Flashing The Leather: Team Defense

with Jeff Duncan,
Kent State University Head Coach;
2018, '17, '16 MAC Conference Champions; 2x MAC Tournament titles ('14, '18);
3x MAC Coach of the Year ('16, '17, '18);
188-95 overall head coaching record; has coached four All-Americans; former MLB outfielder for the New York Mets

All baseball coaches know they need to spend time working on team defense, but do you know some of the best methods that will help your players improve rapidly and be most prepared on game day?

Kent State University head coach Jeff Duncan shares the practice format and drills that he uses within his program in order to make sure his team is ready to play sound defense. In this video, he includes his practice philosophy, how to teach fielding fundamentals, as well as some of his favorite drills that will get your entire roster involved.

Defensive Practice Philosophy

Coach Duncan details how he structures his pre-practice team meeting. During the team meeting, the coaches preview the day's practice plan and expectations. They also go over the team's daily practice factors and keys to an effective practice.

Each practice must be organized, efficient and fast-paced, with high energy. Duncan incorporates both team and individual drills into his practices so that players are game ready. All players are expected to bring the right attitude, energy, and effort to practices. These are the traits that carry over to game situations and lead to a winning culture.

Fielding Fundamentals

After completing the pre-practice team meeting, players go through a position specific warm-up period. The athletes put their techniques into action with various "live ball" drills. The drills are designed in the form of progressions so that athletes can work from a slow and focused pace, to a faster game-like pace.

The catchers begin with a throwing drill, and progress to tag plays and blocking drills. Infielders work through three drills (knee ground balls, one handed ground balls, shuffle drill) that emphasize proper fundamentals and fielding actions. During this time, outfielders get to work on drop steps, as well as ground balls. Coach Duncan stresses the importance of having his outfielders work on drop step drills on a daily basis. The drills are quick and efficient, and can be repeated to create good habits for sound defensive play at all levels.

Full Team Defense Fundamentals

During the team defense portion of practice, Duncan and his staff cover all aspects of defensive baseball on both a team and individual level. The team starts with position-specific fundamentals that include work on PFPs, catcher receiving drills, double play technique, and slow roller plays. The team demonstrates their defensive mass fungo, double play fungo, and situational fungo series. Duncan also takes the time to cover cutoffs and relays, pop-up communication, bunt defense, and run downs.

Coach Duncan covers all of the bases when it comes to defensive practice philosophy, fielding fundamentals, and full team defense. This video will provide any team with all the tools necessary to play winning defensive baseball!

99 minutes. 2019.