Planning The Perfect Practice Pittsford Little League - 2008

1. Planning The Perfect Practice Pittsford Little League - 2008

2. Agenda: • Introductions • Youth Coaching Overview • Why A Practice Plan Is Essential • What Makes A Perfect Practice • Sample Practice Plans • Baseball Fundamentals • Hitting • Fielding / Outfield • Drill Examples • Ford Practice Area • Habecker Batting Cage

3. Double-Goal Coach: Winning & Teaching Life Lessons A Third Goal (For Youth Sports)… Every Player On Our Team Wants To Play Again Next Year. - It is not our job to ‘weed out’ players at the youth level. - It is our job to build a love of the game and a feeling of belonging to the team. Tools To Help: - Practice The Principals of Double-Coach Coaching. - Become A Student of The Game - This Workshop, Pitching Clinic, Al & Al - Web Resources (there’s a TON!) - Engage Peers - Plan Perfect Practices. This is where… - Skills Are Built - Goals Are Achieved - Fears Are Overcome - Camaraderie Is Learned - The “Team” Is Formed

4. Why A Practice Plan Is Essential • Forces Evaluation of Your Team & Your Players Throughout The Season • What skills are lacking. What drills can address them. How do we improve? • Instills Confidence In Your Players and Your Parents • An Organized Practice Keeps Players Under Control • An Organized Practice Maintains Focus On Baseball (not the airplanes) • Perfect Practice Makes Perfect (Ripkin) • Practicing The Wrong Way Doesn’t Help • You Play The Way You Practice

5. What Makes A Perfect Practice • Pre-Planning • Build a Practice Plan in Sections: Warm Up; Skill Building; Team/Situations; Batting; Wrap Up • Write It Out, Make Copies/Email To Coaches, and Live By It – Every Practice • Vary Skill Building & Team/Situations Based On Need And Team Competency • Organization • Create a Beginning/Warm Up Routine • Players Will Take Ownership & Begin Practice Without Direction • Create an Ending/Wrap Up Routine • Players Re-Energize Knowing The End is Near • Suggest Ending With A Scrimmage • Organize For Efficiency • Expect Focus & Discipline • But…Allow For Fun • Station Based (KEY – Keeping Kids Moving Is Critical To Any Practice) • Small Groups and/or Individual Stations • Each Station Runs Concurrent With All Other Stations • Kids Rotate Through Stations (Coaches / Parents Run The Stations) • Have as many stations as possible (usually limited by # of Coaches or Parents available). • Stations = More Reps = Efficiency • Baseball is a game of repetition. • More swings = Better Hitter. • More Pitches = Better Pitcher. • More Grounders = Better Fielder

6. Sample Practice Plan (Little League International) • Basic Practice • Practice Meeting (5 min) Go over team goals and practice objectives • Team Stretch and Short and long toss (12 min) • Team Jog one pole (5 min) this time is to think about having a positive practice and what needs to be accomplished. • Hitting Stations: • Two Soft Toss Station (8 min) • Two Tee Station (8 min) • One Cage Station (8min) (Once Coach pitch) • Two Bunting Station (8min) • Fielding Drills: • Drill A  Y Ground Ball Drill Left/Right side of infield (10 min) 2 Coaches hit to the infield. One hits to 1B and 2B, other coach hits to SS and 3B. • Drill B Outfield groundball drill (10 min) • Drill C Charging a Bunt (8 min)3B and 1B • Drill D 3 man relays in outfield (8 min) Group 1. OF-SS-OF   Group 2. OF-2B-OF • Round of infield/outfield with one coach hitting (pre-game warm up) (10 min) • One pole to cool down (5min) • Wrap-up Meeting (3 min) • * * Drills A and B are done at the same time. • * * Drills C and D are done at the same time. • 90 Minutes

7. Sample Practice Plan (Little League International) • Defensive Practice Plan • Practice Meeting (5 min) Go over team goals and practice objectives • Team Stretch /Short and long toss (12 min) • Team Jog one pole (5 min) this time is to think about having a positive practice • A. Y Ground Ball Drill Left/Right side of infield (15 min) 2 Coaches hit to the infield. One hits to 1B and 2B the other coach hits to SS and 3B. The ball is returned to the catcher for the appropriate coach. • A. Out Field Ground Ball Drill (15 min) • B. Infield Drill at all positions (15 min) • B. Outfield Fly ball drill (15 min) • C. 2B/SS feed drill (15min) • C. 3 man relays OF-3B-OF   OF-1B-OF (15min) • Round of infield/outfield with one coach hitting (pre-game warm up) (10 min) • Situations: Play like a live game with 9 fielders and have a coach hit. You can have four runners with helmets and go over game situations. (15 min) • Wrap-up meeting (5min) • * * Drills A are done at the same time • * * Drills B are done at the same time • * * Drills C are done at the same time • 97 minutes

8. Sample Practice Plan (Little League International) • Offensive Hitting Practice • Practice Meeting (5 min) Go over team goals and practice objectives • Team Stretch /Short and long toss (12 min) • Team Jog one pole (5 min) This time is to think about having a positive practice • Hitting on the field with Coach pitch (10 min) three fielders to shag balls.(4 players) • Soft Toss Station (10 min) (2 players) • Two Tee Stations (10 min) (4 players) • One Cage Station (10min) (One Coach pitch with 2 players) • Bunting Station (10 min) (2 players) • Each player rotates through each hitting station • Base Running Drills (15 min) • Wrap-up meeting (3 min) • 90 Minutes

9. Sample Practice Plan (Web) • Warm-up - 10 minutes • Slow Jog / Stretch Legs / Stretch Torso / Stretch Arms • Base Running - 10 minutes • Infield Hit (Through First) • Round First (Single) • Run for a Double • Run for a Triple • Throwing - 10 minutes • One partner should be on foul line and the other in the outfield. • Stations - Total of 40 minutes (10 minutes each) • Ground Balls • Pop-ups / Fly Balls • Hitting on field or in batting cage/s • Tee • Soft Toss • Team Work Examples - 50 minutes • Scrimmage • Cut-offs / Relays • Run-Downs • Pitching Drills • Base Stealing • Base Running - Tagging up etc.

10. Sample Practice Plan (Ripkin Baseball) 20 Minutes Stretch, Run, Throw 20 Minutes Groundballs and Flyballs – use buckets & systems to minimize throws and maximize repetitions. - Not taking infield - Two Infield Fungo Stations (Y Drill) - One Outfield Fungo Station 20 Minutes Team Fundamentals - Bunt Defenses - First and Third Defenses - Cutoffs & Relays - Pickoffs and Rundowns - Baserunning 60 Minutes Team Batting Practice (4 Stations, 15 Minutes Each) - Tee, Soft Toss, On-Arm Soft Toss, Live Hitting - Pitchers / Catchers Work on Sidelines

11. Sample Practice Plan (PLL) • Warm-up: (20 Minutes) • Throwing (one partner on foul line and the other in outfield) • One Knee Down 10 yds • Catch 10-15 yds • Long Toss 20 yds + • Fielding (one partner on foul line and the other in outfield) • No Glove Ground Balls 15 yds • Quick Toss (30 second reps – Who can get the most?) • Conditioning • Drills To Right (Players Always Follow Their Throw) • Stations: (40 minutes) • Live Hitting • Soft-Toss and/or Tee (Wiffle Ball if necessary) • Fly Ball (Coach Throws Football Patterns From Foul Line) • Pitchers & Catchers (Full Gear – challenge catchers to no passed balls) • Team: (15 minutes) • Situations (8 man defense , Coach hits and calls situations with Runners) • Run-Downs • Base Stealing / Tagging up / Advancing • Cut-Offs & Base Coverage • Bunt Coverage • 1st and 3rd Plays • * End With A Scrimmage(15 minutes) (4 on 4 on 4) • Team A & B in field while Team C Hits. • Batter starts with 2 strikes. • Max Runs = 4 per Team/Inning X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

12. Hitting Fundamentals • Bat Selection • Too Heavy = Long, Slow, Lag Swing • Ideal Swing is Short and Compact • The Grip • Line Up The ‘Door Knocking’ Knuckles. • Loose hands/wrists = throwing the bat at the ball (a good thing) • The Stance • Balanced & Square (so you can see the ball) • Cover The Plate • It’s Here Where 1000’s of Techniques Begin… • Stride, Hands, Head, Hips, Shoulder Turn, etc. • Fundamental Keys To Hitting • See The Ball (Keep The Head Still) • Get The Bat On The Same Plane as The Ball • As late as possible. • As long as possible.

13. Swing – Head Down, Arms Extended, Front Leg Planted, Back Hip Driven Forward. Stance – Square, toe-in, hands back, Barrel Up. Both eyes on pitcher. Load – Hands above the ball & back. Eyes tracking pitch. Short/Soft Step Finish– Head Still, Hit Against Firm Front Leg, Rotate Hips

14. Infield Drills • No Glove Ground Balls (6-3, 4-3) – Coach on Mound, Rolling Balls to SS & 2B. Players Change Lines • No Glove Double Play (6-4-3, 4-6-3) – Coach on Mound, Roll To 2B. 2B tosses to SS for DP. Change Lines. • Glove Double Play (5-4-3) – Coach at Home, Roll To 3B. 3B Tosses To 2B for DP. • (Each above are rapid fire. Kids will catch, throw, change lines. Put a Coach at 1B so poor throws can be caught and returned to Coach on Mound quickly. Run these drills as fast as possible. Reps = Efficiency) • Keys: • Focus On Getting The Out at 2B. • Teach Proper Foot Placement for 2B & SS • Teach Toss vs Overhand • Field GND Balls w/ 2 Hands • Receive Toss With 2 Hands Up • Work on Quick Transfer & Throw To 1st • But…Make The Out At 2B!!!! X X X X X X X X C C

15. “Triangle” Position Butt Down, Head Up, Two Hands – Out Front

16. Outfield Drills Turnaround Drill – Player faces away from Coach who throws Fly Ball. Coach Yells Turnaround and Player Locates Ball Strike At Home – Place a Bucket or Bag at Home Plate. Hit GND balls to OF. Player Tries To Hit Object At Home. Shoestring Drill - Player Runs Toward Coach Who Tosses Ball So Player Extends Out and Down To Make Catch. Relay Drill – Below Make it a race. First Team to Go From Home To Fence and Back First, Wins. Angles & Backup Drill – Coach hits gapper. Closest OF’er fields while other backs up. ** OF is all about BACKUP & Throwing 2 Bases Ahead Of Lead Runner ** X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

17. Star Drill • Skills: • Hands in receiving position • Quick Catch/Transfer/Release • Key Point: • -Catch as feet are moving to base they are throwing. • Chase Drill • Skills: • 6-3 Grounders • Slap Tag at 2B/3B/Home • Key Point: • - Players Follow Their Throw • Bunt Drill • Skills: • Bunting 3rd or 1st Base line • Pitchers Charge • Key Point: • - Focus on Getting The Bunt Down

18. Station Set Up Tee Station Soft Toss Station Fly Ball Or Outfield Ground Ball Station Pitcher/Catcher On-Deck/Foul Balls

19. Ford Field – Practice Area 2 Pitchers 2 Catchers Juniors/Seniors Minors/Majors Softball Ford A Cage Tee Station Quick Toss Ground Balls Fly Balls No Glove Gnd Balls Turn Two (DP) Cut-Off Relays Short Infield Drills Baserunning Soft Toss Station