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Life Lessons Life Lesson #66: Practicing Without a Diamond Focus on teaching when baseball fields are not available Here in Southern California, we may have great weather with plenty of sunshine… but we suffer from a lack of practice fields. Whether it’s a local park, an elementary school field or a neighborhood greenbelt, any open stretch of grass can become an effective practice site if you plan your workout correctly. Typically, these off-field practices represent the opportunity to do skill training rather than repetition. Because you are not working with a full baseball diamond, focus your team’s training on situations challenging the mind rather than the body. Limit interaction between infielders and outfielders, as those typically mean big space. Some tips for practicing with limited field space and time follow below: STRETCH / RUN / THROW EARLY If you do have some field time available, schedule R/S/T 40-45 minutes before taking the field. Modify throwing if needed to execution rather than long toss and take the athletes through a throwing program involving 2-knees, 1-knee, no stride, and catch/pop drills (catch and immediately spring into an athletic throwing position). If the athletes need extra love in the ‘receiving’ department, use this time to get extra practice catching that stinking ball! TEAM - Drill the Mental Game With 4 throw down bases, you can simulate an infield diamond and do so at a smaller scale if necessary. Depending on your athletes’ age and level of play, use a practice without a full, clean playing surface to discuss and practice appropriate defensive plays:
INFIELD The chances are good that the grass you are practicing on is not “infield quality.” Therefore, infield training turns away from repetitions and more to instruction. Use this opportunity to train skills specific to the positions. For younger athletes, this might mean working Ground Ball Instruction, where you work on footwork into… and out of… the fielding triangle. For older athletes, this could be an opportunity to work on double play feeds/turns, slap tags, or throwing on the run. OUTFIELD The good news – A fly ball is a fly ball and doesn’t care what you are standing on. The bad news – hitting fly balls to athletes at positions is going to be a challenge. At this type of practice, practice retrieving balls over an athletes’ head and off of the outfield fence. A quick release and accurate throw to a waiting infielder is key! An appropriate follow up drill could be cuts/relays. HITTING Lifeletics’ emphasis on station instruction is never more important than when working hitters in a tight space. NO LIVE HITTING! Too many chances for baseballs flying into windows or into other athletes. Instead, use wiffle balls, tennis balls and catch nets to minimize ball flight and the chances of injury. Without watching the ball fly off the bat, athletes are better able to focus on swing mechanics and receive hitting instruction. Increase repetitions through multiple stations and teach, teach, teach. PITCHERS Without mounds or bullpen areas to pitch in, an off-site practice can involve pitchers-fielding-practice (PFP’s) on your mini-diamond. Or, utilize tight quarters to keep pitchers together as a group and review Progression and/or Pick Off Moves. Progression is the process of taking the mound and moving through the pitcher’s positions. Pitching mechanics can always be done without baseballs as well.
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