Miles . If we send the pitcher back there, the backstop ends up doing most of the backing-up. RULE: I am going to Go Get the ball, The pitcher sprints towards, and past, the corner base* on the side of the infield the coach/ground ball is going. You can position the shortstop more up the middle closer to the base. What percentage of balls are hit everywhere else, at lesser speed and/or bouncing knee high or higher? Once you have your players training in how to call Time, talk to the umpires before each game and alert them of what your players will be doing. 0. If a runner is attempting to score, the outfielder throws the ball to the Pitcher, who is the Cut-Relay player on plays to home plate. In order for you to ensure you're always in the best defensive coverage for the particular situation, you've got to constantly be watching everything! Defensive Coverage For Pickoffs By: Coach McCreary Originally Published in: Coaching Softball Technical and Tactical Skills - Human Kinetics Now let's look at a few coverage options for running the pickoff at different bases. Folks watching that team will clearly recognize they are watching a quality of play at the 12u level that is unlike anything they have seen before. Outfielders and Pitcher develop awareness of, and habit of, executing their responsibility of backing up bases. In this example we have a ball hit to the shortstop: --> The rule for the other three infielders is to cover a base. The real success of defending bunts lies in the team performing the general principals of the bunt defense. The catcher's position in front of home plate. 2. 1607 N. Market Street Champaign, IL 61820, Sign up and be the first to know about upcoming deals and new releases. Below are two examples of the movement of the entire defense moving based on where the ball is hit. Grasping that info, and doing so from the perspective of a kid who will be learning it, is important before getting into the meat of this section. Creating this habit in our players takes effort and energy on our part; it is worth our effort. The CF will need to cover 2nd. Player fielding the ball does not* throw the ball. Any drill in which the focus of the teaching is something other than working on full on overhand throwing technique can be run on a Mini Diamond. This final section is probably more than what is needed for kids 9 and under. The above situations, and movement responsibilities, are flipped when the ball is hit to the Left Fielder and Third Baseman. This is an effective analogy, especially for younger players. When those times come up that a player is not sure what to do with the ball, we teaching them to run (sprint) with the ball straight for the pitching rubber. The Game Played on the Smaller Diamond is Different, Three Individual Responsibilities - Ball, Base, Back-up, Base is for the Runner, Ball is for the Defense, Getting the Ball in to The Pitcher (Middle of the Infield), Get the Ball to the Middle of the Infield, Middle Infielders Movement On Ball Hit To The Outfield, SS, 2b Are Not the Relay on Plays to Home, Pitcher Responsibilities - Ball Hit to The Infield, Corner Infielders - Ball Hit to Their Side of the Infield, Cut-Relay Player, on throws to home plate. Discover everything you need to know about Bastion of the Vilnius Defensive Wall (Vilniaus Gynybines Sienos Basteja), Vilnius including history, facts, how to get there and the best time to visit. I encourage leagues to consider taking this a step further and instruct their umpires to call Time, get the next batter in the box, and keep games moving along. The truth is that defensive signals can be just as useful regardless of the level that your team is competing at. Click here to proceed to the HK Canada website. Kids understand a key is needed to open the door to their house. --> The rule for the LEFT FIELDER, because the ball is hit to an infielder in front of them, is to go for the ball. The FS looks at the offensive alignment and. If an outfielder is not playing the ball, they are responsible to back up the base. ^ remain in a Ready Position until the ball is in the air and the First Baseman gauges the path of the throw. As the season progresses we want to teach our players that their our positioning on the field in relationship to the bases and the ball changes each time the ball moves. Keep in mind that for most activities the throwing and catching aspect is the last skill that needs to be mastered (and we take care of that during 'Playing Catch Practice'). When this concept is first introduced, the play in scrimmages will look a bit wonky because we are telling the players, if they dont know where to throw the ball, to take off running. Proper positioning is in line with the direction the ball would be thrown to the base Ball------------> Base ------> Player Backing up. We have the Shortstop or Second Baseman move towards the ball and run to the oufield to get the ball back to the infield. Outies - shooting 3!" Your directions will obviously differ depending on the age and development of your players. It's also acceptable to drop to one knee if the outfield is rough. A body in motion stays in motion. Cassie Cunniff (Sr./Mt. Note that we have the younger kids positioned further from the bases. Because players, especially outfielders, early in the season, are unsure of where to throw, they will be running with the ball quite a bit. It will be reiterated constantly throughout the season in most drills and activitiesbecause baseball/softball is a game of movement. The player primarily responsible for recognizing the runners have stopped attempting to advance is the Catcher, who is the lead communicator for the defense, since that is the one position that can see the entire field at all times. A few examples of the differences between the two games: The pitcher breaks for third base on balls hit to the left side of the infield - at this level we have runners on first and second a lot. Examples of drills that can be run using a Mini Diamond include relays, backing-up and base coverage responsibilities, and first and third defense. If they identify the need to make a throw, because they are so much closer to the center of the diamond, the distance of that throw is greatly reduced. For the purpose of the drill (working on a MINI DIAMOND), we want the backing up approximately 15 beyond the base. One of the most valuable tools a coach can use is the Mini Diamond. The softball first base positioning is important and will almost always determine the success of any play around the base. The good news is, we can give the kids the reps they need in as little as 5-10 minutes every second or third practice. How to Coach Youth Baseball and Softball. Once they are at the base, then they turn around and get in a Ready Position facing the ball. The points in the 'Rules for Defensive Movement' section aboveare applied to these examples. We need to practice this often. Be Ready to Move! There will be times however, when another player can get to the area around the pitching rubber easier, and quicker, than the pitcher. As long as the bases are covered by a teammate, it is ok for a position player to carry the ball to the middle of the infield until the pitcher arrives and can be handed the ball. Getting an out, any out is a big deal. Teach players to stand on the same side of the base as the balls location on the field. It is not uncommon in the youth game to see both the Shortstop and Second Baseman covering second base together. We want TWO players in position to catch every throw; the player at the base who we hope makes the catch, and a second player beyond the base to catch the ball, if it gets past the base. All movements in the drill are a full out sprint. Center fielder: shortstop goes into the outfield towards the ball; the second baseman covers the base. On a ball hit to the First Baseman, the Second Baseman runs towards the ball and covers first base (or backs-up first base). Early on, most players, especially those age 10 and younger, will stand only a couple feet behind the base when backing up. --> The rule for the CF and LF is that because they are not playing the ball they are backing up a base. For most it will quickly be obvious that they aren't playing the ball, so they move to their next responsibility: cover a base or back up a base/throw. When on the field, the kids will learn to address each situation, less through our verbal instructions, and more through active participation in the drills. The infielders then echo this information to the outfielders (if needed). The second-base defender moves to the ball with the intention of fielding it. Former Gophers defensive backs Jordan Howden and Terell Smith were selected in the fifth round of the NFL Draft on Saturday. If there are other runners attempting to advance to another base our player is ready to respond. She begins with bunt and slap defense, moves on to . There are four players in the drill. Players at each outfield position, approximately 30 beyond the infield diamond (mark those spots with cones). We want to stick this concept with our players immediately at the start of practices. Question: what percentage of balls in the 12u game are hit at laser speed, ankle high to the 2-foot space where the player is positioned? If the batted ball goes past the first-base defender while she is attempting to field it, the second-base defender will be in position to back up the first-base defender and to field the ball because she was already moving to the ball and she is slightly behind the first-base defender. In this DVD, Coach Gasso explores the aggressive defensive mindset, strategies, and drills that have helped her Oklahoma Sooners win two NCAA National Championships. Left Field. Beginning with Coordinated Team Defense (Part 2), move through the rest of the section piece by piece at a pace your group can grasp the content. The players need to understand that the player with the ball needs to remain conscious of the runners. You can get them individually by clicking the links below, or you can get them ALL as a member of our . The corner position will play the "flats." Early on this can be difficult to train. There are times where the direction of the throw to second base is such that it can be a challenge for the Center Fielder to get into position to back up the throw. The Pitcher moves a few feet towards second base when the ball is hit beyond the second base bag to center field. The definition for 'end of the play' is when the base runner(s) have stopped running hard and attempting to advance to another base. NOTE: in the instance of a ball being hit to the catcher or pitcher, the shortstop and second baseman are still moving towards the ball which has been hit in the space between the two positions. Now there is a better chance they will remain in motion, leading them to fulfilling their responsibility for that situation.Cover Third Base. Attention Span: Constant diligence is a better phrase. This problem is eliminated by teaching the kids that the three players in the middle of the field, the Pitcher, Shortstop and Second Baseman always move towards the ball. Ideally, they learn to run to where the carom will land. In most cases this occurs multiple times. I am going to GO GET the ball - React towards the ball. Receiving Throws at Second Base and Third Base: Next to the base; only a few inches away, but not touching the base. CF and the corner outfielder opposite the side of the field the ball is hit to, after first making an aggressive in the direction of the ball (coach), sprint to back up second base and the opposite corner base. GO GET implies motion. Before our kids are ready to learn their roll, they first must clearly understand that the foundation of their play is the need for them to move from their spot on the field when the ball is pitched to another spot on the field. When working with kids we want to structure our talk to be as literal as possible. A few inches off the plate, and not touching the plate. They want to throw the ball. Given this common occurrence, which significantly impacts the number of runs a team gives up, why dont we invest time to drill and train our players to back-up throws to bases? That is where a catcher catches pitches. If the throw is a bit to one side of the base or the other, they slide their foot near the corner of the base on the side the ball is headed, then stretch with their glove foot towards the ball. Middle Infielders: 25-30 from second base, and a couple steps behind the baseline. Barely anything is going to happen while they are looking away from the ball. Back-up - Instruct the Third Baseman to aggressively go after balls hit between them and the Shortstop or between them and the Pitcher. Regardless of level of play or the situation, each player on defense has one of three responsibilities: handle the BALL, cover a BASE, or BACK-Up a throw. A common mistake made by youth teams is mishandling the ball while getting it back to the middle of the infield after a play has ended. These relay situations, where the ball is hit past the outfielders, is addressed in the Drills section of the website. 1. Positioning varies based on the level of play, game situation, and the pitchers and batters strengths and tendancies (if known). Fully managed IT solutions to enjoy your direct business development | Being an expert in the critical online systems and applications management, HyperOps . Ball or 2. Center Fielder: 60 beyond the second base bag. Most coaching books start with a discussion of the importance of creating a coaching philosophy and follow up with a section on creating goals. In such a case, the pitcher doesnt have the Ball, so they follow the fundamental rule: Ball, Base, Back-up they cover a Base (home plate - 4th Base). They Do Not predict how the next play might work out ie Infield go one, outfield go two; how do we know in advance where the ball might need to go? All four players sprint until they are in position to fulfill their responsibility. From this point forward, we are filling in the gaps of the above teaching. LFLeft fielder fields the ball in the most secure way possible, preferably the same way an infielder would. A coach that is factoring in some of the variables above, instructs their kids to adjust from their Regular positioning. This forces the player to move far away from their base making it clear to the other infielders that it is not covered. We want to educate our players on these facts during our first practices, The base is for the runners, the ball is for the defense. Basic softball defensive strategy and tactics is a look at the fundamental defensive components of the game. This puts our player in motion. The players are not as strong, they do not move as fast, and there is the obvious fact that the bases and players are not spread out as much. Base, Back up (it is assumed for the purpose of the drill, that the corner base is covered). Defensive Situations No one on Runner at 1 Runners at 1st & 2nd Bases loaded Runner at 2nd Runner at 3rd Bunt coverage 1st & 3rd Pick offs Rundowns Baserunning Situations Running from 1st (less than 2 outs) pop up ground ball to left side ground ball right side line drive deep fly ball Running from 2nd (no one on 1st, less than 2 outs) pop up We want to establish in the minds of our players that once the runners have stopped trying to advance, we want to get the ball to the middle of the infield as fast as possible. This Drill should be one of first defensive drills of the year for our team. The first-base defender can then return to first base and get ready to receive the throw. Get the ball to the middle of the infield. Corner Outfielders: Midway between the Corner Base and Second Base, 60 beyond the baseline between second base and the corner base. Now players are soft slapping, drag bunting, and power slapping depending on the defense is. Until they arrive at the base where they are needed, it is their only focus. The teaching phrase Look for Other Runners is literal. The center fielder should be directly behind second base and about 20 to 40 feet (6 to 12 m) from the base. Call out number of OUTS and location of RUNNERS before each new batter, After the ball is put into play: holler, in a loud voice, where to make the play (Infielders Echo the call on, Communication on Cut-Relay Plays to Home Plate. The players, especially outfielders, will learn they can run the ball in and deliver the ball to a teammate by handing it to them or flipping it a short distance, underhand. They will be motivated to learn their responsibilities for throwing. Players are able to get many reps in a short period of time on the Mini Diamond. We want them to see that they can get to the corner base as easy as they can get to Second Base. We teach this practice to the infielders because not every child can project their voice all the way to the oufield. The existence of these factors results in some fundamental rules of how team defense is played on the large diamond to be executed differently on the small diamond. As a coach moving through this content, you are reading what appears to be quite a bit of info. Simply telling them is not enough for them to Get It. With each step, the base runners are less and less likely to attempt to advance. The second base defender and shortstop should be about half way between the bases and just behind the base path. The outfielder that has the ball hit in front of them, either the Left Fielder or Right Fielder sprints straight towards the ball, and doesnt slow down until they see the ball cleanly fielded by an infielder. First action is always Towards the Ball. We point out that some throws to second base are going almost directly towards the Left or Right Field positions. Many young players do not recognize they have the option of carrying the ball to its destination. Backing up distance is 25 beyond the basein line with the throw. I am going to GO GET the ball - React towards the ball. Eyes In!. Unlike 90 baseball, the pitcher does not back up home plate. The infielder then turns and sprints with the ball towards the middle of the infield. At the youth baseball level, this is most often a years long process. One example is a ball hit to the pitcher where the shortstop, thinking they may end up fielding the ball and moving aggressively to do so, is unable to cover second base. Softball Playbook Single to Left Field (No One on Base) Goal: The goal in this situation is to keep the runner from reaching 2nd base. Drill after drill, practice after practice, until they consistently execute this action themselves, we demonstrate by making an aggressive step and stating Go Get the ball. early in the teaching process, we want to eliminate the Wandering Third Baseman from membership on our team. Pitcher sprints to back up the corner base on the side of the infield the ball is hit to (after the coach/ball goes past them). To begin with, make sure your defenders know where their basic setup position should be on the field (see figure 7.2) when they're preparing for a hit. After a couple of days of running the drill we want to expand the teaching of the backing up situation. In this situation the Third Baseman sprints towards the spot they are needed to Back-up a throw to the base. The Pitcher moves towards the ball and covers first base (or backs-up first base). It may be more dramatic as running 30'-40' to reestablish the straight line relationship from the ball to the base to them in their backing up of a base. If the ball goes to a corner base they, players then throw the ball around the infield, base to base; each using proper Underhand Toss technique. Getting our players in position to properly back up throws, requires repeated drilling to engrain it as habit. This is a pressure play on the defense, but with a fair amount of practice should be able to make the play at home on a fairly routine basis. If a play needs to be made at second base or first base, the play for the Third Baseman, with their momentum going to their left, is easier than for the Shortstop or the Pitcher. Make sure you explain that only one person is allowed to pick up the ball; otherwise, you may have several players tackling each other to get to the ball. Balls Hit to the Outfield: the First Baseman needs to be aware of the base runner and not interfere with them while moving into position at First Base. Calls out ground ball to . 2. The Bastion of the Defensive wall is a military fortification.The attraction consists of the museum and a viewing platform.I enjoyed this tourist attraction.The bastion sits on top of a hill and offers you a fine vista of the surrounding area.Great opportunity for picture taking of the view and the medieval type backdrop of the Bastion.It feels . Second, and more significantly, kids tend to prioritize keeping their foot on the base over any other action that might be required of themcleanly catching an off-line throw being the most critical. The first and third base defenders should be approximately 3 feet (9 m) in front of their base and 3 feet from the foul line. They tend to be overly concerned with being at/on the base, so they are in the best position to record an out, even when throws are off-line. The underhand toss is used a lot more often. One player goes for the ball; the other three back up a base (4 = 1 + 3). If you are not playing the Ball,cover a Base (home plate). If a defender comes to a base before she gets to the ball, then her responsibility is to be on the base. Point out to them that quite often throws do not come straight to the base. The left fielder is part of the outfield and responsible for catching fly balls, line drives, and fielding ground balls that make it past the infield on the left side. A fun statement to drive home the need for them to cover the base while acknowledging their desire to see what is going on with the ball is, Cover your base and watch the game from there. Four infielders and catcher (the catcher is not necessary if you only have a group of four kids). At the 12u level of play they are needed to cover both a corner base and second base, depending on the circumstances of a given play. Empty buckets are placed at 1B, 2B, 3B. If a runner is attempting to advance to a base, the outfielder throws the ball directly to that base. Once the defense (most specifically the Catcher) sees the runners are not attempting to advance, our rule is our defensive players do not make overhand throws. The defense will make further adjustments once they see the offense line up. Options are then limited to: Carry the ball to its destination (run with the ball), Hand it to a teammate (who they have run to), Make a short underhand toss to a teammate (after running towards them to a point they are close enough to make a short, safe toss). And going through multiple repetitions of the drills. It is important that our players understand that their base coverage and backing-up responsibilities continue throughout the play (regardless of their perception that nothing of importance is going on in their area of the field) and do not end until the ball is in the Pitchers hands and the Pitcher is standing next to the pitching rubber. In this strategy, the players pretend that the ball is a gigantic magnet and that they are all pieces of metal that are attracted to it. The odds of making a throw, in this situation, and recording an out, are slim. Some attempts to play the ball will take the Third Baseman (and their momentum) far from the base. Before the base has any useful function for a player on defense, they need to have the ball. Proper positioning is a few inches in front of home plate. Moving outfielders back or in based on the power of the batter. Positioning for play involving 10-12 year olds. They have to move some distance to cover a base or back-up a base; they learn that Baseball/Softball requires every player in the field to move when the ball comes off the bat, they have to move some distance, and have to move fast. This is an excerpt form Survival Guide for Coaching Youth Softball. 1 in D1Softball's top 25, Texas moves into top 5 Big 12 standings update: Oklahoma sweeps Baylor, Longhorns sweep Oklahoma State Oklahoma Sooners complete sweep of. When moving the ball to a teammate, the options are to hand the ball off or make a short underhand toss. Solution: at the conclusion of the drill (players have gotten to where they think they are supposed to be), for each player who is not lined up with the direction of a throw to a base, roll a ball firmly towards, and past the base. We want the Catcher running the game. When they are not chasing down balls in the outfield, they should be sprinting in to back up throws to bases they develop this habit through drill work, not by us simply telling them. As the players develop the Ball, Base, Back-up concept, the First Baseman can be confident that another player will cover first base. During any of these situations, the shortstop runs toward the ball as well. The second-base defender is now ready to receive the throw at first from the fielder (i.e., the first-base player). This movement requirement applies toallplayers, regardless of where the ball is hit Example, third baseman on a ball hit to right field: The third baseman takes an aggressive step towards right field. The catcher calls out which base to throw the ball to. The Catcher hollers loud, Eat it! (meaning to hold onto the ball). Each step closer to the middle of the diamond, the player with the ball becomes a greater threat to the base runners. That is ok, it is part of the learning process. Place a an object (ball bucket, etc.) Get the latest insights with regular newsletters, plus periodic product information and special insider offers. "And then .
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