1. “Taking Your Practice to the Next Level”
Jack Leggett
Head Coach
Clemson University

2. Video footage credit: youtube.com

3. “Coaching” What I’ve Learned Along the Way
Still the same now as it was 33 years ago
Kids see – Hard work reaps results
Fundamentals – Still the key
Honesty with your players
Know where they stand and their role
Pride is Pride
No Shortcuts to Success
You win as much by your players Playing Hard (hustle, toughness) as you do by talent.
Execute and Handle the Bunt Game, Turn Double Plays, Play Defense, Run Bases
Must change with the times and adjust according to your team’s abilities

4. Successful Players Are – Coachable
Want to Learn
so you have to teach
Tough mentally and physically
so you have to challenge them
Competitive in everything they do
so you must compete
Consistent in everything they do
so you must Repeat
Work Hard
so you have to push them to their limits
Love to Win
so you must play to win in practice
Hustle
so you must expect hustle in practice
Want Discipline
so you must demand excellence

5. Practice Organization
Team Goals
Promises
Develop and Improve players
Hard work / repetition / agilities
Develop Mentally and Physically Tough players
Competitive Spirit and Attitude (instill competition in practice)
Develop Tradition ( academics, dress, plate)
Great Hitting Team, Bunting Team / pitching / defense / execution / Baserunning
Best Hustling Team – Must Hustle in Practice
Demand excellence, discipline , and perfection in practice
Put a stamp on your team
Attention to Detail

6. Practice Organization
Team Goals
Finish off games
You get what you ask for
Have a great pitching and defensive team
Team drills in practice:
Rundowns
Cut-offs / relays
Priorities
1st and 3rd defense
Pickoffs
Live game situations
Develop Teamwork/unselfishness (develop pride in execution)
Develop base running and pressure games on offense
(Incorporate into practice, talk to them, work on fundamentals, get stronger, believe)

7. Practice Organization
After Goals are set
Incorporate Goals into practice
Plan out each practice (visualize it, explain it)
Work on weaknesses and accent strengths
Set Priorities
Build from previous practice
Don’t try too much
Players come to practice with a plan!

8. Practice Organization
Pre-Practice Routine
Pre Practice pride/duties
Run to fence, touch sign, stretch
Pre-practice running routine (structure, discipline)
Throwing-drills / Long Throwing
Bunt Station / cages
Meet as team
Explain practice (goals, issues to be addressed, +/- from previous practice)
Utilize every free minute before/during/after!!!

9. Drills 1. Pre-Practice Fundamentals 2. Competitive Drills
- Bunt Station
- Throwing drills
- Cages-Drills
- Stretching Routine
2. Competitive Drills
- Compete in Practice
Click to watch video
Click to watch video

10. Drills 3. Square Drill - switch positions - stop watch
- repetition - DP’s
- game like - new themes
/ -
3-1 / 4-3 / 5-4 / 6- Fungo
4- fungo / 5-3 / 6-4
c fungo / 6-3 / 4-6 / 3-6
6-4-3 / / /3-6-3
Unassisted DP’s
Click to watch video SS 2B C 3B 1B
P/P F F F F
* Must have catch up men for fungo hitters

11. Drills 4. BP on Field Routine / Themes HITTING BASERUNNING DEFENSE1. 2. 3. 4.
HITTING
BASERUNNING
DEFENSE
DEFENSE
C Pohl 1B Miller SS/3B Schaus L/R Sanders 2B/SS
C Nester 1B Freeman 2B Lamb C/R Mounce 1B/OF
C Ward Paulsen 1B Boyd R/L Widmann SS/2B
Epps LF/RF Stolz 3B/SS Johnson C Hinson 3B
Hitting Base Running Defense
2- SAC 1st Base Hit / Run (1-3) Steal (1-2) Infielders
2- Hit/Run Delay (1-2) to 1st / DP’s
2- Move Over /- System
2 – Man on 3rd, infield back 2nd Base Apply Rule (2-4)
1 – Base Hit bunt Hang out Pitchers
Tag Up PFP’s
1- Squeeze (stay away from OF’s)
1- 5 opposite (hard) 3rd Base Down Angle Contact (3-4) Outfielders
Heads up Line Drive Angles
5- Free (Gap to Gap) Tag to Score Cro-Hops
Bunt on way out Fundamentals
Communication
3 – Competition round /- Whistle Cut-Offs

12. Drills Batting Practice 3 D 3 D 3 D 3 D 4 D 4 D 2 4 D 4 D 2 2 2
Bucket
3 D
3 D
4 D
4 D 2
4 D
4 D 2 2 2
screen
L-Screen
screen
Click to watch video 1 1 H H 1 1

13. Drills
5. Play Ball Live Off Bat - +/- system 6. Defense for Sprints - +/- in Batting Practice

14. Drills 7. Ground Ball Scrimmage +/- system Compete + -_____ CF RF LF
Scoring System
_____
GB thru infield Error on Defense
Beat out GB Lack of 100% Hustle
LD that hits dirt Lack of Baserunning
fundamentals ++
Turn a Double Play
Rules:
One base at a time
Any fly balls = an out / and chase ball or pole
2 foul balls = an out
2 consecutive GB’s at L Screen = Hit
3 outs per inning
Sprint Everywhere
? Infield Only or Full Team CF RF LF SS 2B 3B 1B P LS H H

15. Drills 7. Ground Ball Scrimmage a. Left-Side GBS SS SS SS 3B 3B 3B 1B
Click to watch video LS
OF / C = Hitters
Times to 1st Base H H

16. Drills 7. Ground Ball Scrimmage a. Right-Side GBS P 2B 2B 2B 2B 1B 1B
Click to watch video P LS
OF / C = Hitters
Times to 1st Base H H

17. Drills 7. Ground Ball Scrimmage a. Middle GBS 2B SS 1B C C
Click to watch video H H

18. Drills 8. Bunt Scrimmage - Times to 1st base Emphasis:
a. Location – Pressure on Defense
b. Learning to Defend the Bunt
c. Defensive communication
Click to watch video SS 2B
(B,B,B) 3B 1B P H H

19. Drills 9. Execution Scrimmage Emphasis: - with signs - with situations
- Priorities
- Hit and Run scrimmage
Click to watch video R R R R R R C H

20. Drills 10. Automatic Scrimmage a. 1st base (options)
b. 1st and 2nd Base (0 outs) (options)
c. 2nd base (0 outs) (options)
d. 3rd base (inf. Back) (options)
e. 2nd and 3rd Base (0 outs) (options)
Click to watch video R R R R R R BP
Options
Bunt
Hit & Run
BH Bunt
Steal H

21. Drills
11. BP Scrimmage - Live Game Situations - Compete - Keep Score - Emphasis on Hustle and Conditioning

22. Drills
12. Emphasis in Scrimmages When you scrimmage: - BP Scrimmage - Regular Scrimmage - Use Scoreboard - Game Uniforms - Bunt defense to start inning - Throw in 1st and 3rd defense plays - No fear of being thrown out on bases - Use 1-1 count - Steal / Situations - Steal Between Innings

23. Drills 13. Outfield Square Drill CF LF RF Click to watch videoSS 1B
Click to watch video 3B
Left Field – 2 / 3 / 4
Center Field – 3 / 4 / 2
Right Field – 4 / 2 / 3
Round 1 – Red
Round 2 – Blue
Round 3 – Green

24. Drills
14. Emphasis in Scrimmages Teach them how to: - Hustle on to field - Throw ball around infield after K / HR - Take a walk (Hustle) - Have them have a plan in mind - Touch 2nd base on Fly balls - Recognize Execution / Unselfishness - Body Language on bench - Practice as they expect to play

25. Drills
15. Emphasis in Scrimmages - Strike Out policy - No Strikeouts - No Strikeouts looking - No strike outs with men in scoring pos. - Consequences to all

26. Drills
16. No Fear of Failure Scrimmage - Stealing - Extra-base Hits - Balls in Dirt Emphasis: - Aggressiveness - Baserunning - Defense alertness - Holding runners on

27. Drills
17. Short Inning Scrimmages - 2 inning games - 3 inning games - 1 inning games Compete for consequences

28. Drills 18. Perfect pre-game infield / PFP
- sprints for mishandled balls
Pre-Practice PFP Click to watch video
In-Practice PFP Click to watch video
Naked PFP
- Control the situations
20. Two-Strike AB’s
- Toughness
- Live Pitching
Click to watch video

29. Drills 21. Cut – Offs Relays - vs. Live Runners (use pitchers)
- No Doubles / No Triples CF LF RF
CHALLENGE THE DEFENSE SS 2B
Click to watch video 3B 1B
Fungo P R C

30. Drills 22. 1st and 3rd Offense vs. 1st and 3rd Defense SS 2B 3B 1B P C

31. Drills
23. Bunt Offense vs. Bunt Defense SS 2B R 1B 3B R R P H C

32. Closing Remarks