“Taking Your Practice to the Next Level” Jack Leggett Head Coach Clemson University

Video footage credit: youtube.com

“Coaching” What I’ve Learned Along the Way Still the same now as it was 33 years ago Kids see – Hard work reaps results Fundamentals – Still the key Honesty with your players Know where they stand and their role Pride is Pride No Shortcuts to Success You win as much by your players Playing Hard (hustle, toughness) as you do by talent. Execute and Handle the Bunt Game, Turn Double Plays, Play Defense, Run Bases Must change with the times and adjust according to your team’s abilities

Successful Players Are – Coachable Want to Learn so you have to teach Tough mentally and physically so you have to challenge them Competitive in everything they do so you must compete Consistent in everything they do so you must Repeat Work Hard so you have to push them to their limits Love to Win so you must play to win in practice Hustle so you must expect hustle in practice Want Discipline so you must demand excellence

Practice Organization Team Goals Promises Develop and Improve players Hard work / repetition / agilities Develop Mentally and Physically Tough players Competitive Spirit and Attitude (instill competition in practice) Develop Tradition ( academics, dress, plate) Great Hitting Team, Bunting Team / pitching / defense / execution / Baserunning Best Hustling Team – Must Hustle in Practice Demand excellence, discipline , and perfection in practice Put a stamp on your team Attention to Detail

Practice Organization Team Goals Finish off games You get what you ask for Have a great pitching and defensive team Team drills in practice: Rundowns Cut-offs / relays Priorities 1st and 3rd defense Pickoffs Live game situations Develop Teamwork/unselfishness (develop pride in execution) Develop base running and pressure games on offense (Incorporate into practice, talk to them, work on fundamentals, get stronger, believe)

Practice Organization After Goals are set Incorporate Goals into practice Plan out each practice (visualize it, explain it) Work on weaknesses and accent strengths Set Priorities Build from previous practice Don’t try too much Players come to practice with a plan!

Practice Organization Pre-Practice Routine Pre Practice pride/duties Run to fence, touch sign, stretch Pre-practice running routine (structure, discipline) Throwing-drills / Long Throwing Bunt Station / cages Meet as team Explain practice (goals, issues to be addressed, +/- from previous practice) Utilize every free minute before/during/after!!!

Drills 1. Pre-Practice Fundamentals 2. Competitive Drills - Bunt Station - Throwing drills - Cages-Drills - Stretching Routine 2. Competitive Drills - Compete in Practice Click to watch video Click to watch video

Drills 3. Square Drill - switch positions - stop watch - repetition - DP’s - game like - new themes - + / - 3-1 / 4-3 / 5-4 / 6- Fungo 4- fungo / 5-3 / 6-4 c. 5- fungo / 6-3 / 4-6 / 3-6 6-4-3 / 5-4-3 / 4-6-3 /3-6-3 Unassisted DP’s Click to watch video SS 2B C 3B 1B P/P F F F F * Must have catch up men for fungo hitters

Drills 4. BP on Field Routine / Themes HITTING BASERUNNING DEFENSE 1. 2. 3. 4. HITTING BASERUNNING DEFENSE DEFENSE C Pohl 1B Miller SS/3B Schaus L/R Sanders 2B/SS C Nester 1B Freeman 2B Lamb C/R Mounce 1B/OF C Ward Paulsen 1B Boyd R/L Widmann SS/2B Epps LF/RF Stolz 3B/SS Johnson C Hinson 3B Hitting Base Running Defense 2- SAC 1st Base Hit / Run (1-3) Steal (1-2) Infielders 2- Hit/Run Delay (1-2) to 1st / DP’s 2- Move Over ------------------- +/- System 2 – Man on 3rd, infield back 2nd Base Apply Rule (2-4) 1 – Base Hit bunt Hang out Pitchers ---------------- Tag Up PFP’s 1- Squeeze ------------------- (stay away from OF’s) 1- 5 opposite (hard) 3rd Base Down Angle Contact (3-4) Outfielders ---------------- Heads up Line Drive Angles 5- Free (Gap to Gap) Tag to Score Cro-Hops Bunt on way out Fundamentals ---------------- Communication 3 – Competition round +/- Whistle Cut-Offs

Drills Batting Practice 3 D 3 D 3 D 3 D 4 D 4 D 2 4 D 4 D 2 2 2 Bucket 3 D 3 D 4 D 4 D 2 4 D 4 D 2 2 2 screen L-Screen screen Click to watch video 1 1 H H 1 1

Drills 5. Play Ball Live Off Bat - +/- system 6. Defense for Sprints - +/- in Batting Practice

Drills 7. Ground Ball Scrimmage +/- system Compete + -_____ CF RF LF Scoring System + -_____ GB thru infield Error on Defense Beat out GB Lack of 100% Hustle LD that hits dirt Lack of Baserunning fundamentals ++ Turn a Double Play Rules: One base at a time Any fly balls = an out / and chase ball or pole 2 foul balls = an out 2 consecutive GB’s at L Screen = Hit 3 outs per inning Sprint Everywhere ? Infield Only or Full Team CF RF LF SS 2B 3B 1B P LS H H

Drills 7. Ground Ball Scrimmage a. Left-Side GBS SS SS SS 3B 3B 3B 1B Click to watch video LS OF / C = Hitters Times to 1st Base H H

Drills 7. Ground Ball Scrimmage a. Right-Side GBS P 2B 2B 2B 2B 1B 1B Click to watch video P LS OF / C = Hitters Times to 1st Base H H

Drills 7. Ground Ball Scrimmage a. Middle GBS 2B SS 1B C C Click to watch video H H

Drills 8. Bunt Scrimmage - Times to 1st base Emphasis: a. Location – Pressure on Defense b. Learning to Defend the Bunt c. Defensive communication Click to watch video SS 2B (B,B,B) 3B 1B P H H

Drills 9. Execution Scrimmage Emphasis: - with signs - with situations - Priorities - Hit and Run scrimmage Click to watch video R R R R R R C H

Drills 10. Automatic Scrimmage a. 1st base (options) b. 1st and 2nd Base (0 outs) (options) c. 2nd base (0 outs) (options) d. 3rd base (inf. Back) (options) e. 2nd and 3rd Base (0 outs) (options) Click to watch video R R R R R R BP Options Bunt Hit & Run BH Bunt Steal H

Drills 11. BP Scrimmage - Live Game Situations - Compete - Keep Score - Emphasis on Hustle and Conditioning

Drills 12. Emphasis in Scrimmages When you scrimmage: - BP Scrimmage - Regular Scrimmage - Use Scoreboard - Game Uniforms - Bunt defense to start inning - Throw in 1st and 3rd defense plays - No fear of being thrown out on bases - Use 1-1 count - Steal / Situations - Steal Between Innings

Drills 13. Outfield Square Drill CF LF RF Click to watch video SS 1B Click to watch video 3B Left Field – 2 / 3 / 4 Center Field – 3 / 4 / 2 Right Field – 4 / 2 / 3 Round 1 – Red Round 2 – Blue Round 3 – Green

Drills 14. Emphasis in Scrimmages Teach them how to: - Hustle on to field - Throw ball around infield after K / HR - Take a walk (Hustle) - Have them have a plan in mind - Touch 2nd base on Fly balls - Recognize Execution / Unselfishness - Body Language on bench - Practice as they expect to play

Drills 15. Emphasis in Scrimmages - Strike Out policy - No Strikeouts - No Strikeouts looking - No strike outs with men in scoring pos. - Consequences to all

Drills 16. No Fear of Failure Scrimmage - Stealing - Extra-base Hits - Balls in Dirt Emphasis: - Aggressiveness - Baserunning - Defense alertness - Holding runners on

Drills 17. Short Inning Scrimmages - 2 inning games - 3 inning games - 1 inning games Compete for consequences

Drills 18. Perfect pre-game infield / PFP - sprints for mishandled balls Pre-Practice PFP Click to watch video In-Practice PFP Click to watch video Naked PFP - Control the situations 20. Two-Strike AB’s - Toughness - Live Pitching Click to watch video

Drills 21. Cut – Offs Relays - vs. Live Runners (use pitchers) - No Doubles / No Triples CF LF RF CHALLENGE THE DEFENSE SS 2B Click to watch video 3B 1B Fungo P R C

Drills 22. 1st and 3rd Offense vs. 1st and 3rd Defense SS 2B 3B 1B P C

Drills 23. Bunt Offense vs. Bunt Defense SS 2B R 1B 3B R R P H C

Closing Remarks