Youth Baseball Throwing Drill Using the Alphabet

Youth Baseball Throwing Drill A,B,C's of Baseball Throwing

The following youth baseball throwing drill is as easy as teaching the alphabet. Additionally, the following youth baseball throwing drill meets the criteria I like for a team drill it teaches an aspect of the game, it keeps many busy at a time and it helps coaches prevent wasting valuable practice time at the beginning of practice.

With young, inexperienced baseball players, having them throw to their targets chest is always best. As players progress with their throwing accuracy and catching ability, youth baseball coaches can begin to coach the finer points of the game.

This youth baseball throwing drill teaches players of various, necessary targets, depending on the play. For example, catchers must learn to hit targets below the knees, as well as pitchers on pickoff throws. Infielders learn to hit targets between the waist and knees on close plays at first base and at chest level on routine plays. Then there are outfield throws that should hit cutoff players at head high, so balls can go through to the base, if so desired.

The following drill is best at the beginning of practice to help ballplayers understand that every throw has a purpose and to work on throwing accuracy from the beginning of throwing.

Youth Baseball Throwing Drill for Teaching Various Targets

The coach assigns a letter to each target, with A for the head, B for the chest, C for the waist and D for the knees. Coaches simply yell out a letter before each throw and players attempt to hit the called-for target.

After the drill, coaches explain when the different targets are appropriate depending on the game situation. The reason coaches use letters instead of numbers is that the numbers one (first base) through four (home plate) are base designations, so as not to confuse players.

In this way, coaches can instruct by simply saying, "That should have been a C target, letting players know the throw should have been to the waist location. See, it is as easy as teaching the alphabet. Of course, this is a great drill for pitchers, as it helps them practice control.