PRACTICE 17

Coach, now it's time to put the catchers and pitchers to work. 


First 15 Minutes (Warm-up)

Use the standard warm-up routine: stretching, moderate jog to a finishing sprint. Then, catching, throwing and ground-ball lines. Always stress mechanics. Make sure you leave plenty of room between each girl during warm-ups. Remember, you can always go back to the two or three lines with coaches tossing the ball to get an effective warm-up.


Next 2 Minutes (Water Break)

Keep your players hydrated with a water break. But have them hustle back on the field


Next 10 Minutes (Review Rundowns)

Run through the four key points of the rundown and quickly run through a few.


Next 15 Minutes (Live Hitting)

Put a catcher behind the plate and a pitcher on the mound. Leave three girls in to hit and put the rest in the field. Place a coach at home plate with a number of balls and another in the circle with the pitcher and a bucket of balls. Have the pitcher pitch four balls (if the catcher doesn't catch it, leave it and have the coach in the circle hand the pitcher another). After four tosses without contact, have the coach pitch up to four balls. On contact, the batter runs and the kids in the field make the play. In order to keep everyone involved and on their toes, the coach at home plate can throw a ball into play as if it was hit and have the fielders make plays. Rotate your catchers and pitchers every fourth batter and keep rotating the kids.

Coaching Point
  • Stress patience to the hitters, but to swing at strikes. 

Next 2 Minutes (Water Break)

Keep your players hydrated with a water break. But have them hustle back on the field.


Remaining Time (Resume Live Hitting)

Resume live hitting in the same set-up as above.

Gather the girls together and congratulate the kids for a job well done. Give them the next practice time (or game time) and follow up with an e-mail to the parents.