Holler loudly to the defense, where to throw the ballor to Eat it and run the ball in to the Pitcher (if there is no play). When backing up throws to first base, we teach the players to cross the first base line behind the Base Runner (to avoid a collision and potential injury). Ideally, they learn to run to where the carom will land. IMPORTANT NOTE: When delivering the ball to the first baseman or third baseman, only roll the ball about one third of the way toward the base. All movements in the drill are a full out sprint. Teach the First Baseman to be aggressively go after balls hit between them and the Second Baseman or between them and the Pitcher. We verbalize this phraseto our kids repeatedly throughout the teaching process. Softball Defensive Ready Position Antonelli Softball 14.3K subscribers Subscribe 23K views 2 years ago SOFTBALL INFIELD INSTRUCTION, DRILLS, AND ADVICE Softball Defensive Ready Position. The most common (and most recognizable) out in the game is a force out at first base. The Game Played on the Smaller Diamond is Different, Three Individual Responsibilities - Ball, Base, Back-up, Base is for the Runner, Ball is for the Defense, Getting the Ball in to The Pitcher (Middle of the Infield), Get the Ball to the Middle of the Infield, Middle Infielders Movement On Ball Hit To The Outfield, SS, 2b Are Not the Relay on Plays to Home, Pitcher Responsibilities - Ball Hit to The Infield, Corner Infielders - Ball Hit to Their Side of the Infield, Cut-Relay Player, on throws to home plate. When giving this responsibility to the Catcher we do so with the understanding they will make some mistakes. Basketball player on defense guarding a player dribbling the ball up court. How Much Moderate-Intensity Physical Activity Is Enough. 16x Big 12 Champions; Over 1,100 career victories. The Buckeyes got the victory by a dominating 9-0 margin, and despite having a lot of offense, it was the pitching that was the story of the game. The Catcher hollers, Defense! However, the Right Fielder does visually follow the ball and prepares for the possibility that the ball may be moved around the infield and they may be needed, later in the play, to back up a throw to second or first base. Corner Infielders: 15 from the base, and a step behind, or a step in front of the baseline. This puts our player in motion. Adjust a couple feet to their right or left so to have a clear line of sight to the batter. This forces the corner infielders to really move when the ball is put into play (Ball, Base, Back-up). Softball Defensive Ready Position - YouTube Often it requires a player backing up the throw in order to ultimately stop the ball (we'll address backing up soon). The LF & RF have two bases to back up. Howden is headed to New Orleans after the Saints used the 146th-overall . There are four players in the drill. Players at each outfield position, approximately 30 beyond the infield diamond (mark those spots with cones). Anytime we compact the teaching/learning environment we reduce distractions, improve communication and the players get many more repetitions during a drill. Looking at the runner delays the application of the tag, AND may cause the fielder to take their eyes off the ball and miss the throw. Before the base has any useful function for a player on defense, they need to have the ball. CF and the corner outfielder opposite the side of the field the ball is hit to, after first making an aggressive in the direction of the ball (coach), sprint to back up second base and the opposite corner base. Many young players do not recognize they have the option of carrying the ball to its destination. Note: These diagrams are old and will be replaced at some point. Center fielder: shortstop goes into the outfield towards the ball; the second baseman covers the base. More kids get to batt and there is more action in the early part of the season when many games get called early because of darkness. No standing in one spot holding the ball.. We want to instruct our players to 'keep the ball moving' when handling it on defense. These relay situations, where the ball is hit past the outfielders, is addressed in the Drills section of the website. A fun statement to drive home the need for them to cover the base while acknowledging their desire to see what is going on with the ball is, Cover your base and watch the game from there. NOTE: In this section we are addressing most of the situations that could come up during game play. The points in the 'Rules for Defensive Movement' section aboveare applied to these examples. The drill has the corner outfielders only backing up first or third. The old saying in baseball is, Billy Bob, know what you are going to do with the ball if it is hit to you. Softball Skills: Bunt Defense Drill | TeamSnap Then they holler (loud enough to be heard in the outfield) the number of OUTS and the location of the RUNNERS. In this case the Pitcher does not field the ball so they continue running in a straight line towards first base. This problem is eliminated by teaching the kids that the three players in the middle of the field, the Pitcher, Shortstop and Second Baseman always move towards the ball. The player primarily responsible for recognizing the runners have stopped attempting to advance is the Catcher, who is the lead communicator for the defense, since that is the one position that can see the entire field at all times. In this case the Pitcher does not field the ball so they continue running in a straight line towards third base. Use the magnet principle for defensive coverage in softball This is an excerpt from Survival Guide for Coaching Youth Softball by Robert Benson & Tammy Benson. The defenses below are standard bunt defenses, nothing revolutionary. If a play needs to be made at second base or first base, the play for the Third Baseman, with their momentum going to their left, is easier than for the Shortstop or the Pitcher. On a ball hit to right field, the Second Baseman runs towards the ball, into the outfield, to get in position to take the ball from the Right Fielder and run the ball back into the infield, or to serve as the lead cut-player on a ball that gets past the Right Fielder. After repeated exposure to a given situation, a player will begin to better anticipate what will happen. Once the defense (most specifically the Catcher) sees the runners are not attempting to advance, our rule is our defensive players do not make overhand throws. There are two ways to transport the ball around the field: Most kids only consider the first option. If one of the infielders gets the ball before it reaches the outfield, then the right fielder will run toward first to provide backup and to cover any overthrows (which are very likely to occur).
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