Five Goals for the Pigtails Softball League
1. Learning the Basic Rules- force outs; tagging up; baserunning(when you don’t have to run; not running into or past team-mates on the basepaths); balls and strikes.
2. Throwing mechanics- introduce the four seam grip; point the front shoulder, stop and throw; introduce the concept of generating momentum toward the target and following the throw.
3. Catching and Fielding- thrown and hit balls; fingers up versus fingers down; see the glove and the ball; use two hands; introduce the underhand flip; first-base fundamentals.
4. Hitting- choosing the right bat; proper grip; hitting pitched balls; introduce drill work(tee, soft toss, short toss).
5. Learning positional play- learn the positions and the areas each player should cover; cover the nearest base when the ball is not hit to you; basic of cutoffs and relays. Pigtail players mainly need to learn the basic rules & get a feel for real rules of the game, like that you run on anything with 2 outs, and still review basic skills like throwing and catching. Give this age group practice:
1. catching grounders and flies
2. throwing
3. run through first
4. run to second and third
5. run through home
6. sliding
7. batting
8. fielding assignment when ball not hit to you (cover a base or back up)
9. caught fly is out whether fair or foul
10. must tag up on fly
11. force out
12. tag out
13. run on anything with two outs
14. run out all hits
Some example notes for each bulletpoint follow:
● Catching grounders and flies
Ready position with weight on balls of feet
Butt down, field ball out in front (think triangle two knees and glove out in front create a triangle)
● Throwing
"Thumb by your side, hand up high, wave goodbye"
● Run through first Full speed through the bag
● Run to second and third
DO NOT over run or you can be tagged out
● Run through home
First and home are the two bases to run through
When as a base runner at 2nd and the ball is hit to the outfield think "score!"
● Sliding
Sliding has two benefits: 1) helps you go into a base at full speed; and 2) avoids a tag
● Batting
If hitting line drives, leave 'em alone.
If not, check the following:
Good grip "door knocking knuckles" this improves extension and follow through and is very easy to learn
Relax the elbows, (elbow up discourages proper grip the only benefit of elbows up is that it gets hands up)
get hands up by ears "Answer the phone" and back "person's yelling move phone back a bit"
"Belly button should face pitcher after swing" (that means the hips are driving that's where power comes from)
● Fielding assignment when ball not hit to you (cover a base or back up)
Who covers second base when the ball is hit to third base or shortstop? (2nd basemen)
Who covers second base when the ball is hit to second or first? (Shortstop)
Who backs up throw to first base? (Right fielder)
Who backs up throw from left field to second base (Right fielder)
● Caught fly is out whether fair or foul
Be aggressive and go get it!
● Must tag up on fly
When there are 0 or 1 outs
● Force out
If there's a runner on first