Training & Instruction

Pitching Fundamentals (opens in a new window for easier printing)

Pitching Variety (opens in a new window for easier printing)

Pitching Drills (opens in a new window for easier printing)

Post-Pitching Recovery (opens in a new window for easier printing)

Running Practices and Suggested Drills

General Guidelines

Running a practice requires planning and organization. With limited field space, optimizing practice time is more essential than ever. Use your assistants and spend at least half of the practice doing stations or drills as outlined below. If you have other drills or variations, please share them with us by contacting the Training Director.

Please avoid unplanned practices where the manager pitches BP to the players. This leaves lots of time for players to get distracted, and injured. Players will improve their skills dramatically if they are properly taught using proven techniques and drills.

Make practicing fun. Variety is a key element. Mix up the drills and keep the players involved with lots of positive feedback.

Dress

Make sure your players are properly dressed. It is very easy to get injured in colder weather without proper clothing.

Cleats are required. At the lower levels, any type of non-metal outdoor cleat is acceptable (soccer, lacrosse, baseball, all purpose). Serious leg or ankle injuries can occur from slipping on wet surfaces.

Long Pants - baseball pants or sweats are preferable. Playing or practicing in shorts is not allowed.

Shirts – Players should dress in thin layers. Long sleeve shirt or under armor are ideal but should not be excessively loose fitting. Bulky or heavy sweatshirts that inhibit arm movement should not be worn. Recommend that parents buy darker colors as pitchers are not allowed to wear grey/white sleeves.

Practice

Stretching

The first order of business at any practice is stretching. We will cover some basic stretching exercises at the coaching clinics, but at the least, the following should be done before touching the ball:

Overhead arm stretch-interlock fingers

Reach over the head and pull back the opposite elbow (both arms)

Shoulder grab-reach and grab opposite shoulder and pull to stretch

Hip twists

Sit on the ground (if dry) and grab the ankles to stretch leg muscles

Stand, bend at the waist and touch your toes

Run in place or jumping jacks (especially in colder weather)

Jogging (especially in colder weather)

In general, players should be at least approaching a sweat before throwing.

You should always start your practice with team stretching. If players arrive late, they will then know how to stretch on their own, without disrupting the rest of the practice. Never allow a player arriving late to start right in without proper stretching.

Warm up throws:

Players should line up on a baseline and throw to a player on (or lined up with) the opposite baseline. (they may move closer for initial throws). It is important that players all throw in the same direction to avoid hitting someone on an overthrow. Watch that the players are using proper mechanics. Warm up throws are a good opportunity to correct improper throwing rather than during the drills or practice.

Suggested Drills and Stations: If you have any questions about these drills or have other drills you would like to see incorporated into our training program, please contact the Training Director: jstefaniak@scansoftware.com

KNEE DRILLS are simple throwing drills where you put your throwing foot forward, get down on one knee, and then either flip throw or circle throw the ball, using only shoulder rotation.

The purpose of the knee drill is to get your arm to do what you actually want it to do. In the flip throw it's like you're turning a double play, or flipping to first base. The circle drill is for pitchers to develop good arm drop rotation.

The knee drill is designed to be very specific: only the arm and shoulder are used. There's no involvement by the legs or hips. (All levels)

FENCE DRILL eliminate head movement and "long swing" (keeping hands inside, going straight to the ball, short compact swing with good pivot, no head movement or lunging) (AA and above)

ROLLING BALL DRILL (bare hands) keeping down with both head and lower body (All levels)

WEAVE DRILL-coming through the ball, hand position (AAA and Above) Players at the rear of the line must watch for overthrows or risk being hit with errant throws)

SQUARE DRILL (variations of underhand, roll, toss, overhand)-emphasis on footwork (AA and above)

HITTING OFF THE TEE-where to stand, head still, load up to go forward with no head movement (All levels)

PITCHING DRILLS – drop step, pivot, tee, throw, follow through (All levels)

SHORT HOP DRILL-staying down, soft hands (AA and above)

CATCHING DRILL- retrieving passed ball, toss to pitcher covering home (AAA and above)

CATCHING DRILL – short hops, blocking bad pitches, squaring up and staying in front of the ball (All levels)

OUTFIELD DRILL – hand position, going back, keeping glove down, shielding, set, crow hop, grip, and throw (All levels with some adjustment for A, and AA).