10u gym practice

I'm looking for effective drills to use in the gym. This is a 10u LL team. I've got some that we've done that are mostly just throwing drills but unwanted to see if there were any other unique and effective drills to use.

Thanks

A lite flite machine is also very good for gym work. Also can do team usa infield drills. Can be done very well in the gym. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XDwFdR4gluQ

Outfield (4 parts)

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ4-bqJ0mx8

There are other several videos attached to those that give a ton of work on proper throws. Build a great base...even if you feel it is too advanced for some. If you will have these girls for a few years, you will be amazed at how they progress and how they will look by 12U

This is an practice example of what I do with my 12U TB team in a smaller gym...this might be a bit intense for 10U LL but you can always dial it back...

Practices are 2 hours:
1st part of practice: focus on speed and athleticism:

0-15: Warmup

Jump rope (just "air through" the arm motion)
1 minute both legs - 30 second break
30 seconds left leg only - 15 second break
30 seconds right lef only - 30 second break
1 minute both legs - no break - move to dynamic stretch\plyo

Dynamic Stretch:

Line up on baseline (you can do this the width of the gym instead of the length of the gym to dial it back for example)

Walking lunges
Frankestein or Military march
Butt kicks
Walking high knees with a small oblique twist
Regular walk with arm circles forward
Regular walk with arm circles backwards

5 minutes of static stretching: hammys, quads, calves, triceps, shoulders, wrist flexion

15-20: Water

20-35: Warm up - continued

3 stations: with 3-4 girls per station
1. calisthenics (wife aka team manger watches)
2. catching running fly balls (AC runs)
3. agility (me)

Now - this gym is small. If you notice we haven't done any sort of shoulder warmup for throws...in any of these drills, the throw is never more than 30 feet...the girls are told to just softly lob it back

Calisthenics Station: 5 situps, 5 jumping jacks, 5 push ups, hold low plank for 10 seconds. Move to station 2

Running fly balls: AC stands "in the paint" at one end of the gym and throws a fly ball to a girl who is running down the sideline away from her. Ball goes back to AC as player runs back down the sideline (towards where she started) to catch another ball....last one back down the sideline away from AC. Move to station 2. The point of this is to make sure they are not running with their glove out in front of them (should be pumping their arms and keeping their feet moving). At 10U LL it is probably a bit much to talk to them about making the most efficient pivot to throw but I would try with the more advanced kids

Agility - I run a different drill every time you come through...

I start with the asterisk drill. You will move laterally, 45* drop step to both sides and a full turn drop step. These are SHORT throws - NO more than 15 feet. This should be quick and pretty exhausting for them (they all think its fun). I am just to the right of the top of the circle so as to not interfere with station #2. Here's a cheesy pic of what it looks like:



This is what it looks like in real time @ 9:35 of the video:

Back to station 1 - each girl gets 5 reps at each station

2nd time through agility station: fast side to side ground balls, barehanded. Start on baseline moving side to side. Focus on them NOT crossing their legs to move laterally and keeping a good low posture

3rd time through: Kobata shuffle steps: Short flips right at them leading with their glove hand foot like so (Move THROUGH the ball):



4th time through: Drop steps

They start on the baseline FACING the wall. I through the ball off the wall and they drop step back to make the catch. Each girl gets 3 reps

5th time through: My choice based on which drill the girl struggled with the most.

35-40 Water...the girls are sweating pretty good at this point. All smiles with lots of reinforcement from the coaches...good time to build some rapport...

MAKE NOTE of ANY muscular deficiency...you will be able to pick out any obvious imbalances (running with only pumping throwing hand, knock kneed, pigeon toed, etc)

Move on to throwing...
40-60

We do a 4 station zig-zag drill to start (corner to time line to time line to corner and then back). Ball gets thrown down through the zig zag and back through the zig zag. Girls all follow their throws...keep them moving!

We progress this to hitting ground balls in one corner along the baseline to the other corner. Ball is fielded, thrown to "1st" at half court and they throw it to "2nd" in the to the far corner. They throw it back "home."

Note: if we see a throwing issue, they get pulled out and wifey works with them starting with the Wasserman water bottle drill

We then move to longer throws\1b work.

2 lines: hit ground balls the length of the gym. 1b are fielding the ball (we also move in our 2B's because of bunt coverage). Every other time through, the girls are purposely throwing short hops.

60-65 WATER

We spend the next 45 minutes doing situational stuff...bunt coverage, pick offs, double plays, 1st to 3rd, etc. At 10U rec this is probably not realistic...the last 15 minutes we do silly contests like soft toss trying to hit the backboard at the other end of the gym, making a throw to hit the rim, etc.

One thing I would highly suggest...spend time getting them to move when the ball is not hit to them. We make these movements on every play but for starters try this:

Put bases 30 feet apart.

2-3 girls at each base. Put your most ssavy players to start at shortstop. This is a MOVEMENT drill NOT a fielding drill. The girls on your team that play hockey, soccer, lacrosse or field hockey will take to this like white on rice because they understand situational positions.

All plays go to 1st.

Roll the ball to 3rd. Shortstop covers 3rd base, 2nd covers 2nd base.

Roll the ball to SS...3rd covers 3rd, 2nd covers 2nd.

Roll the ball to 2nd, SS covers 2nd, 3rd covers 3rd.

When they get good at this, add in outfield backups....

When they get REALLY good at this, have the ball come back around the infield...\

Just keep it moving...you can make a station shooting layups for 20 seconds straight (that will get them winded) for all I care...but keep it moving so they don;t lose interest.

I would love to hear how your practice goes...CP

So what level of players are we talking? depending on the skill level you might need to start with the very basics of throwing, catching to get things going and work out from there.

Google mike candrea infield drills. We use this drill on our tb team and get a lot out if it. Hound good fundamentals

Thank you for the replies and cp, thaks for the detailed workout!

I do the candrea stuff some but was lookng for new things so they don't get bored.

Their ages are 04, 05, & 06.

Thanks again!!