coaches - what are your fave...

[llabtfos]

"spice up a boring practice drill"! please add the age level(s) you use them for...

couple we use:

"find the grass game" basically like playing real ball or intrasquad scrimmage) with a couple caveats; if a batter hits the ball to the grass (past the infield) in the air it's a homerun, batter hits it and it skips or rolls to the grass it's a double. just a fun way to end practice, we usually play two innings and let our girls play all kinds of new positions as we dont use outfielders for this game - it's more of an emphasis on whacking that ball good!

level: 12U: & 10U..........can also be used for 14U

talked about this one in the earlier thread:

"around the Horn Game"
divide into two equal teams. you need all infield positions except for pitcher for team A, and a team B for baserunners.

one team (A) starts in the infield and one team (B) starts by running the bases.

a coach will start the game by hitting a ground ball to short. the short stop (team A) then throws to 1st base. the 1st baseman must snag -touch their base and then throw to the 3rd basemen, who also must touch 3rd before throwing to the 2nd basemen. The 2nd baseman must catch and also touch 2nd before firing the ball home. OH, did i mention a baserunner from the other team (team B) is flying around the bases the same second the coach put the ball in play to short? this is where the fun and skill building and baserunning come into play! whatever the skill there are usually several close plays at home (for asfety, just make it a force out at home an not a tag play/,,i prefer no sliding if not needed. once all players have ran, switch out and the infielders run and runners go to play infield.

level: 12U: & 10U..........could also probably be used for 14U

please submit some more ideas on "How to Spice up a practice" thank you!

 

[TimothyJ]

This past winter was my first attempt at coaching softball (10u Rec).

Not having a clue as to what I was doing, I looked for drills online to keep things interesting. I found one where you set up a large stuffed animal at 1st base, and the girls try to knock it over after fielding grounders at the other infield positions.

Not having a large stuffed animal, I went down the basement and the closest thing I could find was a large, plastic ghost (Halloween decoration)

So brought that in (our early Spring/Winter practices are held indoors) and set it up on a folding chair.

At first, everyone looked at me like I had two heads. The girls found it more difficult than I thought it would be to knock the ghost down, but by the end of the drill everyone was cheering when a girl was able to do it.

Another drill they liked...

Line up half the team at home plate with helmets, the other half with gloves at 3B. (and a coach at 2B)

Place 3 balls at intervals down the line towards home plate.

On go, the 1st runner takes off. The fielder has to run down the line, grab each ball and fire to 2B. The object is to get all three balls to 2B before the runner can get there.

 

[Mike]

We like the bunt game. Split the team in half, team 1 in the field, team 2 at bat. A coach pitches for consistency and all they can do is bunt. We have a coach watching the fielders, if they cheat in (they know the bunt is coming) the runner gets a free base. The effort they put into this is incredible. And they think its fun.

Mike

 

[shockcoach]

My practices are filled with drills that are extremely boring and repetitive, but they build the muscle memory for this game. I end up with kids that can both throw and catch correctly. Occasionally, I give into the whims of my two coaches (they start whining louder than the girls) and let them change it up for a practice or two to keep things lively.

 

[mad hornet]

I coach 10U travel and try very hard to emphasize the importance of outfielding (especially since everyone wants to play infield). I came up with a game where I split the girls into two teams of 5 or 6 players.

I set up 4 cones in the outfield 40-45' apart in the shape of a square and one at a time a player would stand in the middle of this square. My assistant hits a fly ball to them from home plate. If it lands in the square they get zero points for their team and their turn is over. If it lands outside the square they get a re-hit. If they catch it in the square they get one point for the team and their turn is over. If they catch one outside the square I award two team points and their turn is over. Alternate players into the square from each team. Team with the most point wins and the losing team rakes the field after practice.

The kids (and parents) love this game. I was surprised after the first time we played it how often the girls would ask if we could play "that outfield game" again as we usually had other things to work on that day.

The kicker is that even though the losing team is supposed to rake, for some wierd reason all my kids want to grab a rake after practice and rake that field so it isn't much of a consequence for losing.

 

[Sean Hall]

Infield Drills

Five Ball Pre-Game Drill
Corner Infielders (1B, 3B) stand about 30 feet from coach. Middle Infielders are about 60 feet. Player #1 takes a grounder right to them, then a back hand, then a glove hand, then a slow roller and then player runs around hitter into outfield grass for a pop-up. Players in line need to either be catching for coach or backing up all ground balls. Rotate after pop-up.

Team Rundown Drill
In this drill there are two teams. Team #1 is fielding and starts with at least one player on each base, including home. One player starts with the ball near the pitching circle. Team #2 is running and starts with one player in the middle of 3rd base and home with a line by the 3rd base dugout. The other player from team #2 starts between 2nd and 1st base with a line of players in the right field grass. Each team has 3 minutes to record as many outs as possible. Team #1 chooses what player to try to get out in the rundown. After the player is either “Safe” or “Out” the defensive player who has the ball immediately goes to the next runner to try to get them out. Team #1 tries to keep getting as many outs as possible. Team #2 tries to stay in the “Hot Box” to delay the outs and to try to be safe. Runners can’t move until the defensive player crosses the pitchers mound.

Outfield Drills

Four Ball Fly Ball Drill
Each player gets four fly balls every time it is their turn. Players start by the edge of the player line. The coach hits the first ball into open space. The players runs and catches the ball. The PLAYER STAYS where they catch the ball. This will allow the coach to hit to more open spaces. If on ball #1 they had to run 50 feet to the right then on ball #2, I would make them run 50 feet backwards. Then on #3, I would hit them a ball in. The idea is to get them moving and making catches at full speed. If I hit a ball that is either too easy or too hard they get another ball. After the players turn, they become the cut-off. After being cut-off, they catch for the coach. After catching for the coach, they go to the end of the waiting line.

Criss-Cross Outfield Drill
Players line up in two lines across from two coaches with gloves. The lines should be about 40 feet apart. Players are about 15 feet from coaches. Players run diagonally towards the coach that is across form them. Player receives throw from coach on the other side. After the 1st person gets past the middle, the player from the other line comes across diagonally towards the coach that is across from them. After the catch, players throw the ball back to coach that threw the ball to them and go to the end of the line. Make your throws challenging!

These drills are good for girls of all ages.

THANKS!
Sean Hall
Minnesota Sting Coach
North St. Paul Varsity Coach