15 - Brian Femi, St. Michaels HS (MD) ”Practice Planning in a Consistent Program”

Coach Brian Femi Bio

 

• 33 seasons as Head Coach of St Michaels HS in St. Michaels MD 
• 5 State Championships
• 10 regional championships
• 2 Bayside Championships
• Maryland State Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Famer Class of 2011
• National Regional Coach of the year twice
• National HS coach of the year finalist for BCA and ABCA

 

SHOW NOTES

• Kids want structure, discipline, and teamwork 
• Consistently stay on kids about grades, behaviors, citizenship
• High expectations of our kids
• Demand 100% attendance and be good people
• The sign of character is how you act when no one is watching
• Classroom sessions during rainy days
  • Motivational videos
  • Florida and oklahoma when coach pulled number 4 and had a great at bat and the starter was the first one to congratulate the sub
  • Mindfulness
• Rehearsal procedure during BP - at bat, on deck, and in the hole
• 3 types of players
  • Average player who competes 
  • Great ability that goes through the motion with average work ethic/mentality
  • Great ability with great work ethic and mentality
• 1B, 2B, 3B baserunning
  • 1B - steals, returns, 1st/3rd, delays, how far can you get in the OF
  • 2B - groundballs (island reads), vault leads
  • 3B - reads, contact, squeeze, tags
  • OF - flyballs and getting reads from the OF (0 outs, 1 out)
• Competitive BP
  • Hitting group, baserunning group, shag/defense
  • 1st team INF, 1st team OF, 2nd team INF, 2nd team OF - always need INF and OF on defense
  • Points for offense, defense, and pace of play
  • Every Saturday (once or twice a week)
• Quality at bats - no average, just QAB
• “Family first” AB - AB for the team!
• Bunting has stood the test of time.  
  • Bunt on a little league field
  • Baserunnig read while they wait to bunt
  • 1st and 3rd safety squeeze
  • Points the bunting game
  • Get them to love to bunt
  • Batter signs to the baserunner to let them know bunt is on
• Practice planning
  • Stretch
  • Baserun
  • Play catch with positions
  • Throwing work
  • Position group
  • Defensive breakdown (from what coaches want to do from the day before)
    • Inf, of, catcher, and pitcher bullpen
  • Team drills (1st/3rd, double cut, etc)
  • Play of the day (defense) - getting something done at 90%
  • BP or competitive BP
  • Pressure time! (offense) - one thing with something on the line
• Kids need to know how to compete, not just showcase.
• Kids pick teams of who to pick for the pressure time!
• Baserunning times to 1B
• Pressure on the defense!!
• In game data
  • QAB
  • Baserunning at 1B
  • 1st pitch K, leadoff batter out, BB strikes, FB strikes
• Changed to 1 of 2 first pitches for strikes - no less than 1-1.
• Verbal for a pitch out - need to rep it out!!
• Baserunner goes and then stop when he sees a slide step
• Stealbases.com baserunning reads 
• The beat coaches are open minded and build relationships with their kids
• 3 things I want kids to believe (Are we doing those 3 things??)
  • Believe in us
  • Trust us
  • We will always be there for them 
• Contact - bfemi@talbotschools.org