Practice Plan for Sunday

(From April 4)

Great practice today -- thanks for all your help. It was fast-paced and effective. As the weather gets warmer, we'll build in some water breaks. If we position the water strategically, we should be able to do it without wasting too much of our valuable practice time.

Also, let's begin with throwing and catching because the kids all arrive at different times and that is a good way to get them going right off the bat. But we're going to get that done quicker than today, move on to stretching and running and breaking into our stations.

Here's what's on tap for tomorrow. If you are not familiar with the drills, I explained them below. Any questions, holler.

Practice Plan II

Pre-practice Warm-ups

10 minutes: Throwing and catching

5 minutes: Running (jogging, backward jogging, high-knee skipping) {Some of those boys were sucking wind after jogging 50 yards; We'll get that fixed within a few practices.)

5 minutes: Stretching

Station Drills

45 minutes: Stations, 15 minutes each

• Hitting: Soft toss, quick stick, T work, cage work (Dave, Walt)
  

• Outfield: Lead Drill, Scream Drill (Amy, Tab)
  

• Infield: Dive-Ball Drill, Backhand Drill, Around the Horn (James, Kenny)
  

Practice Wrap-up

10 minutes: Baserunning (Run through 1B; 1B to 3B; Home to 2B; 2B to Home; Home Run, finishing with a slide)


Drills:

Lead Drill

Goal: Develop ability to catch the ball on the run

Procedure:

• Line the players in single file
• Coach stands next to the first player and yells "Go!"
• The Players runs away from the coach, looking over his shoulder at the coach
• Coach throws the ball, leading the runner much like a QB throwing a ball to a WR
• Player catches the ball, throws it to the coach and runs to the end of the line

Key points:

• Teach the boys to run sideways
• Never take eyes off the ball
• Point lead shoulder in the direction of where the ball will land
• Coaches, remember to get the ball high enough for the boys to judge its path and get to it

Scream Drill

Goal: Practice calling off another fielder on a fly ball

Procedure:

• Two lines of two boys, 20 feet apart from each other
• Tell the first player in each line to step up
• Throw a fly ball in between the two
• The player closest to the ball must scream "I got it" three times
• Throw it back to the coach

Key points:

• Focus on player movement and noise -- the boys must learn to call for the ball, and back off when called off
• Focus on teaching the boys to deal with distractions

Dive-Ball Drill

Goal: Develop confidence to live the feet and dive for a ball

Procedure:

• Boys line up and coach tells the first player to step up
• Coach yells "Left," the player moves that way and the coach rolls a grounder, leading the player so he must dive for it
• Repeat on the right side
• Each player gets four dives, then the next player steps up

Key points:

• Make sure the boy are "baseball ready" with bent knees and open gloves
• Teach the boys to run toward the ball and make the catch, understanding that a dive is the last resort

Backhand Drill

Goal: Develop ability to catch a grounder backhanded

Procedure:

• Line the players up single file
• Coach stands 15 feet in front and rolls grounders to the backhand side of the player
• A backhand catch is made when the player crosses the body with his glove hand to make the catch
• Player throws the ball back to the coach

Key Points:

• Remind the boys to begin in "baseball ready" position and keep their gloves open
• Keep eyes on the ball at all times
• Stopping the ball or knocking it down is just as good as a clean catch

Around the Horn Drill

Goal: Develop accurate and quick fielding skills

Procedure:

• Place players at P, 3B, 2B and 1B.
• On coach's "Go," Pitcher throws the ball to 3B, 3B throws to 2B, 2B to 1B and 1B back to the P
• Coach times how quick the relay is completed
• Rotate players to different positions

Key Points:

• Emphasize throwing accurately and catching cleanly over how fast it is done
• Explain that hurrying throws often result in inaccuracy.
• Step toward the target and follow through
• "Hot potato" technique, teaching the boys to catch and throw as quickly as possible

See you tomorrow (pray for no rain),
James