Runner’s Stance while on Base

[quincy]

ASA rules, runner may leave base once the pitcher releases the ball.

Older, or better coached, player’s seem to have their drive foot on the front of the base with their trail foot behind and to the side of the base. Am I stating the initial position correctly?

When does the runner start their running motion? I assume that their front foot remains on the base while they drive off it so they should be starting this drive before the P releases the ball.

I guess I am asking how do you ask your runners to stand on a base and when do they exploded off the base?

 

[D.G. OutLaws 16u]

your starting the position correct. All girls kinda develope their own flare and style. As long as the begining foundations correct let them do there thing. Depending on the armwhip speed of the pitcher my girls tend to launch when pitchers arm is at 12;00 or just after. Sometimes we push it and launch before 12;00...all field umps see it different. For the most part her foots coming off the nag right at release....hopefully in full stride getting a solid jump every time

 

[WinThemAll]

Correct. Left foot on the bag towards the edge, right foot behind and to the side. Runner is in an almost sprinter start, front arm bent in front of shoulders, right arm is bent, elbow up, rock back slightly when pitcher rocks back and GO when pitcher is at 12 o'clock.

 

[FPMark]

There are several different 'styles' of positioning on the base, but the one you stated is generally most popular as it does give the most momentum at the release. While I was coaching first, I considered it one of my primary responsabilities to moniter the jump runners on 1st were getting on the pitch release. I always had them start at 12:00 and would tell them after they got back to the bag if they needed to leave earlier. Never had any leave too early at 12:00 but did have a couple that had to leave at about 9:00. (slow leavers)

 

[starsnuffer]

Ken Krause posted in his column at the bottom of these boards the advantages of the baseball style lead-off vs the traditional softball style mentioned above. Not saying I agree with everything said there, but the discussion is worth a link so you can make your own decision:

http://www.discussfastpitch.com/kens-softball-tips/4409-best-way-get-off-first-steal.html

-W

 

[Carty]

I use the sprinter's stance. IMO I see the rocker stance being late also. I think it has more to do with an overemphasied negative move. There was a threas going where the runners were referencing a cloack face like DG describes. I switched to that and really have been seeing improvements on timing. It is so easy to say you were just a bit late so lets start at 11:00 oclock. It is a good visual cue. One thing I noticed though, 11:00 on 1st is not 11:00 on 3rd.

 

[FPMark]

If you use the clock face timing method, the back foot behind the bag stance really will get the runners to 2nd faster than the back foot on the base stance. However, as the girls get older, it's easy for them to get too far off, and makes them have to stop before the ball is hit or caught by the catcher or risk being picked off with a snap throw. Works good for younger smaller players, but as they get taller and faster leaving, a little late is not such a bad thing, just leave early when stealing. If they are not stealing, being a little late does not hurt because they can maintain more momentum when the ball is hit.

I forget who it was that brought up the 'clock face' timing method in another thread, but it is extremely useful. Not stealing they can leave at 12 or 1 o'clock, stealing, leave at 9 or 10 o'clock. I also like what Ken said, safe at 2nd, or out at 1st (leaving too early). Usefull info learned here on DFP.

 

[quincy]

Thanks for the replies, with this input I have a plan for my DD. Co-Managers of the Team will disagree but that is OK.

We had 3 HS players running bases for us the other night. 1 Boy, 2 girls. Since we are a 10U Team they were only allowed to jog around the bases.

Boy faced the batter with left foot on the base, right foot towards the next base. He left a little early; I think he wanted to lead off.

Girl 1: Set in her running position when the pitcher stepped on the plate then her body rocked back and forth a little bit until the P started her motion.

Girl 2: Set her drive foot in the correct position then kind of danced on her toes. When the P started her motion she set her trail foot back and to the side of the base.

Both girls were in the same position before they exploded off the base, just went about getting there a different way.

Might be silly but I enjoy watching these things.

 

[Ken Krause]

When I took the NFCA Explosive Offense course, they addressed the sprinter v. rocker start. Although it is commonly believed that the rocker start is faster, they said they had done studies and runners get to second fastest using the sprinter start.

 

[rowdy]

Spend a lot of time on sliding techniques and not so much worrying about how you start. We do the sprinter on our team but both work and like someone said earlier now that we are older the jump is more about being in the right place as the ball crosses the plate not getting a huge jump. Good catchers make a good jump an out.

If you are not stealing then be safe. Nothing kills a rally faster than an umpire taking one of your runners off the base. One last thing if you are not stealing don't push the envelope on the jump because you will get the fans and coaches yelling at the umps to watch. Big jumps only on a steal.