Over the past year or so I have had a lot of coaches tell me that their kids love to scrimmage, but they only have 12 players. Typically they have the assistant coaches fill in and they are usually dad’s who are one divot in right field away from tearing their knee to shreads. There…
One of the best uses for speed hurdles is to teach the quick, high knee action necessary for sprinting. Another great use for this tool is to use it during warm-ups. One useful drill that opens up the hips and activates the muscles of the legs is the around and over drill which combines a…
This week I have decided to change gears a little and share with you one of my favorite “coach controlled” games we play at our camps and practices. It’s called Backwards Baseball and it is a version of a game that I learned from Jeff Rodin when I worked for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Players love…
The cornerstone of speed and agility work is the ability to rapidly change running speed and direction; a valuable skill to possess when attempting to catch or evade an opposing player as seen in rugby, football and soccer to name a few sports. The transition from a slow running speed to an all-out sprint, or…
With all the focus lately on strength work and speed exercises, I have been neglecting one of the most important aspects of any physical training program; core work. Those who have followed this column for some time know that a strong core is important for maintaining correct posture, preventing injuries and improving power transfer from…
I received an email yesterday from a District Little League President and she inquired if I had any suggestions for naturally healing tendinitis. As I was writing her back it got me thinking that others may be wondering the same thing so I thought I would share my response to her with you. I am…
In my last article about hitting with two strikes I discussed how your mental approach is key. Just because you are behind in the count doesn’t mean you can’t do damage. You should tell yourself that you are still in control. Always start with an aggressive mentality. That being said, there are some concessions you…
While this drill is technically not what I consider a true speed and agility drill, it does have certain applications which can be used to develop physical attributes related to speed and agility work and therefore, I place it in the periphery of my recommended drills. Rolling target practice is basically a throwing game where…
Last time we discussed running I briefly highlighted Fartlek running, where an individual alternates between running at a slow to moderate pace with running at top speed (sprints) in short bursts. This week I wish to discuss a more structured running format that includes both types of running (slow and fast) but which is ideal…
Back when I was in Little League my coach pretty much told me this when it came to throwing- “Ya see this white round thing with red stripes on it? Throw it as hard as you can!” As much as I appreciate his coaching and the “grip it & rip it” philosophy, we both know…