Practice / Drill / Training Ideas for OF

[GhostCatcher]

I am one of the assistant coaches for a 10U team that is starting 12u games this fall. We have a CF who struggles with making catches on fly balls that are either short of her position or that make her go to her glove side, which is to her right. She will run very tentatively and with her glove arm out as she approaches the balls. She does not do this when the ball is hit to her throwing hand side.

Does anyone have any suggestions for drills or things to try in practice with her to help her improve? We spent most of the summer hitting fly balls, line drives, and anything else we could think of at her to get her experience but she did not improve as much as we would like.

This is a fast, athletic kid who has really taken to playing center field but she really has a hole in her game right now that we need to fill. Anything anyone could provide would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Dabears17]

She needs to learn to run with the glove on her side. Austin Wasserman suggests having them doing their running/sprinting work with the glove on. Try to get her goal to be to always catch the ball on the throwing hand side.

The 24 Outfield Keys | Wasserman Strength - Wasserman Strength -

Outfielders need to control the fly ball game, create efficient first steps and cover as much ground as possible! Having great outfielders takes a ton of pressure off the pitcher, knowing that he can attack his hitters without pitching away from a certain fielder. Outfielders, we have to be...

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Work on them doing the "quarterback drill" starting straight back, then to her right 45deg, 90 deg, 135deg, straight forward, then do continue doing the to the left from straight 45deg, 90deg, 135deg. Emphasis keeping the glove tucked until they make a play on the ball.



Another drill I heard this summer is to have them start on the left field line and sprint towards right center field, having the coach throw up flyballs leading them slightly.

I've done a version of above drill where fielders start at home, run around the bases, and you throw up flyballs when they get close to where the 1B, 2B, SS, and 3B play, then when they are running towards home, roll them a grounder.

 

[Cornbread]

Learn to catch any ball that she can’t comfortably get under with one hand. One hand stuff needs to be a part of every practice she has. All INF and OF need to learn how/when to use one hand. It’s a gamechanger

 

[Gags]

OF play is more "situational" than many coaches realize - early position coaching can be nothing more than "you gotta catch that ball", with the conflicting "don't let anything by you" thrown in for good measure.

I don't have a suggestion for glove side drills. With balls dropping in front of her - has she been burned / yelled at / corrected in the past for balls that have skipped past her, or line drives that she misplayed?

We have a CF who fits the classic stereotype of "girls wanting to please their coaches". During some plays, you could tell she's running through a mental checklist of what she's been told to do, and was was hesitant at times to charge the balls in front of her. This is where the "situational" part comes in. I've tried to simplify it to "go all out on a fly ball, but be careful on a line drive". The logic being, if you overrun a fly ball, you just stop, run back a step or two, and pick the ball up. If you overrun a line dive, there's a good chance you're going all the way to the OF fence to retrieve the ball.

Lastly - remember that CF (well, really any OF'er) has the worst perspective on balls hit right at her. Communication b/w outfielders needs to be more than "I got it". LF/RF should not just be backing up the play, but verbally helping ("in / back / right there", or the occasional "back...back...BACK!!!!!", depending on how responsive your OF'ers normally are. ).

It can feel lonely in the OF - especially in 10U. But as you probably realize, OF becomes MUCH more important in 12U, and stays important as they continue to grow. When your OF starts playing as a unit, rather than individual fielders, it's a beautiful thing to see. It's a real game-changer when you start seeing balls in the gaps suddenly becoming only doubles instead of triples or HR's.

 

[quincy]

I had a Of in BB with same Issue. Still annoys me 30 years lattar that I could not help them. He was a track star, he had wheels. Still ran with His arm out.

My current theory is in practice do not catch the ball. Get in position.

Backhand catch can be hard.

 

[PJR202]

Something we do that helps the girls to stop running with their glove in the air is to put the ball right about at the end of their range. Stick all the kids at SS and toss a high one into shallow outfield at a point where they have to run flat out just to get to it. They tend to put their arms back down when their primary focus is getting there. It's like they stop thinking about the ball when they already know they have to run flat out just to have a chance at it. Really the primary reason we do it is to teach them to turn and run instead of backing up, but it does help keep them from pulling a statue of liberty.

Calling them the statue of liberty is also semi-effective.

 

[BillyB]

OF play is more "situational" than many coaches realize - early position coaching can be nothing more than "you gotta catch that ball", with the conflicting "don't let anything by you" thrown in for good measure.

I don't have a suggestion for glove side drills. With balls dropping in front of her - has she been burned / yelled at / corrected in the past for balls that have skipped past her, or line drives that she misplayed?

We have a CF who fits the classic stereotype of "girls wanting to please their coaches". During some plays, you could tell she's running through a mental checklist of what she's been told to do, and was was hesitant at times to charge the balls in front of her. This is where the "situational" part comes in. I've tried to simplify it to "go all out on a fly ball, but be careful on a line drive". The logic being, if you overrun a fly ball, you just stop, run back a step or two, and pick the ball up. If you overrun a line dive, there's a good chance you're going all the way to the OF fence to retrieve the ball.

Lastly - remember that CF (well, really any OF'er) has the worst perspective on balls hit right at her. Communication b/w outfielders needs to be more than "I got it". LF/RF should not just be backing up the play, but verbally helping ("in / back / right there", or the occasional "back...back...BACK!!!!!", depending on how responsive your OF'ers normally are. ).

It can feel lonely in the OF - especially in 10U. But as you probably realize, OF becomes MUCH more important in 12U, and stays important as they continue to grow. When your OF starts playing as a unit, rather than individual fielders, it's a beautiful thing to see. It's a real game-changer when you start seeing balls in the gaps suddenly becoming only doubles instead of triples or HR's.

Solid post

 

[Gags]

Something we do that helps the girls to stop running with their glove in the air is to put the ball right about at the end of their range. Stick all the kids at SS and toss a high one into shallow outfield at a point where they have to run flat out just to get to it. They tend to put their arms back down when their primary focus is getting there. It's like they stop thinking about the ball when they already know they have to run flat out just to have a chance at it. Really the primary reason we do it is to teach them to turn and run instead of backing up, but it does help keep them from pulling a statue of liberty.

Calling them the statue of liberty is also semi-effective.

I think I'm going to borrow this idea with a tweak or two.

Stick the players at SS or anywhere else in a line, put a coach in the OF, and just throw balls to the coach (or a bucket - for me, a person is an easier target).

Their goal is to simply cross the finish line (the coach) before the ball gets there. (Coach could then toss the ball to the player for them to return it to you for added efficiency.)

After one or two rounds, (if your arm hasn't fallen off), remove the coach, and have them catch it. If needed, maybe add a cone a few feet before the catch spot - "Your not allowed to put your glove out until you've passed this cone".

 

[Gags]

Calling them the statue of liberty is also semi-effective.

We've had several players resemble this remark...

 

[GIMNEPIWO]

I like using an ATEC fielding machine or a pitching machine if you don't have one of those ... Set it up near home plate and dial it in to an area of the outfield, mark that spot ... From that spot take 4-5 giant steps in all directions ( I.E. 12 o clock, 2 o clock, 4 - 6 - 8 -10 ) and sit a safety cone at each one of those spots ... Put as many players as you have to work with next to each cone ... They go one at a time, shoot a ball through the machine and they run to get it ... A coach needs to be standing right next to the area to give each player immediate feedback ... Each successful catch and they advance to the next cone ... After a successful round all the cones get moved a little further back and repeat, move repeat , move repeat ... This drill gets them working on balls, left right, angled, over their head, in front of them etc etc and you have more control than hitting fungo. If your concerned about them being able to associate the ball coming with a swing you can have a coach dry swing as your dropping the ball in the machine - BUT, I've never found it an issue.

For the extended arm thing ... The only thing I've ever discovered that works is time the girls running to first base ... Then time them running to first base with their glove on in the proper tucked position ... THEN, have them run to first base with their glove arm extended ... Maybe even for fun have them run with BOTH arms extended and show them the times ... Keep it light, fun and most of all DO NOT single out the one girl whose bad habit your trying to fix. For a distraction, on fun days I've even had them run to first base with a partner, 3 legged race style.