Need help getting our team to run hard on the bases. We gave up several easy outs and extra base hits simply because they did not run hard. Our team is playing 6u so it makes it a little tougher. If they were older I would have no problem running them like my coaches did when I was in HS. Anyone have any tips from prior experience?
Teaching base running for young girls.
- Thread starter Rambler34
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Tough at 6U, couldnt say how much technique you can teach, stick to the basics, run through first, rounding, sliding. I would show them the basics of sprinting mechanics. Make up running games for practice, things that make them compete to get to a base quickly. I used to set up a tee some distance between home and first. Girls all start at home. First one takes off, when she passes the tee, the next can go. If you can touch the girl in front of you, she is out. make sure to set up cones around the diamond to keep them from rounding too far out. Other things you can do is to incorporate a throwing drill with a running one. Ball gets to somewhere before runner gets somewhere. make it fun and they will run hard.
- Jan 15, 2009
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For practice I would drill running to first base and bring a stop watch and tell the kids their "time" every time they come across. Timing them always increases effort. For games you need to find something to motivate them (hustle points, gold stars, ice cream) at that age it takes some ingenuity to get some of them engaged.
- Jun 3, 2010
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A can of white field marking paint is a great tool for painting lines in the dirt so they will run through at first and have an idea of how far to go past first before they break down after crossing the bag. It helps them visualize the path they need to take when rounding first heading towards second, I have put marks on the ground so that my dd's old coach pitch team would know about how far to go past first when they hear a coach hollering " make your turn".
I have done running games with who could run from home to home while touching all the bases with the correct foot on the inside corner, if she does it correct, her practice is over, some girls will have to run several times around to end there practice.
Racing games are always a big hit with our girls.
I have done running games with who could run from home to home while touching all the bases with the correct foot on the inside corner, if she does it correct, her practice is over, some girls will have to run several times around to end there practice.
Racing games are always a big hit with our girls.
Drill-Have them look right as they r running through first and if there's an overthrow they drop their shoulder and run to 2nd. If you're lucky enough to have lead offs this will keep them engaged and make the game funner. have them rocker start into a nice lead on ever pitch as soon as ball leaves hand..
Running the bases
Here is another drill that my U10's beg to do. I usually end practice with it because it ends things on a fun note. Just divide your girls in half, sending one group to 2B and the other half to home plate. It is just a relay. The first girl in each line runs the complete circuit of bases back to where she started. The next runner cannot leave until the previous one tags her hand. The first team done wins. Missed bases must be returned to and touched. If you have an odd number of girls, the first to run on the team with the extra girl must run twice.
We ususally require the losing team to all get into the pitchers circle and do an embarrasing dance of some sort as called out by the winners. It is usually what the girls call the "stanky leg". Like I say, the girls always ask if we can end practice with this. They really like it. I have noticed speed from some of the girls during this drill that I didn't think they were capable of.
Here is another drill that my U10's beg to do. I usually end practice with it because it ends things on a fun note. Just divide your girls in half, sending one group to 2B and the other half to home plate. It is just a relay. The first girl in each line runs the complete circuit of bases back to where she started. The next runner cannot leave until the previous one tags her hand. The first team done wins. Missed bases must be returned to and touched. If you have an odd number of girls, the first to run on the team with the extra girl must run twice.
We ususally require the losing team to all get into the pitchers circle and do an embarrasing dance of some sort as called out by the winners. It is usually what the girls call the "stanky leg". Like I say, the girls always ask if we can end practice with this. They really like it. I have noticed speed from some of the girls during this drill that I didn't think they were capable of.
My assistant coach for all stars introduced me to the relay, and your right it was a big hit with the girls.
We would also do timed base running, but with a twist. I would have the girls round first and stop on second, then write down their time on the white board. After everyone was done, I would tell them they were going to run it again, and had to beat their time. If they didn't beat it, they went back in line and ran it again untill they beat it. Once the girls saw how fast they were able to go, they were a little suprised and really stepped up their running.
we would also put a coach on first, with our first base coach in the box, a coach playing second, and one at short/third. Girls put on helmets and lined up at home with the manager throwing ground balls into the field. This helped the girls with their speed, as well as listening to the base coach on what to do.(we would sometimes miss balls so they would get sent to second, ON PURPOSE OF COURSE.)
We used coaches in the field so it kept moving at a rapid pace, and if the girls are trying to beat the coaches throw, they really dig down and run. Next to the relay, this was one of the favorite drills also.
We would also do timed base running, but with a twist. I would have the girls round first and stop on second, then write down their time on the white board. After everyone was done, I would tell them they were going to run it again, and had to beat their time. If they didn't beat it, they went back in line and ran it again untill they beat it. Once the girls saw how fast they were able to go, they were a little suprised and really stepped up their running.
we would also put a coach on first, with our first base coach in the box, a coach playing second, and one at short/third. Girls put on helmets and lined up at home with the manager throwing ground balls into the field. This helped the girls with their speed, as well as listening to the base coach on what to do.(we would sometimes miss balls so they would get sent to second, ON PURPOSE OF COURSE.)
We used coaches in the field so it kept moving at a rapid pace, and if the girls are trying to beat the coaches throw, they really dig down and run. Next to the relay, this was one of the favorite drills also.
My DD just finished a camp that included mostly travel team girls (my DD plays rec. league), and I was surprised that none of the girls at the camp really used their arms when they were running. I ran track in college, so while I don't know that much about softball, I know a lot about running. This past weekend I worked with my DD for 10 minutes on her running technique, and she was significantly faster afterward.
In order to run fast, the following things need to happen:
Each hand (preferably in a fist) needs to be driven FORCEFULLY back to front, front to back (not sideways) from slightly behind the hip to the ear. The arms should alternate naturally opposite the legs. After sprinting properly, a person's biceps should be tired. A large amount of the speed comes from this arm drive.
The knees need to be lifted high. The thigh should be almost parallel with the ground at the top of the stride.
The heels should be snapped up at the end of the stride and almost touch the runner's butt.
That's pretty much the technique of running fast. If your players are running slowly, most likely they are not doing these three things. Especially emphasize the importance of the arms. Most softball players do not seem to understand that the arms generate speed.
In order to run fast, the following things need to happen:
Each hand (preferably in a fist) needs to be driven FORCEFULLY back to front, front to back (not sideways) from slightly behind the hip to the ear. The arms should alternate naturally opposite the legs. After sprinting properly, a person's biceps should be tired. A large amount of the speed comes from this arm drive.
The knees need to be lifted high. The thigh should be almost parallel with the ground at the top of the stride.
The heels should be snapped up at the end of the stride and almost touch the runner's butt.
That's pretty much the technique of running fast. If your players are running slowly, most likely they are not doing these three things. Especially emphasize the importance of the arms. Most softball players do not seem to understand that the arms generate speed.
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