Edina Youth Softball Association: Coaches Info
Coaching Made Easy!Coaches do not have to schedule or organize their own practices. We are having structured skills development sessions before the games. We will also be helping the coaches with instructions on which drills to use. (Although not required, coaches can also hold additional practices.)
Rules and Recommendations
Please make sure you read and know the rules for your grade division. Click on Rules for the updated rules.
Rule Highlights
Coaches should place their fielders at real positions with the exception of a "left pitcher" and "right pitcher" position for first and second grade. For all grade levels, outfielders may play shallow but should not play alongside infielders. This will help the girls learn the fielding positions and will also help balance play.
Other Info
It is up to the coach if they want to have parent's bring treats to the games.
It is extremely important to have a dedicated coach or parent constantly monitor the "Strike Zone" batting device. (This is the softball on a rope device.) Siblings should not use and need to be kept away from the Strike Zone.
Ideas
Many girls like to play with the sand. To encourage team participation and insure safety, coaches may want to move infielders who play excessively with sand to the outfield. Telling this to a player usually corrects this activity.
To encourage practice participation, coaches may wish to bring treats to some of their practices rather than their games. Fla-Vor-Ice freeze pops or "Mr. Freezes" are a great practice motivator during a hot day.
Coaches who wear sunglasses may find communication with their players more difficult. Players may be able to understand you better if they can see who you are talking to.
Pre-game Skills Sessions (The drills are listed at the bottom of this page.)
Before every game for grades one through eight, we will be holding a half-hour "skills session." The purpose of this session is to improve skills development and make scheduling easier for coaches and parents. Coaches may but are not required to schedule additional practice time.
In past years, some coaches did not hold enough (sometimes any) practices. For coaches who did hold practices, they had to go through the additional trouble of scheduling times and reserving fields. It was also decided that a two-day-a-week time committment (rather than three) is more appropriate for a house-league athletic program. We are currently in the process determining field availabilty and finalizing this new game format.
Planned Skills Session and Game Times
Division Skills Time Game Time
1st and 2nd Grade 30 minutes 40 minutes
3rd and 4th Grade 30 minutes 50 minutes
5th and 6th Grade 20 minutes 60 minutes
Rain-out?
Remind your parents to call the Weather Line if it looks like rain. The Weather Line is updated until 4:30 daily. If the weather turns bad after 4:30, coaches are encouraged to contact the grade rep and/or the other coach to determine if the game should be cancelled. If the game is cancelled late, the coach will then need to contact all of the team parents. Occassionally, the game will have to be cancelled at the field.
Weather Line .........................................952-826-0368
Games are to be played in light and moderate rain. Upon seeing lightning, games are to be cancelled immediately.
Make-Up Games
Please schedule make-up games for your rained-out games. Call the other coach to determine a tentative date and then call/email your Grade Rep. Your Grade Rep will contact the city to determine the field.
Because an umpire is not necessary, 1st and 2nd grade coaches may call the city directly to reserve a field.............952 826-0367.
Monday, April 30
Pre-Game Drills for 1st and 2nd Grade
Home Team will be in charge of stations 1 and 2.
Away Team is responsible for stations 3 and 4.
Divide up the girls. Extra adults can help or be in charge of directing girls who arrive late and/or keep the time.
If you are short adults or players, remove a station.
Station 1: Throwing
3rd base or Left field line
A. Without a ball
Draw marks to place the feet in correct positions.
Start with shoulders turned, arm extended straight back, fingers on top of the ball.
Teach them to rock back and rock forward with the arm coming across the body.
B. Practice the motion without a ball. 1, 2, 3 throw. Repeat 3 times. Remind them to not let their elbows droop, to follow through.
C. Throw to coach's window --neck to waist. Divide the girls up for Game-time: each ball into the window scores a point. If player's form is incorrect, the throw does not count.
D. Make one line. Throw a popup to player (remind them to catch with two hands, then turn and set her feet/shoulders, extend ball behind the shoulder and throw). Make them do this slowly and correctly.
E. Give them the reminder to throw at home everyday!
Station 2: Catching
2nd base or center field
A. Teach the underhand flip. No ball, everyone in a line facing coach, on 3 toss, repeat 3x
B. Remind them to aim at the window
C. Catching--glove up, two hands
D. Teach the Flip Drill (with 4 girls, if only 3 then the adult takes a spot)
Make a square of kids, 10-12' apart.
Show the window target (face to belt) of the girl catching.
Step with the opposite foot (left for righthander) and underhand flip to the next girl.
Work on throwing a catchable ball (not too hard, low arc, hitting the window, catching with glove turned up and using two hands)
Next girl catches, steps correctly and flips to the next corner.
Game: How many flips can they do without a drop?
Option 2: Go around the circle in one direction, stop and go back the opposite way.
Option 3: Give them 30 seconds to see how many times they can flip and catch. Make them count as a group.
With 5 girls:
Same drill, but the thrower must follow her throw and fill in the corner.
Station 3: Fielding ground balls
Infield, between 1st and 2nd base
A. No glove, bend the knees, lower the butt, glove-hand extended in front of face.
Do this drill slowly and deliberately!
Roll the ball to her glove-hand. Player should let it roll up her fingers, cover with the other hand and cradle the ball back to her stomach.
Crocodile's butt down, open the mouth, close the mouth, gobble it up.
B. Add the glove. At this point, if the girls can do this correctly in pairs, let them roll the ball to each other to increase the number of repetitions. With 5 players, coach pairs with the 5th girl.
C. Game: 2 lines, coach rolls a ball, point is scored for a "perfectly" fielded ball. Which team can get to 5 the fastest?
D. Next option: Roll the ball to the right or left foot. Player must shuffle her feet so that the crocodile's mouth meets the ball in the middle of her stance. Don't let them go too fast! Butt down, glove extended, gobble it up!
E. Throwing Option: Roll the ball at the player or to one of her feet to make her move. Player will "gobble it up" then flip ball back to coach to make an out. Or they will overhand throw back to coach.
Station 4: Hitting
Along the backstop, behind homeplate
Teach the basics: bat and feet position, trigger the front foot, open up the hips, squish the bug, stride toward the pitcher, feet off the plate.
Remind the girls to be safe, check to see that your partner is safe before you swing, help each other pick up.
A. Hitting Arm: 2 girls, 3 swings and switch
B. Tee station: 2 girls, 3 swings and switch
C. Soft toss or live toss with umpire, using whiffle balls. The girl from soft toss rotates to station A.
If there is time, finish with baserunning.
1. Running through 1st base
2. Running to 2nd etc.--touching 1st, staying in the line
3. Put runners on each of the bases, put 2-3 coaches in the field. Alternate throwing grounders and pop ups to remind girls to run, wait, tag up, avoid being hit by a ground ball, stay in the base lines.
4-5 minutes per station, girls rotate. Once you've finished, group cheer and send them to their coaches for the game.
Monday, April 30
Pre-Game Drills for 3rd through 6th Grade
Home Team will be in charge of stations 1 and 2
Away Team is responsible for stations 3 and 4
Umpire will run station 5
Divide up the girls. Extra adults can help or be in charge of directing girls who arrive late and/or keep the time.
If you are short adults or players, remove a station.
Station 1: Throwing
3rd base or Left field line
A. Without a ball
Draw marks to place the feet in correct positions.
Start with shoulders turned, arm extended straight back, fingers on top of the ball.
Teach them to rock back and rock forward with the arm coming across the body.
B. Practice the motion without a ball. 1, 2, 3 throw. Repeat 3 times. Remind them to not let their elbows droop, to follow through.
C. Throw to coach's window --neck to waist. Divide the girls up for Game-time: each ball into the window scores a point. If player's form is incorrect, the throw does not count.
D. Make one line. Throw a popup to player (remind them to catch with two hands, then turn and set her feet/shoulders, extend ball behind the shoulder and throw). Make them do this slowly and correctly.
E. Give them the reminder to throw at home everyday!
Station 2: Catching
2nd base or center field
A. Teach the underhand flip. No ball, everyone in a line facing coach, on 3 toss, repeat 3x
B. Remind them to aim at the window
C. Catching--glove up, two hands
D. Teach the Flip Drill (with 4 girls, if only 3 then the adult takes a spot)
Make a square of kids, 10-12' apart.
Show the window target (face to belt) of the girl catching.
Step with the opposite foot (left for righthander) and underhand flip to the next girl.
Work on throwing a catchable ball (not too hard, low arc, hitting the window, catching with glove turned up and using two hands).
Next girl catches, steps correctly and flips to the next corner.
Game: How many flips can they do without a drop?
Option 2: Go around the circle in one direction, stop and go back the opposite way.
Option 3: Give them 30 seconds to see how many times they can flip and catch. Make them count as a group.
With 5 girls:
Same drill, but the thrower must follow her throw and fill in the corner.
Station 3: Fielding ground balls
Infield, between 1st and 2nd base
A. No glove, bend the knees, lower the butt, glove-hand extended in front of face.
Do this drill slowly and deliberately!
Roll the ball to her glove-hand. Player should let it roll up her fingers, cover with the other hand and cradle the ball back to her stomach.
Crocodile's butt down, open the mouth, close the mouth, gobble it up.
B. Add the glove. At this point, if the girls can do this correctly in pairs, let them roll the ball to each other to increase the number of repetitions. With 5 players, coach pairs with the 5th girl.
C. Game: 2 lines, coach rolls a ball, point is scored for a "perfectly" fielded ball. Which team can get to 5 the fastest?
D. Next option: Roll the ball to the right or left foot. Player must shuffle her feet so that the crocodile's mouth meets the ball in the middle of her stance. Don't let them go too fast! Butt down, glove extended, gobble it up!
E. Harder option: the backhand. Roll a ball 3 feet to the player's right. She crosses her left foot over her right, plants her glove down past her left foot to backhand the ball.
F. Ready Position Option: Every player, as the pitcher is delivering the ball should make a 2 step and ready (with bent knees and glove and hand apart in front of the ball) to be prepared to defend a hit ball.
Have her make the ready position move, then roll her a grounder.
F. Throwing Option: Roll the ball at the player or to one of her feet to make her move. Player will "gobble it up" then flip ball back to coach to make an out. Or they will overhand throw back to coach.
Station 4: Pitching
On the side of the field, off the 1st base-line.
Make 2 lines of girls at a pitching rubber. Coach catches at 30-35' homeplate target.
Remind girls to place right foot on rubber, step back with her left foot, relax her arm and hand, draw back her arm keeping her hand on top of the ball, step forward and throw, always focused on the target.
Focus on a good arc.
Each girl has 2 balls. Girl 1 pitches, then girl 2, back to 1, she goes to the end of the line, then 2 and she goes to the end of the line.
Game time: how many strikes can they throw?
Next option: In their game at least half of the hit balls can be fielded by the pitcher. Have her pitch, then get in the ready position to field. Coach catches her pitched ball, then throws back a popup, line drive, or ground ball. Have them throw back to coach to complete the out.
Remind them to catch with two hands, move their feet, glove up for a ball above the waist.
Keep track of outs and innings per catch made to remind them of what a game is like.
Station 5: Hitting
Along the backstop, behind homeplate
Teach the basics: bat and feet position, trigger the front foot, open up the hips, squish the bug, stride toward the pitcher.
Remind the girls to be safe, check to see that your partner is safe before you swing, help each other pick up.
A. Hitting Arm: 2 girls, 3 swings and switch
B. Tee station: 2 girls, 3 swings and switch
C. Soft toss or live toss with umpire, using whiffle balls. The girl from soft toss rotates to station A.
If there is time, finish with baserunning.
1. Running through 1st base 2. Running to 2nd etc.--touching 1st, staying in the line
3. Put runners on each of the bases, make a line of the rest of the kids off of 1st base, put 2-3 coaches in the field. Alternate throwing grounders and pop ups to remind girls to run, wait, tag up, avoid being hit by a ground ball, stay in the base lines.
4-5 minutes per station, girls rotate. Once you've finished, group cheer and send them to their coaches for the game.