Batting Practice:

*While batting practice is obviously an essential component of the game, it should never occur until at least 2 or 3 practices into the season. Stressing defense is a much more efficient approach to coaching.

There are many ways you can do batting practice - and the more coaches you have, the easier it makes it. The example here will be one of my batting practice setups, although there are numerous more.

BP

Off to the side, outside of the fence, or in an area not open to foul balls or line drives, set up two stations - one using a tee, and one for soft-toss. Have one player on each station, awaiting their turn at bat. Throw each batter 5 pitches, and then allow them to have a 0-0 count and play it live. Once the player's at-bat is done, rotate everyone and move that player out to the field.

An added twist can be rotating all of your fielders and allowing them to see different positions.

By shortening up their at-bats - you can accomplish three things:

(1) - Keep them from getting bored.

(2) - Bad habits develop with tired arms, usually caused by excessive amounts of swings. You limit their swings, the less-tired they get and the better practice you have.

(3) - Make the practice seem more game-like and competitive.

EMPHASIZE:

(1) - Weight-shift from front to back on the legs.

(2) - Hip turn and back leg turn

(3) - "Hips, Arms, Wrists" - all come through at once

(4) - If you see something that looks wrong, stop and fix it. Its worth taking an extra minute or two to fix a hitch in a swing or a problem with a leg kick than trying to tell them to do it during a real game.

 

NOTE: You can do BP any way you would like, but you really need to limit the amount of swings taken - so they do not develop bad habits.