300 Reps Indoor Hitting Drill
Thomas Arthur, East Stroudsburg (PA) Area High School North
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We as a staff here at East Stroudsburg North High School
in Northeastern Pennsylvania battle the weather and the
elements during our early part of the season and much of
the remainder of the season. The month of March is very
difficult because we are indoors (this year up until our
first two games), and then periodically throughout the
season.
We try various drills to keep the players' tempo
up and their attitudes positive during indoor practice,
especially if they have been on our field for practices
and then have to come back in (the players seem to "GO
THROUGH THE MOTIONS" when inside).
One drill we use is called the "300 Drill."
Our indoor time and space is limited. We have to share
with softball and the junior teams as well. Our facility
is comprised of two basketball courts with an indoor cage
along one wall. Any space indoors will be sufficient.
We line up our hitting stations along the walls
of the gymnasium and the indoor cage. Our hitting stations
include:
- Live arm cage hitting
- Flip-drills (soft toss)
- Lead Arm drill (small bat)
- In-Out Tee (two tee)
- Tee station (regular)
- Live bunt drill (incredaballs)
- Swing Away station (Use a "hitting stick" & a rubber plate. One player holds the stick and moves it around the strike zone and the other gets reps hitting the stick in various positions.)
- Thunderstick station (small wiffle balls)
We pair players off into groups of two, and start by giving each player an index card with
the stations printed on them and columns to register their
partner's reps (need a pencil per group). We explain to the
players that they have to get "300" good contact REPS in
the drill. We give each group limited time at each station
to ensure they go to each station at least twice.
Some rules they must follow are:
- No more than 25 reps per station
- Don't cheat for your partner
- Shag your station before you rotate to the next
- Don't start until the coach in the cage begins to
pitch (this ensures limited time at each station because
our coach only throws twelve pitches to each batter in the
cage - 2 bunts and 10 live - and then coach instructs to
rotate).
- Stress it is not a speed drill but a REP drill
You can find variations to this drill from the
number of players in the stations to using different
drills at different times. We use eight because we carry
16
players this year and the number works in groups of two.
We find that this drill keeps our kids motivated and
maximizes time and reps (good reps). Once the players
reach "300" we reward them with 20-30 more pitches in the
cage, since this is every player's favorite station.
Thomas Arthur is the Head Varsity Baseball Coach at East Stroudsburg Area High School North in Dingmans Ferry, PA. He is also the Head Coach of American Legion Post 221 in Scranton.
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