A Youth Baseball

Coaches Tool Kit

A Softball

Coaches Tool Kit

This page was last updated: 7/3/2007

The first section is the schedule for the first week of a three week outfield clinic. The second section is a description of the drills used in week one.

OUTFIELD CLINIC SCHEDULE   -   Week 1 

 

Time   MinutesActivity

:0015Jog, stretch, warm-up, Star Drill

:155Introductions and purpose of the clinic

:205Key points to explain:

Throwing is the most important skill for an outfielder.

Call “BALL” if you are going to catch the ball.

Call “BALL” when the ball is at the top of its’ flight.

Priority/Lanes - Use the handout - Tips on Playing the Outfield.

Sprint to where the ball is coming down, Do Not Drift!

Run on the balls of your feet (keeps your eyes focused better).

:2520 Throwing (Teach)

Proper throws for the outfielder:  hold the ball, throw it and watch the spin. 

Movement of the feet is important, follow-through properly.

:4510Throwing Drill(Practice)

:5512Ground Balls at the outfielder    (Teach)

Ready stance, field the ball on the throwing side.

1:076Outfield Ground Ball Drill   (Practice)

1:138A Ball Stopped Behind the Outfielder(Teach)

1:214Get Ball and Throw Competition    (Practice)

1:2520Fly Balls -  Use the Pitching Machine(Teach and Practice)  

Shoot balls to one spot, get to the ball, line up, catch and throw

Get behind the ball, shield sun with glove and catch on throwing side.

1:4510Charge/Drop Back Drill(Practice)

1:555Discussion and Handouts

2:00See you next week

OUTFIELD CLINIC ACTIVITIES - Week 1

Throwing Drill

Objective:Work on proper throwing techniques:  Grip, step, follow-through and accuracy.

Set up teams of two. Put one player on a line on the baseline between home and 1B and a second player on a line in the outfield 60' behind the baseline between 2nd and 3rd and parallel to the first line. Throw the ball back and forth between partners using the correct form. The target is the partner’s throwing shoulder.

Outfield Ground Ball Drill

Objective:Work on proper fielding of ground balls:    Knee down, field the ball off the throwing foot, followed by a strong and accurate throw.

Put one base person and one thrower at each base and one outfielder 60’-80' beyond each base.The thrower throws a hard ground ball to the outfielder who fields the ball using the proper form, then throws to the base person who makes a tag.  After five throws move the base person to the outfield, the outfielder to thrower and the thrower to the base person.

Get Ball and Throw Competition

Objective:Work on getting quickly to a ball stopped behind an outfielder: Proper pick up and throwing technique, field the ball in the middle of the body, straddle the ball with the glove hand towards the infield...

Place a ball on a line 20' away from a player, on “Go” the player sprints to the ball, picks it up and throws to a shagger standing 80' behind where the player just started. Time each player from “Go” until the ball is caught by the shagger.  The fastest time is the best.

Charge/Drop Back Drill

Objective:Work on the ability to catch a fly ball while running full speed in and then catching a fly ball while running back.

A player lines up 80' in front of a thrower. The thrower tosses a fly ball in front of the player who charges in, catches the ball and throws it back to the thrower. The thrower then throws a fly ball over the payers head (left or right) so the players has to run back to catch it. The player then returns the ball to the thrower.  After four throws switch player and thrower.