Wristband Playcards

• Don't spend the money on the software. Someone with excel knowledge can make the same thing for free. Mine has all the extra features that the commercial ones do.
• We use cards for offense and cards for pitchers. Buy 12 black wristbands ($5 each) for offense. Buy extra white wristbands for the pitchers and catchers.
• Have dummy signs that all your players know that mean nothing. For example any three digit number with a 2 or 3 in it means nothing. The girls glance at their wristbands anyways to sell it. As Ken pointed out 9 out of 10 teams won't care, and it speeds the game up.
• Buy some laminate pages at amazon.com for $10 and you can laminate your cards cheap. This makes them sweat proof and more durable.
• We used one set of cards on offense for all of fall season (5 tournaments) and no team bothered to crack our code.
• The coach has two sheets one for offense and one for pitchers. When calling for offense have the first base coach signal the number before each pitch to the batter (give a signal, with your hand almost every pitch). Have your base runners watch you giving the hand signal so you don't have to give it more than once.
• Any play that requires the runner to steal (steal, delayed steal, hit and run, bunt and run, suicide squeeze) have that code highlighted in green on the wristband. (Use a color printer).
• For your pitchers they take the sign from you in the dugout. They must take the sign off of the mound. The pitchers must still simulate receiving a sign from the catcher (don't forget to pause).

Ken Krause said:

At most levels it's probably overkill.

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okie said:

Our coaches were getting frustrated with missed signs so we started doing this as well. Attached is last years offense (flip side is defense) but its about as basic as you can get and the girls pick it up much easier. The multiple number/color combinations makes it very hard for opposing teams to pick up as well.


Here is our one from 8U awhile back.


Hope this helps

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JAD said:

I am always amused at how much time and effort some coaches put into their signs. My DD's HS coach is one of those baseball guys who will give a sign, "wipe it off", then give another sign, wipe it off again, then give another sign as if the CIA and NASA are trying to crack the code....he spends 15 seconds between every pitch giving signs. I need to get some video of him giving signs and make a music video with it!

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