Outfield drop step drill

At a glance

Sport

Baseball and Softball

Skill

Outfield

Ages

6U to High school

Players

4 to 6 in a line, one coach

Time

About 10 minutes

Level

Beginner

Equipment

Gloves, A bucket of balls

Indoors

Needs a field

Most young outfielders backpedal on a ball hit over their head. They stay square to the infield, shuffle backward, and the ball sails over them. The fix is a simple first move: open the hips by dropping the foot on the side the ball is going, cross the other leg over, and run.

This drill isolates that first move and then rewards it with a catch. It needs only a coach, a bucket of balls and some open grass, so it fits at the start of any practice, and a line of five or six players can each get a lot of turns in ten minutes.

Setup

• Line the outfielders up single file facing the coach, with the first player about 30 to 40 feet away in a ready position.
• Leave plenty of open grass behind the line. Every rep sends a player running back and away from the coach.
• The coach holds a bucket of balls. Players bring the ball back to the bucket or toss it in after each catch.

How to run it

1. The first player sets up in a ready position: feet about shoulder width apart, weight on the balls of the feet, eyes on the coach.
2. The coach points deep to the player's left or right.
3. The player drops the foot on that side back, opening the hips toward where the ball is going, then crosses the other leg over to start running.
4. Once the player has turned and taken a few running steps, the coach tosses a ball over the shoulder on that side.
5. The player runs it down, makes the catch, returns the ball and goes to the back of the line. Alternate sides so each player works both directions.

Coaching points

• The first step goes back, never forward. A small step in toward the infield costs time the player never gets back.
• Open the hips all the way. A drop step that only turns the foot a little leaves the player running sideways.
• The crossover is a real running step that covers ground, not a shuffle.
• Run on the balls of the feet so the head stays steady and the eyes can track the ball.
• Keep the glove down and pump both arms while running. The glove comes up only when it is time to catch.

Common mistakes

• Backpedaling with the shoulders square to the coach instead of turning and running.
• Taking a false step forward before going back.
• Turning to the wrong side because the player guessed before the coach pointed.
• Looking down at the feet during the turn and losing sight of the ball.

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.

Smaller: half page or quarter page (PDF).

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Frequently Asked Questions

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