Middle School Softball Drill – Base Running Drill

Dan sent in this [tag]middle school softball drill[/tag].   It includes some great tips you can begin using with your team right away.

I end practices with this [tag]softball[/tag] [tag]conditioning[/tag] [tag]drill[/tag]:

Players form 2 equal lines, facing first base

Line ‘A’ beginning in the right batters box, and Line ‘B’ about 15′ up and to the right of the first base line.  

On my ‘Go’ command, the first runner in each line runs, ‘A’ to first, and ‘B’ through first and on to second.   Once the first two runners are on base, my commands become, “Primary”, “Secondary”, and then either “Go” or “Back”.   On “Go”, the runner on second scores, the runner on first ends up at third, B ends up on second and A on first.   As a runner scores, they go to the rear of the opposite line from where they started that lap.  

I run this drill for about 15 minutes or more, until I’m satisfied that they’re giving maximum effort.   It’s a great conditioning drill.   Players caught dogging it are given extra laps around the complex.  

Things to focus on in doing the drill:   proper rounding of bases, especially first to second; proper primary and secondary leads, and no crossing over steps; reaction time returning to base or breaking for the next; speed and endurance.