The American Sport Education Program (ASEP) brings the diamond to the desktop with Coaching Baseball Technical and Tactical Skills online course. The course draws content from the book Coaching Baseball Technical and Tactical Skills written by ASEP in conjunction with Tom O'Connell, 2007 ABCA Hall of Fame inductee. Coach O'Connell also served as a content expert for the online course.

The course helps coaches learn how to teach the technical and tactical skills of baseball. In this course you will learn how to do the following:

• Explain the relationship and difference between technical and tactical skills and describe the traditional and games approaches to baseball practice (unit 1).
  
• Evaluate technical and tactical baseball skills in your players and make use of your evaluation results (unit 2).
  
• Teach, critique, and correct essential technical skills (units 3 and 4).
  
• Teach, critique, and correct essential tactical skills (units 5 and 6).
  
• Prepare effective season plans and individual practice plans (units 7 and 8).
  
• Prepare for game days, coach games, and work with your team after games (units 9 and 10).

As you progress through the course, they are asked to read portions of the Coaching Baseball Technical and Tactical Skills book and view video clips housed on CD-ROM to complete course units. You will learn about different approaches to coaching, including the games approach (an alternative to drills-based coaching); develop a season plan and a series of practice plans; and improve your ability to coach during games.

The course is heavy on skill demonstration and error detection and correction. Through a partnership with Dartfish, ASEP has incorporated aspects of the Dartish video technology into the course. Coaches can break down technical and tactical skills of baseball by viewing Dartfish baseball media books that allow users to view video frame by frame.

Other features include Coaching Aids, a storehouse of printable PDF documents that are incorporated throughout the course. These include practice plans, sport first aid checklists, and drill sheets. You’ll have access to the Coaching Aids for up to one year after completing the course. The course also features a separate section devoted to baseball officiating signals.

After completing the course units, you’ll take the 40-question course test online and receive immediate results.

MSU Coaching Baseball Technical and Tactical Skills earns coaches 3.5 CEUs from MSU and the Michigan State Board of Education. In order for you to be awarded the CEUs, you must verify that you expended a minimum of 35 hours (which includes required reading) to complete the course.

In awarding CEUs, MSU follows CEU guidelines developed by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET). Given that each state board has different requirements for teacher licensure, certification, and CEU courses, we encourage you to check with your district or state Department of Education to ensure CEUs from MSU and the Michigan State Board of Education are accepted by your organization.