Multi-Purpose Offensive Drills to Prepare for Game Situations

with Barry Davis,
Rider University Head Coach; over 900 career wins;
3x MAAC Coach of the Year, 2x MAAC Tournament Champions;
former Gloucester County College Head Coach;
4x NJCAA Division III National Champions;
4x NJCAA Division III National Coach of the Year;
member of the NJCAA Hall of Fame (2016);

Rider University head coach Barry Davis has accumulated over 900 wins in his career. That may seem like a lot, but that number pales in comparison to the amount of practices that Coach Davis has conducted to collect that many victories!

In this video, Davis leans on his years of experience to bring you some of the offensive drills that serve as stalwarts in Rider practices. You'll get detailed explanations from Davis on each drill, including a live batting practice format that makes sure every player has something to do, a bunting progression that also incorporates baserunning, and a mini game that you can tweak to simulate different game situations. Also included is his intra-squad scrimmage blueprint.

Live Batting Practice

Don't waste valuable practice time by having players standing around waiting for their turn in the cage!

You'll see a full view of the field as Rider goes through a batting practice session that aims to incorporate as many people as possible. Not only will players get reps in the cage, they'll also get opportunities to run the bases and throw to different bags in the field thanks to added fungos between swings. Thanks to the presence of baserunners, batters can also be tasked by coaches to hit for specific scenarios, such as a grounder for a hit and run.

Additionally, Davis gives you some ideas for detail-oriented secondary drills that can be done in foul territory at the same time as main BP to help players improve skills such as bunting and fielding.

Bunting and Baserunning

Bunting practice will help your players work on executing bunts for certain situations while teaching runners to make reads on the base paths. Davis often has his team work on bunting to simulate moving a runner over from first or second base, as well as a safety squeeze scenario when a runner is on third. Using a pitching machine for bunting practice works well, but Davis adds that using a live coach can make it more game-like. Once his team has gone through every bunting scenario, Coach Davis likes to have them work on their "slash" (showing bunt, then pulling back and trying to put the ball in play) as well.

Mini Game and Intra-Squad

Coach Davis' mini game format stresses doing everything at full speed. Everything is as game-like as possible, minus a batting cage around home plate which forces runners to peel off when going from third base to home plate. The main rules for the mini game are as follows:

• Start each inning with a runner on third and no outs.
• The batters must always stay on the bases after putting the ball in play, even if they get out.
• Coaches can always control where the runners are. (First and third is encouraged.)
• Always have 0 or 1 outs - never 2. (To require more thinking.)

Finally, Davis runs through his format for intra-squad scrimmages. Rider's scrimmages are three innings long and runners always go on a 3-2 count.

If you're seeking drills that get players reps and also expose athletes to numerous game-like situations, this video from Coach Davis provides exercises that will become mainstays in your team's practices for years to come!

108 minutes. 2018.