FPWSL - Clinic Drills

Fairmount Park Women's Softball League Season Opening Clinic Drills

Outfield Footwork Drill | Tracking a Groundball Drill | Tracking a Fly Ball |

Cutoff Drill

Purpose

This drill is designed to teach players how to quickly and efficiently use the cutoff to get the ball from the outfield to the infield or to a particular base. The drill emphasizes the need to communicate and allows players to practice good throwing and catching techniques. Involving both outfield and infield positions during the drill provides great awareness and appreciation for each and every player's role when executing the cutoff.

Setup

Have players or groups of players at the following positions:

home
1st
2nd
3rd
shortstop
left field

One person at each position is up at a time. Everyone else is waiting in line.

Execution

The coach hits two balls to the player in left field.

First Ball: the player catches the first ball and prepares to throw to 3rd base. The player at 3rd lines up the shortstop between the player throwing the ball and 3rd by yelling directions of left/right or go in/go out. As the cutoff, the shortstop should wind up positioned half way between the outfielder throwing the ball and third base, and should have both hands in the air and positioned to receive the cutoff throw and then make a throw to 3rd. The throw always goes to the cutoff and then to 3rd base. After the ball gets to 3rd base via the cutoff, it is then thrown to 2nd, to 1st, and then home to end the turn.

Second Ball: the player catches the second ball and prepares to throw to 2nd base. The player at 2nd lines up the shortstop between the player throwing the ball and 2nd by yelling directions of left/right or go in/go out. As the cutoff, the shortstop should wind up positioned half way between the outfielder throwing the ball and 2nd base, and should have both hands in the air and positioned to receive the cutoff throw and then make a throw to 2nd. The throw always goes to the cutoff and then to 2nd base. After the ball gets to 2nd base via the cutoff, it is then thrown to 1st and then home to end the turn.

The player at 3rd is not involved in the play of the second ball hit.

Players at 3rd, 2nd, 1st, and home can be asked to simulate making a tag at their base before throwing to the next base.

The drill can be run with balls hit to left field, center field, or right field. Regardless of where the ball is hit, the fielder take the first ball to 3rd and the second ball to 2nd, and the drill proceeds the same way every time.

Drill Rotation

After a turn at a position, players follow their throw, such as

left field goes to shortstop
shortstop goes to 3rd
3rd goes to 2nd
2nd goes to 1st
1st goes to home
home goes out to left field

If groups of players are at each position, then players rotate to the end of a line at each position.

Skills to Emphasize

Double Play Drill

Purpose

This drill is designed to teach infielders how to take a ground ball and make a short accurate flip or throw to a base. It is also designed to teach players how to receive a throw at a base and be prepared to make a good throw to another base.

Setup

Have players or groups of players at the following positions:

1st
2nd (not on the bag, but positioned between 1st and 2nd)
shortstop

One person at each position is up at a time. Everyone else is waiting in line.

Execution

The coach stands at the pitcher's mound and rolls a ground ball to a player at shortstop. The player fields the ground ball, and depending on how far from 2nd base she is, makes either an underhand flip or a short, but firm throw to the base. The player at 2nd takes the throw and then throws the ball to first base. The player at first returns the ball to the coach.

After several rotations, the coach begins the drill by rolling a ground ball to a player in the 2nd base position. The player fields the ground ball, and depending on how far from 2nd base she is, makes either an underhand flip or a short, but firm throw to 2nd base, which is now covered by the shortstop. The player at 2nd takes the throw and then throws the ball to first base. The player at first returns the ball to the coach.

Drill Rotation

shortstop goes to 2nd
2nd goes to 1st
1st goes to shortstop

If groups of players are at each position, then players rotate to the end of a line at each position.

Skills to Emphasize

This drill is designed to teach infielders how to field a ground ball while maintaining good body position, and reinforces the habit of looking the ball all of the way into the glove.

Have players split into pairs. Players in each pair set up roughly 8-10 feet from one another without a glove.

Players in each pair position themselves with good body position for receiving a ground ball: feet just slightly wider than shoulders, knees bent, rear-end kept low, hands out in front of body and on the ground. This position is maintained throughout the drill.

Players take turns rolling soft ground balls to each other. When receiving the ground ball barehanded, players are to focus on using two hands while looking the ball into their hands and pulling the ball up into the center of the body - gathering the ball in a good balanced position.

After a few minutes of barehanded work, the drill can progress to where one of the players uses a glove and becomes the roller. The other player still fields the ball barehanded, but throws the ball back to the roller. The players can take turns being the roller or the fielder.

The drill can further progress by requiring the players to move farther and farther from each other.

This drill is designed to provide basic throwing and catching practice for all players. It is a great team warm-up activity. It can help emphasize the need to provide a target and catch with two hands, to prepare the body to throw while catching the ball, and to throw from a balanced position.

Have players form two lines roughly 30 feet apart to begin with; the distance can be increased as players warm up. Each player should be directly across from another player in the other line. Choose one of the lines and have the players in that line move half way in between their opposing player and the one next to their opposing player. If a line were drawn from player to player and line to line, the line would appear as a zig-zag.

The coach feeds the first person in the zigzag a ball, and players throw back and forth along the zigzag until the ball reaches the other end. Once players understand what is happening and are prepared to pick up the pace, the coach continues to feed balls into the zigzag so that the group is handling many balls at once. The last player in the zigzag simply drops the balls into a pile or bucket until all available balls have reached the end.

Players should constantly be reminded to remain aware of balls being thrown their way. Players should also be reminded to be sure that the person to whom they are throwing is looking for the throw.

Once all of the balls reach the end of the zigzag, the drill is reversed to bring the ball back to the original starting end.

This is an outfield drill that is designed to teach outfielders how to work together to make good decisions and communicate about taking fly balls, and how to back one another up.

Have two outfielders positioned roughly 50-60 feet apart in the outfield and ready to receive a fly ball.

The coach hits a fly ball in the direction of the two players, aiming for the area between the two players. One of the players calls the ball by yelling, "Got it," and the other follows up by yelling, "Take it." The player catching the ball (the got-it player) makes the commitment and goes all out to catch the ball. The player backing up the person catching the ball (the take-it player) moves into a good backup position roughly 30 feet behind the player catching the ball and prepares to get to the ball should it get through or be dropped. The ball is returned to the coach.

This is an outfield drill that is designed to teach outfielders how to get a jump on a fly ball and move towards the ball and catch it on the run. It is designed to provide practice catching balls on both the glove and throwing sides of the body.

Have one player at a time positioned facing the coach (or another player) roughly 10-15 feet across from one another.

Begin with the glove side catch. The player stands facing the coach. When the coach yells, "Go," the player begins their movement with a drop step on the glove side and runs away from the coach to the glove side of their body. The coach throws a medium height fly ball behind and to the glove side of the player, leading them slightly. The player continues to run on the balls of their feet while tracking the ball into their glove. Once caught, the ball is returned to the coach (or a designated player catching for the coach).

When all players have had several turns, the drill can be run to the throwing hand side of the body. The drop step that begins the run to the ball then happens on the throwing hand side of the body.

This is an infield drill that is designed to teach players how to move into position to field a ground ball that is to their left or right.

Set up two cones or buckets roughly 10 feet apart. Have one player at a time positioned facing the coach (or another player) and standing in a ready position in front of the cone on the coach's left.

The coach yells, "Go," and rolls a ground ball slightly to the right of the cone on the right. The player moves into position to field the ground ball by moving on an angle behind the cone on the right and getting to the ball on the other side of the cone. The player should maintain a good, low body position for fielding ground balls while moving into position. After being fielded, the ball is returned to the coach.

The drill can also be run in the opposite direction with the player beginning in front of the cone to the right of the coach and tracking a ground ball on the other side of the cone on the left.

This is an outfield drill that is designed to teach players how to track and catch fly balls on the run.

Have all players line up in a position roughly 20-30 in front of and to the right of the coach, facing the coach. One player is up at a time.

The coach yells, "Go," and the player begins to run all out to her right. The coach throws a medium height fly ball out in front of the player, leading them by roughly 20 feet - like a football quarterback leading a receiver. The player runs on the balls of her feet and with her glove ready, and makes every attempt to get to the ball and catch it. After being fielded, the ball is returned to the coach. Players can wait on the opposite side after their turn so that the drill can be reversed after everyone has had a turn.

The drill is then run in the opposite direction with the player beginning to the left of the coach and running to their left.