| Greetings, | | | | This not a long drill, just a quick refresher on |
| Battle Stations base running drill | | | | studying the pitchers foot work to determine |
| Divide your team in half as equally as possible and | | | | whether or not to dive back, go back standing, or |
| assemble two lines at home plate, one line slightly | | | | just move back toward base. Just assume that it |
| ahead and inside the other. Now have a coach on | | | | is 1st base we are working on. You can add 2nd |
| the pitcher's mound give a command for the lead | | | | or 3rd base if you want. |
| runner in both lines to take off. . One runs straight | | | | Split your players up into as small of groups as |
| through first base as if they are beating out a | | | | you can, depending on the current situation at |
| groundball, the other makes a turn and continues | | | | practice or pre-game. Use the outfield foul or any |
| into second. At the next command, the drill | | | | kind of line, depending if you are indoors or not. A |
| continues in the same manner but the runner on | | | | coach acts as the pitcher. All players should have |
| second now rounds third and scores while the | | | | a good view. The coach should alternate between |
| runner on first takes third. Now you have bases | | | | right-hander, left-hander, stretch, windup, stepping |
| loaded on every cycle of this drill .It goes on with | | | | off the rubber, and picks. Players are given a |
| the runner on third tagging up and scoring. Two | | | | scenario before every pitch (on first base straight |
| runners will now score each time the bats are hit | | | | steal, on first base hit and run, etc... Players |
| together. Players go to the end of the opposite | | | | assume the correct position, take a proper lead, |
| line when they score and bases remain loaded | | | | and react according to the play called and the |
| continuously. | | | | movement of the pitcher. |
| It's a much more instructional drill than having the | | | | When it is a team drill, have other coaches |
| players continually circle the bases, and give every | | | | watching players, don't let players take this drill |
| player a chance to perform just about all the | | | | lightly, base running blunders can blow up promising |
| situations they will see in a game. Coaches can | | | | innings |
| check for base running technique, how they are | | | | Off to the races drill |
| rounding the bags etc...It help players get into | | | | This is another fun way to end practice with a |
| baseball shape which it more short quick bursts of | | | | base running drill kids will like. Split the team in half, |
| energy needed. You can help players learn to get | | | | with one group of kids behind home plate and |
| good jumps and to anticipate when to go. | | | | other half behind second. Just don't have them all |
| This drill should be done at the end of practice, | | | | run the bases together, there's not much being |
| because the players will be pretty tired after. End | | | | learned that way. Turn it into a relay race with |
| the drill when you can see they have had enough | | | | baseballs as the batons being passed from runner |
| and are starting to get sloppy | | | | to runner. Give the first kid of each group a ball |
| Study the pitcher drill | | | | (this will be the "baton" for the relay race). At |
| Align all players on the first base foul line, in the | | | | "GO!" the first kid from each team begins running |
| outfield. The line becomes the base. Somewhere | | | | the bases, ball in hand. After making a complete |
| near the infield dirt, near where the second | | | | lap around the bases (back to each kid's starting |
| baseman would play. On second base two out | | | | point) that kid hands the ball off to the next kid in |
| lead, delay steal, etc.). Other coaches should be | | | | line, who continues the relay race. Try to have |
| positioned to watch players and make corrections. | | | | coaches at the bases encouraging proper turns |
| Spend 5-10 minutes of every practice on this. We | | | | and foot work. First group of kids to finish the |
| also spent at least 5 minutes before every game | | | | race wins. They will not want practice to be over |
| on this drill. | | | | most of the time. Kids love to compete, and |
| This drill is usually done with the entire team. | | | | when you can use contests to help you teach, it's |
| Splitting up the team prevents players from just | | | | always more effective. |
| copying what the others are doing. This forces | | | | These are some of the more basic drills, look for |
| them to focus more and actually retain more of | | | | more advanced drills coming up later. |
| your coaching. | | | | |