In December 2007, Coach Karen started a push-ups-for-baseball-cards program. Push-ups are one of the greatest exercises for young baseball players. It works out their arms, shoulders, abs, and back without risk of injury. They are good for throwing (including pitching) and hitting.

Players can keep a push-up chart and keep track of how many push-ups they do each day. Coach Karen gives out baseball cards for every 10 pushups a player averages per week starting at 30 (three cards for 30, four cards for 40, no cards for 29, and so forth). That means players must do at least 210 pushups a week to get cards. They can do 210 in one day if they want or 30 a day for seven days, whatever works for them.

• Derek Jeter

  Players do pushups, an average of 30 per day. They can do 10 in morning, 10 in afternoon, 10 at night, all at once, or whatever works for them want.
• They must keep track of pushups on a calendar or a piece of paper with dates and a place for the parent to sign.
• Charts must be dated and signed by parent each day next to the total number of pushups.
• The weekly total each week should be added somewhere so Coach Karen doesn't have to tally it.
• Their weekly total is divided by seven (days). If it is 30, they get three cards, 40, four cards, 50, five cards, etc.
• Start each week on Friday and end on Thursday.
• Parents should watch players do the pushups so they do them right. Make sure they keep their butts down and go down to where their nose is about one inch from the floor. Don’t let them cheat, or they won’t get any benefit. No knees on the floor, obviously! Legs should be straight.
• Days that aren't signed won't be counted, so make sure you sign off on all the days. This isn’t a free baseball card program; we want them to get some benefit from all this!

Players can cash in their push-ups for cards at each Friday practice. Download the Wildcat push-up chart below, or make your own. It's also on the Documents page under Team Documents.

Wildcat push-up chart