Drills for the 7U Player

Catching

Catching a baseball is difficult for the young player. Fear of the ball is a concern and the use of the soft Orange ATEC balls will help with this problem. 

 Make sure the glove is open, and the easiest way is to press down on the top of the glove at the webbing. This will help open the glove and make it easier to catch.   

 The most important element in catching is keeping the eye on the ball.

 For the young player focus on the following:

Ø     Palm down for balls below the waist, or fingers down or thumbs apart

Ø     Palm up for balls above the waist, or fingers up, or thumbs together

Ø     The palm always faces the thrower and moves the glove around. Think of a clock face and the glove moves around the face to catch the ball.

Ø     Throwing hand stays beside the glove ready to trap and grab the ball.

 Drills:
1.     No Glove:   Start with no glove and practice moving the hands around the clock face. Follow the fingers up, thumbs together, fingers down thumbs apart.
2.     Catch the ball with no glove
3.     Glove around the Clock: Have players put on a glove and begin the movement again.
4.     Individual Soft Toss: Start the players with their own ball and do a soft toss in the air to get use to the glove and ball as well as hand-eye coordination.
5.     Coach Toss: Coach and parents toss to players, allowing player only to move their glove to catch the ball
6.     Coach Toss – Left / Right: Toss the ball left or right of the player forcing them to move
7.     Partner Throwing
8.     Triangle Throwing

 Fielding:

 Always focus on the “Ready Position.” 

·        Feet more than shoulder width apart

·        Knees Bent

·        Butt down, (sit on the chair)

·        Glove and hand low, pinkies down, glove on ground, palms up

 Alligator Catch

·        Field as if glove is the bottom of the alligator’s mouth and the throwing hand is the top. Field ground ball like an alligator closing its mouth, top hand closes on glove with ball. 

 Drills:

1.     No Glove: Field rollers – Coach and helpers 10 feet away slow roller

2.     Glove field rollers

3.     Field bouncing balls

4.     Roll balls left / right

5.     Batted balls

 Fielding Fly Balls

·        Run to the spot where the ball will be caught, keep glove down use both arms to run

·        Watch the ball into the glove, catching slightly above the head

·        Keep your nose on the ball

Drills:

1.     Coach soft toss from close distance

2.     Player self toss

3.     Move for bal

Throwing

 Break down throwing into the following small steps:
1.     Face Target (Where you want to throw the ball)
2.     Grip ball with 3 fingers, thumb underneath ball, lined up directly opposite fingers
3.     Bring arm back in L – Shape, point ball away from target, fingers should stay on top of the ball
4.     Step forward with opposite foot, shoulders in line with target
5.     Move arm forward in throwing motion, (make sure elbow is above or even with the shoulder) as front foot lands, let go of the ball
6.     Point hand to target

 Drills:

1.     Sitting Position Throw

2.     On two knees throw

3.     On one knee throw, make sure butt is up

4.     Throw at a target, (pylon, pail) make a game of hitting the target