DIAMOND DRILLS
DIAMOND DRILL 1
Split your players into equal numbers and put them on each base including home plate. The players on first and third base should be a metre inside the foul line, the players on second should be a metre towards centre field and the players at home should be towards the catcher’s position.
Starting at home plate the first player throws the ball as hard as possible to third base and then runs to third base and joins the back of the line at third. Meanwhile the first player at third has stepped up tagged the base and thrown the ball as hard as possible to second and is running to the second base line and joining it at the back. The player at second base has stepped up and tagged the base and thrown the ball as hard as possible to first base and is joining the line at first. The player at first has stepped up tagged the base and thrown as hard as possible to home plate. And now you have completed a circuit you carry on until the first player that started at home plate is back at home plate.
I like this drill for hard accurate throwing practice and getting used to the distance between the bases but also for the double plays as well.
DIAMOND DRILL 2
Form 6 to 8 metre circles using six of your players. Place your players in the positions of the hours on a clock face as so.12/2/4/6/8/10.You have to start off slowly with this exercise to avoid injury and to get used to the theme of it. OK here it is Position 12 throws to Position4,4 throws to position 10,10 throws to position6,6 throws to position 2 ,2 throws to position 8, 8 throws to position.
Oh that is easy I hear you saying, well speed it up until you get errors, and if this is not tasking enough add another ball and then even another.
Please note this is not for inexperience players and even good players should wear helmets. If you make the circle bigger make sure that you concentrate on where the ball is coming for you so you do not get a ball in the side of the head.
This drill is for the purpose of mental agility and getting your throws in quicker.
DIAMOND DRILL3
Take five players three of them along the boundary fence and about a metre away from it with a base width in between each of them. Place your other two players about a base distance from the centre player in the direction of the infield.One of them is for batting and the other is a catcher.
The batter hits firmly to the centre player first to his left side, the centre fielder has to pick up the ball turn to his right side and throw to the player on his right, the right side player he then throws the ball to the catcher. The next hit will go to the centre player’s right side and he has to field the ball then turn and throw to his left, the left side player then throws it to the catcher. I would normally carry out 3 to each side then rotate the players until all has done the fielding.
I like this drill for agility, fielding and good accurate throwing. Do not make the mistake of keeping a player fielding if they make an error until they get it right, it is unproductive and embarrassing for the fielder, It also gives them something to aim for the next time they do this drill without error.
DIAMOND DRILL 4
I call this softball pinball, Place nine of your players in the field in rows of three with a 2 metre gap in between each player in each direction. It should look like the pins inside a pinball machine. Put a tee at about 20 metres in front and in line with the centre player. Each player in the grid will have a score, for instance the front row will have a score of 5 points as they are easier to hit to. In the centre row the players in the grid on the left and the right will have a score of 10.The back row will have a score of15.The player right in the centre will have the highest score of 20 as that player is the hardest to bat to. The rules are simple, the batter has 5 balls that must be hit off the tee each time a player in the grid catches it the score is added up till you get a 5 ball total. The players in the grid are not allowed to move their feet at all to field the ball. It is your choice if you score less on ground balls or no score at all.
Yes this is a game but it will help with hitting inside and outside balls and also hitting in the short game
DIAMOND DRILL 5
Place a group of your players along the boundary fence and put yourself at around 40 metres distance facing the players. At around half distance and a little to your left out of the line of fire put a player with a glove. Have another player with a glove at your side with a glove. The drill starts with you hitting a ground ball to the first player lined up at the boundary. The player has to field the ball and throw it to the player with the glove at half distance. As the player is throwing the ball to the player at half distance you hit another ball in the air, the player has to then field the second ball and throw it to the player next to you. On completing the throw he then runs to the first catcher and replaces him. The second fielder to get the hit balls will complete the drill and replace the catcher by your side.
This is a good drill for fast action in the field and making good accurate throws. If you have a lot of players then split the group into two so the process is faster.
DIAMOND DRILL 6
Form groups of three, have a fielder a batter and a receiver, have your receiver and your batter at 5 metres away from the batter. Start with hits to the fielder on the ground and in front,The object is a clean pick up and throw to the receiver. Then hit a little to the left and to the right forcing the fielder to move and field the ball cleanly and a good throw to the receiver. I would do 3 of each. After that get your fielder to stand to the left side and you hit to the middle, the fielder has to run ,pick up and throw to the receiver. Do 3 and then change to the right side. Once completed rotate the players.
DIAMOND DRILL 1
Split your players into equal numbers and put them on each base including home plate. The players on first and third base should be a metre inside the foul line, the players on second should be a metre towards centre field and the players at home should be towards the catcher’s position.
Starting at home plate the first player throws the ball as hard as possible to third base and then runs to third base and joins the back of the line at third. Meanwhile the first player at third has stepped up tagged the base and thrown the ball as hard as possible to second and is running to the second base line and joining it at the back. The player at second base has stepped up and tagged the base and thrown the ball as hard as possible to first base and is joining the line at first. The player at first has stepped up tagged the base and thrown as hard as possible to home plate. And now you have completed a circuit you carry on until the first player that started at home plate is back at home plate.
I like this drill for hard accurate throwing practice and getting used to the distance between the bases but also for the double plays as well.
DIAMOND DRILL 2
Form 6 to 8 metre circles using six of your players. Place your players in the positions of the hours on a clock face as so.12/2/4/6/8/10.You have to start off slowly with this exercise to avoid injury and to get used to the theme of it. OK here it is Position 12 throws to Position4,4 throws to position 10,10 throws to position6,6 throws to position 2 ,2 throws to position 8, 8 throws to position.
Oh that is easy I hear you saying, well speed it up until you get errors, and if this is not tasking enough add another ball and then even another.
Please note this is not for inexperience players and even good players should wear helmets. If you make the circle bigger make sure that you concentrate on where the ball is coming for you so you do not get a ball in the side of the head.
This drill is for the purpose of mental agility and getting your throws in quicker.
DIAMOND DRILL3
Take five players three of them along the boundary fence and about a metre away from it with a base width in between each of them. Place your other two players about a base distance from the centre player in the direction of the infield.One of them is for batting and the other is a catcher.
The batter hits firmly to the centre player first to his left side, the centre fielder has to pick up the ball turn to his right side and throw to the player on his right, the right side player he then throws the ball to the catcher. The next hit will go to the centre player’s right side and he has to field the ball then turn and throw to his left, the left side player then throws it to the catcher. I would normally carry out 3 to each side then rotate the players until all has done the fielding.
I like this drill for agility, fielding and good accurate throwing. Do not make the mistake of keeping a player fielding if they make an error until they get it right, it is unproductive and embarrassing for the fielder, It also gives them something to aim for the next time they do this drill without error.
DIAMOND DRILL 4
I call this softball pinball, Place nine of your players in the field in rows of three with a 2 metre gap in between each player in each direction. It should look like the pins inside a pinball machine. Put a tee at about 20 metres in front and in line with the centre player. Each player in the grid will have a score, for instance the front row will have a score of 5 points as they are easier to hit to. In the centre row the players in the grid on the left and the right will have a score of 10.The back row will have a score of15.The player right in the centre will have the highest score of 20 as that player is the hardest to bat to. The rules are simple, the batter has 5 balls that must be hit off the tee each time a player in the grid catches it the score is added up till you get a 5 ball total. The players in the grid are not allowed to move their feet at all to field the ball. It is your choice if you score less on ground balls or no score at all.
Yes this is a game but it will help with hitting inside and outside balls and also hitting in the short game
DIAMOND DRILL 5
Place a group of your players along the boundary fence and put yourself at around 40 metres distance facing the players. At around half distance and a little to your left out of the line of fire put a player with a glove. Have another player with a glove at your side with a glove. The drill starts with you hitting a ground ball to the first player lined up at the boundary. The player has to field the ball and throw it to the player with the glove at half distance. As the player is throwing the ball to the player at half distance you hit another ball in the air, the player has to then field the second ball and throw it to the player next to you. On completing the throw he then runs to the first catcher and replaces him. The second fielder to get the hit balls will complete the drill and replace the catcher by your side.
This is a good drill for fast action in the field and making good accurate throws. If you have a lot of players then split the group into two so the process is faster.
DIAMOND DRILL 6
Form groups of three, have a fielder a batter and a receiver, have your receiver and your batter at 5 metres away from the batter. Start with hits to the fielder on the ground and in front,The object is a clean pick up and throw to the receiver. Then hit a little to the left and to the right forcing the fielder to move and field the ball cleanly and a good throw to the receiver. I would do 3 of each. After that get your fielder to stand to the left side and you hit to the middle, the fielder has to run ,pick up and throw to the receiver. Do 3 and then change to the right side. Once completed rotate the players.