Rookie Drills Throwing: ⢠Play Catch - kids
PFAA T-Ball/Rookie Drills Throwing: • •
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Play Catch - kids start off a few steps away from each other. After each successful catch, take another step back until a throw is dropped. Repeat Kneeling Throw – player kneels on one knee (non-throwing knee on ground, throwing knee up. Throw to partner with 4 seam grip and keeping elbow above shoulder Grab & Toss – Line player up on baseline, Coach stands behind player at arm length away and holds out the baseball. Player is to reach back for the ball with full extension and then throw from that position to a teammate or other Coach Target Practice – Several methods of doing this drill. Use old lightweight tires and attach them to the backstop and makeup a point value for each one. Other option is to setup a target to knock down (such as pins) and have a coaches vs. kids challenge.
Run the Bases: •
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Kids take swing (no ball), drop bat and run THROUGH 1st base. Player should not stop until they high five the Coach standing down the first base line. Instruct one base at a time. Next batter goes and all runners advance one base until they reach home Rookie Ball only – instruct on the importance of tagging the inside of the bag when advancing to 2nd or 3rd.
Batting Instruction: •
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Batting Stance and Grip – Have player line up square to the plate, with feet spread out beyond shoulder width. Use “boxer grip” to provide strength/power in wrists Swing - Teach starting swing with 60% of weight on back knee and then lead with the front shoulder to drive the ball. Start and finish bat high with balance and back heel up. Tee work – high tee, low tee, move tee to the outside of the plate, move tee in front of plate. All of these position changes force the player to adapt to the ball placement. Moving the tee in front of the plate will force the player to drive forward through the ball in order to make contact Soft Toss – Player takes stance at plate. Coach takes a bucket of baseballs and kneels parallel to the plate and begins tossing one ball at a time over the plate. This will teach the player to move his/her bat quickly and to get good rotation at the hips in order to drive the ball
Fielding: •
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Basic fielding – feet wide, hands out in front, back side down. Ground ball to player, two steps and throws to target. Step with throwing side foot first, opposite foot second. Teaching to reduce the number of steps prior to throwing. Coach bats the ball to infielders and has them throw to 1st. Outfielders throw to cutoff. Soft hands – using the Skilz mat and bare hands, teach proper fielding technique and use both hands (alligator hands) Crab drill – group kids into a large circle and get into fielder stances. Coach in middle and roles ball to kids. Players are to step to the ball and toss back to coach Scoop, Load, Fire – break down of the 3 steps involved in fielding and throwing. Coach grounds ball to player and calls out “Scoop”, player will remain in the scoop position until next command of “Load” at which point the player will then transition to the proper throwing technique (throwing arm back, glove pointed towards target) and will remain in that position until the last command of “Fire” at which point the player will then toss the ball to the target. Repetition with this drill is key. Pop Ups - use a tennis ball and toss short pop ups to the kids. Instruct them on how to position their gloves and trap the ball with the opposite hand. Instruct that the ball must be caught above head Pass Patterns – have players run pass route to a target, coach throws popup to target. Helps players learn to track ball and run to where ball is thrown/hit Rapid Fire – Line group of players up a designated point (pitching mound for example) and mark a spot a few feet in front of that point. Coach will ground a ball to the marked spot and have one player charge the ball and throw it to another Coach. That player then moves to the back of the line and the next one in line does the same thing. This is meant to be a very quick moving drill.
Teach Positions: •
Coach calls out a fielder position (Centerfield, Short Stop, etc.) and have all of the kids run to that spot
Mini Games: •
Depending on the number of kids at practice, have them play 4 on 4 or if you don’t have enough kids, have them all play against the coaches.
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Play Catch - kids start off a few steps away from each other. After each successful catch, take another step back until a throw is dropped. Repeat Kneeling Throw – player kneels on one knee (non-throwing knee on ground, throwing knee up. Throw to partner with 4 seam grip and keeping elbow above shoulder Grab & Toss – Line player up on baseline, Coach stands behind player at arm length away and holds out the baseball. Player is to reach back for the ball with full extension and then throw from that position to a teammate or other Coach Target Practice – Several methods of doing this drill. Use old lightweight tires and attach them to the backstop and makeup a point value for each one. Other option is to setup a target to knock down (such as pins) and have a coaches vs. kids challenge.
Run the Bases: •
•
Kids take swing (no ball), drop bat and run THROUGH 1st base. Player should not stop until they high five the Coach standing down the first base line. Instruct one base at a time. Next batter goes and all runners advance one base until they reach home Rookie Ball only – instruct on the importance of tagging the inside of the bag when advancing to 2nd or 3rd.
Batting Instruction: •
•
•
•
Batting Stance and Grip – Have player line up square to the plate, with feet spread out beyond shoulder width. Use “boxer grip” to provide strength/power in wrists Swing - Teach starting swing with 60% of weight on back knee and then lead with the front shoulder to drive the ball. Start and finish bat high with balance and back heel up. Tee work – high tee, low tee, move tee to the outside of the plate, move tee in front of plate. All of these position changes force the player to adapt to the ball placement. Moving the tee in front of the plate will force the player to drive forward through the ball in order to make contact Soft Toss – Player takes stance at plate. Coach takes a bucket of baseballs and kneels parallel to the plate and begins tossing one ball at a time over the plate. This will teach the player to move his/her bat quickly and to get good rotation at the hips in order to drive the ball
Fielding: •
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• •
Basic fielding – feet wide, hands out in front, back side down. Ground ball to player, two steps and throws to target. Step with throwing side foot first, opposite foot second. Teaching to reduce the number of steps prior to throwing. Coach bats the ball to infielders and has them throw to 1st. Outfielders throw to cutoff. Soft hands – using the Skilz mat and bare hands, teach proper fielding technique and use both hands (alligator hands) Crab drill – group kids into a large circle and get into fielder stances. Coach in middle and roles ball to kids. Players are to step to the ball and toss back to coach Scoop, Load, Fire – break down of the 3 steps involved in fielding and throwing. Coach grounds ball to player and calls out “Scoop”, player will remain in the scoop position until next command of “Load” at which point the player will then transition to the proper throwing technique (throwing arm back, glove pointed towards target) and will remain in that position until the last command of “Fire” at which point the player will then toss the ball to the target. Repetition with this drill is key. Pop Ups - use a tennis ball and toss short pop ups to the kids. Instruct them on how to position their gloves and trap the ball with the opposite hand. Instruct that the ball must be caught above head Pass Patterns – have players run pass route to a target, coach throws popup to target. Helps players learn to track ball and run to where ball is thrown/hit Rapid Fire – Line group of players up a designated point (pitching mound for example) and mark a spot a few feet in front of that point. Coach will ground a ball to the marked spot and have one player charge the ball and throw it to another Coach. That player then moves to the back of the line and the next one in line does the same thing. This is meant to be a very quick moving drill.
Teach Positions: •
Coach calls out a fielder position (Centerfield, Short Stop, etc.) and have all of the kids run to that spot
Mini Games: •
Depending on the number of kids at practice, have them play 4 on 4 or if you don’t have enough kids, have them all play against the coaches.
