The Official " First Time Coaching I need help" Thread -Practice Drills Only

[WARRIORMIKE]

The Official " First Time Coaching I need help" Thread -Practice Drills Only

Seems like we have been getting a lot of threads started on newbie coaches needing help. I thought it would be a good idea to lets just keep it all on one thread. Over the years this should grow. Plus it helps new coaches come to one place rather then searching all the time.

So you stud coaches out there, lets input drills only and whats worked for you in the past. Post drills that haven't worked for you. If you have videos or pictures, lets get that going too. This is going to help a lot of coaches in general of course the fresh ones, and lets everyone bounce ideas back and forth too. Plus with the winter months coming up, theres going to be a lot of down time, so random drills that come to mind or you find, lets put them here in the bank!


Also lets keep this civil . No arguing that "mines better than yours" stuff.

 

[Rocketech1]

This is one of my favorite infield skills videos out there. It shows the importance of good footwork, it's fast paced, and highly organized:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDwFdR4gluQ

 

[chrispots]

First thing I'll say is that every coach needs to be cognizant of their age group's attention span. No drill we do EVER exceeds 15 minutes. At 10U, we kept every drill to 8-10 minutes in length...

To tack on to Rocketech's comment: drills\practice time NEEDS to be outlined\planned ahead of time to keep it fast moving and highly organized.

Work on Baserunning at every practice! This means working on running technique too!

Here's a common progression we work through...

6 runs from home to 1st base - next runner in line starts after lead runner is halfway down the line

Run 1: 50% speed, run through the bag
Run 2: 75% speed, run through the bag
Run 3: 100% speed, run through the bag
Run 4: 75% speed, round the bag
Run 5: 100% speed, round the bag
Run 6: 100% speed, round the bag, dive back

All of these are from home plate:
3 to second, 3 to 3rd, 1 "home run"

1st run to each base: slide into base
2nd run to each base: round base (sometimes we tell then back or go)
3rd run to each base: round base, dive back
Home run: slide or run through - player that is waiting to run at the plate signals up or slide to them

Another constant in our practices is Footwork\throwing work...sometimes its as simple as Kobota's move through the catch (without a ball) or sometimes with a ball moving through 2 or 3 catches and throws.

CP

 

[Perfect Circle]

Never let player just hit aimlessly into a net... off Tee or softtoss... use this and forget the bottom line after they demonstrate can keep it between the lines...within in a few practices... keep it just an inch under the top line...everytime Help them get this set up @ home...

 

[CoachJD]

Also lets keep this civil . No arguing that "mines better than yours" stuff.

My "first time coaching, please help" thread was better than this one.

 

[Cannonball]

Seems like we have been getting a lot of threads started on newbie coaches needing help. I thought it would be a good idea to lets just keep it all on one thread. Over the years this should grow. Plus it helps new coaches come to one place rather then searching all the time.

So you stud coaches out there, lets input drills only and whats worked for you in the past. Post drills that haven't worked for you. If you have videos or pictures, lets get that going too. This is going to help a lot of coaches in general of course the fresh ones, and lets everyone bounce ideas back and forth too. Plus with the winter months coming up, theres going to be a lot of down time, so random drills that come to mind or you find, lets put them here in the bank!


Also lets keep this civil . No arguing that "mines better than yours" stuff.

If I can't do that then I'm not playing. I'll take my ball and go home. LOL

 

[cvsoftball]

Great idea for a thread. May I suggest breaking it down into age levels - 10U, 12U, etc. ? I say this because the equipment used will vary. Tennis balls, wiffle balls for learning to catch, different bats for swings, and so on. It may not be possible but might help a new coach see an age appropriate progression. Just a thought.

 

[WARRIORMIKE]

Great idea for a thread. May I suggest breaking it down into age levels - 10U, 12U, etc. ? I say this because the equipment used will vary. Tennis balls, wiffle balls for learning to catch, different bats for swings, and so on. It may not be possible but might help a new coach see an age appropriate progression. Just a thought.

I think we should be fine Nice suggestion though

 

[Perfect Circle]

My "first time coaching, please help" thread was better than this one.

No, because it doesn't have my post in it.... its by far the best info for new coach, starting out... 8-16U

 

[CoachJD]

OK, here's something I haven't thought to ask before now: How do you teach how to play the game?

I'm not talking the physical skills (hitting, throwing, fielding, etc.). I'm talking baseball/softball knowledge. I'm talking when to throw to which base. I'm talking, and I'm serious about this, getting them to understand when a play is a force or tag play (it is a MAJOR pet peeve of mine to see players tag a runner after they've already gotten them out on a force play, and I see it a LOT from people who supposedly know the rules).

I thought I did a decent job teaching nearly a dozen high school girls all the physical skills, but it was so difficult to get them to understand the basic rules of the game. For me, it was hard because most of these rules I learned when I was four or five years old. I don't even think about them anymore.

Are there drills or some kind of "classroom" type program that would help teach the mental side of the game?