Base Coaching Tips

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Feb 13, 2018
162
28
As an experienced player I tend to be more aggressive when it comes to running bases and my kids aren't quite there yet....So, I'm thinking go, but by the time I say go, they process go, they've slowed down, now they go but now they need to stop but I've already said go.....they get thrown out by miles. So now I've tried to tone down my aggressiveness but I don't want to not be aggressive either and I would like them to learn how to be aggressive as well. I'd love to hear tips from people on being a base coach!
 
Dec 5, 2012
4,143
63
Mid West
As a coach I've learned to not say GO....
Use 2 words only..... YES or BACK
Train them in practice to always assume they're taking the next bag or two (if it's not an obvious infield single)... My rule of thumb is the player runs, and the base coaches stop them (or give sliding instructions) If she gets thrown out by a mile because a coach didn't stop her, that's on the coach!!
 
Sep 19, 2018
928
93
What Age, Level and experience? My first couple of innings of 10U Rec where quite a learning experience for me.
 
Jul 29, 2013
6,782
113
North Carolina
Coach James is right, this has to be simulated in practice! You have to do game scenarios in their head and then do it on the bases, and do it again! When you're facing great pitching and having trouble getting girls on base, when you do you can't blow it by having base running mistakes! Everyone loves speed, I do, but I'll take smart base running over speed every time!

As far as stealing bases, 2/3's of our HS girls run like they're dragging a refrigerator behind them, terrible! They had better read the pitch thrown........when it's a 1/3 of the distance away from the catcher and it looks like it's going to be in the dirt, they better already be moving!

Smart / great base running makes base coaches look like a genius, and terrible base running does exactly the opposite! Takes repetition in practice, the girls who get it, they get it. I swear a lot of it is the mindset of the girl doing the running, the ones who want to inflict damage to the defense and love base running, that's the girls you teach to get on base anyway possible!

At the start of EVERY inning we're hitting, the girls know it's coming........I always yell, I NEED BASE RUNNERS!! Of course lots of good things had to happen for us, but base running won us a State Championship last year in that final game!
 
Last edited:
May 6, 2015
2,397
113
As a coach I've learned to not say GO....
Use 2 words only..... YES or BACK
Train them in practice to always assume they're taking the next bag or two (if it's not an obvious infield single)... My rule of thumb is the player runs, and the base coaches stop them (or give sliding instructions) If she gets thrown out by a mile because a coach didn't stop her, that's on the coach!!

I second this, maybe with a HOLD added (for after they take their lead, and they should not go, but do not have to dive back). teach them to be aggressive, and make the coaches hold them. loved it a couple of years ago in rec when DD blew through coach holding her at third on a triple, 3B did not make catch, so she was home easily. if they are waiting on your signal, they are too late. pitch hits dirt, they need to be on 2B. runner ahead of them, they read that runner. let them run hard and aggresive and make some outs, they will learn much better then only going when they see the backside of the catcher.
 
Dec 2, 2013
3,409
113
Texas
As a coach I've learned to not say GO....
Use 2 words only..... YES or BACK
Train them in practice to always assume they're taking the next bag or two (if it's not an obvious infield single)... My rule of thumb is the player runs, and the base coaches stop them (or give sliding instructions) If she gets thrown out by a mile because a coach didn't stop her, that's on the coach!!

As far as base running is concerned coach is the STOP sign. The players should be thinking 120 ft (2 bases) on every play. I don't know how many times I have seen kids get to the base and heave a sigh of relief, start looking around then realize they should be on the next base...if they were watching the base coach.

If the runner is on 3B and they need to be told to go on a dink fly ball, tag up, infield ground ball I can understand, but the players need to learn to read the ball.
 
Dec 5, 2012
4,143
63
Mid West
Base running will manufacture an extra 2 or 3 runs a game if the kids are aggressive. Be unpredictable. Steal when you're not "supposed to"... Delay steal 3 or 4 times. Drop a bunt with two outs and a runner on third...etc Because NOBODY is expecting it.
I agree that "STOP" will work as a third word
Never say GO or NO. They sound too much alike. That sucks when she stops at 3rd because she heard you saying "NO, NO, NO", when you actually we're saying GO..... Then 6 or 7 seconds later, the ball finally arrives into the infield!!
 
Last edited:
May 17, 2012
2,804
113
The #1 reason that base runners get into trouble is they don't understand the offensive philosophy of the coach/team (or even worse the coach doesn't have one. Being aggressive is not an offensive philosophy).

Meaning that as a team we want to be in certain situations to execute certain things offensively (bunt or steal) so the runners need to put themselves in those situations by being more aggressive or less aggressive.

Coaches that make it up as they go get what they get.
 
Jul 16, 2008
1,520
48
Oregon
I actually do say GO, but I tell all the girls I will never say NO, so if you think I am saying NO... I'm not. I use GO and BACK. I also tell them if I don't get you thrown out during the season I'm not being aggressive enough (I will always take the blame for them getting thrown out, even if it's their fault:)

One thing we always do when we are doing batting practice using live pitching, is having runners on and they have to react to the hits. This also gives the batters practice on what they need to accomplish with runners on.
 

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