Once they are at the base, then they turn around and get in a Ready Position facing the ball. When the Catcher comes back in the dugout, we now have an opportunity to teach. Stay alert of throws in the direction of the home plate area of the field. We need to make clear (and it will require repeating this instruction multiple times for a number of days/weeks: When you are not playing the ball, IMMEDIATELY cover the base. Objective: All bases are covered on each play. You can get them individually by clicking the links below, or you can get them ALL as a member of our . We coaches are not going to have players this age playing the game perfectly. While moving out to a given position, the coach hollers, Ground ball to [position]!, Which ever side of the field the ball is going to, the LF/RF sprints straight towards the ball, stopping only when they come within a few feet of the coach. If the ball is hit to right field, the First Baseman aggressively sprints to the right-field-side of first base in case there is a possibility to receive a throw for a force out. 4. Folks watching that team will clearly recognize they are watching a quality of play at the 12u level that is unlike anything they have seen before. The players are not as strong, they do not move as fast, and there is the obvious fact that the bases and players are not spread out as much. This is an effective analogy, especially for younger players. This is an excerpt form Survival Guide for Coaching Youth Softball. If the base runners are not attempting to advance, we do not want to risk making a throw. Ball, Base, Back-up always applies. Infielders not fielding the ball move quickly to cover a base; turn and face the ball in a Ready Position. Use the magnet principle for defensive coverage in softball, More Excerpts From Survival Guide for Coaching Youth Softball, Foundations of Kinesiology/Exercise and Sport Science, Research Methods, Measurements, and Evaluation, Survival Guide for Coaching Youth Softball. Use the magnet principle for defensive coverage in softball However, they are now inmotion. I am going to GO GET the ball - React towards the ball. This movement requirement applies toallplayers, regardless of where the ball is hit Example, third baseman on a ball hit to right field: The third baseman takes an aggressive step towards right field. This body position is not condusive for moving quickly to another spot on the playing field. We also train our pitchers that, when they field a ball that takes them to the third base side of the rubber to feed the third baseman for a 1-5 put out. A big part of making youth baseball more fun for everyone involved is to keep the game moving along at a quick pace. Human Kinetics print books are now distributed by Booktopia Publisher Services throughout Australia/NZ, delivered to you from their NSW warehouse. There is one ball that needs to be fielded, and three bases needing to be backed up. Center Fielder: 60 beyond the second base bag. The existence of these factors results in some fundamental rules of how team defense is played on the large diamond to be executed differently on the small diamond. Benefits of Research and Evidence-Based Practice in Exercise Science, Measurement and statistics in exercise science, Learn more about physical activity epidemiology, Gender and athletic administration and coaching, Carrying Out the Physically Active School Environment, Quarterback Challenges in Canadian Football, Introduction to Physical Literacy on the Move, Improve shoulder internal rotation range of motion for throwing athletes. Given these two points, each game has many situations where a throw of 20' or less is in order. Backup 2nd base: Center field/Left field. We need for them to physically move to the correct distance beyond the base. There are three situations (also covered in greater detail later in this section) where the shortstop and second basemans response to this rule is modified slightly; when the ball is hit to the catcher, pitcher or center fielder: Catcher or Pitcher: shortstop covers second base; the second baseman backs up second base. All you need is to drag and drop objects to depict another play and then save with the different name. Artillery Bastion (Basteja) (Vilnius) - All You Need to - Tripadvisor ***we know the runner is going to the side of the base facing the previous base. Are we teaching them what to do when the ball is not hit to them? This creates two problems. What Does Akelo Stone's Departure Mean For The Georgia Tech Defensive (watch: 0:25 - 0:42 of this video.). The players are so much closer together on the small diamond. ], Once the Pitcher has control of the ball, is a few feet from the pitching rubber, and the runners are not attempting to advance to the next base, we want our Pitcher to raise their arms and holler in a loud voice in the direction of an umpire, TIME Please!. We've got some great eClinics that detail all types of defensive coverages. . We have the Second Baseman and Shortstop at a point nearly midway between second base and the corner base. We need to constantly preach, Ball First, Base Second. 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. While the Catcher is moving back behind home plate to set up to receive the next pitch, this is the time for the coachng staff to adjust the positioning of any player in the field, if needed. The infielders then echo this information to the outfielders (if needed). This is the mindset of all nine players on the field as the ball is put into play. When players take the learning and habits established on the Mini Diamond to the regular sized field, their work can focus primarily on throwing, catching and timing. The mindset of the LF/RF: when THE ball is hit on your side of the infield, YOU will be fielding the ball. In order for you to ensure you're always in the best defensive coverage for the particular situation, you've got to constantly be watching everything! The first and third base defenders should be approximately 3 feet (9 m) in front of their base and 3 feet from the foul line. Cover 3B: open until the bunt is thrown then the 3B, pitcher or even the catcher in an emergency. The Pitcher moves a few feet towards second base when the ball is hit beyond the second base bag to center field. The Knights claimed game one 6-4 (8 inn.) In this case getting to the initial backing-up position is not a concern because the Pitcher is backing up third base. The same is true, in most instances, when the ball is hit to the center fielder. That may be as subtle of a movement as a slight turn in order to keep their body facing the ball. The Center Fielder, on every potential throw to second base, is sprinting to get into position to back up the base. Usually the shortstop is a better player than the second baseman and we want the more talented player handling the ball as much as possible. 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. This is how far back you need to be in order to back up the base.". 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. In most cases they are doing this while running back to their positions. In some cases, in a situation where the ball is hit past the outfielders there is a relay to third base. Defensive Basics: Defensive Packages and Coverage Calls Physical Literacy on the Move was written to help educators of children and youths from grades K through 12 teach high-quality and fun games and activities that support the unique needs of their learners as they develop physical literacy. Howden is headed to New Orleans after the Saints used the 146th-overall . [More importantly, this baiting game wastes time and takes away from the other players (also parents and coaches) waiting for the game to continue. Movement is critical. Defending the offence effectively is critical to the success of your own offence. The coach puts the bunt down into the mapped areas and the appropriate defender takes the bunt and throws it to first base. A common mistake in youth baseball and softball is an outfielder throwing the ball to the Shortstop or Second Baseman to relay the ball to home plate. Those coaches will gain a decent sense for adjusting defensive positioning. Left Field. The 2nd baseman needs to be trained to look for the 2nd play of the runner rounding 2nd base or trying for 3rd. Theright fielder should take an angle to about 20 - 30 feet behind 1st base and near the foul line to cut off any errant throws. Softball Skills: Bunt Defense Drill | TeamSnap Douse was tied for second on the team in sacks with 3.5 and you could see him get better in each game, especially his performance against Virginia Tech, where he had 2.5 sacks and earned a high . The Pitcher moves towards the ball, out near the baseline between the firt and second base bags, to prepare to back-up a throw or to serve as the cut-relay player on a play at home plate. Be Ready to Move! Put a runner at 1st base that needs to be advanced by the batter. The Pitcher is always the Cut-Relay player on plays to home plate. Second, and more significantly, kids tend to prioritize keeping their foot on the base over any other action that might be required of themcleanly catching an off-line throw being the most critical. As a parent, what would you do if you heard this? LFLeft fielder fields the ball in the most secure way possible, preferably the same way an infielder would. The CF will need to cover 2nd. Grasping that info, and doing so from the perspective of a kid who will be learning it, is important before getting into the meat of this section. We want the Catcher running the game. Over time, players will learn to recognize this situation. If we send the pitcher back there, the backstop ends up doing most of the backing-up. We attach this phrase to the end of any drill or activity that involves making a play at a base or on a runner. They want to throw the ball. 2. Covering a base and receiving a throw is one of the most fundamental aspects of the game. Instruct the pitcher to run BEHIND the base runner. The rule for the players in the middle of the field is to Move Towards the Ball. In this DVD, Coach Gasso explores the aggressive defensive mindset, strategies, and drills that have helped her Oklahoma Sooners win two NCAA National Championships. Three Individual Responsibilities - Ball, Base, Back-up Positioning Ready Position The Base Base is for the Runner, Ball is for the Defense Positioning at a Base to Receive a Throw Ball First, Base Second The Ball is the Key to the Base Cover the Base With Your Eyes Look for Other Runners Coordinated Team Defense - The System (Part 1) 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. With each step, the base runners are less and less likely to attempt to advance. These two athletes have their feet wider than their hips, knees are bent, hands and elbows are in front of the body with hands wpread a bit wider than the torso. [The movement responsibilities of the Pitcher are covered below.]. The catcher calls out which base to throw the ball to. She begins with bunt and slap defense, moves on to . Then, to lessen your frustrations during a game, walk through various situations and discuss how defenders should move to provide coverage for a hit. From this point forward, we are filling in the gaps of the above teaching. Defensive Coverage For Pickoffs [ARTICLE] - Coaches Insider The visual is the first baseman catching the ball with their foot on the base standing in a stretch position. The fielder should always find the fence first and then work back towards the infield. The points in the 'Rules for Defensive Movement' section aboveare applied to these examples. We want TWO players in position to catch every throw; the player at the base who we hope makes the catch, and a second player beyond the base to catch the ball, if it gets past the base. Keep in mind that for most activities the throwing and catching aspect is the last skill that needs to be mastered (and we take care of that during 'Playing Catch Practice'). Usually its the corner base; sometimes they are needed to back up throws to second base. Kids take their cues from watching higher levels of baseball and softball. Throughout each play the Catcher is at their Position in front of Home Plate instructing the defense what to do with the ball*. Players at each outfield position, approximately 30 beyond the infield diamond (mark those spots with cones). 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. Middle Infielders: 20-25 from the base. Making a wide turn and/or dancing around baiting a throw are not examples of attempting to advance. Once out kids learn and follow the teaching in this section we eliminate many of the unforced errors that are common in the game played on the small diamond. If you dont field the ball, cover a Base ("Ball or Base"), If the base is covered, run beyond the base to Back-up a throw to the base*, * Many kids' idea of backing up a base is to stand five feet behind the base. *when running the drill on the first base side of the field. The odds of making a throw, in this situation, and recording an out, are slim. Positioning varies based on the level of play, game situation, and the pitchers and batters strengths and tendancies (if known). 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. The players need to understand that the player with the ball needs to remain conscious of the runners. If the base is covered, run beyond the base to Back-up a throw to the base. Teaching Bunt Defense Many coaches make bunt defense too difcult and confusing by having ten different plays and having an intricate naming system. What percentage of balls are hit everywhere else, at lesser speed and/or bouncing knee high or higher? Double plays are rarely turned. Playing quarterback in Canadian football definitely has its challenges. After repeated exposure to a given situation, a player will begin to better anticipate what will happen. For the purpose of the drill (working on a MINI DIAMOND), we want the backing up approximately 15 beyond the base. 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. . Human Kinetics print books and eBooks are now distributed by Mare Nostrum, throughout the UK, Europe, Africa and Middle East, delivered to you from their warehouse. Solution: constant correcting until they get it right (effort and persistence on part of the coach, and the recognition that the concept its not as obvious to a kid as to an adult). Now that interpretation of glenohumeral joint ROM has been discussed, this section outlines specific techniques to increase IR ROM in the patient with shoulder dysfunction. Early on, most players, especially those age 10 and younger, will stand only a couple feet behind the base when backing up. In this situation the Third Baseman sprints towards the spot they are needed to Back-up a throw to the base. Gophers defensive backs Jordan Howden, Terell Smith drafted in fifth It may be more dramatic as running 30'-40' to reestablish the straight line relationship from the ball to the base to them in their backing up of a base. Bastion of the Vilnius Defensive Wall (Vilniaus Gynybines - Viator Their mindset is: I am going to GO GET the ball. In this cicumstance, another player (Shortstop or Pitcher) will cover third base. When the play ends (TIME has been called, and/or the pitcher steps on the rubber) the Catcher, who remains standing in front of home plate, surveys the three bases to identify which are occupied by runners. To begin with, make sure your defenders know where their basic setup position should be on the field (see figure 7.2) when they're preparing for a hit. Fastpitch Softball Bunt Coverage We have the Shortstop or Second Baseman move towards the ball and run to the oufield to get the ball back to the infield. The odds of making a throw that gets past the player covering the base are pretty high. victory in game two. The infielder then turns and sprints with the ball towards the middle of the infield. This drill provides many repetitions of players fielding a bunt and throwing to a specific base. And going through multiple repetitions of the drills. They see the base is covered, so go to their next responsibility of backing-up the base. The real success of defending bunts lies in the team performing the general principals of the bunt defense. This Drill should be one of first defensive drills of the year for our team. The two outfielders, the ball is not hit to, are not playing the ball, so their responsibility is to back up a base. Balls hit to the 3B/SS side of the infield are the responsibility of the Left Fielder. Are you in Canada? Less congested . The pitcher could influence the decision for modifying defensive positioning if they throw significantly fast or slow. The teaching phrase Look for Other Runners is literal. Discover everything you need to know about Bastion of the Vilnius Defensive Wall (Vilniaus Gynybines Sienos Basteja), Vilnius including history, facts, how to get there and the best time to visit. One example is a ball hit to the pitcher where the shortstop, thinking they may end up fielding the ball and moving aggressively to do so, is unable to cover second base. Eyes In!. A ball hit to the left side is the LFs ball. The First and Third Basemen have one base they are responsible for; the Shortstop and Second Basemen have two bases they are responsible for; one to their Left and one to their Right. Ball or Base - If the Third Baseman is not playing the Ball, their responsibility is to cover the Base. NOTE: This does not mean the Center Fielder is not attempting to back up on these throws. While the runner will likely be safe, we want to prevent them from advancing to second base. * The Catcher is the only player that can see all the action on the field. Older player (ages 10-12) often have vocal muscles developed enough for the outfield to hear them. Backing up distance is 25 beyond the basein line with the throw. The BAll Goes to the P or c, the ss covers the base and the 2b backs up. Your best bunt coverage is to have your 1st and 3rd baseman crashing when they see the hands drop to bunt position, with 2nd base covering 1st and your SS covering 3 if there are any runners on base. ConceptDraw PRO software extended with the Baseball solution delivers samples with diagrams of the most popular plays in baseball. At the youth level of play the positioning of the player in relationship to the base, when receiving a throw, is different than at higher levels of play. That's because Allison Smith not only pitched a gem but did . 2. Bunt Defense - StealBases.com While making that initial movement, it becomes clear the third baseman is not going to get the Ball. Training our pitcher to break for third, and practicing feeds from the third baseman and shortstop to third base will result in a lot of 5-1 outs, a few 6-1 plays over the course of the season. The 1st Rule for Defensive responsibilities is I am going to go get the ball. It would be difficult to go into too much detail here, but over time, and through experience playing and coaching the game, those exceptions to the rule will come up. Fully managed IT solutions to enjoy your direct business development | Being an expert in the critical online systems and applications management, HyperOps . Teach them that in order to catch off-line throws, they are going to have to move away from the base (Move Feet to Catch). (The center fielder is still there to back-up the throw to second base.). 16x Big 12 Champions; Over 1,100 career victories. There are four players in the drill. Stand on the field/pitching rubber side of the plate facing the ball. Fastpitch Softball Coaching Cheat Sheet: 50 Common Situations to Positioning for play involving 10-12 year olds. balls requiring the fielder to move quickly from their starting spot. Point out to them that quite often throws do not come straight to the base. Do You Have the Courage & Attention Span for Great Defensive Coverage Then point out to them that they are NOW in line with the direction of the throw to the base. And worse case scenario they will keep the ball moving by running with it. Before jumping into teaching the kids game, we first want to recognize that the game played on the smaller diamond is different. The definition for 'end of the play' is when the base runner(s) have stopped running hard and attempting to advance to another base. The left fielder plays at about the same depth as the centerfielder and should be half way between the shortstop and third base defender. Proper positioning is in line with the direction the ball would be thrown to the base Ball------------> Base ------> Player Backing up. When this concept is first introduced, the play in scrimmages will look a bit wonky because we are telling the players, if they dont know where to throw the ball, to take off running. These two players, positioned in the middle of the field, follow this simple rule: If the ball is hit to your Left and you arent fielding the ball, SPRINT to the base on your Left; If the ball is hit to your Right and you arent fielding the ball, SPRINT to the base on your Right. However, the shortstop will hit second base before getting to the ball, so she needs to stop at second and take responsibility for that base. Outies - shooting 3!" Your directions will obviously differ depending on the age and development of your players. The center fielder should be directly behind second base and about 20 to 40 feet (6 to 12 m) from the base. Once the ball is fielded and moved to another point on the field, the responsibilities of some players change, while most have to reposition themselves in relationship to the ball's new location on the field. Now players are soft slapping, drag bunting, and power slapping depending on the defense is. The suggestions below are Regular. 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. When all bases are covered the drill repetition is over, Players return to their positions and the coach rolls the ball to a different player/position, After a few repetitions, put the players at different positions. Their first responsibility is to go for the ball, which means sprinting in behind the infielder attempting to field the ball. It is not uncommon in the youth game to see both the Shortstop and Second Baseman covering second base together. 1 in D1Softball's top 25, Texas moves into top 5 Big 12 standings update: Oklahoma sweeps Baylor, Longhorns sweep Oklahoma State Oklahoma Sooners complete sweep of. Back-up - Instruct the Third Baseman to aggressively go after balls hit between them and the Shortstop or between them and the Pitcher. The magnet principle is a basic concept that can be used to help young players learn defensive coverage. We breakdown the m Antonelli Softball SOFTBALL INFIELD INSTRUCTION, DRILLS, AND. Bats awake late in game one to propel Knights to sweep at Concordia Side of the Base the Ball is Coming From - To avoid throws crossing the path of the Base Runner. The Shortstop moves towards the ball, which takes them to the second base bag. They can't move to the correct coverage position if they don't start in the correct place. We also want to establish a sense of urgency to get the ball to the middle of the infield as quickly as possible - every play. This section does not address in-deph factors that might be considered in All-Stars play, or higher levels of the game (teen and above). Person covering base needs to communicate to cut-off as the ball is in the air about halfway from person throwing and the cut-off. Ignore the 'key' at the top. The right fielder plays at a similar depth and should be between the second base and first base defenders. They tend to be overly concerned with being at/on the base, so they are in the best position to record an out, even when throws are off-line. Ball tossed to a teammate after carrying/running with the ball, many kids are unaware of, or do not think about, the Underhand Toss option. Thrown balls getting past their intended target, specifically throws to bases, happens in almost every youth baseball game. How does a player determine which base to back up? They will also come to recognize that running with the ball is sometimes the smarter option. If a runner is attempting to score, the outfielder throws the ball to the Pitcher, who is the Cut-Relay player on plays to home plate. The second-base defender is now ready to receive the throw at first from the fielder (i.e., the first-base player). Once they are in motion it is easier for them to continue moving to the spot on the field where they are fulfilling their defensive responsibility. However, if they are sprinting towards the correct spot, they will be on their way to retrieving an overthrown ball. The first-base defender can then return to first base and get ready to receive the throw. Please visit Booktopia to order your Human Kinetics print books. It is not info for a coach to memorize. Often it requires a player backing up the throw in order to ultimately stop the ball (we'll address backing up soon). *Later in the season, after the players have demonstrated they clearly understand their movement responsibilities, the drill can be modified. Basketball player on defense guarding a player dribbling the ball up court. PDF Softball Playbook - HomeTeamsONLINE We want to train our players that the moment TIME has been called, and/or the pitcher steps on the rubber, they immediately move their eyes from the ball to the Catcher (see below). Any drill in which the focus of the teaching is something other than working on full on overhand throwing technique can be run on a Mini Diamond. The outfielder that has the ball hit in front of them, either the Left Fielder or Right Fielder sprints straight towards the ball, and doesnt slow down until they see the ball cleanly fielded by an infielder. Explain to them that The runner is safe a lot. Pickoff attempts require a specific defender to cover the base to try to catch the runner off base. My reasoning is that a softball infield is so truncated as compared to a baseball field, that 3 players should be able to cover almost any bunt. Adjust a couple feet to their right or left so to have a clear line of sight to the batter. It is perfectly acceptable to carry the ball. Each step closer to the middle of the diamond, the player with the ball becomes a greater threat to the base runners. However, they need to recognize that some throws to second base are on an angle to the base that would send an overthrow right to a corner outfielder. Another common term used is Athletic position, which is perfectly fine. But in 2022, the 22-year-old from Pensacola, Florida, exploded. Early in the teaching process our objective is to train our players to correctly respond to where the ball is hit off the bat. There isnt a hard and fast rule to follow. Softball Position Roles and Responsibilities - rookieroad.com Proper positioning is a few inches in front of home plate. On the side of the base the ball is coming from, NOT On the front side of the base (side the base runner is running towards), Squared up and facing the ball, in a Ready Position, Keep their eyes on the ball and not the runner (once a teammate has fielded the ball). Four infielders and catcher (the catcher is not necessary if you only have a group of four kids). The defenses below are standard bunt defenses, nothing revolutionary. We are teaching our players to always anticipate that another play needs to be made. Releasing this responsibility to the Catcher is simple to do if we subscribe to the Philosophy that Its the Players team, not My team.