The Youth Baseball Coach

Level:All

Purpose: To develop player's ability to catch and turn and throw quickly and accurately.

Equipment: Gloves and balls.

Description:  This drill will give players a lot of throws and catches as well as stress the proper way to receive a ball and the proper way to turn and throw quickly.

Execution:  Divide the players into two or more equal teams. Stand the first player from each team on the foul line facing centerfield. Have the rest of the players for that team spaced evenly creating a single file line that extends into centerfield. The players from each team should be facing thier first player (the one on the foul line). The first player should have a ball. When the coach says "go" the first player from each team will throw the ball to the next player in line and this will continue to the last player in the line who will then throw the ball back down the line, player by player, until it reaches the first player. The first team to make it up and back down the line wins. You can increase the distance between players to make it more difficult. You can also make rules like if the ball hits the ground, the team has to start over.

What to watch for:

** Make sure players are throwing and catching properly as well as turning toward their glove hand when they are throwing the ball to the next player in line. 

** As players get more advanced, you can teach them to turn before they catch the ball so that they are in a better position to throw quicker.