Week 2 Sunday, January 18 th Topics to be Covered Tonight: Week One Review: Room for Improvement Instructors, Coaches, Players Re-emphasize Practice Concepts, Arrival Times Absolutes of Little League Swing Mechanics Hitting Drills Laying out Tonight s Practice Week One Review: Coaches will travel with their group to various stations. During the season, its most efficient to have a coach remain at a station and for kids to rotate. During the clinics, however, we will ask coaches to (as best we can) pair up with their age group and travel with them Outlines will be distributed on Friday going forward o coaches can come to Play Ball pre-armed with an idea of the night s activities Despite attempting to not pack too much into an hour, we clearly did last week. This goes to show you how difficult it is to teach, given the precious little time we have. It underscores how critical it is to not only know what needs to be taught, but be able to effectively implement lessons and repetitions in an efficient way. Re-emphasize Practice Concepts, Arrival Times: We will continue to try and set routines and expectations about arriving to practice. This includes starting together, as a group, with base running Absolutes of Little League Swing Mechanics (Introduction): Before we begin teaching the six absolutes of hitting, it is critical to know HOW this should be taught, more so than WHAT we are teaching. No age group can teach and implement all of these absolutes in one season. Referenced below are the critical times when these elements should be introduced and taught. Focus on one thing at a time (maybe 1-2 per season in some cases!) Too much information will paralyze the hitter! What is critical is that, as a coach, YOU are familiar with each of these absolutes and that you can teach them. Train yourself to see a hitter s swing in slow motion as if you were a human camera and then focus on these elements. Everything else is a Non-Teach (one of our words from last week!).
Absolutes of Little League Swing Mechanics: Bat Selection Don t allow Dads to think their kid is Paul Bunyon. Generally The following are guidelines for bat sizes per age: 5-6 (physically developing 7s) should use a 26 inch bat. 7-8 (physically developing 9s) should use a 27 inch bat 9-10 (physically developing 11-12) should use 28 inch bat 11-12 should consider 29-30 inch bat depending on strength When a hitter cannot swing the bat through hitting zone (A to B) without dipping bat shoulder, the bat is too heavy! Stance and Grip on Bat This is the most critically important aspect to young hitters. This would be the number one (and only?) point of emphasis for T-Ball Age children. See Diagram on White Board Hitters should align Front Foot with Break in plate and they should be off the plate enough that when they extend arms in a swing, barrel of Bat is in the middle of the plate. For older hitters (10-12?) this varies slightly in that you want the Barrel of the bat to be able to effectively hit an outside pitch (see Contact Points) Align your Knocking Knuckles, rest Bat on Shoulder For young hitters, it is critically important they teach themselves this alignment and be able to re-set themselves every pitch. This also underscores why it is important to not pitch or Soft Toss Rapid Fire! Coil and Step This is where the Load and Stride happens. As the Pitcher moves, Batter begins the Coil. This should not be taught before Age 8. When the kids start pitching to one another, it is important they begin to get a sense of this timing. Weight Re-Distribution happens during this phase (60-40?) to create stored energy Step is Short and sweet. Keep front foot pointed in. Front foot should be down when pitchers Front foot lands Hips Lead Hands, Max Torque Concept for Older Kids (Maybe 10 at the earliest?). Upon the pitch releasing from the pitchers hands, violently release the hips keeping hands back. This should happen every pitch, regardless of Ball / Strike. In order to do this successfully, there can be No Fear of the ball (Very difficult!!)
Absolutes of Little League Swing Mechanics: Contact Points (Think 9 Contact Points!) Bat advances through the Hitting Zone like flipper of a pin ball game. (Hi-In, Hi-Middle, Hi-Out, Middle-In, Middle-Middle, Middle-Out, Low- In, Low-Middle, Low-Out) Concept of A to B. Bat moves through hitting zone, using stored energy from Coil, without dipping or dragging. From Loaded to Contact Point Follow Through / Common Threads Throughout Swing Batter maintains a quiet, still head. Body is violent while head is quiet & still (Thumb on video camera). Begin Front Shoulder, Ends Back Shoulder with Eyes On Ball throughout the Swing Balanced on each side. Two Hand Follow through Tonight s Hitting Drills: Stress Safety!! Know who is around you!! Tees: Eyes Out at Imaginary Target for older kids. Individual swings. Properly Re-set between each rep Soft Toss: The partner throwing is critically important! 8-10 feet away (5-6 Ft. for Coach Pitch), 45 deg. in front. Show Ball and throw to front hip on a soft line. Hand comes back, hitter coils and steps. Don t throw the ball if the hitter not in a good stance. Front Toss: Same exact concept as Soft Toss except throw from 10-12 feet in front.
Layout to Tonight s Practice: 9-12 Year Olds Base Running and Warm-Up: (10 Minutes) Run through 1 st Base x 4 Stop Hard: Spread Feet, Over Right Shoulder Tag Up x 4 from 3 rd Base Alt. 0,1 Outs or 2 Outs Take off Like Jet, Not Helicopter Tag Up x 2 from 1B Alt 0,1 Out. ½ Way and decide Stretches (No Arm Stretches tonight) Arm Circles while Standing Both Ways Arm Circles bent over Both Ways Pendulum Side to Side, Front to Back Straight Leg Together, R/L, L/R Bent over, Legs at 45 degree Middle, Right, Left Standing Groin Right, Left Brief Explanation of Swing (with heavy emphasis on Safety and Stance 5-8 Minutes): As we are explaining this, somebody take charge and close the cages and set up each cage with equipment (See White Board). Observe First! Carefully pick what you would choose to Coach / Teach.. For first couple times through, correct only stance and watch the rest. Pick one thing to work on today for each, individual kid. Players should travel with Helmet, Bat. 9-10 Minutes Each and Switch, 2 Min Transition SEE WHITE BOARD DIAGRAM THESE GROUPS ROTATE Cage 5 Soft Toss 4 Staggered Stations (4 Balls ea. Station) 6-8 Reps Each Station One Coach, Two Hitters Upstairs Tee Work 6 Staggered Station (2 Balls ea. Station) Continuous Reps Each Station 1/2 Coach, (3) Two Hitters Cage 3 Soft Toss 4 Staggered Stations (4 Balls ea. Station) 6-8 Reps Each Station One Coach, Two Hitters Cage 4 Front Toss 1 Station (Bucket of Balls ea. Station) 6-8 Reps Two Coaches, See Diagram, L-Screen
Layout to Tonight s Practice: 5-8 Year Olds Base Running and Warm-Up: (10 Minutes) Run through 1 st Base x 4 Stop Hard: Spread Feet, Over Right Shoulder Tag Up x 4 from 3 rd Base Wait until Coach catches Ball Stretches Arm Circles while Standing Both Ways Arm Circles bent over Both Ways Pendulum Side to Side, Front to Back Criss Cross Arms Brief Explanation of Swing (with heavy emphasis on Safety and Stance 5-8 Minutes): As we are explaining this, somebody take charge and close the cages and set up each cage with equipment (See White Board). Observe First! Carefully pick what you would choose to Coach / Teach.. For first couple times through, correct only stance and watch the rest. Pick one thing to work on today for each, individual kid. Players should travel with Helmet, Bat. Keep your own time in Cages. Try Get Through Each Don t Rush! NO SWITCHING CAGES Stay with your Group the whole time See White Board Diagram for Drill Set Ups Cage 3 Tee Only 5 YR OLDS (T Ball) Cage 4 Tee, ST, FT (?) 8 YR OLDS (Kid Pitch) Cage 5 Tee, ST (!) 7 YR OLDS (Coach Pitch) Upstairs Tee, ST (?) 6 YR OLDS (1 st Yr Kid Pitch) Tee Set Up 6 Staggered Stations in a cage at a time. 3 Coaches, each watching 2 Hitters. Each Tee Station needs two baseballs. Soft Toss Set Up 4 Staggered Stations. 4 Coaches, each tossing to a hitter. One hitter waiting at each station. Each Soft Toss Station needs 3-4 Baseballs Front Toss Set Up 1 Stations. 1 Coach tossing to a hitter. Another Coach managing the line and safety for kids waiting. Front Toss Station requires bucket of balls and an L- Screen Manage transitions within your cage at your discretion. You have until 5:55. If you are making solid progress and kids attention not wavering, stay with it until the end! If you send they need a change of pace, change the drill. Don t stop something that is working!!