Add Pressure, Get Results
There are a number of reasons why you want to add pressure to your practice sessions and drills. Pressure forces players to focus on the task at hand and concentrate on executing the play well. You’re likely to see an increased effort as you add more challenge to your drills and practices. Not only that, it’s a great way to work on the mental game while getting higher quality skill reps from your team. Improved focus, higher quality reps, more effort, and improved mental game are sure to get you better results quicker than ever before. So how do you do this? Here are 5 simple things you can do to add pressure in practice.
1. Use Runners: Add runners to your defensive practice so that your fielders have “competition.” They have something to “beat.” Additionally you can give your runners an advantage to really put the pressure on your D. Runner will go on the hit, but let them start 5 feet closer to 1st base or let them start off the bag with a larger than normal lead. As a coach, you can decide how much of a jump to give your runners so that your defense really has to focus, attack the ball, and make clean plays.
2. Race the Clock: Stop watches come in really handy for adding pressure to practice. They can be used for defensive practice in place of baserunners. They can also be used during baserunning drills so that players again have something to “beat.” You’d be surprised how much more effort and focus you get just because they players know the clock is on. It no longer, just a drill they go through the motions in. It’s a drill where their performance is also being measured. Knowing that adds pressure to the situation. Whether the players feel the “pressure” or not depends on their mental toughness.
3. Add Consequences or Rewards: A combination of both throughout practice days and drills are probably best. Consequences can be set (before the drill) for failure to achieve a certain goal. Or, on the other hand, you can set rewards for desired performances. Consequences can be as simple as additional reps, push-ups, sit-ups, running, dragging the field, etc. Rewards can be as simple as not having to put away equipment, getting a water break, getting out of the drill faster, getting to hit first when batting practice comes around, etc, etc, etc.
4. Keep Score: I find that keeping score works well in many different drills, bunting, hitting, and fielding. Set up some kind of scoring system for your drill. Give points for desired actions/results and subtract or give 0 points for failure to perform the task. Give each player as set number of reps and keep track of what their score is after their turn. This helps give the players that feeling that every play and every swing matters (just like in the game).
5. Set Goals – Raise the Bar: Instead of just hitting balls to your defense or pitching balls to your batters, tell them what you want them to accomplish during their turn. Tell your infield how many plays in a row you want the, to make without an error for example. If your hitters are young, tell them they are only allowed to swing and miss once in their at bat. If your players are older challenge them to hit a certain number of balls on the ground or on a line during their at bat. The idea is to give them a clear goal to reach so that there’s more of a focus during the drill.
These ideas are so simple and easy to incorporate that you can begin using them immediately! Just choose one or two of these to add pressure to your next practice session and help you get the results you want on the field.
Terrific post, Stacie. Would love to include this on WebBall with a link back.
Of course Richard – no problem!