Week Six Practice Plan

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Our team won both games this week. The base running and our defense looked sharper and we had a few hits. We made a few mistakes and I made notes of them. The next thing is to know if the mistakes were something that I can help one player understand and correct or if it is something that we should cover during team practice time. I mentioned last week that field availability becomes a challenge also. We will have one practice this week because of field availability. The team practice will still be an hour and a half long and pitchers and catchers will work an extra half hour after the team practice is over. Here are my practice plans for this week.

Practice #10

6:05 Warm up playing catch

6:10 Defensive Strategies Discussion/Demonstrations

Review the 3 Step Approach to being mentally prepared on defense. Talk about reacting to the ball right of the bat (literally). A player is in a good athletic ready position should be focused on the pitch as it approaches the strike zone. If the batter makes contact, they need to see the ball coming of the bat and react immediately.

6:20 Split team into three groups (requires 3 coaches)

Station 1

Batting practice off pitching machine

Station 2

Pop Flies Bare handed catching tennis balls (build the catch with two hands habit)

Pop Flies Using gloves and regular softball (Make them go to the left and right)

Over head softball (or sub a mini football) pass over right and left shoulder

Station 3

Infield practice

6:40 Rotate groups

Group at station 1 goes to Station 2, Group at station 2 goes to station 3 and group at station 3 goes to station 1.

7:00 Water Break

7:05 Rotate groups

Group at station 1 goes to Station 2, Group at station 2 goes to station 3 and group at station 3 goes to station 1.

7:25 Team meeting

7:30 Practice is over on time for everyone except pitchers and catchers.

Pitchers start working on Wrist Snaps while catchers get their equipment on.

7:35 Pitchers work on K's

Catchers work on Blocking Drill

7:40 Pitchers Walk Through Drill

Catchers work on the Bunt Drill

Up until now, the pitchers parents have been catching for the pitchers. If we do not have as many catchers as pitchers, the parent will have to continue catching and we will rotate the catchers so they become familiar with the pitchers.

7:45 Distance Pitch Drill

Catchers Developing A Strong Throw To Second Base

7:50 Regular pitching and catching.

7:55 Pass ball drill

8:00 Practice is over


We have four league game this week (two nights of double headers). I'll let you know how we did in next weeks newsletter. Please, use the Coaches Input Form to let me know how your team is doing. Are you seeing improvement? How are your practices going? How about your games? I really am interested in hearing about your progress.

Until next week, I'll see you on the field.

Dan Knutson