourself project". Who could say it more clearly? Your life today is the result of your attitudes and choices in the past. Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices you make today.

Dear Parents:

On a weekly basis we will try to provide you with a "Tip of The week". Please take a moment to discuss the "tip" with your son.

Coach Francfort, as well as the other coaches are dedicated to the motto of "athletes first, winning second"...this philosophy recognizes that striving to win is an important, even vital, part of sports. But it emphatically states that no efforts in striving to win should be made at the expense of the athletes' well-being, development, and enjoyment.

Our principal method of teaching baseball will always be the "game approach"...the advantage of this approach is that kids are active during almost the entire practice; there is no standing around in lines watching teammates take part in drills.

Remember: fun is the goal of youth baseball. Two factors help your child reach that goal: first, learning how to play; and, second, knowing you are going to be there ( that also means at practice) to support him and to assure him that he has a "winning" experience. Also it is important to try to make most of the games and to arrive on time. It is not fair to the other kids to arrive late or not to arrive at all. We recognize that there are circumstances which warrant lateness or absence, but do remember that when you signed-up for fall baseball that it was a commitment to your son and your son's team. If you are unable to make the game PLEASE call as soon as possible, so that we can make arrangements. Remember, we only have a small crew...a few absences can have an impact on the game and the other children's enjoyment. Thank you for your cooperation.

We welcome parents input. If there is a method or drill that we are teaching your son and you feel that it is contrary to what he has been taught, please talk to us. We are committed to making sure that we do not confuse your child. Many of the drills and plays that we will be teaching has been endorsed by the following organizations: Little League Baseball, Pony Baseball, American Amateur Baseball Congress and Amateur Athletic Union Baseball. Most of the drill we use have were developed by the American Sport Education Program (ASEP), the nation's number one coaching education program. You can visit the ASEP web site at www.asep.com

We look forward to a great fall season.

On behalf of coach Francfort and our parent coaches, thanks!

Joe Hernandez, coach

Take a look at how the great Hank Aaron swung at a pitch. You can learn a lot from watching this short video clip. Click on the "Link Button" on your left, then click on "Be a Better Hitter" and proceed to the "Coiling and Uncoiling" link...please wait until it loads.

A quick frame-by-frame view of rotational mechanics and its effect on bat speed. Click on the "Link" button on the left then click on the Bat Speed link. Once you are at the Bat Speed website click on the link on the right that reads Batspeed Mechanics...wait for downloading.