fun drill ideas for younger pitchers

[fastpitch91]

Okay folks looking for some good ideas. i am working with a couple of 9-10 year old pitchers who are doing pretty well. And unlike ( to some degree) their older counterparts their attention span for a solid 45min of lesson sometimes gets a little wobbly! Especially as they are basically throwing 2 pitches at this age.

So what ideas do you all use for drills/games/whatever that are (1) productive and instructive and (2) a whole lot of fun for a 9 year old?

thanks

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I have them pitch and knock something off a bucket - like a milk jug. Have them try it with the eyes closed, too.

 

[ctfastpitch]

With two or more pitchers together, we used to play a version of the HORSE game, where one pitcher would call a pitch & location and if they hit it the following pitcher would have to hit the same pitch or get an "H"..and so on. Obviously, all the kids involved should have a similar pitch types to throw, but even with FB & CU it can work...(e.g. low-outside strike; high inside waste pitch, etc.) You'd be surprised how much more accurate their pitches become. It also helps prepare them for game/pressure situations when they need to throw a strike, or a certain pitch.

 

[ifubuildit]

Kill da Wabbit

Similar to Amy I have a big stuffed rabbit I put on a bucket and tell them to knock it off. I move it around. Inside - Middle- Outside. I have used this same thing in my throwing practice for my team. I will take it out and put it on a chair sitting at first base. Then I will put the whole team at 3rd, SS, and 2nd and hit them grounders. They have to field it cleanly and come up throwing at the rabbit. I award points based on hitting it. Knocking it off the chair, ect.

My 16 and 18U teams had a blast with this when I was still coaching. They could not believe their coach walked out on the ball field with a stuffed rabbit. You have never seen focus rise like it did when I did this drill with them. All in fun.

Dana.

 

[FJRGerry]

Sometimes I'll place a couple of dumbells in a 5 gallon bucket, which is sitting on top of another 5 gallon bucket. Goal is to hit the top bucket either hard enough, or enough times, to knock it over. You can vary the weight depending on the pitching strength of the girls. You can award different points for either just hitting it verses knocking it over. When the top bucket is teetering on the edge of the lower bucket the competition intensfies measurably! Of course you can also move it around to work inside/outside pitches.