"Fun" practice day best ideas

Play work up. Two players select their team, alternate choices.

Bob

We do a drill called, "The Hotbox."  I don't know if any of you do this.  We pair up teams of 3 but can be teams of 4.  We have two coaches hit with fungos and two players who are waiting their turn from another group are like a 1st baseman standing by the coach.  We hit the ball, and the fielder catches it and has to throw a perfect throw to first.  As soon as he throws, the fielder has to switch directions since the other coach is now hitting a ball at him.  Each fielder has four balls hit at them and then the rotate out and the next fielder runs in.  We don't wait for that fielder.  So, when the one fielder is throwing their last ball to the player by the coach, the other fielder had better be on the run onto the field.  Each team keeps their score with a possibility of 2 points per ball.  One for fielding the ball and one for the throw.  Kids love this drill and it gets intense.  We usually have the losers run once around the base-path and start again. 

At the same time, we do something similar for OFs but use teams of 2.  We use a jugs machine and real balls.   We place cones in certain positions for the starting spot and the fielder has to catch the ball then throw into a hitting sock.  It can bounce into the sock but the ball has to go in the sock area and not hit it and fall out.  The OF usually runs out of gas fast on this one.  So, you might figure out that this takes 3 coaches and so, if you don't have 3, you will have to leave one of these out. 

Per hitting, we do a few fun drills but the one that they like the most is to put a ball on a tee at one end of a hitting cage and then, on the other end, have players toss the ball up and try to hit a line drive to knock the ball off of the tee.  You can be a technical as you want but since it is for fun, hit the ball off anyway you can and we count it.  This can get real competitive as well and we create teams of four for this.  We run two cages and then a championship. 

For my JVs we forego the standard "banquet" and have a field day for our last day of season.  As a matter of fact had it today for two hours.  Played a 6-inning game of Backwards Baseball the first hour, then played a 9-hole round of Fungo Golf the second hour.  Had four  foursomes tee-off and make their way around the entire baseball field and side areas.  Infield dirt and pitchers mound were Water Hazards, balls hit over the fence were Out of Bounds and required a 1-stroke penalty, etc. 

Was a lot of fun.  Especially the backwards baseball.   It truly is the essence of what a game should be about.  Fun.

#1 Assistant Coach posted:

For my JVs we forego the standard "banquet" and have a field day for our last day of season.  As a matter of fact had it today for two hours.  Played a 6-inning game of Backwards Baseball the first hour, then played a 9-hole round of Fungo Golf the second hour.  Had four  foursomes tee-off and make their way around the entire baseball field and side areas.  Infield dirt and pitchers mound were Water Hazards, balls hit over the fence were Out of Bounds and required a 1-stroke penalty, etc. 

Was a lot of fun.  Especially the backwards baseball.   It truly is the essence of what a game should be about.  Fun.

What is backwards baseball?

My older sons team used to play a BP game, on the field, not in a cage.  They would get the team manager or a trainer to be the judges.  The coaches usually participated.  

10 pitches

-Anything that touches grass or dirt in the infield is an out.  An out subtracts a pitch from your 10 pitches

-A pop up to the inner half of the outfield is 1 point

-A pop up to the outer half of the outfield is 2 points

-A line drive is 3 points

-Bouncing into the fence adds 2 points

-Bouncing over the fence adds 3 points

-Hitting the fence in the air adds 5 points

-A HR was worth 10 points

Everyone was eligible to play.  Including the POs.  The top half would advance to the next round.  For instance if you have 18 players, 9 advance.  The next round, 5 advance, the next 3, and then 2 advance until you have a winner

Also they played bunt ball.  Every hit had to be a bunt.  The infielders could be no more then 1 step in front of the base path until the pitcher released the ball.  They would put some full ball buckets on the field in strategic places.  The buckets were in play, so if the ball hit off a bucket it would take a change in direction.  

Also, he said they tried to play 500 a couple of times, but the HS kids can get pretty aggressive and there was lots of pushing and shoving. 

Simple one is a fungo scrimmage. Once the ball is in play you're getting game like reps so it still is a good drill.

The best rule is that the other team can begin hitting once all 9 of their defensive players are off the field and the batter is in the box. SO it's basically a mad scramble after the 3rd out. Got to watch out for kids not looking in as they take the field or they'll get drilled, but kids love it.

Backwards Baseball is simply playing baseball backwards.  Bat opposite what you normally bat, catch and throw opposite, and most disturbing is the running of the bases backwards.

To expedite the game I have them hit off a tee.  I only do this on the last practice of the season as it gets very loosey-goosey and has no connection to how the game should be played.

Lots of fun though.

Thanks all.  Lots of good stuff.  We ended up with a great day...

First we did regular infield and outfield fungo reps but infielders took outfield and outfielders took infield.  Coaches had to join for fielding reps and players hit fungo's.  I threw in safety baseballs for OF's taking infield and let players hit fungo's as hard as they wanted.  It was a blast and the lefty middle infielders made some remarkable diving plays.

Then, we split teams.  Mostly righty's against lefty's (as close as I could come).  It was staged as serious competition with hardware at stake.  I told them we would be playing four different formats.  Had the boys hustle out to positions and hitters ready with helmets.  Split coaches up among the teams.  Had a young coach warming up throwing.  Then, just before first pitch, I switched out the baseball for softballs and the bats for slow pitch bats.  Played two innings of regular slowpitch.  Then, the next three innings were backward baseball - hitting, catching and throwing opposite handed.  Hilarious.  Then the next two innings were kickball.  Saved the best for last...

Blind baseball.  I used a rubber mini basketball for the ball.  Pitch to your own team.  Front toss from around 12'.  Hitter is blindfolded by wearing beanie cap pulled over his head.  Teammates have to talk to hitter to help time the swing.  Three strikes and you're out.  If the ball is hit, teammates have to talk runner to first base - can't touch him.  Defense can make the play for the out.  Hit the ball in fair territory is a run and not recorded as an out.  Reaching first base safely is a bonus run.  Didn't help or give any communication ideas.  Let them figure things out on their own.  

Some expected and lot's of unexpected follies.  Players and coaches rolling on the ground laughing.  

2" plastic trophies from the dollar store were handed out to winning team.  A coach who is usually pretty quiet blurts out "now that you guys have cups, you should wear them".

We play some of these games (not backwards baseball) during our practices on a daily bases. That hitting game that JOES87 described is similar to a few games we play. Games like that are fun but you can also work on fundamentals. The main thing we see is that it keeps the kids competing. We add pressure by making the loses run timed FPs. We will do the same things in the cage or play a both side fungi game. Anything to add competition and pressure to practice!