I have them run the first turn around 3rd and note how far out the rounded 3rd coming into the base, then how far they traveled outside the foul line on the way home.  Then, I give them this tip:

When you head into the turn, think less about making a “loop” and more about leaning in with the left shoulder toward the ground as you approach 3rd base (a little like a water skiing turn to make a rooster tail), the gravity of running full speed at that angle combined with hitting the bag on the inside corner with your right foot propel you nearly right down the line toward home.

EVERY player improved his time going from 2nd to home in the FIRST try!!

This one helps to reinforce this baseball drill:
Load the bases with runners and hit the baseball to each fielder. Each time I hit the ball I yell out how many outs there are. Than I see what the runners and fielders do on their own as if we were in real game situations . We discuss after the play if they made the right decision. This drill makes them think on their own and react much quicker during a game.

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Make sure to get the players who are not running at the moment to stand back; this will help to avoid accidental collisions during the race.

As the teams come around second and home plate they will touch hands as in a relay and off goes the teammate until all runners have completed their turns.

Of course try to keep the teams even as far as team speed.

Start the relay and just watch the competition begin. I like to stand in the middle and make sure the players touch the bases.

I’ve noticed when they want to get faster they start to round the bases properly and they learn their strides. This is helpful in stretching a double into a triple and so on.

This relay is a baseball drill you will want to use frequently; results are immediate!

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Setup for this baseball drill:
4 fielders, 1 baserunner, two bases, two targets (anywhere from 30 to 60 feet from the base path), and a changing indicator. We like to put a target (maybe a bucket) on the ground (throwing for a tag) and another about 4 or 5 feet in the air (throwing to a player on a base). You can be creative for the changing indicator using hands, fingers, location within the basepath where the tag may occur.

Running the drill:
It all starts with a hot-box (or pickle) drill, where fielders are running down a baserunner caught between bases. Once the tag occurs, the tagger immediately looks at the indicator (with a sign for the lower target and another indicating the upper target). Determine the target and throw the baseball to hit the target. Sometimes we use which side of the halfway mark between bases where the tag occurs as an indicator.

The purpose of the indicator is to get the tagger to see the signal quickly (in a game its another base runner) and make the correct throw to the correct target.  Award a point for a tag and a point for hitting the correct target with the ball. you can split into teams and make it a contest.

This has been a great way to put mental pressure on our players as they make plays in the infield.

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I like to start at first but you can start at any base with all players on base. The 5th player, starting in front of first base, throws to the player at home and runs hard and stops at home. The player at home has caught the ball and has thrown to third and is running to third and this continues all the way around.

The object is to catch, turn & throw, run.  You try to get faster the more you do this baseball drill.

You should alternate a new player as soon as the first person started makes it back to first. With 11 players this takes about 5 to 8 minutes with good throws.

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You will need an empty 5-gallon bucket (either an old paint bucket or an orange bucket purchased at Home Depot) and enough baseballs (or tennis balls) for each player to have one.  Set the bucket beyond first base, on the outside of the foul line near the grass.  Line up the kids at home plate with ball in hand.

In order for the baseball drill to work and make it fun for them, they must:
(1) Run hard to first (no hesitation as you approach the bag);
(2) Step on the bag; and
(3) continue running until they get next to the bucket to drop the ball in it.
CAREFUL: They can’t throw the ball at the bucket, they must “drop it” at the bucket.

The purpose of this baserunning drill is for them to understand that they should run hard to first, step on the bag and continue running past the base and into the foul territory.

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Either set up two sets of home and first base pairs with temporary bases about 10 feet apart, or use the infield home to first and third to second pairs (it is easier to judge who gets to first base quicker if they are closer together).  Have the players form two lines, one behind each home plate (or one behind home plate and one behind third base) for this baseball drill.  Simulate hitting the ball by having a baseball coach standing between the runners hit a ball to the ground.  The first pair of runners takes off from home to first (and second to third).  The first person to touch first (or second) is the winner and goes back and gets in line.  The second place finisher sits down and watches the rest of the competition.  If there is a tie, then have both players go back and get in line.  The runners will have a tendency to look at each other.  Coach them to look at the base or base coach only.  Repeat this until there is one winner and name him the fastest player on the team.

This teaches them to run hard to first base without looking at the baseball!

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One of the best baseball base running drills we have done comes from Kennesaw State so we call them Kennesaws.

Split your runners up into equal amounts at each base and double the number for home, i.e., 3 runners at each base and 6 runners at home.

The baseball drill starts with the baseball coach going through a wind up and throwing an imaginary pitch.  The runner in the left hand batter’s box runs through 1st base.  The batter in the right hand box rounds first and goes to second.  At the same time, the runner on 1st goes 1st to 3rd.  The runner on 2nd goes 2nd to home and the runner on third tags and goes home.  Once everyone has gone in the first group a new set of runners goes. Run until the runners have returned to their starting position.

You will have five players running at a time and they will be practicing all aspects of base running as they progress through the baseball drill.

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This is a baseball drill we use to teach baserunning.

We often see problems knowing the correct base to throw to in certain situations and when to tag the runner.  When given time to think about it most of the baseball players make the right choice but we all know that during a game in a pressure situation, there is not time.

One of the tougher situations is a runner on second with no or one out and the ball is hit to the infield.  To improve our players decision and reaction, we place a runner on second, then put players at SS and players on third base.  Hit the baseball to short and the runner can run or stay.  If he runs, then we have the SS who has to make a decision to throw to third base, we have a runner who gets to practice sliding and we get a third baseman who practices putting a tag on the runner.

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BASE FREEZE
What you need – Set up a tee at home plate. Plenty of baseballs.  Line up players to bat.  Base coaches at each base.

How this baseball drill works – One at a time, players hit the ball and make a first base hit and “freeze” on each base.  As each player hits, runners advance one base until they return to home.

Result – Players learn to watch the batter and learn where and when to run.  Base coaches should instruct on how to “lead off” while keeping one foot on the base, where to look, and when to run.  This drill keeps quite a few players busy at once.

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Do this early in the baseball season to work on conditioning, improve base stealing techniques, and reading the pitcher.

Drill Name:  4 spot running drill
1.  Begin with 1/4 of team at each base
2.  Coach should assume a stretch position on the mound
3.  When the baseball coach lifts his striding foot the first player in line at each base runs hard to the next base off their lead and stays there.
4.  Use all the bases in this baseball drill including home.
5.  Do a full rotation on this drill.

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