How to Teach Little Leaguers Basic Baseball Drills

Little league baseball coaches play an important role in the lives of the boys they coach. They are not only teaching the game of baseball, but they are teaching about life. In addition to baseball skills, little league exposes youngsters to the values of teamwork, discipline, perseverance, and how to be gracious in both victory and defeat. If you are a little league coach, develop a coaching philosophy that embodies these values and your team will build character as they build their basic baseball skills.

Things You'll Need

  • Bats
  • Helmets
  • Batting Tee
  • Baseballs
  • Gloves
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Instructions

  1. Hitting Drill

    • 1

      Help players develop a sound swing with a basic hitting drill. Give each player a bat and a helmet. If you only have enough equipment for one player at a time, have players stand in a line behind and take turns doing the drill.

    • 2

      Position a batting tee in the middle of the plate with a baseball on top of the tee. Adjust the tee so it is at the players' thighs. Assign a player to field practice hits from other players.

    • 3

      Instruct each player to take three swings while the ball is positioned in the middle of the plate. Move the tee in closer to the player and at the front of the plate to simulate an inside pitch. Instruct the player to take three swings.

    • 4

      Move the tee to the back of the plate and away from the player to simulate an outside pitch. Instruct the player to take three swings. Ask the players to visualize a pitcher winding up through his throwing motion and delivering a pitch before each swing. Rotate players through the drill from hitting to fielding.

    Throwing Drill

    • 5

      Separate players into pairs. Position players 6 feet apart from their partners. Give each pair of players two gloves and a baseball.

    • 6

      Instruct players to get on one knee and to place their gloves in front of them on the ground. Ask one player from each pair to hold the baseball in his throwing hand. Show the players how to bend their throwing arms so that the baseball sits level with their eyes just above their ears.

    • 7

      Instruct players to bend their elbows and hold their forearms with their non-throwing hands. Ask players to bend their wrists back and flick the baseballs to their partner who is holding a glove up as a target. Make sure players use only their wrists to throw the balls.

    • 8

      Move players 15 feet apart after five minutes, and have them repeat the drill for an additional five minutes. Instruct players to switch roles and repeat the drill at both distances.

    Fielding Drill

    • 9

      Position players so that one is a catcher, two are third basemen, two are short stops and two are left fielders. Position the rest of the team along third base in helmets.

    • 10

      Hit line drives and fly balls to the short stops and left fielders. Instruct the players to field the balls and throw them to either the third basemen or the catcher, depending on if the runner on third base heads for home.

    • 11

      Instruct the players in helmets to practice base running by determining whether or not the player is likely to catch or properly field the ball. Teach them how to determine whether to make the run for home or not. Demonstrate how to tag up if the outfielder catches a deep fly ball and the runner on third tries to score.