Crazy Ball

by Mark Griffin
(Aurora, Colorado)

Kids called this one crazy ball though you can call it whatever you like. I allowed winning team to name. Need tennis ball and racket (a bat would work but you want to hit it high), bases, two teams.
Split into two teams, one team in outfield, the other lines up at 1st base. no infielders(though you could add if you want). Coach hits high fly ball to outfield (the higher the better). fielders make play on ball and throws to infield. One runner tags and runs. once ball touches infield, coach yells stop, runner half way to base gets next base, less than half goes back to last base. For 10-12 year olds, I scored as this: Caught fly ball = 1 run, runner touches home = 1 out. 3 outs, switch.


Rick's comment: Mark, looks like a good drill to create some competition in practice, while breaking up the routine.

Players have an opportunity to work on communication in the outfield, as well as fly ball work. On offense, they work on tags, reading the catch and turns on the bases, with a little conditioning thrown in.

Thanks for sharing!

Yours in baseball,

Rick