Practice Schedules

30 min Warm up/Throw
20 min Ind. Def.
20 min Pre-game
15 min Defensive Series
10 min Bunt/1st and 3rd defense
40 min Hitting Stations
40 min Quad squad
10 min Extra

What we do in each of these segments will vary, but this our usual routine. Our first of the year practices will have less team and more individual time. Our pitchers work out at different time depending on what we are doing. Sometimes bullpens are a station for our hitters. Pitchers will throw quad squad or they will get their work in before or after practice.

Looks like you guys really throw a lot of things in every day - good for you. I like to focus on a few things and make sure we do them well. We have stations (much like you are mentioning), but we always have a few main objectives that we try to emphasize each practice. In the early season, we spend time like you do focusing on the fundamental "little things" that will be the difference between wins and losses, especially early on.
Looks like you guys have some good plans.

25 min. - Run(jog), Stretch, Run(sprints w/stealing jumps), and Throw.
10 - Live baserunning vs. pitcher/catchers
15 - Group defense
15 - Team defense or Game situations
15 - Pre-hitting or Bunt stations
45 - B.P
15 - 12 point baserunning (our conditioning/baserunning routine)

Here's our typical:
20- Jog , stretch, throw
5- sprints,steals
15-IF/OF team
20-group work
15-team situations
45-BP
10-base running circuit
2 runners at home - one runs a double, one runs straight through 1st in foul territory
R1- goes 1st to 3rd
R2- 2nd to home
R3- home.

They run until each has cycled through.

Ryno, can you explain your 12 point baserunning?

Our practice schedule isn't based upon "times." We do what we do until we get it right or we tell players to switch. We typically do a series of cardiovascular to get loose and then stretch. Then, catch. Our pitchers are with our trainer. They are doing a series of band work etc. while the trainer gets the other sports kids taped etc. Then, they do their stretches and come to the field. In the mean time, we are doing infield outfield. Almost always, we include a segment just after the initial infield/outfield with JV players being the "runners." Now the pitchers begin to show up. We now change direction. We do our bullpen and everyone goes to either fielding or hitting stations. We set up a jugs machine to shoot out outfield balls, we have an atec Rookie machine for catcher popups or infield grounders, (we have 2 of them) and we progress through a series of "Points of Emphasis" for each of these. In the mean time, kids are going through our cages. We have three and 2 half cages. Each cage has a specific drill noted. Each cage also has specifics for each player. In other words, Joe might go here and here is what Joe is trying to achieve. So, outfielders and infielders are catching balls. Pitchers are doing bullpens. Hitters are hitting. Now, the pitchers come to the field after completing their work with the trainer based upon the pitching rotation and/or their need for work. If we are throwing a "Half-Pen" then once we reach that point, I take them to the field and hitters are called in. We have a rule that only 2 players ever shag. We have a rule that only 2 hitters are ever around that rolling backstop (Including the hitter). So, everyone is still working. Our pitcher throws his work. When the other pitcher shows up, we do PFP with both pitchers. Naturally, the infielders now have to take a position and the hitters switch. After PFP, the other pitcher gets his work in. The cycle begins again with the next two pitchers. After all of the pitchers have gone, we then set the field for the coaches to throw BP. Oh, all the way through this, my assistant coach has been calling individuals in and keeping a rotation going for all OF and IF. That rotation is based upon a lot of criteria. Our trainer is now at the field and he is working with our pitchers as they complete their work. Even as the coaches throw BP, the OF, IF and cages continue to operate. By now, our JV coach is with us and he is manning the cages while my assistant and I throw the BP. We are done when we are done. Naturally, we have long but very efficient practices. Each kid has a point of emphasis for hitting and fielding. Each kid has a rotation. If we "run long" then some of the players don't get live arm from us and the JV coach steps into the cages and throws BP. Everyone in our program gets over 300 swings per day. Everyone in our program gets hundered of balls to field. If anyone wants to see a copy of what our plan looks like, send me an email and I'll send one. Note, it won't contain each players individual work rotation or practice emphasis since that is printed out seperatly.
dbutler@triad.madison.k12.il.us

good practice schedules. seems like all of you guys are very organized.

coachb,
our pitchers are also our starting shortstops, centerfielders, 1st basemans, catchers, etc. must be nice to send them off during practice college style.

quote:

Ryno, can you explain your 12 point baserunning?

Be happy to:

From Home Plate (simulate swing and go)
1. Straight through bag-break down-look over right shoulder. Return to home.
2. Narrow turn (question mark shape). Imagine a ground ball that makes it through IF, you must sprint down the line, but turn late. Make turn at first thinking two and come back to first (actually to a throw down base, to stay out of next runners way). Return to home.
3. Wide turn (banana shape). Hitter has smoked one in the gap-sure double (we try to do all our turning between the first two bases, then drive off the inside corner of bag straight for the next base). Continue all the way to second. Return to 1st.

From first base (take primary lead, then secondary lead and go)
4. Imagine a line drive into RF-runner sprints straight into 2nd and reverse pivots (pivot on left foot with belly button turning to right field) checking for (imaginary) ball coming in from RF. Return to 1st.
5. Imagine base hit into LF-sprint to bag and make turn to third, stop and return to throw down base (which represents 2nd). Return to 1st.
6. With coach in 3rd base box, imagine base hit into RF. Runner must now pick up coach for signal prior to reaching turn point at second. Runner continues all the way to 3rd. Return to 2nd.

From second base (take primary lead, secondary lead, and go).
7. Base hit to LF-sprint to bag and reverse pivot, looking for ball coming in from LF. Return to 2nd.
8. Sprint to 3rd-3rd base coach will wave runner then stop him for return to throw down base. Return to 2nd.
9. Score. Return to 3rd.

From Third base
At this point we place two additional throw down bases and three players going at once.
10. Take primary lead (or walking lead if you prefer). Suicide squeeze break on coach, who is simulating pitch on mound. Return to 3rd.
11. Walking lead on coach's wind up. Imagine pitch entering strike zone and fly ball being hit to center. Coach #2 simulates catching fly ball by clapping his hands together over his head. Return to 3rd.
12. Walking lead on coach's windup. Coach throws real pitch to coach #2, who is catching. Make sure he throws those low pitches WIDE ! Players are working on reading down angle and scoring on WP/PB or planting right foot and returning to bag. When the players gets down angle/WP and scores they are finished.

Good Stuff as usual.. some of you guys need to be turned in for going over..
Monday and thursday Game weeks.
30 minutes..RST Run -Stretch -Throw (We throw longer than most people).
Defensive Series. 6 rotations 6 minutes each..High intensity.. 3 fungos. -35 minutes.
BP- 4 groups of 4 60 mintues.
1-Live group with baserunning
2-Cages- 2 cages with different drills. 1 is always fastballs. other usually live drill.
3-Drills X2 Will have two drills set up. Each of the last two rotate at 7 miutes.
4-Either fungo and work off the live hitters, bullpen or possibly more drills if we have shaggers.

10 minutes 1st-3rd
10 minutes Bunt work
20 minutes Baserunning

Wendnesday-
RST-30
Infield/Outfield Groups-60 minutes
1-Infielders hitting stations/ Outfielders multiple fungos from Home Plate

2-vise versa.

Situation Day -60 minutes

Everything and anything..I plan it. Sometimes we play a hitting game in team at the end of this day.

We only do Defensive Drill Series pre-season.

Roy you have a PM

Roy brought up another question.....How much time are you guys allowed to practice during the week? We (Texas) get 60 minutes during the school day and 8 hrs. of after school practice during the week. Which is about 3hrs a day since Friday after school is considered the week end.

d8, you get to practice during the school day? In Illinois, that is a violation. We get out at 2:30. We begin practice at 2:50. We have to move down to our field and so, the delay. We then practice each night till we are done. Our typical practice goes till 6:30. We know these are long hours and so, we try to do some things to make the time easier to take. Every so often, we have "peanut day." We bring in sports drinks and I buy about $40 worth of salted peanuts in the shells. A couple of times, we order in pizzas. Most of the time, we are getting after it. Saturdays - well the sun goes down at some point each saturday. LOL!

practicing during school would be great. in tennessee if its during school hours you can go all year round. some systems work that out - some dont. we are on the dont end of that.
we are not limited to hours in season.
off the subject - our first week of winter workouts has went great. our kids have worked hard - thy're all there except the basketballers - and are excited about being there. we've got that family thing going.
their coach is very tired because he coaches basketball too. ive got to get in coaching shape. lol.

WOW....I'm beginning to think I'm a slacker.

Here in Ohio, we're stuck inside in the gym for about the first month. I'll normally go 5 or 6 days a week, but I have always tried to keep my practices at 2 hours or not much more.

Even when we go outside, I think that going over 2 1/2 hours, you tend to lose a lot of the kids (mentally not physically)....Coach B25, no offense, but I can't imagine practicing for 4 hours a day. I have a hard time believing that the last hour or so of practice would be that productive.

Also, how do the players keep up with their homework if they are at practice for 4 hours? Not trying to be too critical, but I still think they are STUDENT-Athletes and therefore need to have baseball come second to their schoolwork.

Come on TCB1 Baseball comes before School work. I know it did for me.

No limit on practice time and not restricted by a set starting date in Arkansas

we are inside alot during early practices in february. we are lucky. when our bleachers are pulled back we can fit 90 foot infield on our gym floor. our infielders cant get depth but we can get infield in groundballs and throws, work on rundowns, bunt defense, 1st and 3rd defense, picks, pfp, baserunning, etc. we also have another gym floor upstairs where we can put our hitting stations and indoor mounds. we have an indoor cage in an unused vocational shop.
we will go 2 and half to 3 hours early preseason, after we start playing we play 4 to 6 days a week so we really shorten up. im like you anything over 2 hours you get to a point of diminishing returns.
as far as the school thing we make our kids with a c or below in anyclass attend study hall after school everyday before practice. we start this after the 1st progress report in the fall. again once we start playing this is hard to keep doing.

quote:

Originally posted by TCB1:
Coach B25, no offense, but I can't imagine practicing for 4 hours a day. I have a hard time believing that the last hour or so of practice would be that productive.

Also, how do the players keep up with their homework if they are at practice for 4 hours? Not trying to be too critical, but I still think they are STUDENT-Athletes and therefore need to have baseball come second to their schoolwork.

We know that what we do is not for everyone. However, even when we are done, it isn't uncommon for kids to ask for more. As far as productive, I understand your argument. Naturally, I believe we are productive or I wouldn't be doing it. I think that with any program, the kids have to buy into what you are selling. We are a small Class AA team of 1,300 kids. We play a schedule where many of the schools are 1,800 or more and upto 2,500. We promote work ethic as our means of bypassing these larger schools. Again the kids buy into it.

With regards to academics, a Baseball Player has been awarded our school's "Student Athlete Award" each of my years here. The majority of our players last year on the varsity were on the honor roll. Two of our players Kevin Hoef and Luke Leder tied for Valedictorian. Again, I do understand your concerns.

I have always found that kids grades are better during baseball season--

They learn how to "budget" their time and not be frivolous with their spare moments

Especially during the summer.

Once again, a telling comment from one who has spent little time walking in the shoes of those he pokes fun at.

Another one that missed THE point in order to make HIS.

A telling comment from one who is quick to type and slow to think and recall that often at 60/90’, baseball players play in the school months of August, September, October, November, April and May, too.

THop

"11. You don’t work long hard hours unless you love what you are doing. We love what we are doing and we will work long hard hours."

Coach, your rule 11 may or may not be the secret to success, but, it is the beginning of a successful journey for sure......You definitely have an understanding of what it takes......And, a track record to match.......Any Coach would do well to listen to you and study what you do..

We go for 2 1/2 hours each day, including our routines that we do in station work. I have always felt that if we sprint everywhere we go (and we do) that I can get 3-4 worth of practice done in 2 1/2 hours...and I know it helps our kids get schoolwork done. We have one of the toughest academic institutions in the state, so that is a priority for me as a teacher/coach.