Coaches Corner : Drills For Coaches

3-2-RUN GAME

Purpose: conditioning, proper throwing and catching techniques

Place 3 balls on the ground evenly spaced, about 3/4 of the way from third base to home. The fielding team has a third baseman and a group at second base. Another team is at bat (without bats). When the coach yells, "Go", the batter (runner) runs as fast as she can to first base and on to second. The fielder at third base runs to the first ball and makes a throw to a teammate at second base, then goes to the second ball and makes a throw to the same fielder at second base and does the same thing with the third ball.

The object of this game is to make 3 good throws from third base (third base line) to second base before the runner gets to second base. If the runner gets there first, or if the fielder makes a bad throw or bad catch, the batters get 1 point (you can use any value you want). If the fielders get all 3 balls to second base before the runner gets there, no points are awarded. ( Spacing of the balls is key ) Space them far enough apart to give the runners a chance, but not too far apart.

Four Corner Drill (Or Follow the Ball)

Purpose: conditioning, proper throwing and catching techniques

Start with a fielder on each base and a short stop. All other fielders are in foul territory, behind 3rd base. Hit a ground ball to short. She throws it to first, then sprints to play first defensively. The first girl behind third, sprints to cover short and awaits the next ground ball. The first baseman throws to second, then sprints to play cover second. The second baseman throws to third, then sprints to cover third. (Have her run behind the short stop.) At this point hit another grounder to short. The third baseman throws home then sprints to cover home. The catcher hands the ball to the coach/hitter and sprints to the line behind third base. Continue this rotation as long as you want, the girls get very tired and start to make errors. Teach them that with the proper throwing and catching mechanics, errors will be minimized especially late in a game when the players are tired.

Around the Horn

Purpose: proper throwing and catching techniques, baserunning, team building

Divide the team in half, one half are runners and the other half are infielders. Hit a ground ball to a fielder, as soon as she touches the ball the first runner takes off to first and runs all the way to home. The fielder throws the ball to first and the ball is relayed around the horn, first to second to third to home…twice. If the runner “scores” before the ball is thrown around the horn twice, count it as a point for the runners. If the ball beats the runner, count it as a point for the fielders.

Ball in Circle

Purpose: Using two hands to field a grounder, focus, team building

Arrange your team in a large circle in the middle of the infield. No gloves are used. Have a player roll the ball to another player who must field it with two bear hands and then rolls it to another player. Introduce another ball, then another, and perhaps another depending on how the girls are doing.

Race and Chase

Purpose: conditioning, baserunning, team building

Divide the team in half with one half at second and the other half at home. Place cones around first base to create the proper path a runner should take around first. The teams create a running order. On “go” the runners run around the bases and tag their next runner’s hand before she can go. The runners must touch each base and must travel through the cone path. First team through wins.

Zig Zag

Purpose: fielding fly balls, proper position of body and throwing to a base, conditioning

Position a coach on third, second and first and ensure each coach has a few extra balls with them. Have the entire team in foul territory along the left field line. Have the first girl sprint to the left fielder’s position, stop and prepare to catch a fly thrown by the coach at third. The fielder should catch the ball and throw to third. Then she jogs toward center and the coach at third throws the ball so the fielder must run to catch the ball. She then throws to the coach at second. The coach at second throws the ball as she jogs toward right. When she catches the ball she throws to the coach at first. Then she runs into the foul territory behind first base, awaits all the fielders to follow her and then begins the same pattern back around to left field.