In the mean time we are developing in them the recognition that getting the ball closer to the middle of the infield the more control they and the defense has over the base runners. Balls Hit to the Outfield: the First Baseman needs to be aware of the base runner and not interfere with them while moving into position at First Base. The assumption of the outfielder, each time the ball is put into play in the infield, is that it will not be fielded and the outfielder will be getting the ball. Stand on the field/pitching rubber side of the plate facing the ball. For example, you may want to go over what the defensive players should do if the ball is hit between the defenders at first and second. How does a player determine which base to back up? If the base is covered, run beyond the base to Back-up a throw to the base. Players wont sprint (even though we just told them). 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. My experience observing youth practices and games, is coaches hollering to their players, Back up those throws! However, getting our kids to recognize the importance of this aspect of the game and to develop urgency in their execution takes more than Telling or Reminding. We are teaching our players to always anticipate that another play needs to be made. 1. 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. We have the Second Baseman and Shortstop at a point nearly midway between second base and the corner base. Written by Cindy Bristow with over 35 years of softball coaching experience, Softball Strategies, Coverages, Signals & Charts gives you all the factors you should consider when deciding on your offensive strategy, from a hit and run to a squeeze play, it's all here in detail. There is no rule to determine when the second baseman takes over this responsibility. This is not as descriptive as the phrase we want to use with our kids.). 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. The player primarily responsible for recognizing the runners have stopped attempting to advance is the Catcher, who is the lead communicator for the defense, since that is the one position that can see the entire field at all times. (see Pitcher below). The players, especially outfielders, will learn they can run the ball in and deliver the ball to a teammate by handing it to them or flipping it a short distance, underhand. --> The rule for the Pitcher is "Always move towards the ball". That fact, coupled with limited practice time we have at the youth level, results in kids not getting the reps needed learn the nuances of each position. Witherspoon was a stalwart of the Illini secondary ever since he arrived in Champaign back in 2019. There is one ball that needs to be fielded, and three bases needing to be backed up. Making a wide turn and/or dancing around baiting a throw are not examples of attempting to advance. Discover everything you need to know about Bastion of the Vilnius Defensive Wall (Vilniaus Gynybines Sienos Basteja), Vilnius including history, facts, how to get there and the best time to visit. GO GET implies motion. Are we teaching them what to do when the ball is not hit to them? It is likely that while they are on the move, they will figure out where to throw the ball, if needed. We teach them to think, I am going to GO GET the ball the moment it comes off the bat. Playing the fence - If the ball is hit towards the fence. In this case the Pitcher does not field the ball so they continue running in a straight line towards third base. Former Illinois defensive back Devon Witherspoon was drafted in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks with the fifth overall pick in the draft. Also, there are many more base runners, setting up a lot of force outs. some aspects of baseball play are learned through experience. Softball Bunt Coverage - No Runners on Base With no runners on base, 1st, Pitcher, Catcher, and 3rd aregoing to crash the ball. 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. The Pitcher moves towards the ball and covers first base (or backs-up first base). HyperOps | 570 followers on LinkedIn. Most kids just dont grasp this concept. 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. The rule for the players in the middle of the field is to Move Towards the Ball. As a coach moving through this content, you are reading what appears to be quite a bit of info. Backup 2nd base: Center field/Left field. In this DVD, Coach Gasso explores the aggressive defensive mindset, strategies, and drills that have helped her Oklahoma Sooners win two NCAA National Championships. "I dont know, Mom, I just feel burned out." A big part of making youth baseball more fun for everyone involved is to keep the game moving along at a quick pace. (NOTE: at the 12u level we do not teach players to straddle the base. ***we know the runner is going to the side of the base facing the previous 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). During the year, this drill fits very well into our daily Skill Building Warm-up aspect of practice. Player fielding the ball does not* throw the ball. Our objective is to get the ball into the hands of the Pitcher at the middle of the infield. That is where a catcher catches pitches. Regardless of level of play or the situation, each player on defense has one of three responsibilities: handle the BALL, cover a BASE, or BACK-Up a throw. 1. And worse case scenario they will keep the ball moving by running with it. Folks watching that team will clearly recognize they are watching a quality of play at the 12u level that is unlike anything they have seen before. The Mini Diamond is also used to teach drills and plays before running them on the regular size field. In this situation the Third Baseman sprints towards the spot they are needed to Back-up a throw to the base. We need to constantly preach, Ball First, Base Second. The fielder should always find the fence first and then work back towards the infield. 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. If the throw is a bit to one side of the base or the other, they slide their foot near the corner of the base on the side the ball is headed, then stretch with their glove foot towards the ball. A fun statement to drive home the need for them to cover the base while acknowledging their desire to see what is going on with the ball is, Cover your base and watch the game from there. Adjust a couple feet to their right or left so to have a clear line of sight to the batter. (At higher levels of play the common phrase is Look for the next play. First, they are potentially interfering with the runner. Important note:when using a throw to move the ball into position to stop the runners, point #1 comes back into play. 4. The second baseman covers first - when the first baseman in ranging to their right or coming in on a ground ball often the pitcher is also attempting to make a play on the ball, or is slow in getting off the rubber. Solution: at the conclusion of the drill (players have gotten to where they think they are supposed to be), for each player who is not lined up with the direction of a throw to a base, roll a ball firmly towards, and past 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. RULES: P Always moves towards the ball | Ball. The 1st Rule for Defensive responsibilities is I am going to go get the ball. In most cases they are doing this while running back to their positions. This coverage will be up to one defensive back to make any adjustments needed against a good passing attack and support any players who lose in their man-to-man coverage. Get the ball to the middle of the infield. Kids take their cues from watching higher levels of baseball and softball. However this, and similar situations, lead to mistakes at all levels of play. [More importantly, this baiting game wastes time and takes away from the other players (also parents and coaches) waiting for the game to continue. As the players develop the Ball, Base, Back-up concept, the First Baseman can be confident that another player will cover first base. The Catcher, squatting behind Home Plate, is not in their position. In order for you to ensure you're always in the best defensive coverage for the particular situation, you've got to constantly be watching everything! Primarily as observers of the pro game. A common mistake made by youth teams is mishandling the ball while getting it back to the middle of the infield after a play has ended. This Drill should be one of first defensive drills of the year for our team. That doesnt matter, the CF gets going and does their best to get into position to back up the base. All you need is to drag and drop objects to depict another play and then save with the different name. In this case the Pitcher does not field the ball so they continue running in a straight line towards first base. In this circumstance, the corner outfielders will back up the base by playing a carom off the fence. It will take ongoing emphasis by the coaching staff to instill this habit. Use of the Mini Diamond is referenced throughout the Coaching Guide. Pitcher sprints to back up the corner base on the side of the infield the ball is hit to (after the coach/ball goes past them). We can establish this habit during the Scrimmage (see Practice Structure) portion of practice. The right fielder plays at a similar depth and should be between the second base and first base defenders. The existence of these factors results in some fundamental rules of how team defense is played on the large diamond to be executed differently on the small diamond. We train our players to 'run the ball in'. Kids play a variety of positions at this level; at the very least, they play positions other than pitcher. Then point out to them that they are NOW in line with the direction of the throw to the base. Basic softball defensive strategy and tactics is a look at the fundamental defensive components of the game. The reality is, like a lot of things in this game, mistakes will be made (multiple times). That may be as subtle of a movement as a slight turn in order to keep their body facing the ball. 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. Those coaches will gain a decent sense for adjusting defensive positioning. The free safety usually dictates the defensive coverage adjustments. Softball Playbook Single to Left Field (No One on Base) Goal: The goal in this situation is to keep the runner from reaching 2nd base. This may require us to take them with us to the correct spot and say, "See how far away you are right now? They need to be sure to go behind the base runner when crossing the base line. 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. Backing up players will not get directly in line with the direction of a possible throw. Outfielders back-up bases on every play. When players do this correctly, team defensive play as a whole runs much smoother. Middle Infielders: 25-30 from second base, and a couple steps behind the baseline. THIRD - The Section, Managing the Ball, includes content that kids really need to understand, but is rarely taught. As the season progresses we want to teach our players that their our positioning on the field in relationship to the bases and the ball changes each time the ball moves. Please visit our new UK website to purchase Human Kinetics printed or eBooks. Ball, Base, Back-up always applies. Once they are in motion it is easier for them to continue moving to the spot on the field where they are fulfilling their defensive responsibility. 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. The FS looks at the offensive alignment and. The coach puts the bunt down into the mapped areas and the appropriate defender takes the bunt and throws it to first base. If you are new to this level, you will soon find out how important it is to have every throw to a base to have player backing-up. This is a pressure play on the defense, but with a fair amount of practice should be able to make the play at home on a fairly routine basis. This forces the player to move far away from their base making it clear to the other infielders that it is not covered. Fully managed IT solutions to enjoy your direct business development | Being an expert in the critical online systems and applications management, HyperOps . Maybe read those through twice. When the Catcher comes back in the dugout, we now have an opportunity to teach. Often at the youth level of baseball and softball, kids are so consumed by the play they just made that they forget that there might another runner trying to get to the next base. IMPORTANT NOTE: When delivering the ball to the first baseman or third baseman, only roll the ball about one third of the way toward the base. Stone was expected to be a big part of the defensive line rotation this season and the defensive tackle depth has taken a hit during this transfer portal window cycle. Your best bunt coverage is to have your 1st and 3rd baseman crashing when they see the hands drop to bunt position, with 2nd base covering 1st and your SS covering 3 if there are any runners on base. The good news is, we can give the kids the reps they need in as little as 5-10 minutes every second or third practice. Question: what percentage of balls in the 12u game are hit at laser speed, ankle high to the 2-foot space where the player is positioned? They will be motivated to learn their responsibilities for throwing. Person covering base needs to communicate to cut-off as the ball is in the air about halfway from person throwing and the cut-off. 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. At the youth level of play, no defense is truly out of the woods until the ball arrives at the middle of the infield and is securely in the hands of the pitcher. Base. Softball Skills: Bunt Defense Drill. The same goes for the coach. This is the best body position for an athlete who needs to react and move quickly in any direction. There are two ways to transport the ball around the field: Most kids only consider the first option. 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. A body in motion stays in motion. The last thing you want to do is run a 90's style slapping defense with your third and short in, 2nd next to the pitcher, and your outfield in on the skin and then have a kid powerslap over your left fielders head. Center fielder: shortstop goes into the outfield towards the ball; the second baseman covers the base. As Patty Gasso says and many coaches would agree, defense wins championships. Miles . Double plays are rarely turned. If we send the pitcher back there, the backstop ends up doing most of the backing-up. You can complete this set modifying any sample. ^ remain in a Ready Position until the ball is in the air and the First Baseman gauges the path of the throw. I prefer Ready simply because it is more descriptive.Hey! This article will discuss the standard scheme that works best for your base defense. When working on movement responsibilities this clear visual of an uncovered base helps the kids recognize where they are needed. In this example we have a ball hit to the Second Baseman. The LF & RF have two bases to back up. It will be reiterated constantly throughout the season in most drills and activitiesbecause baseball/softball is a game of movement. Then they holler (loud enough to be heard in the outfield) the number of OUTS and the location of the RUNNERS. If the base runners stop, we want the infielder to be within 10-15 from the outfielder, who delivers the ball using the Underhand Toss tecnique. After the play has ended there is no reason to risk making an overhand throw. The real success of defending bunts lies in the team performing the general principals of the bunt defense. Center Fielder: 60 beyond the second base bag. Near the end of each play, the base runners will recognize they have advanced as far as they can do so safely. At the youth level of play the positioning of the player in relationship to the base, when receiving a throw, is different than at higher levels of play. The Pitcher is always the Cut-Relay player on plays to home plate. This means, once they recognize they are not responsible to get the ball, their responsibility becomes the base. If you dont field the ball, cover a Base ("Ball or Base"), If the base is covered, run beyond the base to Back-up a throw to the base*, * Many kids' idea of backing up a base is to stand five feet behind the base. (This will be covered in detail later in this section.). However, the Right 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 first base. Over throws are a big part of the game at this level. After a couple of days of running the drill we want to expand the teaching of the backing up situation. Stop them when they pick-up the ball! The second-base defender moves to the ball with the intention of fielding it. Former Gophers defensive backs Jordan Howden and Terell Smith were selected in the fifth round of the NFL Draft on Saturday. In most cases the Catcher doesnt have to move far from the plate to get the ball. In most cases, there is not enough room behind home plate for the pitcher to get enough depth to properly back-up an over throw. 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 Shortstop moves towards the ball, which takes them to the second base bag. 6. In this strategy, the players pretend that the ball is a gigantic magnet and that they are all pieces of metal that are attracted to it. We've got some great eClinics that detail all types of defensive coverages. To be a solid fastpitch softball defensive team, your team must be well-drilled in fastpitch softball bunt coverage. 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. Another common term used is Athletic position, which is perfectly fine. They want to throw the ball. The infielders then echo this information to the outfielders (if needed). Coaches that train the kids to back up bases properly will see a vast improvement in team defensive play. Call out number of OUTS and location of RUNNERS before each new batter, After the ball is put into play: holler, in a loud voice, where to make the play (Infielders Echo the call on, Communication on Cut-Relay Plays to Home Plate. Once out kids learn and follow the teaching in this section we eliminate many of the unforced errors that are common in the game played on the small diamond. Use the magnet principle for defensive coverage in softball This is an excerpt from Survival Guide for Coaching Youth Softball by Robert Benson & Tammy Benson. We need for them to physically move to the correct distance beyond the base. Anytime we compact the teaching/learning environment we reduce distractions, improve communication and the players get many more repetitions during a drill. The pitcher is the cut-relay to home on All balls hit to the outfield - reasons: Often the pitcher is the best athlete on the field; we want them handling the ball as much as possible. 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. While moving out to a given position, the coach hollers, Ground ball to [position]!, Which ever side of the field the ball is going to, the LF/RF sprints straight towards the ball, stopping only when they come within a few feet of the coach. 16x Big 12 Champions; Over 1,100 career victories. priority #1 is to stop the ball from going past first base, so the runner has to stay at first base. This practice leads to a better experience for everyone at the park. While making that initial movement, it becomes clear the third baseman is not going to get the Ball. With only 3 downs to make 10 yards, the quarterback really has to be a playmaker. On a ball hit to right field, the Second Baseman runs towards the ball, into the outfield, to get in position to take the ball from the Right Fielder and run the ball back into the infield, or to serve as the lead cut-player on a ball that gets past the Right Fielder. They can't move to the correct coverage position if they don't start in the correct place. The 2nd baseman has the responsibility to cover 1st base and receive the throw. You can position the shortstop more up the middle closer to the base. Use the magnet principle for defensive coverage in softball, More Excerpts From Survival Guide for Coaching Youth Softball, Foundations of Kinesiology/Exercise and Sport Science, Research Methods, Measurements, and Evaluation, Survival Guide for Coaching Youth Softball. In this case getting to the initial backing-up position is not a concern because the Pitcher is backing up third base. Please visit Booktopia to order your Human Kinetics print books. We need to practice this often. Some attempts to play the ball will take the Third Baseman (and their momentum) far from the base. A coach with limitd experience or understanding of modifying the positioning of players, need not worry. Softball Defensive Coverage It may be more dramatic as running 30'-40' to reestablish the straight line relationship from the ball to the base to them in their backing up of a 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. Plant their foot on the base and stretch forward with the other foot. The catcher's position in front of home plate. The Shortstop moves towards the ball, which takes them to the second base bag. (watch: 0:25 - 0:42 of this video.). Soon they will be making quick and sound decisions for making throws. Simple as this may seem, this is what the game is about. Four infielders and catcher (the catcher is not necessary if you only have a group of four kids). Softball Oklahoma remains No. They see the base is covered, so go to their next responsibility of backing-up the base. Balls hit to the 2B/1B side of the infield are the responsibility of the Right Fielder. When the ball is hit to a spot where the Catcher is going to field the ball, the Pitcher moves towards the ball. Infield get the runner at 2nd if you can, if not take the sure out at 1st. Outfielders and Pitcher develop awareness of, and habit of, executing their responsibility of backing up bases. In many instances the Third Baseman figures, since nothing is immediately happening at third base, there is no urgency to cover the base. The same is true, in most instances, when the ball is hit to the center fielder. If the throw is accurate, slide the throwing-hand foot/toe back against the side of the base. They learn by doing, not by memorizing. Outies - shooting 3!" Your directions will obviously differ depending on the age and development of your players. The definition for 'end of the play' is when the base runner(s) have stopped running hard and attempting to advance to another base. We all have a vague understanding of burnout, but should we advise our kids to drop out, take a break, make some changes, or suck it up? As soon as a player has control of the ball they must immediately move the ballthrow it, or run with it towards the pitching rubber. If they identify the need to make a throw, because they are so much closer to the center of the diamond, the distance of that throw is greatly reduced. There isnt a hard and fast rule to follow. --> The rule for the CF and RF is that because they are not playing the ball they are backing up a base. The corner position will play the "flats." If the ball is hit past the outfielders, the infielder who ran out to the oufield serves as the first player in a double-realy to home: outfielder throws to the infielder, who throws to the Pitcher, who then realys the ball home. The Knights claimed game one 6-4 (8 inn.) With each step, the base runners are less and less likely to attempt to advance. Teach players to stand on the same side of the base as the balls location on the field. We coaches are not going to have players this age playing the game perfectly. We first want to establish in our players minds that they are going to get every ball that is put into play. The pitcher could influence the decision for modifying defensive positioning if they throw significantly fast or slow. During any of these situations, the shortstop runs toward the ball as well. 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. I am going to GO GET the ball - React towards the ball. These two players, positioned in the middle of the field, follow this simple rule: If the ball is hit to your Left and you arent fielding the ball, SPRINT to the base on your Left; If the ball is hit to your Right and you arent fielding the ball, SPRINT to the base on your Right. [The movement responsibilities of the Pitcher are covered below.]. While the runner will likely be safe, we want to prevent them from advancing to second base. When a ball is hit to the right side of the infield, the RF goes to get the ball. A stance we do not want to see with our fielders is hands hanging close to the ground near ankle level. Corner Outfielders: Midway between the Corner Base and Second Base, 60 beyond the baseline between second base and the corner base. Their first responsibility is to go for the ball, which means sprinting in behind the infielder attempting to field the ball.

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