Indoor Drills for Little ones

[Ursa Major]

I think a lot of what you want to do is work without a ball. Too many kids run to the ball and just reach down with their glove hand. Get the kids used to moving, then stopping and "breaking down" to get into fielding position. My son's tennis coach did drills like that to start kids' lessons, having 'em run, sidestep, drop, and repeat. If you can get 'em do develop a "right-left-drop and scoop-right-left-throw" rhythm, all the better.

You can even make it like a game of freeze tag. Do the drill where they follow you around the gym running/sidestepping and dropping into fielding position on your command, then yell "freeze!" Then, see who's in the right fielding position.

Another technique you can work on is running after pop-ups hit over their heads or to the side. Kids at this age invariably backpedal and run with their gloves outstretched. Put two markers on the gym floor at 45 degree angles behind the kids assigning one a letter or number or color. Then, when the kid is in his ready stance, call out "Green!" The kid has to turn and run to the spot while keeping his eyes on the imaginary ball.

[tominct]

The Ripken Way

I have all the Ripken Way DVD's and I adapted some of the defensive drills to suit the little ones today. It worked out pretty well. To keep things interesting I intend to implement some of your suggestions next week. I especially like the header one! That will be fun!

[Jake Patterson]

Tom, a good book is The Baseball Drill Book written by the American Baseball Association.

[Fuddrules]

I use a lot of tennis ball work. At that age, they're fearful of the ball and based on their reaction, most of them should be .

I'll throw a short pop up with a tennis ball and the goal is to have them have them get under the ball so it hits the top of their head. Like a soccer header. It helps them get under the ball vs. shying away from it. It'll also start getting them in the proper position so when they do put on the glove, they catch with fingers toward the sky vs. the underhand catch well in front of them.

Stand about 10' to 12' away and have them get in a fielding stance, except have their elbows bent at a 90 degree angle with their hands around shoulder level (and just outside of their shoulders). I'll then throw a tennis ball at each hand individually. Have them try and catch it. If they try and stab at the ball, it will bounce away. This helps them to relax their hands (and elbows) and shows them that the straight arm catches don't work. I'll then throw the ball near their face and they have to catch it with 2 hands, thumbs together. I'll then throw a low ball at or below their knees and they have to catch the ball with 2 hands, pinkies together. Watch and correct the hands crossing over each other.

On a hard surface stand just behind them, with the player facing away from you. Bounce a tennis ball. When they hear the sound of the bounce, they can turn around, locate the ball, and catch it. This also seems to help alleviate the fear of the ball startling them and helps them relax their hands/elbows and catch the ball.

[Gashouse6]

Have them go into groups of 3 or 4. Then have a coach roll each player 3 ground balls. Have them field the ball, throw it to the coach, field-throw, field-throw. The last ball should be about 10 feet away from the coach. If they are advanced enough to field a ground ball, then this is a good drill.

[tominct]

tom if your first starting out try and buy a practice planner book or a defensive drills video.You can get some great ideas.:gt

Been there, done that, aint "just starting out," Just looking for new ideas, maybe something different. 65% of the kids I am talking about can't catch, maybe 50% can't throw, the remaining 50% throw with poor mechanics, not to mention that can keep their attention for about 2 minutes if that.

Sorry.

[wogdoggy]

tom if your first starting out try and buy a practice planner book or a defensive drills video.You can get some great ideas.:gt

[tominct]

I need suggestions for drills to do with 7 and 8 year olds in a gym. Defensive drills I am talking about.

Thanks