Situational Practice

[Arm and Hammer]

I currently Coach at the 10-U level. I feel I teach, very well, good solid fundamentals and mechanics when it comes to individual skills and drills, but the most challenging part of practice for me is teaching situations; situational defense and offense. Trying to communicate and teach all the variables, cutoff assignments, variable bunt defense, 1st and 3rd situations, dropped 3rd, tag-ups, double play, getting the players to think an out ahead etc. etc. I believe this is where the rubber meets the road, and a Coach that can effectively teach situations will have a profound effect on a team’s preparedness and competiveness. I would like to hear member’s thoughts and ideas regarding situational instruction at practice for the 10-U level.

 

[Screwball]

Break the situations apart into chunks. Build layer by layer at different practices. This way it is absorbed. You don't need to cover every single situation nor talk about them all at once, just enough so the kids can think for themselves later.

 

[PA SB Dad]

We have slowly built an understanding of the game over several seasons, not practices. At 10U, we concentrated on the basics - get the ball back in the infield quickly, always get the sure out at first, don't throw the ball around the infield, make sure backup assignements are know by everyone, very basic bunt coverages, basic pick off plays. The next year, we built on that foundation, putting in a few more wrinkles, such as outfielders throwing to the correct bases, cut-offs, bunt rotations, rundowns. This year, we are working more on slowing down aggressive baserunners, looking them back, throwing behind them after we get the out at first. You can't do it all at 10U. Their arms are not strong enough and their understanding of the game is still very basic. Build a sound foundation that you can improve as they mature and their skills improve.

Also, at 10U, teach them to be smart, aggressive base runners. When they learn that part of the game well, they understand how to defend that part of the game because they know what is coming.

 

[mad hornet]

Create the situations and make a game of them. Divide the team into two teams and have one team act as base runners against the defense. Losing team has to do push-ups or whatever. Sometimes I let the winning team decide the PT (with reasonable limits - kids can be cruel).

We also do cut-throat bunt-ball games. Divide your kids into three teams of three or four players. One team bats and has to do some sort of bunt on every pitch while the other two teams are in the field (obviously you won't need outfielders). Set cones out and tell your corners and 2b that they can't be past that cone until the batter shows bunt. That keeps them from cheating. Make sure you do some suicide squeezes when you get a runner on 3rd. Make sure if they bunt foul on strike three they are out. This DOES get them to put bunts in fair territory when they have no other choice.