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PRACTICE 8  Focus: Hitting, Fielding/Footwork, Base Running

 

Agility Warm Up  (10 Min)

  • With a glove, player shuffles left and when in front of the ball, breaks down into the proper fielding position and then shuffles to the ball opposite and repeats

  • Encourage staying athletic

  • Do this 3 times to each side

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  • One foot in each moving forward

  • Two feet in each moving forward

  • Two feet in each moving laterally

  • Stationary feeds to a player with no glove

  • Have player get into a proper fielding position and roll balls directly to them so their feet can stay stationary

  • Focus is on getting the player into the proper fielding position and reaching out for the ball with their glove hand palm facing the ball and throwing hand over the glove hand

  • Roll 3 to each and rotate

Catching/Throwing (10 Min)​

Hitting  (25 Min)

 

  • Tee
    • Athletic stance with no stride approach
    • Feet positioned straight or slightly inward with weight on the inside
    • Feet are positioned just outside the shoulders with equal weight on each
    • Have the player just get to contact and through to extension starting slow then progressively getting faster maintaining proper form
    • Focus on staying athletic through to extension with chin staying down
    • Have the player take a full swing finishing high at the shoulder
    • Position the tee to the middle contact point and have the player take a full swing
  • Review Soft Toss
    • Have a coach a coach review the fundamentals of soft toss
    • Coach kneels to the side and slightly in front of batter
    • Coach slowly tosses the ball to batters strike zone
    • Batter swings through with focus points above
  • Introduce Short Front Toss
    • Have a coach discuss and demonstrate front toss
    • Coach pitches from 12-15 feet away
    • Keep focus on proper mechanics
    • Make necessary adjustments

Infield/Outfield Defense (40 Min)

 

  • Infield/Outfield
  • Infield/Outfield Warm Ups (20 Min)
    • Split the team in to two groups â€‹
    • Have one coach work with outfield fundamentals introducing throwing soft fly balls up close with a tennis ball
    • Have another coach work with the infield rolling 
      • You can have the players stay in one position or can rotate them through the infield from third, to short stop, to second, and then first â€‹
      • Work on force plays to first
      • Stress the fundamentals of good footwork, working through the ball, staying athletic, and good throws
    • After 10 minutes, the infield goes to the outfield and outfield goes to the infield

Infield/Outfield Defense (30 Min)

 

  • Coach places the players in positions
    • The coaching starts with the outfield hitting to the left fielder, center fielder, then right fielder 
    • The coach hits each outfielder 2 balls with the outfielder throwing to their cut off
    • When the ball is on the left side to the outfield, the cut off is to the short stop
      • The short stop is to look for a play at a base or run and throw the ball in to the pitcher​
    • When the ball is on right side, the cut off is the second baseman
      • The second baseman will look for a play at a base or run and throw the ball in to the pitcher
    • The coach then hits balls to infielders softly
    • Each position receives 2 balls one at a time and makes a throw to first 
    • The outfield can work on moving an backing up the play
    • For advanced teams, teach a rotation with a runner on first and have the second base cover 2nd base with throws going to 2nd
    • Teach force out at each base if they receive a ball close to their base to tag
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