Day 1 - Practice Plan

Fundamental skills introduced (these are often skipped over or not taught thoroughly):

  • Catching the Ball with the Feet

  • The Throwing Action

  • How to cover a base, and receive a throw at a base, effectively

  • Infield Base Coverage Responsibilities & The Fourth Baseman

  • Underhand Toss

  • Fielding Footwork

Pre-Practice         

Whiffle Ball Batting

0:00-0:10

Introductions

0:10-0:20

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

 

Receiving Throws:

  1. Ready Position

  2. Move Feet

  3. Reach Forward

 

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)

 

 

0:35-0:55

Teach: Power Position & Move Feet to Throw

Drill: Receiving a Throw at a Base

Third Base (tag)

First Base (force)

 

0:55-1:00     <Break>

1:00-1:10      

Drill: Underhand Toss                                                                        

 

 

1:10-1:20   

Playing Catch Practice

Throwing Instruction - Arm action

‘No Ball’ Drills

  1. Turn & Pull     x5

  2. Drive & Pull    x5

  3. Wrist Action  x8

 

1:20-1:30

Play Catch: 30’-35’ (Starting from Power Position)

 

1:30-1:40

Team Drills

Ground Ball Fielding Instruction

  1. Fast, Slow, Fast

  2. Get in Front of the ball…to Catch the ball

  3. Short Hop, Top of the Hop

 

 

1:40-1:50

Drill: 20’ Ground Balls

 

 

1:50-2:00

Drill: 50’ Ground Balls

 

 

Drills

Explanations

Throwing the ball in the infield (and for shorter throws up to 60’-70’ for kids) is more of a ‘Slinging’ action than a throw. (Video of MLB Shortstops throwing: 0:00-1:30 Full Speed; 1:30-3:15 Slo-Mo). The throwing elbow moves ‘sideways’, at shoulder level. It moves forward, as one piece, with the torso. Then the arm is propelled forward as a result of the Wrist-snap action. This is an ‘accelerated’ action; the elbow moves forward at ‘Medium’ speed, then the Wrist snaps at ‘Full Speed’.

Watch this Table Tennis player use the same technique (upper arm and torso move forward as one piece). Video (0:02 - player in red returning the serve; 0:05-0:08 - player in red returning the serve; then the next time he hits the ball.) This is a fundamental action of biomechanics: The arm and torso move forward together, as one piece. The arm Does Not work independently.

‘No Ball’ Drills

(to Train the Basic Throwing Motion)

Turn and Pull

 

Objective

Players train their muscles and bodies to have the upper throwing arm and torso move as one piece as the throwing-arm Elbow moves forward.

 

Set up

Players in two rows of six

Glove side of the body facing the ‘target’; Elbows held at shoulder height (‘Power Position’)

Throwing-hand palm facing away from the body.

 

Drill

(1) Turn the feet and legs, and (2) pull the glove elbow back, stopping the glove elbow just prior to reaching the side of the torso.

 

***Upper-arm Elbow, while remaining at shoulder height, moves forward, as the torso turns.  The upper arm and torso move as one piece.  (See the picture with the straight red line across the shoulder blades to the Elbow.  This part of the body remains lined up for the entire action).

 

The movement ends when the throwing-arm Elbow is past the head and center line of the torso.

 

Note: the players’ heads point straight towards the ‘target’ for the entire action.  There should be no head movement.

 

Drive and Pull

 

Same set up as Turn and Pull.

 

Emphasis is now on the Back Leg.

 

Drive off the back foot (and Pull with the Glove Elbow).  The result is the Torso moving forward, finishing with torso out over the front foot.

 

Same actions with the upper body: upper arm and torso move as one piece.  Finish with the throwing-arm elbow slightly past the head/center line of the torso; glove elbow stopped prior to reaching the side of the torso.

 

We want zero/minimal effort made with the throwing arm.

 

 

 

Wrist Action

 

Set up in the finish position of the Drive and Pull action (the throwing-arm hand is approximately 12” past the head).

 

Drive the Fingers straight down quickly (without moving the arm). The down action of the wrist is the result (‘wrist snap’).  Slowly raise the Wrist straight up, then snap straight down again.

 

Repeat 8 times.

 

***the Wrist Snap is a critically important part of the throwing action (and for pitching, too).  We want our players to be focused and take this drill seriously.  The Wrist action impacts accuracy.

 

First Baseman Footwork

VIDEO (Watch 0:20-0:26)

  1. Sprints to the Base

  2. Cover The Base With Your Eyes

  3. THEN turns to face the throw

  4. Ready Position

  5. Moves to ‘Stretch’ Position, if necessary, After the ball is in the air (confirm the throw is accurate, Before committing feet)

Throwing Action

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