Holden Baseball
“AA” League (Age 8) Coaching Curriculum
Over the course of the season, you should teach your players the following skills, noting that the depth of teaching will vary from level to level. Skills are described in greater detail the first year they are introduced within a curriculum, and are mentioned with less explanation in subsequent curriculums. Your practices should include short duration stations during which you work on a number of different skills
1. Warming up by running around or a short lap around the field or bases and to warm up their arms do arm circles.(Coaches do these with the kids and try to make them laugh as you do it). Do not do stretching exercises because it is not good for kids under 12 because of how their joints move when they do stretching exercises. Do it as a group. They are as limber as Gumby at this age so just warming up the muscles is good enough
2. The concept of “fingers up” when catching balls above the waist and “fingers down” on balls below the waist.
3. TIP: This can be demonstrated like the movement of hands on a clock. The fingers always point away from the body crossing over as you reach your bare hand side. Practice the movement of the glove before they ever see a ball come. Then, always start the process of learning to catch with the glove side and away from the body. Throwing a ball directly at a small child is intimidating and therefore you will tend to toss arches all the time which teaches them to basket catch everything. This will haunt them later.
4. How to position feet and hands when fielding a ground ball. Light on the toes, slightly leaning forward. (This is called “Ready Position” as seen in picture below). Good to start without a glove with very slow rollers and as they develop a little, have the players come with a slight hop on the back foot with the front shoulder pointed at the target and on the back foot touching the ground first.
5. TIP: Fielding a ground ball can be demonstrated like the mouth of an alligator closing down on the ball.
6. How to position hands to catch a pop up.
7. Covering bases and making tags.
8. Being active on every play; backing up throws. Left fielder backs up throws from right and center field and should start to run to the position as soon as the ball in hit to those fields. The right fielder backs up throws from left field to first or second, and shortstop and third base infield throws.
9. How to grip the ball in a 4 seam grip.
10. The ready position in the outfield.
11. How to hold the bat with knuckles aligned.
12. Refined batting skills; Weight shift in swing. At this age the players can usually start to understand the concept of the need to rotate the hip on the back foot to push the back hand through the swing. If you have the player hold the bat out over home plate directly in front of them and then rotate the rear foot they will see that the bat begins to move forward. Therefore this is an important thing to do because he/she who swings the fastest hits the best.
13. Judgment of balls and strikes.
14. Running through first base.
15. Running multiple bases with proper cornering.
16. Pitchers: the importance of throwing strikes.
17. Pitchers: how to cover first base on infield ground balls to the right side.
18. Catchers: putting the catching gear on without help, and before the half inning starts.
19. Catchers: proper mechanics/position of hands and feet. Glove straight out and butt in the air like you are sitting in a chair
20. Catchers: how to block balls in the dirt.
21. Catchers: how to catch a pop up correctly.
22. First basemen: proper position of feet and how to stretch.
23. Relays from the outfield. Make sure the kids are lining up the throws between the outfielder and the base that is getting throw to.
24. Outfielders: throwing to the right base.
25. Anticipating situations.
26. Sliding techniques.
27. TIP: Players should be taught to slide from both sides and never head first.
28. When to go half way.
29. The “ball hits the runner” rule.
30. Good sportsmanship.
31. Errors of the mind are worse than errors of the hands and feet.
Pitching Tips
Pitchers: proper pitching mechanics with windup and set position.
1. Set both feet on the rubber about ½ off the front edge with the glove and ball together in hand and around the upper chest.
2. Small rocker step about 45 degrees back. Note: to abort the pitch step off with the foot of the bare hand. (The pitch starts with the glove hand foot.)
3. Turn the remaining foot parallel to the rubber. Not on top of the rubber!
4. Swing the hip to face home plate with the thigh parallel to the ground. Toe pointing down. Back and body are straight and in perfect BALANCE. Balance is important for the pitcher to throw consistent strikes.
5. Let the pitching arm swing down and back in a pendulum motion. Hand should end up on top of the ball. Don’t let the hand turn over!
6. Push toward home and bring the arm through in a perfect “L” with the wrist back. Snap the elbow and wrist quickly. Don’t push the ball.
7. Trailing leg should end up about even with front leg. Glove and bare hand ready to field.
Footnote: Make sure catchers keep the bare hand behind their back.
Hitting Tips
1. Step in so the front toe is about even with the angle intersect on the plate. Bat should reach about to the opposite corner of the plate with the front hand and a slight back bend. Usually 8-10” toes to plate. Depends on age and size.
2. Relax until the pitcher sets. (Elbow up is an old useless technique).
3. Hands together on the bat. (if the child needs to choke up then the child needs a lighter bat)
4. When the pitcher sets: Hands near the center of the chest and fairly close to the body.
5. When the ball is released shift the weight to the back leg with a small raising of the front leg. Don’t stride towards the pitcher. Don’t lean back. Pull the hands back and slightly up at the same time. It’s a balance thing again. When the foot is placed back down it should be light and generally on the toe area.
6. Drive the knob on the bat towards the ball first. Hands remain close to the body.
7. At the striking point grind the back foot (squish the bug) on the toe to drive the hip towards the ball. Snap the wrist quickly. It’s all about bat speed.
8. Finish the swing fast and hard all the way. Follow through to the back of the head area, keeping both hands on the bat.
9. Hitting the outside pitch the other way. Let the ball get the center of the body and follow the eyes to the opposite field. The diagonal line theory. Inside pitches are hit out in front of the plate.
General tips:
During practices, coaches and assistant coaches should work with the team in small groups.
When teaching a specific skill or drill, sessions should last about 10 minutes.
Use a relay race to teach relay throws from the outfield.
During games, teams should be fielding just the nine positions. Extra players can be paired up at an infield position and the two players at a position can alternate batters to gain experience fielding the position.
During games, go over where the ball is going on every play – both infield and outfield.
Introduce live player pitching by the end of the season. During games, let players pitch to only 1 or 2 batters and then try another player.
Coaches are expected to complete a player evaluation for each player at the end of the season.
Important safety rules that all players must learn:
After getting a hit, do not throw the bat.
Always make eye contact with the person you are throwing the ball to prior to throwing.
Do not pick up a bat until it is your turn to hit. There is no on-deck circle.
No head first sliding.