Bronco Practice Schedule #1
Web Lessons
4:15 - 6:15 pm
The Primary Goals of this practice are to observe and evaluate the team’s infield skills, observe and evaluate hitting skills, start developing pitchers, and teach the fundamentals of sliding.
4:15 Warm Up – “Four Corners” (three times around) (See Instructional Video)
4:20 Standard Throwing Warm Up – One Knee, Snap Throws, T-Step, Crow Hop (See Instructional Video)
4:35 Big Eights – Ground Ball Fielding (See Instructional Video)
4:40 Ball Handling – Games of “Around the Horn” (Timed) Use this game to help the players get the “feel” of the size of the field. You will find some infielders in this effort
4:50 Plays at 1st Base – Game of “Airtight D” – Observe, Evaluate and Provide Feedback (Fielding and Throwing Demonstrations if Needed) Remember the “Feedback Sandwich”
5:10 Water Break – Talk about what we learned
5:15 Hitting – Teach Dry Swing Techniques. (See Instructional Video)
5:35 Pitching – Everyone is a Pitcher until the Player is Not a Pitcher!! Work on the Pitching Fundamentals – KEEP IT SIMPLE, TEACH AND HAVE THE KIDS PITCHING FROM THE STRETCH. Demonstrate proper techniques and positions (Start, Set Balance, Stride, Turn Throw and Follow Through). All motion should be in a straight line with the target, Home Plate. Break Pitchers into two groups, one down each foul line in a position to pitch to Home Plate. Call out the positions and have the players respond. Check for understanding and for proper motion to the target. You can see where they land in relation to the foul line. Observe, Evaluate and Provide Feedback. Set up 3 stations and play a quick game of Bullseye. (Also see the Instructional Video)
6:00 Sliding – Game of “Home Free”. Two teams. Demonstrate the cues “Figure 4 and Drive the Bus” Use cones to mark the takeoff spot for the slide, award points for proper take off and technique, must also touch the base (four pts possible). Have the players run a distance and slide. This can be done on wet grass, without shoes.
6:15 Review what was covered – Wrap Up – Team Yell