|
FIELDING: FOUR
CORNERS DRILL
Players are located at 3B fielding position, 2B (on bag), 1B (on bag)
and at catcher. All other players are lined up at 3B coaching box. Coach
hits ground ball to 3B who throws to 2B who throws to 1B who throws to
catcher. After they throw, the player then sprints to the position she
threw to. The next player in line then assumes 3B and the drill starts
over. When everyone has been through I then place the players at 1B and the
drill goes from 1B to 2B to 3B to catcher.
This drill provides a quick warm-up, works on fielding ground balls,
throwing accuracy, and pivoting to make the next throw.
FIELDING: 1,2,3 DRILL
This is a line drive and pop up fielding drill which teaches players to
catch three types of flyballs.
1) a line drive right at them,
2) a line drive that they must stretch for,
3) and last a flyball that they must sprint to catch. This is how the drill
works.
Line your players up in a single file line, players should start on the
fair line just behind first base at the edge of the outfield grass. The
coach will be in right-center field with a bucket of balls. The players
will be running in a straight line about 50 to 60 feet away from the coach.
(Running from first towards second.) One player at a time and they need
their gloves.
The coach starts by throwing a line drive right at the players, the player
catches it and will still running the coach throws the second ball in front
of the player making her reach to catch it, while the player is still
running the coach throws the third ball, which is a high pop fly out away
from the player that she must track down and catch it. After player one has
been she returns to the back of the line and it is time for the next
player.
Keys importance to this drill:
1) Once the players starts running (she never stops nor hesitates) she
sprints all the way, catching all the balls on the run.
2) Once the players catches a ball she quickly throws it down and looks for
the next ball.
3) After the player has finish she retreats and picks up the three balls
and gets in the back of the line. (balls on the ground may cause a twisted
ankle)
4) The coach needs to be quick and accurate with his/her throws. A line
drive right at them starts it off, then the second throw must be where they
reach out for, and the last throw is a fly ball out away from the player
which they must hustle down and catch.
FIELDING: BARNEY GAME
You get a Barney (or any other stuffed animal, but Barney works the best
because they hate him) and put him on a chair by 1st base. If you have a
net, put the nest behind the chair to stop the balls, otherwise put the
chair near home. Have a coach hit ground balls to shortstop.
The player fields the ball and makes a throw trying to knock Barnet off the
chair.
The ball must be fielded properly or no points. Have a time limit (about 5
minutes) and keep track of how many hits Barney gets. Maybe have a rule
that if the prior record is broken that the coaches do a lap!
FIELDING: BAT AROUND THE HORN GAME
It works on every aspect of the game--Hitting, Fielding, Throwing, Base
Running and requires two teams of 5 players. (It can be played with 6
players or more but each player scores for herself.)
One team takes the field at 1b,2b,ss,3b, and c. The other team is at bat.
The batter hits a ground ball (from a tee, soft toss, or just toss the ball
up and hit it). Fly balls are outs. An infielder catches the ball and
throws to 1b. 1b then throws to one of the other infielders. That fielder
throws back to 1b. 1b then throws to the other infielder (who hasn't
touched the ball) who throws back to 1b. The ball then goes around the horn
(1b to ss to 2b to 3b) and then to the catcher.
Each fielder must touch her base before throwing except for around the horn
and home. If the batter-runner can run all the way home before the ball
gets home, 1 run scores. If the ball gets home first, one putout is made.
Fielders rotate one position clockwise and next batter hits. Each Fielder
has caught 3 ball and made 3 throws. Every catch and throw must be accurate
or a run scores. Bat until 3 outs are made and change sides. Batters need
to wear helmets. Play 3-7 innings. With more than 10 players - Fielders can
rotate in at 3b.
Here's an example in case my explanation was not clear:
Ball hit to 3rd.
3b catches batted ball, steps on 3rd, throws to 1b
1b catches ball, steps on 1st, throws to ss
ss catches ball, steps on 2nd, throws to 1b
1b catches ball, steps on 1st, throws to 2b
2b throws to 1b (now around the horn)
1b throws to ss
ss throws to 2b
2b throws to 3b
3b throws to c and c steps on home plate
BALL DROP DRILLS
Base Drill: The runner is on the base in her ready position (ready for her
lead off). Another player or coach is a short distance from her, in the
basepath from 1st to 2nd base. The coach holds a tennis ball at eye height.
As the ball is dropped on a piece of flat wood, the runner leaves the base
and attempts to catch the ball before it bounces off the wood a second
time. The distance for this drill is determined by the skill level of the
runners, but start out close so that she can easily catch the ball and
slowly move back to challenge her.
Out of the Box Drill
This drill is similar to the base drill, but this time the runner is a
batter. The dropper is lined up a short distance from home plate in the
base path to 1st base. Have the batter take a normal swing with a "bat"
(use a fake bat, or top of a batting tee). As the "bat" enters the impact
or contact zone, drop the tennis ball and have the batter run out of the
batters box and catch the ball before it bounces on the wood a second time.
Once again, start out at a short distance and increase the distance to
challenge the batters. NOTE: Make sure batters weight is balanced and not
leaning forward or backward or she will take unnecessary steps to regain
her balance before running for the ball. Also, watch the right arm and
elbow (right handed batters). The proper movement is to drive the elbow
back and outside the hip to initiate the running sequence. Finally, watch
the "bat" to make sure she does not "whip" the bat back to the right side
and then run. The "bat" should be dropped by the left hand after the right
hand has released it.
This drill teaches two things. The first is to get out of the batters box
quickly and with the least amount of steps and wasted movement. The second
thing it teaches is to hit the ball and run. Not to HIT THE BALL, ADMIRE
YOUR HIT AND THEN SAUNTER TO FIRST BASE.
Resistance Drills
Equipment required: A belt and a short length of rope (about 10-12 feet
long)
Put the belt around the waist of a runner and tie the rope to the back of
the belt. Have another player grasp the rope and stand behind the runner
with the rope taut. Have the runner lean forward while the other player
holds the rope to keep her from falling. The proper running position is at
about a 5-10 degree angle off vertical with her feet pointing forward, the
back foot about 6 inches behind and 6 inches to the right (or left) of the
lead foot. With the help of the rope holder, have the runner get into her
running position and when she is, say "GO". The runner runs about 10 yards
with the rope holder applying resistance. You do not want too much
resistance, just enough to keep the runner in the proper running position.
Do this 2 times then have the runner "free" sprint over the same distance
while the rope holder is putting on the belt. Then switch positions.
THESE ARE GAMES FOR END OF PRACTICE
3-2-1: Place three balls equal distance apart about three fourths of the
way from third to home. Have a runner (team 1) and have a fielder on third
base and one one 2nd base (team2). When you say "go", the runner must reach
2nd base before the fielder fields and throws the balls to the fielder at
second base. All throws must be accurate. If the fielders get all balls to
second base before the runner gets there, the fielders get 1 point. If the
runner gets there first, they get 1 point. Lots of fun!!
THUNDER BALL
Have a fielder on first base and one on third base (team 1). Place a ball
on a tee or soft toss it to a hitter (team 2). The hitter hits the ball and
runs to as many bases as she can reach before both fielders have touched
the ball. For each base she reaches before the fielders touch the ball, her
team gets 1 point. They all like this one!!
HOT BOX DRILL
The hot box drill is designed to work on girls footwork, arm motion,
catching, and throwing.
Start by positioning a girl at the pitching rubber, a girl at each base,
and the remaining girls lined up along the fence in front of first base
dugout.
Give a ball to the girl on the rubber (make sure coach has extra balls
ready to
replace bad throws so that you do not waste time chasing balls). Have the
girl on the
rubber throw the ball to the girl at home plate who in turn returns the
ball to the girl on
the rubber. Then the girl on the rubber pops and throws the ball to third,
then
second, and finally to first base. (By the term pop I am referring to girl
pivoting to her
target, pointing her left foot and glove to her target, arm at shoulder
level, hand above
arm with ball facing back, and finally throwing the ball). As soon as she
receives the
ball from first base, she drops the ball straight down and everyone rotates
running to
their next position. The girl on the rubber goes to the end of the line,
the girl at the
front of the line goes to home plate, home plate to third base, third base
to second
base, second base to first base, and first base to rubber.
Repeat until every player has been in the hot box 2 times then have the
girl on
the rubber throw to home, then first, then second, and finally third base.
Again focus on footwork and arm motion. The rotation will be from rubber to
back
of line, front of line to home, home to first, first to second, second to
third, and third
to rubber.
Make sure players throw the ball hard, no lobbing! At first the weaker
players
might be afraid, but you will soon see a big improvement on catching,
footwork, and
quicker releases when throwing.
|