Good Morning, I know this is a little below the age level for most of the coaches here but...I need some outfield drills if possible. thanks in advance.
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If your league or team has a pitching machine, shoot them fly balls. The consistency of the pitching machine allows you to work on going right, left, straight back, etc.
An easy way to get them comfortable with judging flyballs...throw a flyball about 15-20 feet in the air and have them point exactly where it will land on the ground. As they get better with this, teach them how to drop step and do the same thing while tossing the ball over their shoulder (approx. 10-15 behind them)
When they get proficient at THAT...let them start catching flyballs. Have them face you, drop step and catch the fly ball.
When they get proficient at THAT...let them start catching flyballs. Have them face you, drop step and catch the fly ball.
One of the drills I like to run for the outfield uses some unconventional equipment.
A bucket of tennis balls and a tennis racket!!
Dump the bucket of balls at the coaches feet.
Players take bucket out to outfield.
Coach hits some "lobs" to the players.
Players toss tennis ball to players near bucket (No Throws with those all too light weight tennis balls)
When the bucket is full, - repeat.
Time is taken to teach the proper way to field the ball. (2 thumbs up)
Using tennis balls instead of baseballs helps in a couple of ways.
The kids are less afraid of the ball.
They can develop "soft hands" because the tennis ball will bounce out of their glove otherwise.
Easier to control the flight of the ball with the racket.
A bucket of tennis balls and a tennis racket!!
Dump the bucket of balls at the coaches feet.
Players take bucket out to outfield.
Coach hits some "lobs" to the players.
Players toss tennis ball to players near bucket (No Throws with those all too light weight tennis balls)
When the bucket is full, - repeat.
Time is taken to teach the proper way to field the ball. (2 thumbs up)
Using tennis balls instead of baseballs helps in a couple of ways.
The kids are less afraid of the ball.
They can develop "soft hands" because the tennis ball will bounce out of their glove otherwise.
Easier to control the flight of the ball with the racket.
justlearning, I have a bunch of drills for you. Email me at rip00_18@yahoo.com and I can give you the rest of them.
1. have them line up and go one at a time. Point to your right and have them open up to their left. Make sure they open up right. Then tell them to go have them run and then throw the ball in the air. Let them know the are working to get behind the baseball and do not want to camp underneath it. Do this a couple times than switch sides.
2. then do the 4 or 2 cone drill. I usually only do 2. Have a machine shoot out high fly balls. Find where it is land and go 30 feet towards the machine and go 15 to the right and left and set up your two cones. Have the person feeding the machine show the ball and have the outfielder open up. The when the ball is feed have the outfielder track it down. They will soon learn that they can not drift to the ball and that they have to work behind it. It is a + + working behind. 1 where you can generate momentum towards wherever they are throwing. 2 if the ball decides to continue to carry they are in perfect position to catch the ball.
3 then you can do two ball alley drill if you don't have a machine. Make one line the CF and the other LF. Separate the lines into two and hit a fly ball in the middle and have them catch. This will work on angles, reads off the bat and priority between the two fielder. Then hit a ground ball and they can work on hurry field or safe fied. Have them switch lines after they field the ball. Have them put the balls in a bucket.
1. have them line up and go one at a time. Point to your right and have them open up to their left. Make sure they open up right. Then tell them to go have them run and then throw the ball in the air. Let them know the are working to get behind the baseball and do not want to camp underneath it. Do this a couple times than switch sides.
2. then do the 4 or 2 cone drill. I usually only do 2. Have a machine shoot out high fly balls. Find where it is land and go 30 feet towards the machine and go 15 to the right and left and set up your two cones. Have the person feeding the machine show the ball and have the outfielder open up. The when the ball is feed have the outfielder track it down. They will soon learn that they can not drift to the ball and that they have to work behind it. It is a + + working behind. 1 where you can generate momentum towards wherever they are throwing. 2 if the ball decides to continue to carry they are in perfect position to catch the ball.
3 then you can do two ball alley drill if you don't have a machine. Make one line the CF and the other LF. Separate the lines into two and hit a fly ball in the middle and have them catch. This will work on angles, reads off the bat and priority between the two fielder. Then hit a ground ball and they can work on hurry field or safe fied. Have them switch lines after they field the ball. Have them put the balls in a bucket.
Throw them "football passes". Have them go out looking over their left shoulder and toss it over their right shoulder then vice versa. Have them go out and throw it directly over their head so they have to find it and get under it. You'll be amazed at how difficult this will be for some of them.
