COACHES PRE-GAME WARMUP SUPERVISION PLEASE

[CoachYodaD]

Equipment: Two bownets, two tees, three buckets of balls.

Total time 45 minutes.

Pitchers and catchers always hit first. They then go warm-up. They throw all pitches and report back what they feel is working. Only use three pitches a game. All pitchers warm-up.

Outfielders throw and do their everyday drills. Infielders hit off tees. When infielders are done, they go throw and do their everydays while outfield hits off tees.

On or about the 35 minute mark, team comes together for ground ball or fly ball work depending on position. At the 45 minute mark we make our way to the field.

Done the same before every game, unless we have a double header. We take out the ground ball, fly ball work if we only have a one game break.

 

[radness]

Equipment: Two bownets, two tees, three buckets of balls.

Total time 45 minutes.

Pitchers and catchers always hit first. They then go warm-up. They throw all pitches and report back what they feel is working. Only use three pitches a game. All pitchers warm-up.

Outfielders throw and do their everyday drills. Infielders hit off tees. When infielders are done, they go throw and do their everydays while outfield hits off tees.

On or about the 35 minute mark, team comes together for ground ball or fly ball work depending on position. At the 45 minute mark we make our way to the field.

Done the same before every game, unless we have a double header. We take out the ground ball, fly ball work if we only have a one game break.

Question please,
Why no catchers warmups throwing from catching position? Or is that included in pitcher catcher warm ups. Throw downs from catching position?

 

[uncdrew]

What’s working today. If the pitchers curve just isn’t curving today you shouldn’t be calling for it. If the drop is falling off the table good today maybe you might want to ride that pitch...

if the coach is planning to call the game he/she needs to know

... and (at the younger ages at least) their confidence and energy levels.

 

[CoachYodaD]

Question please,
Why no catchers warmups throwing from catching position? Or is that incleded in pitcher catcher warm ups. Throw downs from catching position?

Good Question.
Catchers are in full gear when Pitcher is at 35+ feet. Catchers are working framing, blocking, and ball return.

Because this is usually done off the field, in some open area with other teams present, space limits how much a catcher can get work on throwing 87 feet.

To me, pre-game is not for working on perfecting technique, it is for preparing for the competition. I want the girls loose, relaxed, and their bodies warmed up. And for my catchers, I want them focusing on helping get strikes rather than getting outs.

 

[BRsoftballDad]

What are they "evaluating"?

This has mostly been answered but yeah, they are evaluating if they have their "stuff" working. Our catchers have a warm up routine and it ends with hitting spots and their off speed stuff. Even though it is just "warm ups", girls at a 12u level can feel when they are off and get frustrated and carry that into the game at times. Body language is a big part of the pregame warm up routine and evaluation.

 

[radness]

Good Question.
Catchers are in full gear when Pitcher is at 35+ feet. Catchers are working framing, blocking, and ball return.

Because this is usually done off the field, in some open area with other teams present, space limits how much a catcher can get work on throwing 87 feet.

To me, pre-game is not for working on perfecting technique, it is for preparing for the competition. I want the girls loose, relaxed, and their bodies warmed up. And for my catchers, I want them focusing on helping get strikes rather than getting outs.

Isnt working on strikes working on getting outs?

Arent you hitting grounders and fly balls to outfield prepairing the team to get outs?

Catchers are defensive players!
Should be prepairing to get outs!!

Just asking? Because pounting out catchers throw downs and back picks are part of the defense.

To add
When teams are working on warming up their arms before the game.... a lot of teams do long throws Right? !!!

This could be a good time
catchers can work in throwing from catching position.
Those that are working on throwing from knees definitely it's different mechanics that body's need to be stretched out and warmed up in.
*Throwing from a catcher's Crouch is very different than throwing standing starting on two feet.

Prepair the entire team for success!
Develope all players equally!

 

[CoachYodaD]

Isnt working on strikes working on getting outs?

Arent you hitting grounders and fly balls to outfield prepairing the team to get outs?

Catchers are defensive players!
Should be prepairing to get outs!!

Just asking? Because pounting out catchers throw downs and back picks are part of the defense.

To add
When teams are working on warming up theirr arms before the game.... a lot of teams do long throws Right? !!!

This could be a good time
catchers can work in throwing from catching position.
Those that are working on throwing from knees definitely it's different mechanics that body's need to be stretched out and warmed up in.
*Throwing from a catcher's Crouch is very different than throwing standing starting on two feet.

Prepair the entire to team for success!
Develope all players equally!

All these are great things if you have space. And all these things you mentioned are BEST done in practice. Pre-game does not afford you time to cover everything, so you pick the most general things which cover the most.

Along your line of thinking, I should also be sliding for my courtesy runners and doing run-downs and relays. Lets not forget double plays and bunt coverage too since these also get outs.

I make a decision on what is cost effective with the time I have before a game. Back-picks and throw downs are not a focal point for me in pre-game. Loose, relaxed, and warmed up are.

 

[Rick M]

Because this is usually done off the field, in some open area with other teams present, space limits how much a catcher can get work on throwing 87 feet.

This is the biggest stumbling block to getting catchers reps throwing to second base. I've been at plenty of tournaments where just finding a level space for the pitcher to throw has been a challenge. All of the fields are being played on, and the 'off' teams are all scrambling to carve out a sliver of grass somewhere. The best tournament locations have adjacent football/lacrosse/soccer fields that aren't being used

Even if there is space, the pitcher has limited time to go through their routine, and if the catcher is receiving and making picks or throwdowns that's going to eat into the time the pitcher has to get loose. I know, spoken like a true pitcher's parent...

To address another point on this thread, DD's coach doesn't give anyone advance notice about who is pitching when, but DD is generally the game one starter and warms up alone. On the fairly regular occasions where she is called upon to relieve a pitcher in one of the subsequent games, she typically gets pulled from the OF to get ready to go back in. It's a quicker warmup the second (or third) time around. But they rarely warm up more than one pitcher before a game.

 

[Northball]

Question please,
Why no catchers warmups throwing from catching position? Or is that included in pitcher catcher warm ups. Throw downs from catching position?

I suspect part of that is because warm-ups at tourneys are not done on the field. Now you need to come up with a pitching rubber, plate, 2nd base, pitcher, fielder (and corner bases and players if you want to warm up picks) all located properly. Essentially another infield out of harm's way. I think it would be good for catchers to warm-up the throw downs, it certainly can keep the opponents in check. The logistics can get a little sticky.

 

[djcarter1966]

This sometimes is schedule dependent...you said Sunday typically that means bracket play, if my girls just got done with a back to back and have a one game break until next game...I'm prioritizing REST, hydrate, fuel up, obviously not a factor now but during summer find some shade. I'll watch the other game and keep track and get them up and have them just warm up in a throwing line and take my starting pitcher and catcher and have them warm up with about 10-15 minutes before game is over to get loose.....before first game of the day arrive an hour before and do an actual light warm up routine just to get blood flowing and muscles warm, stretching, throw, few swings of the bat and probably two pitchers and catcher warm up.