Coaches Clinic.

Transcription

1 Coaches Clinic

2 Offensive Philosophy BASE 2 Big Inning (3 + runs) Answer when opposition scores Score First Extend the lead 2 out runs Defensive Philosophy BLAZE 1 st Batter Out Limit Freebies (walks, HBP, E s, extra bases) Attack the strike zone Zeroes after we score End the inning with a K

3 Pitching Drills Pitching Philosophies 1. Have control and more importantly command of your pitches. 2. Hitters are out or on in 3 pitches or less. 3. Attack the strike zone. 4. Older pitchers: Curves and changeups on any count for strikes. 5. Field your position well. 6. Back up bases consistently. 7. Keep runners close. 8. Intense focus in side sessions, pre game warm up, and between innings. 9. Keep the leadoff hitter off base. Drills: 1. Four corner spot drill with shoulder rotation 2. No stride glove side at target back foot rotates but stays 3. No stride glove side at target back foot rotates and releases 4. Towel Drill 5. Chair Drill with back foot on 6. Chair Drill to balance 7. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Drill 8. Step behind and throw 9. Bullpen Sessions a. Catcher down and away early. b. Hitter in if possible c. Work from Wind Up and Stretch d. Chart pitches

4 Hitting Fundamentals 1. Proper stance Athletic, balanced, relaxed. Feet should be square and toes pointed straight. Head turned and eyes level looking at the pitcher. Bat at 45 degree angle towards the body. Bottom hand slightly closer to the catcher. Knob facing catcher s feet. 2. Rhythm Get the body moving to stay loose. 3. Load/Stride Hands need to either coming back, or the body needs to walk away from the hands to create separation. Hands should get back in a slow short controlled manner. The stride should be short with the weight remaining balanced. 4. Contact Swing should be short and end at contact with the hands in a palm up, palm down position. The back elbow should be connected with the upper body at contact. Shoulders should be slightly angled towards home and they should match the plane of the bat. Chin should be over the back shoulder and eyes should be looking down the barrel. 5. Extension/Follow through Finish high and balanced! Finish through the ball. Drills: Dry Swings Flips Soft Toss Balance board Heavy Bag Wiffle situations Muhl balls Fungo drill Bunt square Structured BP

5 Infielding Techniques Good Fielding Position/Stance o Good athletic position Feet shoulder width or just outside shoulder width apart, with right foot slightly in front (left toe to right foot instep) Knees slightly bent Big chest with back flat (no shoulder slouch) at 45 degree angle Glove hand arm slightly bent at the elbow with hand held out in front of the body (belly buttonish- good cue for kids) No flippers (when kids flip there glove at the last second as they are approaching a ground ball) Eyes focused on the ground in front of them like there is a ground ball o Drill work/conditioning Have infielders hold that stance for whatever an age appropriate time is for you kids. Shuffle drill Have player get into a good athletic position (no glove) with his partner/coach directly in front of him, about 8-10 feet away. On a go call from the coach, player shuffles right and left, fielding a ball at each end of his shuffle and passing it back to his partner/coach while being rolled another ball in the other direction. o Players should only shuffle about 2 shuffles off the midline/where the coach is standing. So from endpoint, the player is shuffling 4 times (two to get back to the midpoint and two to receive the groundball) once the drill begins Works on staying in a good stance/athletic position and conditioning Pre- Pitch Creep Step o Gets players in a good fielding position with good balance and on the balls of their feet, ready to move in either direction for a groundball with better quickness due to the energy created by creeping towards the plate upon the pitch As the pitcher winds up to the throw the pitch, infielders very slowly move forward, toward the plate, by taking 2 steps with EACH foot (so 4 steps in all) and ending in a good stance as the ball is crossing the plate, ready to move in either direction Infielders must work on timing all pitchers from the wind up and stretch o Drill work Have a coach simulate being a pitcher in an open area (don t necessarily have to be in their positions on the field) Simulate the wind up Simulate from the stretch (if appropriate) Infielder Drill Work o Cone drill Place cones in a diamond formation. Distance from top of diamond to bottom of diamond should be about 3-3 ½ feet. Cone setting the width should be placed about 1-1 ½ feet off the midline and slightly closer to the top of the diamond (so the infielder works on a more forward angle) Place a ball on the ground off the top of the diamond s cone with enough room for the player to get in front of the cone and about where his glove will field a ground ball (about 3 feet) Player straddles the bottom of the diamond s cone. o Right, left, right steps to get to the outside of the wide cone o Plant off the right foot and start heading towards the ball placed on the ground in front of the top cone in the reverse steps (left, right, left steps)

6 o Glove hand in front of body and good athletic position throughout the movement of the drill o At the end of the step sequence, players should be able to place his glove just behind the ball, in a good stance/athletic position with his right foot slightly in front of his left (left toe to right foot instep) Pause player at this point and make corrections. Check their Feet right foot in front of left Eyes down (should see button on top of their hat) Good stance o Continue drill by having player scoop up the ball with their glove hand, covering the ball with non- glove hand, bringing both to their throwing shoulder and begin footwork for their throw to first. Footwork for throws (should simulate angles of each individual position) o 2 nd base More of a side shuffle toward first base o Shortstop Right, left with right foot stepping in front of the left foot toward first base (or about a 45 degree angle) Progressions (as ability gets better, add the following) Roll ball very slowly and not very far away Progress further and further away; add speed to ground ball at an appropriate rate. o Player should never be rushed around the cone to field the ball. This would not be an appropriate way to challenge player ability, but rather teach them bad habits. Players will learn to time everything up by changing footwork in the drill to get to a good fielding position upon receiving the ground ball