365 Days to Better Baseball - Developing First Step Quickness

Friday Base Running Tips Crossover Relay Race

Having range on defense and getting good jumps, when running the bases, is about first-step quickness. Not all players have good running speed, even though improvement is possible in that area, but first step quickness is crucial and improved with the following drill.

Runners in a relay race, Brisbane, 1939 Val Weaver and Vera Askew passing the baton in a relay race, 1939. (Information supplied with photograph). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Running bases or sprints and fielding a great number of groundballs wear players out quickly, but this drill doesn't do that, is fun and works on the first step quickness.

First step drill relay race

1. 1. Line 4 players in a line about 15 feet apart.
2. 2. Players begin in base stealing position
3. 3. At the start command, the first player crosses over and runs as fast as possible just to the rear of next player in line to touch them on the back hip
4. 4. Once touched, that player explodes with a cross over step and does the same to the next player
5. 5. The last player has a finish line about 15 feet at the end
6. 6. Players then do the same thing coming back the other way so they work the opposite direction crossover step

Coaches can make this a relay race among the team or have a stopwatch and time the group to the finish line, when they try to beat their previous times.

Running bases or sprints and fielding a great number of groundballs wear players out quickly, but this drill doesn't do that, is fun and works on the first step quickness.