Baseball transition
Team drill for 10 to 14 players. Focus: Treat each free ball as another chance to build an attack.; Call runs and outs between rallies..
What you need
- Players
- 10 to 14 players
- Time
- 12 to 20 min
- Level
- Intermediate and advanced
- Equipment
- Balls
- Ball fed by
- The coach
- Space
- A full court
Setup
- Five players a side: three front row and two back row. Keep the court full width; with 12 players, rotate the two extras after each round.
- A coach with a cart feeds the second ball from beside the serving side. Keep loose balls off court before starting the next rally.
How it runs
The receiving team scores one run for every rally it wins. After a win, the coach sends that team a free ball and it can score again. A lost rally is an out; the next ball is a serve to the same receivers. After three outs, switch serving and receiving teams. Each team bats once, then both rotate. Play six innings or stop at the time limit. The clip shows a run from serve receive followed by a free-ball run.
Time and reps: 12 to 20 minutes.
Coaching points
- Treat each free ball as another chance to build an attack.
- Call runs and outs between rallies.
- After three outs switch jobs, then rotate after both teams bat.
Make it easier or harder
Make it easier
- Start with easy serves and high free balls so both teams can build attacks.
Make it harder
- Give two runs for a first-ball side-out, then one for each free-ball rally win.
Terms on this page
- Free ball
- An easy ball the other team sends over without attacking it, usually a pass or a set. It gives you time to set up your own attack.
- Side out
- Winning a rally while the other team is serving. The team that wins it scores and serves next.
- Attack
- Any hit that sends the ball at the other team, other than a serve or a block. A spike, a tip and a roll shot are all attacks.
