Team w/ huge range of experience/one of me

[taylormeyer77]

Hi all! Former college player and new(er) coach trying to figure out how to maximize off-season workouts right now w/ kids that are coming from all over the map. Suggestions for how to best set up stations/partner kids up/etc.?? How to get the pitchers extra work/support? HELP!

 

[bmakj]

Ages? how long do you work each week?

 

[taylormeyer77]

Ages? how long do you work each week?

High school. For a couple weeks, we only have two days a week outside on the field until weather improves.

 

[bmakj]

"we only have two days a week outside on the field until weather improv " this confused me (but I am easily confused), if you need weather to improve, how are you already outside?. and at least in my region, weather will not improve enough for outdoor practice until March.

that aside, are any of the girls liabilities for injury? how many do you have (do you need to make cuts)? how much help do you have (ie ACs)?

indoor drills
-throwing/catching, relays (lining up, catching on correct shoulder, etc.)
-rundowns
-pitching (if you have a cinder block wall to throw at, can even do real balls, put up tape to mark strike zone)
-tee and soft toss (if you have nets, can also do wiffles, heavy balls without), get them working on correct swing mechanics now, especially the less experienced girls.
-indoors I would not put a lot of emphasis on fielding ground balls, as once you move outside, it is totally different.

the one thing without a really big indoor facility you have to do outside is fly balls. they need hundreds (if not thousands) to get to reading the correctly. use machine if needed. this will play huge dividends. fly balls in OF not caught lead to HUGE offensive innings for the other team.

also, with sliding matt indoors, or wait until outside, but get the girls sliding a lot. hammer in that other than running out a ground ball they hit, sliding should be default approach to next base unless base coach indicates otherwise. they should not have to be told to slide/get down. make it second nature.

If you do not have a decent catcher, convince you best non pitcher athlete to try it for sake of team. keeping balls in front and catching strikes makes a huge difference, and protecting blue cannot hurt your cause.

 

[flash277]

Bmakj, you so right about outfield.