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Week 5 - Practice Plan
OLLB Rally Cap
Week 5 Practice Plan
Session Overview:
This session will be a recap of the first 4 weeks and give a refresher to the players on some of the fundamentals before moving on to a new drill. Coaches should ensure that all players have a good grasp of the basics but the drills should be move through quickly. Some drills can be combined into one.
Practice Plan Outline:
Warm-up can be done by individual teams or as a large group. Set up players across a foul line and mark a line about 30 feet away and do 5-8 dynamic warm-ups. Drills such as: light jog, walking arm circles, high knees, butt kicks, lunges with a twist, zombie walks.
Finish the warm-up with 10 jumping jacks.
Teams get split into game and practice sessions.
Practice_Session_Drills
| Drill Name | Drill Summary | Things to Look For and variations | Video Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Handcuffs | A ball is placed in front of the player on the ground, on coach's signal, players pick up the ball and grip it with the four seam grip. After 3 times without a throw, have the player throw to a coach, parent or another player. | 4 seam grip | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYBHnRyWyVY |
| The Wheel | Paired up with a partner or several players with 1 coach, players play catch with an emphasis on finding their preferred arm path. | Sequence for the throwing arm: arm goes down, bath, up and forward. Variations include: coach lead instructions, three arm circles before throwing and starting position: sitting, kneeling on 1 or both knees, standing |
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZqEgR2Liqs |
| Catch the Ball like an Egg | Parent or coach is about 6 feet in front of the player and underhands a throw. Throws should be low, shoulder height and above the head. Encourage players to catch with their fingers up when the ball is at shoulder height or above. | Teaching how to catch a baseball in 4 progressions: 1. Start with barehanded catches 2. Use the glove as a shield 3. Players practice self toss 4. Place glove on opposite shoulder to catch |
http://orleanslittleleague.goalline.ca/page.php?page_id=131131 |
| The Net/Fence | Split the team into 2 groups and set each group on either on either side of a net. Using whiffle balls, coaches can also be in the middle. Have players throw the ball over the obstacle. | Players should be encouraged to throw the ball with a little loft to throw it further. | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFMMr1pxaTI |
| Crocodile | Players work in smaller groups with a coach or parent helper. Players should be encouraged to catch a groundball using crocodile hands. | 1. Back is parallel to the ground 2. Butt is back behind the heels 3. Hands in front of the body and in a crocodile position 4. When catching the ball, feet are slightly further than shoulder width apart |
http://orleanslittleleague.goalline.ca/page.php?page_id=1311 |
| Skyball | Parent or coach with one or two players. A ball is lobbed in 15-20 feet in the air and the player attempts to catch it with the fingers pointing towards the sky. | Fun variations: 1. Catching a higher thrown ball each time 2. Number of consecutive catches |
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJx0dmzFcX8 |
| Transition | Have the players with a bat take a pretend swing off the tee. Have them drop the bat and run to first base. | Young players can occasionally throw the bat instead of dropping it. This is a good drill to instil good habits right away. | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwbRysppL2w |
| The Challenge | Players start a home plate and run around the bases in the corner order. Add a different challenge for the players between the bases. | Challenges include: 1. Backpeddling 2. Rounding cones 3. Roll 4. Jumping over bats 5. Jump over a partner 6. Shuffle steps Other creative ideas |
|
| T-Ball | Standard tee ball. Ensure only the hitter is around the tee and all other players are on the field or back behind the batter if they are next in line. | How a player should setup to a tee: 1. bat in the bottom hand, place bat on tee with feet together 2. back foot takes a step backwards (towards the catcher/umpire) 3. move bat so its rests on the back shoulder 4. pick up bat slightly |
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqu3QKvsGGk |
| Front Toss | Coach or parent helper kneels 15-20 feet in front of the player and overhand throws to the batter. The rest of the team is fielding | Assuming a team of 6: 1. Two batters 2. Two players behind to collect balls 3. The remaining players in the field. |
Please take some time to review these drills and the corresponding video links to ensure a smooth and productive practice session.