Running the bases

a. Names of the
bases (First,
Second, Third,
Home)
b. Run the bases
counter clockwise
c. TerminologySingle, double,
triple, home run

Holding the bat

a. Have campers grip the bat and
point index fingers out (index
fingers should be pointing in the
same direction before being put
back down).
b. Elbows should be in line with
each other.
c. hands should be about as high as
the back ear.
d. Knees are slightly bent with
balance at the center of the body.
Do not lean too far forward over
the plate.

Swinging
a. Keep your eye on
the ball the whole
time!
b. Take a SMALL step
forward as you begin
your swing.
c. Turn your back foot
as you swing (pretend
like you are squashing
a bug)
d. Hips stay closed
throughout the whole
swing

Beginner Skills- Baseball

Offense
Drills
1. Have campers run the bases in the correct order as a warm-up
2. Have campers line up and one by one tell each camper to run to
first base, second base, third base, or home plate. Once they are
finished tell them to run out a single, double, triple, or home run.
3. Practice holding a bat without swinging.
4. Have campers step up to the plate without a bat and pitch a ball
to them. Have the students watch the ball all the way even as it
passes them.
5. Practice squishing a pretend bug with the back foot as the
campers swing with or without a bat.
6. Have campers hit off of a tee or pitch them the ball underhand
while they practice holding the bat and swinging.
Defense
Catching
a. Always try and
catch with two
hands!

Throwing
a. Feet should
never be pointing
at your target. Point
feet to the sides and
turn your head to
look at your target.

b. if the ball is
above the waist
catch with
thumbs
together. If the
ball is below the
waist catch with

b. Bring throwing
arm back so that it
make an L shape.

Fielding
A. Ground balls- bend knees and place
glove on the ground with palm facing
out (pinkies together). SHUFFLE
YOUR FEET to get to the ball. Always
keep your glove down and scoop the
ball into your glove with your opposite
hand.
B. Fly balls- get under the ball and try
and catch the ball above the waist.
Hold the glove up and put your other
hand next to the glove (thumbs
together). Squeeze the glove shut
with the opposite hand once the ball is
in the glove.

pinkies together.
c. Once the ball is
in the glove close
the glove with
your other hand.

c. Take a small step

forward and use that
momentum to throw
the ball
D. Hips should turn
to face the target.

Drills
1. Practice catching without a glove. Throw the ball to the campers
and have them catch it with their thumbs together (above the
waist) or pinkies together (below the waist). Next practice with
gloves.
2. Start the campers off throwing without a ball to practice form.
Next have them play catch with a coach or each other with a
ball.
3. Toss ground balls and fly balls to the campers to practice form.
Once they have the form down hit ground balls or fly balls to
them with a bat.
Intermediate/ Advanced Skills- Baseball
Offense
Swinging
1. Follow the steps for the beginner swinging skills
2. LOADING- right before the pitcher throws the ball slightly shift
your weight onto your back foot and bring your hands back a
little bit. This is called a LOAD and helps the batter get more
power from their swing.
3. When the batter swings they should lead with their hands
through the ball.
Drills
1. Have the campers grab a Frisbee and put one hand on top and
one hand on the bottom, sandwiching it in between their hands.
Have them set up like they have a bat in their hands. Tell them
to take a swing and let go of the Frisbee at the point in their
swing where they would normally hit the ball. The Frisbee should
fly straight if the campers lead with their hands and have a good
swinging motion.
2. Have campers hit one- handed off of a tee. Use a lighter bat and
have them practice hitting with each hand. The other hand
should be put on the chest. This helps strengthen the hitting
motion in each arm.
Defense

1. Get the students to know all of the positions on a baseball field

(Figure 1).
2. Practice the different ways you can get a base runner out
(touching a base, catching a fly ball, or tagging a runner off of a
base).
3. Practice different handgrips on a baseball. (Figure 2)
Drills
1. Situational skills- Practice fielding with different numbers of
runners on base. Coach them on what to do in certain situations
(Force out, tag out, which base are they throwing to?).
2. Put all of the campers at shortstop or second base and hit them
ground balls. Have them practice fielding the ground balls and
throwing them to first base.
3. Have the campers practice catching fly balls in the outfield.
4. Have one of the coaches be a catcher and have the campers
throw the baseball to them practicing different handgrips.

Games
1. Pickle- set up two bases or cones and have a camper in the
middle and two campers at each base. Give a ball to the
campers on the bases and tell them to work together throwing
the ball back and forth to tag the camper in the middle out
before he or she reaches a base safely.
2. Divide the group into two teams- offense and defense. Set up
four cones in increasing distances in the field. If the batter hits it
in the air past the first cone its a single, second cone- double,
third cone- triple, fourth cone- homerun. However, if someone
on defense catches the ball its an out. Each team gets three
outs and then they switch.
3. Split the group into three teams. One team bats, one team is on
first base, and one team is on third base. One player from the
batting team steps up to bat. One player from the first base
team stands on first, while one player from the third base team
stands on third. Have a coach pitch a ball. Once the batter hits
it, they try and run the bases as fast as they can. The players on
third and first base run after the hit ball and both have to be
touching the ball before the batter stops running. Points are
determined on how far the batter made it before the other two
players were touching the ball (first base- 1, second base- 2,
third base- 3, home run- 4). Continue until each player has
batted and then switch the teams.

Figure 1

Figure 2
4- seam fastball

2- seam fastball