Throughout each play the Catcher is at their Position in front of Home Plate instructing the defense what to do with the ball*. [The movement responsibilities of the Pitcher are covered below.]. The infielder then turns and sprints with the ball towards the middle of the infield. 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. It is not info for a coach to memorize. In this case, the First Baseman progresses to the Back-up responsibilityall players follow the same progression of the Rule: 1) Ball, 2) Base, 3) Back-up. I am going to GO GET the ball - React towards the ball. These relay situations, where the ball is hit past the outfielders, is addressed in the Drills section of the website. GO GET implies motion. Eventually a player on the field should be making the call, preferably . By the time a team gets to the last third of ther season (and heading into the playoffs/tournament play, the coordinated actions of the players on the field will be flowing pretty smoothly. Basic Softball Defensive Strategy And Tactics The left fielder plays at about the same depth as the centerfielder and should be half way between the shortstop and third base defender. This has been taught for many generations and is well intended .primarily for a Third Baseman being positioned to catch a rocket ground ball, hit straigh at them. Kids take their cues from watching higher levels of baseball and softball. Softball Bunt Defense Explained - YouTube Fastpitch Softball Coaching Cheat Sheet: 50 Common Situations to There isnt a hard and fast rule to follow. When the ball is delivered to the infield the Catcher leaves the spot where they receive pitches, behind home plate, and moves to their Position, which is in front of home plate. Getting an out, any out is a big deal. Softball Position Roles and Responsibilities - rookieroad.com This occurs over a couple of months, piece by piece. In this example we have a ball hit to the Second Baseman. Get the ball to the middle of the infield. These runners are not that fast. The pitcher (and sometimes one of the infielders) backs up the corner base on the side of the infield the ball is hit. Less congested . The left fielder is positioned in the outfield on the left side of the field, closest to third base. The pitcher could influence the decision for modifying defensive positioning if they throw significantly fast or slow. early in the teaching process, we want to eliminate the Wandering Third Baseman from membership on our team. In this cicumstance, another player (Shortstop or Pitcher) will cover third base. 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. It would be nice for the 9-11 age group to get into this part, but its not life or death. Then point out to them that they are NOW in line with the direction of the throw to the base. That's because Allison Smith not only pitched a gem but did . Defensive Basics: Defensive Packages and Coverage Calls 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. Softball Oklahoma remains No. Softball Defensive Ready Position - YouTube Examples of drills that can be run using a Mini Diamond include relays, backing-up and base coverage responsibilities, and first and third defense. They will also come to recognize that running with the ball is sometimes the smarter option. Then when they recognize the Catcher is getting the ball, the Pitcher keeps moving and covers home base. 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. Cover 3B: open until the bunt is thrown then the 3B, pitcher or even the catcher in an emergency. The most common (and most recognizable) out in the game is a force out at first base. 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. The LF & RF need to be aware of this possibility. While making that initial movement, it becomes clear the third baseman is not going to get the Ball. This is the mindset of all nine players on the field as the ball is put into play. Until this time, players covering a Base remain at the base. What Does Akelo Stone's Departure Mean For The Georgia Tech Defensive Learning and execution is simplified when the pitcher is the cut-relay player on all plays to the plate. Proper positioning is in line with the direction the ball would be thrown to the base Ball------------> Base ------> Player Backing up. I encourage leagues to consider taking this a step further and instruct their umpires to call Time, get the next batter in the box, and keep games moving along. First, they are potentially interfering with the runner. The primary point to take from these two diagrams is that on ground balls on a given side of the infield the outfielder on that side of the field DOES NOT immediately take off to back up a base. In this case getting to the initial backing-up position is not a concern because the Pitcher is backing up third base. Then, if they see the ball is not coming to their area of the field, they go to their second responsibility of Backing-up a base. Observing play during the weeks of the regular season provide a good education for even beginning and novice coaches. (The center fielder is still there to back-up the throw to second base.). The rule for infielders is Play the Ball, or Cover a Base. (At higher levels of play the common phrase is Look for the next play. ], 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!. The Centerfielder backs-up second base. When kids cover a base, more often than not they put a foot on the base. 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. Empty buckets are placed at 1B, 2B, 3B. "And then . Stop them when they pick-up the ball! 6. When the ball is near the pitching rubber, the player with the ball is an equal, and significant, threat to all base runners. The information presented in this section is Basic. --> The rule for the Pitcher is "Always move towards the ball". Stop the ball - this begins by establishing in the minds of our players (and constantly reinforcing) that they want to go get the ball and get it as quickly as possible. 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. They see the base is covered, so go to their next responsibility of backing-up the base. When on the field, the kids will learn to address each situation, less through our verbal instructions, and more through active participation in the drills. This is not as descriptive as the phrase we want to use with our kids.). Former Gophers defensive backs Jordan Howden and Terell Smith were selected in the fifth round of the NFL Draft on Saturday. Once our players establish the habit (requirement) of getting into motion each time the ball comes off the bat, each play, it is now much simpler to keep them moving to make a play on the Ball, move to cover a Base, or move to Back-up a Base. Defensive Game Situations - agsoftball.com Prospect, Ill./Prospect) collected six more hits on the . The left fielder is part of the outfield and responsible for catching fly balls, line drives, and fielding ground balls that make it past the infield on the left side. victory in game two. We want to establish in the minds of our players that once the runners have stopped trying to advance, we want to get the ball to the middle of the infield as fast as possible. You can get them individually by clicking the links below, or you can get them ALL as a member of our . 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. Middle Infielders: 20-25 from the base. "I dont know, Mom, I just feel burned out." This practice leads to a better experience for everyone at the park. The players are so much closer together on the small diamond. Some of us played on the larger diamond and possibly have coached in that environment. Drill after drill, practice after practice, until they consistently execute this action themselves, we demonstrate by making an aggressive step and stating Go Get the ball. If the Catcher does have to move a greater distance to get a loose ball, it becomes the responsibility of the pitcher to cover home plate. Ideally, they learn to run to where the carom will land. Point out to them that quite often throws do not come straight to the base. Softball Bunt Coverage - No Runners on Base With no runners on base, 1st, Pitcher, Catcher, and 3rd aregoing to crash the ball. . At other times, you may see several defenders standing around the ball in what appears to be a board meeting to decide who will pick up the ball. The above situations, and movement responsibilities, are flipped when the ball is hit to the Left Fielder and Third Baseman. before cruising to a 13-3 (5 inn.) Ball, Base, Back-up always applies. 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. If you are not playing the Ball,cover a Base (home plate). FIRST - Take a day or two to consume and digest: Foundations, The Base, and the first block of topics in Coordinated Team Defense (Part 1). 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. 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) The magnet principle is a basic concept that can be used to help young players learn defensive coverage. They Do Not predict how the next play might work out ie Infield go one, outfield go two; how do we know in advance where the ball might need to go? This more compact environment enable coaches to better communicate and teach. However, they are now inmotion. Below are two examples of the movement of the entire defense moving based on where the ball is hit. Defensive Coverage For Pickoffs [ARTICLE] - Coaches Insider Instruct the pitcher to run BEHIND the base runner. 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. The three players in the middle of the field: pitcher, shortstop, second baseman -Always Move Towards the Ball". 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. Backing up distance is 25 beyond the basein line with the throw. Positioning for play involving kids ages 9 and under. If they dont have the ball they are not allowed to access (touch) the base. FOURTH - Once the above content has been taught to your kids, though there is more to learn, the team can function pretty well together in the field. PDF It's critical for the right fielder - SportsEngine The Vilnius Castle Complex ( Lithuanian: Vilniaus pili kompleksas or Vilniaus pilys) is a group of cultural, and historic structures on the left bank of the Neris River, near its confluence with the Vilnia River, in Vilnius, Lithuania. Most coaching books start with a discussion of the importance of creating a coaching philosophy and follow up with a section on creating goals. Also, there are many more base runners, setting up a lot of force outs. Barely anything is going to happen while they are looking away from the ball. The rule for the players in the middle of the field is to Move Towards the Ball. 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. But to define a coaching philosophy and set goals, you must first understand and express why you coach and what principles will guide how you coach. This article will discuss the standard scheme that works best for your base defense. For the purpose of the drill (working on a MINI DIAMOND), we want the backing up approximately 15 beyond the base. Players at each outfield position, approximately 30 beyond the infield diamond (mark those spots with cones). Redshirt freshman K.J. Softball Defensive Signals - Softball Tutor Then they holler (loud enough to be heard in the outfield) the number of OUTS and the location of the RUNNERS. This is the best body position for an athlete who needs to react and move quickly in any direction. Following that initial movement, the Pitcher adjusts their positioning to back-up a throw to second base, to set-up as the cut-relay player to home, if the situation dictates, or to break to back up third base if the outfielder indicates, through their actions, they are going to throw to third base. Defensive positioning against a slapper | Discuss Fastpitch Softball balls requiring the fielder to move quickly from their starting spot. No standing in one spot holding the ball.. We want to instruct our players to 'keep the ball moving' when handling it on defense. In this circumstance, the corner outfielders will back up the base by playing a carom off the fence. HyperOps | 570 followers on LinkedIn. A Mini Diamond is 20-25' square, but can be modified larger or smaller depending on the activity. ***we know the runner is going to the side of the base facing the previous base. We point out that some throws to second base are going almost directly towards the Left or Right Field positions. Stay alert of throws in the direction of the home plate area of the field. As a parent, what would you do if you heard this? There are times where the direction of the throw to second base is such that it can be a challenge for the Center Fielder to get into position to back up the throw. PDF Softball Playbook - HomeTeamsONLINE Logically kids come to believe that is the way to position themselves to take a throw at a base. That is where a catcher catches pitches. The catcher's position in front of home plate. --> The rule for the CF and RF is that because they are not playing the ball they are backing up a 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. When they are not chasing down balls in the outfield, they should be sprinting in to back up throws to bases they develop this habit through drill work, not by us simply telling them. The second-base defender moves to the ball with the intention of fielding it. This drill provides many repetitions of players fielding a bunt and throwing to a specific base. The softball first base positioning is important and will almost always determine the success of any play around the base. An experienced and consciencious umpire should be receptive to this practice. --> The rule for the Pitcher is "Always move towards the ball". If a runner is attempting to advance to a base, the outfielder throws the ball directly to that base. With each step, the base runners are less and less likely to attempt to advance. 'She's not going to run:' Softball speedster, Division I commit defies 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. Are you in Canada? 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. Roster. Pickoff attempts require a specific defender to cover the base to try to catch the runner off base. When a Catcher participates in this drill, they also have a responsibility to move. We want to teach our players early on that they are not required to throw the ball in order to move it around the field. Base. priority #1 is to stop the ball from going past first base, so the runner has to stay at first base. This defender should continue moving to the ball unless the first-base defender yells that she has it (meaning that the first-base defender will field the ball). Early on this can be difficult to train. If the base is covered, run beyond the base to Back-up a throw to the base. Before the base has any useful function for a player on defense, they need to have the ball. However, the Left 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 third base. (NOTE: at the 12u level we do not teach players to straddle the base. Player fielding the ball does not* throw the ball. Maybe read those through twice. Explain to them that The runner is safe a lot. The Shortstop moves towards the ball, which takes them to the second base bag. HyperOps | LinkedIn We establish the mindset, Im going to GO GET the ball. 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. Aftertraining our kids inthese rules they will get to a point where most react more quickly andinstinctivelyto where they are needed on the field in any given situation. The second-base defender is now ready to receive the throw at first from the fielder (i.e., the first-base player). All four players sprint until they are in position to fulfill their responsibility. They need to be sure to go behind the base runner when crossing the base line. In such a case, the pitcher doesnt have the Ball, so they follow the fundamental rule: Ball, Base, Back-up they cover a Base (home plate - 4th Base). Point out to players that it only takes a second to cover the base. It is important that our players understand that their base coverage and backing-up responsibilities continue throughout the play (regardless of their perception that nothing of importance is going on in their area of the field) and do not end until the ball is in the Pitchers hands and the Pitcher is standing next to the pitching rubber. Once you have your players training in how to call Time, talk to the umpires before each game and alert them of what your players will be doing. The second base defender and shortstop should be about half way between the bases and just behind the base path. 1. What percentage of balls are hit everywhere else, at lesser speed and/or bouncing knee high or higher? Set-up: Mini-diamond, 20'-25' square. Quickly ending each play keeps the game moving along quicker. When working with kids we want to structure our talk to be as literal as possible. (watch: 0:25 - 0:42 of this video.). Unlike 90 baseball, the pitcher does not back up home plate. The 2nd baseman has the responsibility to cover 1st base and receive the throw. 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').

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