Baseball and softball fundamentals are all about confidence, coordination, and fun! Whether you’re just starting out or looking to sharpen your skills, learning the basics of glove work, fielding, catching, and throwing is key to becoming a great player. In this blog, we’ll break down essential techniques with easy-to-follow steps and creative cues to making it easier for your students to learn the basics of baseball and softball!
Glove Basics: Learn, Wear, and Talk!
- Which Hand? Imagine holding a giant pencil—write your name on the floor. The hand you write with is your throwing hand. Your other hand is for the glove!
- Pick a Glove: Now that you know which hand needs a glove, pick one that fits.
- Put It On: Slide your hand in and make sure it fits snugly.
- Make It Talk: Have fun making your glove “talk” like a big puppet mouth! Put your other hand behind it to help it move like a talking mouth.
Grounders: Use the Ramp, Not the Tunnel!
- Get in the Ready Stance
– Jump into a strong baseball stance—feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent, and hands ready! - The Semi-Truck and the Ramp
– Imagine you’re a semi-truck with a ramp in the back. The ramp helps a car drive up, just like your glove helps scoop up the ball!
– Use the cue words “stance” (get in position) and “ramp” (lower your glove to the ground with the pocket facing forward). - The Crane Move
– After catching the ball, use your throwing hand like a crane to pick it up from your glove. - Why the Tunnel Doesn’t Work
– If your glove is facing straight down toward the ground, it creates a “tunnel,” making it easy for the ball to roll right past you!
– Instead, always keep your glove in a ramp position with the pocket open toward the ball - Partner Practice
Drill 1 – Straight-On Grounders
– Get into your stance and lower your ramp (glove open and low).
– Take turns gently rolling the ball straight between your partner’s feet.
– Keep the ramp down and use your crane (throwing hand) to scoop up the ball.
Drill 2 – Moving to Field the Ball
– First, practice sliding side to side while staying in your stance—keep your feet wide and knees bent.
– Now, challenge your partner by rolling the ball slightly to their left or right.
– The goal is to move quickly, lower the ramp, and field the ball between your feet while staying balanced.
Catching Key Points:
If the ball is below your belt, turn your glove down.
If the ball is above your belt, turn your glove up like a clown mouth.
Watch the ball from the moment it leaves your partner’s hand until it reaches your glove.
Close the glove with two hands, like a mouth eating the ball, to secure the catch and prevent drops.
Move toward the ball instead of waiting for it to come to you.
Call for the ball on pop flies by saying “Got it!” to avoid confusion and collisions.
Catching with the Clown Mouth
Let’s take a trip to the carnival! Imagine you’re playing the clown mouth game, where every time you toss the ball into the clown’s mouth, you win a giant prize. You and your partner get to pick the prize—maybe a giant teddy bear or even a huge flamingo! What will you choose?
How to Play:
- Stand less than 6 feet apart from your partner.
- One partner starts with the ball and does a safe, underhand toss into the other partner’s clown mouth (glove).
- The glove must be open like a clown’s mouth, with the other hand behind it to help catch.
- If the glove is turned like a “basket,” the prize isn’t won—make sure it looks like a real clown mouth ready to “eat” the ball!
- Work together as a team to see how many prizes you can win!
Catching with the Clown Mouth – Pop Fly Edition!
Now, let’s take the clown mouth game to the next level—this time with pop flys!
How to Play:
- Stand about 6 feet apart from your partner.
- One partner tosses a gentle pop fly (underhand with a slight arc) into the other partner’s clown mouth (glove).
- The glove must stay open like a clown’s mouth, with the other hand behind it to help secure the catch.
- If the glove is turned like a basket, it would not be a successful catch. Keep that mouth wide open!
- After catching, reset and toss again. See how many catches your team can get!
Throwing: Jump Turn W – Step – Throw
Jump Turn W:
- Grip the Ball: Hold the ball with a “gentle hug” using your fingers—avoid squeezing it. For two-finger throws, use a “peace sign” grip.
- Jump Turn W: Jump and rotate to the side so that your non-throwing foot is in front, facing the target, and your arms form a “W.”
- “Thumb Past Thigh, Points to the Sky”: This phrase helps remind students how to bring the ball back to the correct position during the jump-turn sequence.
- Position the Ball: In your throwing hand, hold the ball so it faces backward (away from the target), with your knuckles pointing toward the target.
- Arm Placement: Keep your arm slightly bent, positioning the ball at head height.
Step and Throw:
- Eyes on the Target: Focus on the target throughout the throw to enhance accuracy.
- Step Forward: Step with your front foot toward the target.
- Release and Follow Through: Step, release the ball, and let it fly smoothly. Allow your throwing arm to follow through across your body for the best accuracy and power.
- “Past your ear and let it fly”: This phrase helps remind students to have their thumb and the ball pass past their ear before releasing, rather than throwing over the top of their head, which some students tend to do.
- Turn Your Hips for More Power: As you step and release, rotate your hips toward the target. This helps generate more power and distance in your throw.
Three Components of the Fielders Pro-Hop
- Field the Ball and Prepare
– Get low and bend your knees, like you’re about to hop on a skateboard, getting ready to move. - Step and Hop as You Turn Sideways Like “Hopping on a Skateboard”
– Step with your front foot and hop off your back foot while turning sideways, just like you would when hopping on a skateboard. - Throw
– Land in a strong, balanced position and throw the ball with power and accuracy.
Throwing Drills
- Throw to Targets on the Wall
– Instructions: Stand a few feet away from the wall and throw the ball toward a target on the wall (e.g., taped shape). Focus on aiming and using proper throwing form. - Grounder and Throw the Ball Back to Partner and Catch
– Instructions: Roll a grounder to your partner, who fields it and throws it back using good form. Focus on proper fielding (using the “ramp”) and making accurate throws. Add the pro-hop. - Partners Play Catch with Good Throwing Form
– Instructions: Play catch with a partner while maintaining good throwing form. Focus on turning sideways (Jump Turn W), stepping into the throw, and following through. Add the pro-hop.
Mastering the basics of catching, fielding, and throwing sets the foundation for success in baseball and softball. By using fun, memorable cues like the ramp vs. tunnel, clown mouth, and pro-hop, players can develop strong habits while keeping the game exciting. Keep practicing, support your teammates, and most importantly—have fun out there!
