- Baseball is a Game of Movement -

Day 1 - Coach Pitch

Equipment in First Base Dugout; make this a habit. Most game activity, and direction of player actions, is towards First Base. Practices run more efficiently when setting-up on the First Base side.

***(9/21/25) Links to pages with detailed descriptions of each activity will be added soon.

                                     

(-0:10-0:00) Pre-practice     

Whiffle Ball Batting

                       

                                                          

0:00-0:10

Introductions/Get to Know (foul territory, in grass beyond 1B):

1) Name    2) School    3) Team played for last season (if you played) 4) Review all names

0:10-0:20           

Teach:  (a) Glove Fold   (b) The Pocket   (c) No ‘Tacos’

Receiving Throws:

  1. Ready Position

  2. Move Feet to Catch

  3. Reach Forward to Catch

Drill: Move Feet to Catch

 

 

0:20-0:35

Movement Instruction                                                                                                                  

  • The Base

  • Catcher = ‘Fourth Baseman’     

  • BBB (‘Baseball/Softball is a Game of Movement’)

Drill: Infield Base Coverage

(‘Ball or Base’ …have 2 mini diamonds, bases 25’ apart, set up in advance)               

 

0:35-0:55           

Playing Catch Practice

  • Throwing Instruction - Arm action

‘No Ball’ Drills

  • Turn & Pull   x5 (Upper arm and torso work as One Piece - see image) 

  • Drive & Pull   x5 (Anchor awareness)

  • Wrist Action   6-7 seconds x2 (emphasis on fingers)

 

 

0:45-0:55           

Play Catch: 25’-35’ (start in a Power Position – Palms away)

Focus:  

  1. Upper arm moves ‘Sideways’; elbow remains at shoulder height. 

  2. Following release, arm remains at shoulder height.

— Emphasis on Wrist Snap (fingers) - 4 min

— Emphasis on Driving off back foot/leg - 4 min

Skill Segment: Replay the Ball (‘Pick up Both Sides of the Ball’…2-3x; we’ll review this a lot during the season)

 

 

0:55-1:00   <Break>               

 

 

1:00-1:10       

Teach: ‘Bat By the Barrel’

Batting Instruction

  • Stance (feet wide)   

  • Weight Shift (Drill)

  • ‘See Ball, Turn Back’ (Drill)

  • Elbow Drive (Drill - while holding center of bat) — Explain: Swing sequence is ELBOW, then WRIST

 

1:10-1:30           

Whiffle Ball Batting - Timing: Players verbalize, “Pitch”-“Hit”

(no concerns, or talk, re: mechanics; just timing today)

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