Scott Jackson's Daily Drill Progressions & Mechanics for Fielding Set

Coach Scott Jackson shows you how to implement an efficient and productive infield practice that develops athletic and versatile infielders who can make a variety of plays to help your team win games. Throughout the entire drill progression, Coach Jackson stresses the importance of footwork, proper throwing and angling.

Throwing Progression Program
For most teams, practice begins with players warming up their arms with no purpose, just aimless throwing, which can ultimately cost pivotal outs in game-changing situations. Coach Jackson presents a detailed program of short, medium and long throws designed to create a daily routine for simulating game-situation throws to improve efficiency and success.

Coach Jackson highlights key steps to throwing successfully like getting the ball back at a short angle, keeping the elbow above the shoulder, using a shorter arm action, getting good extension and rotation on the ball and using your front shoulder pointing to your target. He focuses his attention on keeping the feet underneath and making sure the player gets positive direction. In a simulating a relay throw, Jackson teaches players to set up parallel with their body, staying squared, letting the hands come to the middle of the body and correctly separating and rotating.

Infielder Fundamentals
Coach Jackson reviews the fundamentals of the four infield positions, providing his insights on each one. He demonstrates positioning, footwork, glove angles, approach to ball, arm angles, ready positions and communication for middle and corner infielders. In addition, he discusses pivot and drop step techniques that middle infielders can use for double plays, as well as a philosophy of athleticism and leadership expected of corner infields.

Video is provided to show mechanics for making plays on routine ground balls, slow rollers, hits to the right and left of the fielder, and double plays. Coach Jackson describes the proper way to field the ball using V-cut angles. He also explains the importance of hip movement in an angle, adjusting to the ball and keeping fingers on the ground, allowing the player to trust his reaction time to the ball..

Most practices are limited due to the length of field time or number of coaches. This presentation will help you develop a more efficient practice and determine which fundamentals you should be emphasizing during practice to develop a great foundation for infield play.

105 minutes. 2015.

In this outstanding, comprehensive presentation, Coach Scott Jackson helps coaches develop practice drills/routines for outfielders that go beyond simply hitting endless fly balls and grounders. His drills concentrate on creating the footwork technique necessary for an outfielder's development, particularly when it comes to throwing.

In this presentation, Coach Jackson teaches:

General Footwork - Coach Jackson teaches proper footwork on fielding hits to the outfield. He demonstrates how to use step behind and step in front techniques for throwing, as well as when to use a crow hop to keep the player under control. This enables the outfielder to be in position to gain momentum, have a quicker release and make more accurate throws. He also shows how to incorporate drills into throwing warm-up sessions that will save precious practice time.

Throwing Progressions - Coach Jackson demonstrates a throwing progression that any coach can use. The routine starts with basic ground ball techniques with no runners and advances to fly ball techniques with runners on base. This progression can be used as part of a plan for a single practice or a series of practices.

Tracking Fly Balls - Coaches and players will learn the techniques for tracking high fly balls to either side and over-the-head line drives. Coach Jackson demonstrates the proper technique for opening the hips to get to the balls without drifting, and under control, so the outfielder can come through the ball with momentum and make accurate, powerful throws. He also shows the proper way to play balls off the outfield wall. He gives you coaching tips on how to read the ball off the wall and staying in control when picking the ball up off the warning track. This will keep runners from taking extra bases and make it possible to throw runners out on the bases.

Use these drills and coaching tips to develop the essential techniques for all aspects of effective outfield play.

58 minutes. 2015.