Baseball drill
Knock it off throwing game
Players take turns throwing at a big ball sitting on a batting tee, scoring for knocking it off. A simple accuracy game for young players that teaches them to step straight at the target.
At a glance
- Sport
- Baseball and Softball
- Skill
- Throwing
- Ages
- 6U to 10U
- Players
- 4 to 8 per station
- Time
- About 10 minutes
- Level
- Beginner
- Equipment
- A batting tee, A soccer ball, volleyball or playground ball, A bucket of balls, One cone
- Indoors
- Yes
Aim small is hard advice for a six-year-old. A big ball balanced on a tee is a target that reacts: hit it and it falls off, which every kid in line can see. Nobody has to catch, so a coach can stand next to the thrower and give one quick cue per turn.
Run it as a station in a throwing circuit or as a team game at the end of practice. It works indoors with soft balls, too.
Setup
- Set a batting tee at about chest height for your players and balance a soccer ball or volleyball on top.
- Put a throwing cone 15 to 25 feet away, depending on age.
- Set a bucket of balls by the cone and line players up behind it.
How to run it
- The first player takes a ball and stands sideways at the cone.
- They step toward the tee with the glove-side foot and throw to knock the big ball off.
- Score 2 points for knocking it off and 1 point for hitting the tee.
- The thrower goes to the back of the line while a coach or helper puts the ball back on the tee.
- Play five rounds and add up each player's or each team's points.
Coaching points
- Start sideways to the tee, so the hips and shoulders have to turn.
- Step straight at the tee. Where the front toe points is where the ball tends to go.
- Eyes on the middle of the big ball through the whole throw.
- Finish with the throwing arm across the body, not stopped in front.
Common mistakes
- Standing square to the tee and pushing the ball without a step.
- Getting excited and forgetting to point the glove at the target.
- Aiming so carefully that the arm slows down.
Printable drill card
Take this drill to the field: the setup, steps, coaching points and equipment on one card, with the video's address to find it again. Free, no account needed.
Print the drill cardSmaller: half page or quarter page (PDF).
By age
Tee ball and coach pitch
Put the cone 12 to 15 feet away and give each player two balls per turn, so they can adjust after a miss.
10U
Move the cone to 25 or 30 feet and have players field a ground ball rolled by a coach before they step and throw at the tee.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if the big ball won't stay on my batting tee?
Turn a tall cone upside down in the tee stem, or set a bucket or a helmet on top of a crate as the target instead.
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