RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT: Infield Glove DURATION: 5 Minutes REPETITION: Daily Gently throw the baseball into the air and get behind the ball as you would in an actual game. << So, rock back and forth three to four times to really feel the movement of the shoulders, then bring the bat up, load, stride and swing. >> Ideally, if you have pitchers that are able to throw live, thats the best option for your hitters. /BBox [0 0 792 612] Each tactic is broken down to provide instruction withinthree specific outfield drills: In the Footwork drill, the emphasis is on fine-tuning your footwork skills and following the direction of the baseball. A Driveline plyo ball routine consists of throwing plyo balls prior to any work with a baseball. /Subtype /Form Luckily, finding a proper ball grip is easy with practice. Here, the hitter starts in his or her stance, looking at the pitcher. Driveline Plyo Ball Routine - Driveline Baseball After the short hop drill is completed, infielders should break into a double barrel infield. Catching fly balls that are close to the sun is one of the most difficult scenarios an outfielder will come across so an outfielder needs to be comfortable catching baseballs that are close to the sun. Outfield Drills | Baseball Zone The purpose of this drill is to practice correct body and glove position when fielding a do-or-die. Youve probably heard the old adage that says practice how you play. As a baseball coach, your goal should be to make practice competitive, challenging and fast-paced, so that when your players step into a game they can relax and have fun! document.getElementById("current_year_2").innerHTML = new Date().getFullYear(); /Type /XObject Set up 3 different cones, each at varying distances from the wall. Another competition is the age-old hit the screen game. The Coach. Brandon Belanger, University of Louisiana Monroe: According to Coach B, this drill is his outfielders go-to drill and it is part of the Warhawks daily Outfield routine. Atlanta Braves catcher Tyler Flowers is one of the best defensive catchers in the MLB, and this video helps dive into more of the philosophy of a strong receiving catcher. The coach will then take a ball and throw it over the head of that player so the player can still catch the ball. /Columns 125 (Live-arm reps are always preferable to those that come off a pitching machine. 2. With your hat on the ground, stand at an angle behind your hat with your plant foot directly behind your hat (left leg for right-handers) and your non-plant foot behind you, at about a 45-degree angle. It is in Lynn Cottrell Park, UNG's Outdoor Athletic Complex. As always, start the drill in a good catching position. If you would like some tips on how to implement your youth baseball drills during practice, please visit our Baseball Drills - Coaching Tips page. The goal of this drill: at some point in an outfielders career they will have to adjust to a fly ball for one reason or another. This drill can take place with 2-3 outfielders indoors. Learning how to use it properly will let an outfielder perfect their throws. Set up the cones in a triangle. In the left picture (below), Coach Peterson is in a good launch position. The home of Nighthawks softball is the on-campus Haynes and Carolyn Hill Stadium, more popularly known as simply "The Hill". A common misconception is that hitters have to squish the bug to create power. /FormType 1 Discover something new every day from News, Sports, Finance, Entertainment and more! 1. This site is owned and operated by Steve Nelson. Search results for: - Softball.com Laps; Dynamic warm-up/stretches; Gradual sprints (50%, 75%, 100%) Throwing progress with footwork *Throwing partners will rotate daily* 1 Introduction Free 0:40 2 Outfield Everyday Drills 36:37 3 Ground Ball Drills 8:02 4 Hitting to Fielders and Making Throws 23:03 5 Infield Drills 44:22 6 Catching Drills 8:28 7 Closing Comments and Credits 0:40. /BitsPerComponent 8 The goal of this drill: outfielders should be practicing their correct form when catching the ball so they can get the ball into their cutoff man as quickly as possible. Outfielders can use their glove to shade the sun or they can use their free hand, depending on what feels comfortable for the player. What are the best baseball outfield drills? To help with this, start saving the plastic lids from to-go containers (like the one pictured below). Designed for a smooth, solid feel during contact by adding the optimal amount of liquid-gel in the knob to reduce and absorb vibrations like never before. There are two ways to field ground balls that are hit right at you: the funnel (which is basically absorbing the ball into the body) and the reverse funnel (in which the fielder moves through the ball). << These drills will help your outfielders take better angles to the ball, which will result in more caught fly balls. To start, begin the drill with the hitters front foot crossed over the back foot (as shown in the picture below). This is a skill elite center fielder Kevin Pillarhas mastered over the course of his career. << After these two drills, get some regular swings in off front toss. Outfielders should also focus on accuracy of their throws. Outfield - Get the Angle. If you dont have one, a wall would suffice for this, but if youre going to do it against a wall, make sure you use a tennis ball or set up a piece of wood against the wall so you can throw the ball at it without damaging your drywall. 3 0 obj Ground ball to second base, turning a 4-6-3 double play. It mimics game like situations and can really be a clutch catch, especially in youth and high school leagues where these kind of catches are not common. Your coaching goal should be to empower your players to develop into the best possible athlete that their drive will allow. After a few repetitions on the right side, the outfielder will go to the left side and repeat. A crow hop in baseball allows players to generate momentum toward their intended target which helps generate distance and velocity behind the players throw. It's important to start doing bands around age 11 or 12 to make sure the shoulder and back muscles stay balanced to prevent injury later on. The players will wait for the coach to throw the ball up into the air at a random location. 62.500 0 0 62.500 698.000 525.500 cm What you need to do is separate your outfielders into three groups and position them at cones arranged as shown in the picture below. This drill prepares outfielders to catch fly balls and quickly get the ball back into the infield. This drill is great for outfielders, but its going to require a little bit extra room. endobj The goal of this drill: all outfielders will eventually have a play happen where a fly ball is hit to the fence so all outfielders need to be prepared by practicing how to find the fence while also tracking down the ball. When the ball bounces off of the wall, the second player in line will charge that ball and throw the ball against the wall again. Hitting the ball to their deep right also prevents them from cheating by playing up on the ball. This game is a great way to finish practise because it allows for a fun, competitive atmosphere that also works on line drive skills. By repeatedly performing the long toss drill, a player can create muscle memory, allowing them to throw balls with maximum force, speed, and accuracy. Do this for approximately 60 seconds per player and repeat for a total of 4 rounds. This drill may be awkward and uncomfortable at first, but after a few reps players should be able to get the hang of it. Outfielders need to have the ability to anticipate where the ball may land to be in prime position to make the catch. Regardless of whether they funnel or reverse funnel, infielders need to focus on keeping their wrist bent and their fingers pointed towards the ground. After catching the ball, the outfielder will then throw the ball to the cutoff man. For this drill, you can either throw balls or use fungo bats. Time permitting, the defense can play out grounders and flies. Their body should not be stationary when theyre catching the ball, but rather moving forward in the direction of the throw. Softball Throwing Drills that Every Player Needs to Try Improves footwork and timing of the players catch to transitioning to a throw to the infield. The key to this drill is how quickly you can adjust your body to get in position to run in a different direction, all while never taking your eye off the ball. 3:00-3:30 Warm-ups. Thats why its essential to have stations and aspects of your practice that are devoted to learning these movements and sequences. A big part of making a diving catch is having the confidence that you will catch the ball and the best way to gain that confidence is to practice diving for fly balls. Once you get to the cone, Turn your body and pivot your hips to run to the next cone. There are many high school baseball outfield drills such as doorstep, wall drill, head drill, ball grip drill, and several others. To practice the shading the sun drill, a coach will put outfielders in a place where they will have the sun in their eyes when a fly ball is hit. He has good rotation as his hips are facing the pitcher. Popup Communication Watch this video to see how you can do a drill on Pop Ups and get the most repetition out of your team. Once you do that, youll lose the ball entirely. The new rules: The bases are now 18 inches square (previously 15 inches). After the outfielder turns to the right, the coach will then throw a ball out in front of the outfielder that the outfielder must catch. Throwing over long distances with the crow hop will also help to strengthen a players throwing arm. Check out the 2022 lineup of baseball bats from JustBats. Efficient outfield throwing mechanics and accuracy. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. When a player has to catch a sinking ball, they have two options: they can dive and catch the ball as its falling, or they can field the ball on the bounce. White Sox Romy Gonzalez had an issue with his tonsils last year that caused him to lose 30 pounds. This blog will dive into the importance of having a plyo ball routine, examples of a Driveline plyo ball routine, and how you can use a plyo ball routine for velocity gains. outfield everyday drills. Several of one of the most interesting plays in baseball occur in the outfield. Long toss helps open up the arm and is the best way to improve arm strength. When covering first, the pitcher should cut up along the inside of the base path, running parallel to (but not on) the foul line. You want to aim for the bucket because it helps you get in the habit of throwing the ball in an easy area for you infielders to not only catch the ball, but quickly apply a tag on any runner attempting to move up a base, or even score a run. The ability to correctly anticipate the balls flight path increases their range for the reason stated above they can just put their head down and go. CONTACT US Gather your team together and line them up about 4 yards away from a wall. Ball! loudly and quickly. 500; Split the team into 2 groups and have fielders in right field/left field and one hitter for each group. JUPITER, Fla. Buck Showalter has an interesting balancing act to perform this spring. In our softball drills and practice plan article, we have a competition round that, with a few adjustments for outs and team size, is also a great way to end a baseball practice on a high note. You should be changing direction with your body, but you should keep your head steady so as to not lose track of the baseball. Thats especially true on pitches where the hitter is late, and occasionally on an outside pitch. Do this in a room with a high ceiling. Lets dive into some outfield drills you can do indoors. Proper running mechanics are essential for a player to reach maximum performance and can also increase an outfielders effective range. If you have Jaeger Bands or similar bands, youll want to use those. As hitters improve, you can shuffle locations, moving the ball inside, up, down, etc. 5 0 obj Padres Opening Day roster projection: Joe Musgrove's broken toe opens a Theyre a great warmup for pre-game as well. As we mentioned earlier in this practice plan, understanding and implementing the correct sequence of movements is essential for producing power at the plate. Noah Song threw and performed agility drills on on a back outfield wearing Philadelphia Phillies shorts and . It's important to remember that baseball practice drills can get somewhat monotonous if your . Well, thats not true. But it also works with front toss, where it can be used to develop even more rhythm and timing. During this round, the second basemen are working on finishing double plays and turning around throws from third. As you get familiar with the game and use your imagination, you will be able to design your own outfield drills. Gabe Ortiz: "Gold Standard Outfield: Drills to Create the Best Athletes on the Field" from the 2022 ABCA Convention in Chicago, Time: 38:51. >> Using a fungo bat, the coach will then hit line drives towards the outfielders that will land in front of the outfielders. Put pieces of colored tape on the net to have the player throw to different areas on the net. 1. Related reading: How to Approach Outside Hitting Coaches. Catch the ball and then work on transitioning to your throwing position. He sets up at one of the cones. In general, youll want to limit this throwing duration to around 15 minutes. 1:20- Full Team Drill The first movement will be to get the upper part of the body into a loaded position while keeping the lower half facing the pitcher. This drill is good for players to practice catching line drives on the run. Get outfielders involved with four everyday drills of their own. /BaseFont /Helvetica /BaseFont /Helvetica-Bold Roll ball to outfield wall. To begin, the coach signals to the player to run backward at an angle. You will need multiple players for this drill for a continuous relay effect. Set up six cones in a zig-zag formation, all about 8 feet away from each other. The fielders head and eyes should be behind the glove not only for protection, but also because it helps with tracking the ball into the glove. The goal of this drill: outfielders will be throwing over much longer distances than other players on the field so they need to learn how to gain velocity and distance on their throws while still having accurate throws. No sales may have occurred at this price.. If you are an outfielder looking to keep your skills up, or even take your game to a next level, try these drills from the comfort of your own home. Assess weaknesses in ball control into the mitt. I'm the owner of Baseball Training World. Doing this drill serves two purposes: 1) It teaches you proper positioning when going to your forehand and your backhand for a ground ball. White Sox Hitting Coach Matt Lisle is Giving Away Tickets to the Most Valuable Hour of Hitting Instruction, All content 2016-2023 The Hitting Vault. Have player 1 throw to player 2 a med high fly ball. The outfielder will need to use their back hand to find the wall, while still maintaining eye contact with the baseball. The coach will then point in one direction, indicating to the player to run backward in that direction. Just be sure to not overdo it with the long toss drill long toss tires out the arm pretty quickly. Outfield Drills that Work | Youth Select & Showcase Travel Sports Teams Outfield Drills with Vanderbilt Baseball Coaches | ATEC Sports By performing this drill on a consistent basis, outfielders will maintain their basic baseball fundamentals of catching a fly ball and quickly throwing it back into the infield. Too many coaches wing it they show up at the field with an idea of what they want to accomplish that day, but no specific plan or schedule. The across the middle drill will improve an outfielders range and running mechanics, which also increases a players ability to catch balls on the move. Some of the best 14 drills for baseball outfielders include: Drop step drill Crow hops Sinking line drive drill Across the middle drill Long toss Catching at the wall drill Communication drill Fly ball over the head drill Ball grip drill Catching fly balls Fielding ground balls Shading the sun Diving drill Cutoff drill This form takes practice though so players will need to catch a lot of fly balls to ensure they can get the ball into the infield as quickly as possible. 11 High School Baseball Fielding Drills - River Sharks Baseball Make sure hitters are swinging only at pitches in the strike zone, and taking all the balls. This drill is as old as time. 3:30-3:45 Infield/Outfield Everyday Drills Infield: diamond throwing, then into drills Outfield: relay throwing, then into drills 3:45-4:05 Cuts and Relays overview 4:05-4:25 Bunt Defense overview 4:25-4:40 Team Defense 4:45-5:20 Workout Activities 5:20-5:30 Field Jobs/Clean-up 5 Outfield Drills to Work on in Season | CoachTube Blog endstream Drill #1: Change of Directions. Top Baseball Infield Drills To Do At Home - Baseball Express /Length 245 Have the hitter start in their stance with a bucket of baseballs up against their back foot. To teach outfielders to communicate with each other, 2. Coaching Youth Baseball the Ripken Way - Cal Ripken, Jr. 2006-12-15 Coaching young players, developing their skills, and cultivating a love for the sport may be the most rewarding experience baseball can offer. 3 each side & center. From there, opening up to a 50-70-foot box with your infielders, really gives a ton of flexibility as to what to work on. Players who fail to communicate run the risk of running into each other at full-speed while chasing down a fly ball (which Ive been guilty of). Good outfield drills should be a positive experience for everyone. This allows the outfielder to maintain their speed while also getting into a better position to catch the fly ball.