Summer Camps and Fundamentals

As I am sitting here finalizing my youth summer camp schedule (which starts tomorrow) I got to thinking about the fundamentals I teach and the drills and games I use to teach them.

So I thought this would be a good thread to start. Let me know what you think.

1. What fundamentals do you think every youth player (ages 9-13) should know?
2. What drills would you use to teach a player these fundamentals?
3. What fun games would you use to show a player the joys of baseball while at the same time testing the fundamentals you have taught them?

 

make good throws!

IMO the number one thing to teach kids is to play the game the right way...get the outs when you have the opportunity. To that end, help them make good throws....cross infield and to the cutoff man. Too many kids just give it a sling and a likely out becomes a runner on second. An older version of the same problem is the JV/HS player who somehow finds it more appealing to go for the style points and makes an errant throw trying to imitate a play he saw on ESPN and doesn't record the out.

At higher levels, there is very little tolerance for bad throws...teach 'em now how to square up and make a sharp, chest high throw. Help them understand that good throwing takes many, many reps. Teach them to always throw at a target, even in warmups...don't just lob it back and forth...train your eye as you try to hit your target (partners chin, chest or belt buckle). Some parents wonder why one kid starts in front of theirs...consider too many errant throws as a reason....coaches do.

 

throwing and catching at that level is the primary concern. There are countless drills to consider, and any game that teaches hand-eye coordination is always good. try playing two ball with the kids, it will really test the hand-eye coordination and its a lot of fun as well.

 

Play 21

I taught my son to throw properly by playing 21.

Two points for a head shot - One point for a torso shot

Play catch (with a target and a purpose) until one player scores 21 points. Full shoulder turn and a straight release.

Play two or three games each time you warm up.

I beat my son for years and would never just let him win. Then he finally won.........then he won again.

Now it's a joke. I think I won one game in the last year or two. It was back in February. I celebrated a little too much and he got mad and smoked me bad after that.

 

I'l let others mention the drills that work well, but two areas that I know are lacking in the youth level are sliding and running bases. This is not taught and it's frustrating to watch the kids attempt to do those things.

Sliding- it's a wonder more kids don't get hurt. They have no earthly idea how to do it

Baserunning- the only thing kids are taught is to run through first base and how to make a turn at first. Beyond that there is no concept to base running. It's ironic since kids no longer play sandlot ball that baserunning skills have eroded.

If the youth kids would just learn the Basic Fundamentals, it would be a huge improvement. To be honest, if a league emerged that was an instructional league, I would sign mine up in a heartbeat.

 

ball transfer

I believe that true ball transfer is critical. We teach the kids to catch the ball with 2 hands at an early age so they don't drop the ball. As they get older not only do they need to catch the ball, but they need to get it into their throwing hand more quickly. Once kids can actually catch the ball, particularly this 9-13 age group, they quickly go to catching it with their hands split apart (because I can catch just fine with one hand). There are obviously great training gloves (pancake glove) for teaching ball transfer, but here are a couple others I have used:
1) quick transfer drill. every warm up I had them start 10-15 feet apart. time them for 30 seconds and see how many times they get the ball back and forth. Losers do push ups. or if you are into positive, winners sit out the next round. (show them how they don't have to actually close their mitt to catch the ball. Use it as a backstop and grab the ball with your throwing hand.
2) show them how to catch the ball with their hand (infield primarily) and not the webbing. 2 ways, roll each other grounders with no mitt on. Bare hand grounders. Other way is to find some old mitts and cut the webbing out. (careful with the younger kids, might want to start this one with rubber balls).

I found it is really about telling them why. Asking them why the older players and pros catch the ball with two hands when certainly they have the talent to catch with one.

 

throw and catch

Drills
(the key is to make it a competition!)

Rocket relay... at least 2 "teams"... everyone knows this one.

Around the horn... teams of 4 players. Player at each base, ball starts at home and is thrown to 1st, then thrown to 2nd etc. The twist is the players follow their throws... guy at home runs to 1st, guy at 1st runs to 2nd and so on. when the player that started at home gets back there, reverse the throws... home to third, then to 2nd...
This drill helps with accurate throws, footwork around the bags and gets in a little conditioning.

Roll-a-bat... a lost game that teaches catching as well as accurate throwing

 

LRBaseballer

What is the two ball drill?

 

Two ball;

You take two baseballs, you have to hold them both in one hand and make an underhanded throw to anyone in the circle. They must catch both balls (they can use both hands). If they drop a ball, it is an out, if they drop both, it is two outs. You can count to however many outs you want before someone is eliminated. Or, you can just play without outs, your choice.