Drills | Catching | Gameplay | Hitting | Infield | Outfield | Throwing
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Ages 4-9
THREE KEYS TO THROWING
1) Direction
Teach Lateral Movement First
- • Shuffle
- • Cross Behind
- • Cross in Front
JUST PLAY!
Tight Rope Race
2) Hand Separation
Front Leg and Glove Move Together
- • Punch and Kick
- • High Five and Kick
- • Shuffle to Balance
HAND SEPARATION DRILLS: Teammate High Five, Teammate High Five with Ball, Relay Telephone, Stride with High Fives Tightrope
3) Release
Finishing Release Out Front
- • Reaching Out
- • Backspin
- • Throwing Hard
RELEASE DRILLS: Glove Snap, Glove Toss, Dodgeball Wrist Flip (on Your Back), Dodgeball Wrist Flip (to a Teammate)
PITCHING
1) Balance Point
BALANCE DRILLS: Balance, Hip Hinge, Repeated Separation
2) High Five and Kick
3) Front Elbow to Side
4) Release Down
Ages 10+
4 KEYS TO PITCHING
1) Balance
Most important part of pitching. Good balance promotes consistency and arm health.
- • Shoulders still at leg lift
- • Upright posture
- • Knee at hip height
- • Maintain throughout delivery
2) Hand Separation
Consistent hand separation creates good timing and a repeatable release point.
Timing and arm path:
- • Hands follow knee downward
- • Glove and foot out at the same time
- • Glove at target, shoulder height
- • Drive elbow back (byproduct is glove to chest)
3) Leg Drive
- • Hips moving forward at top of leg lift
- • Hip and glove lead body, stay tall and move downhill at a consistent angle (Hand Rail)
- • Long stride leading with heel
- • Land with foot flat
- • Push through front leg block
4) Follow Through
- • Chest forward towards target
- • Create the WHOOSH sound
- • Throwing shoulder finishes at target
- • Flat back
- • Ready to field your position
Pitching Mechanics (Individual Drills)
If a mirror or video is available, use it to help show the athlete how they are moving. We learn through visuals.
Arm Pit Drill
Coming soon.
Bucket Ball Toss Drill
Place a bucket on its side, anywhere from 30-60 feet away, and have players work on trying to throw the ball into it.
JUST PLAY!
Last Man Standing (Players get 3 throws each. Make it in, you move on.)
Dodgeball Drills
This drill series helps teach kids how to keep their fingers and hand behind the ball when throwing and finishing through the fingers. Helps with release point and first steps to establishing 4-seam and 2-seam fastballs. In addition, learning to catch.
Dodgeball Wrist Flip (on Your Back)
Dodgeball Wrist Flip (to a Teammate)
Glove Snap Drill
Glove Toss Drill
High Five Drills
High Five Telephone Drill
High Five Teammate (No Ball) Drill
High Five Your Teammate (with Ball) Drill
Hip Hinge Drill
Kneeling Barehanded Catch Drill
Leg Up Drill
Coming soon.
Push Forward Drill
Coming soon.
Shot Caller Drill
Using a catcher (or other targets), throwers “call their shot” identifying their target/location prior to throwing.
JUST PLAY!
PIG (Compete against a teammate in a game of PIG, but throwing.)
Shuffle Hops Drill
Stride Relay Drill
Coming soon.
T Drill
Coming soon.
Tee Target Drill
Place a ball on a tee and attempt to knock the ball off with your throw.
JUST PLAY!
Line up two teams. Set up two tees about 20 feet away from the two players at the front of each line. Each player alternates throwing. This is not a race. Whether you knock the ball off or miss, it’s now the other player’s turn. If you hit it, you move to the end of the line. The first team to make it through their entire line wins.
Traffic Lights Drill
Set up three hula hoops colored red, yellow, and green. Use these as external targets for the player to throw through.
JUST PLAY!
Red = 1 point, Yellow = 2 points, Green = 3 points. Play to 10.
Triangle (or Square) Group Catch Drill
Wall Push Away Drill
