Teaching kids how to "sell out" on plays

[Filterbing]

Any advice on teaching kids how/when to get after the balls that are just out of reach? We had a couple of moments in last night's all star game where the ball was just out of reach and had they pushed/dove they could have been difference makers. A couple of fouls near third and a couple of balls got past short and second. They are good to go on the hits straight to them just need that extra step or two.

 

[bmakj]

tell them you want them to fail spectacularly. alot of it may be fear of trying that spectactular play and not making it. praise spectacular attempts that fail.

pain is temporary, blood clots, bones heal, bruises fade, glory is forever

 

[CoachKevin]

You can try a couple of different things. If indoors, use a mat and have them start on their knees and throw a ball that will make them dive for it... If outdoors do the same but on the outfield grass (you can include OF too for this). You can also show them how to slide head first baserunning, then have them do it.

 

[uncdrew]

We gave a prize for best defensive play of the game.

9 year old girls. The game after we made that announcement we had girls diving for balls. It was pretty amazing (but kinda sad, because you want them to do that for the love of softball, not for a prize).


For our girls, they knew how to do it. They just needed motivation to do it.

 

[Rick M]

This is a tough one, depending on the age. DD just wrapped up her Allstar season, and we saw a lot of girls pull up short on balls hit to the outfield because they didn't want to miss the ball. At 12U and under, letting the ball get past you is the #1 defensive mistake, so they're naturally reluctant to do anything that will result in them chasing a ball.

As they get older (I'm hoping), they will develop more confidence in their fellow outfielders and realize that selling out on a ball is just as good as letting it drop in front of you, because you have a chance to make a play, and if you don't, there's someone behind you to pick up the ball.

The best way to instill this confidence is to hit gappers in practice and have your outfielders practice both the aggressive play for the ball as well as the outfield backup.

 

[Eric F]

We gave a prize for best defensive play of the game.

9 year old girls. The game after we made that announcement we had girls diving for balls. It was pretty amazing (but kinda sad, because you want them to do that for the love of softball, not for a prize).


For our girls, they knew how to do it. They just needed motivation to do it.

We did that for 12U TB. We called it the "rockstar" award, and it came with a sticker. It worked great. A lot of them learned that they were better than they thought they were.

 

[So Cal Seth]

We gave a prize for best defensive play of the game.

9 year old girls. The game after we made that announcement we had girls diving for balls. It was pretty amazing (but kinda sad, because you want them to do that for the love of softball, not for a prize).


For our girls, they knew how to do it. They just needed motivation to do it.

How'd they learn how to do it?

 

[Cannonball]

We loved to do this type of "learning" when the OF grass was wet. Kids loved diving and they could slide during and after the catch. We started up close and about 20 feet apart. Then, we moved back some.

 

[sluggers]

You can teach diving for a ball. You put them in fielding position, and then hit balls to their left or right and have them dive for the ball.

At one point, I didn't believe in teaching "diving for the ball". But, I ran out of stuff at a practice, and did it for fun.

The completely unanticipated result: The fielder's range increases when they learn to dive for a ball. When a fielder learns how to dive for a ball, she develops a quicker first step because she is "pushing off" harder anticipating the dive. She stays low to the ground. So, she ends up getting to more balls.

 

[NJgators14uSPARK]

Any advice on teaching kids how/when to get after the balls that are just out of reach? We had a couple of moments in last night's all star game where the ball was just out of reach and had they pushed/dove they could have been difference makers. A couple of fouls near third and a couple of balls got past short and second. They are good to go on the hits straight to them just need that extra step or two.

I have two ideas for you. We play a game with our athletes every once in a while. Each girl has a pool noodle and they are in a circle formation. On "Go" the girls let their pool noodles go and try to get the pool noodle to their left before it hits the ground. After each round the circle gets bigger and bigger till eventually they are diving for the pool noodle before it hits the ground. Every time we play this game our athketes dive more in the games. Idea number 2. After an amazing play evryone yells "Shuuutt Uuuuup" If they make a play that is a "Shut Up" after the game we take a picture of them with a crown. Queen of the Diamond. Then we post on our instagram account. Take a look @njgatorsmurphy on instagram. Hopefully you have the same success as we had.