Coach John Peter's Baseball Tips.com
Zooka Drills
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Pop Fly Coverage
One of the more challenging coaching tasks is to provide a team with consistent pop fly balls that require converging fielders to correctly call the ball, clear out and back up each other properly.
Drills: Set the machine to shoot balls that land between fielders. Be sure to outline your communication system with your team prior. This is a key element to the success of the drill. You must teach your team who has priority over whom and specifically what they are to say when calling for the ball ("I got it"). Place a cone or marker at the players starting point so that it remains consistent through various reps
Level 2: Utilize vertical positions, for instance, RF and 2B. The ball should land between the 2 positions and require the OF to call off the infielder. By making a keypad adjustment of + / - power, you can easily change the landing point of the ball so that the players do not know who is going to be catching the ball.
Level 3:Level 3: Utilize 3 positions, for instance, 2B, 1B and RF. Propel the ball so that it lands near the conversion point of the three players. This is highly effective for higher-level play. Again, changes in location can be made by simple +/- keypad adjustments.
Training and Fun Meter: Tremendous. This is one of the more difficult skills to work on when coaching.
Line Drive
Line drives are rarely mastered through drills. The Zooka affords that opportunity to players.
Drill: Establish a set starting point for player. Set the machine to throw the ball at the desired speed and location (to the left or right of the player). At the younger ages, be sure to keep velocity to a minimum.
Training and Fun Meter: Big time! Kids really like doing this. If you put some personal enthusiasm in place it helps too.
Fence Communication
Help players learn to communicate to a teammate who is approaching a wall when trying to catch a fly ball. Develop and teach your communication system to your players. This can be taught at most any age, but typically begins to creep into play around 11-years of age. An example of verbiage used is the "stoplight" system. Red means stop, yellow means OK, but proceed with caution, green means you have a lot of room.
Drill: Set the machine to shoot balls at or near the fence, warning track. Have one line that catches the ball, another line that only yells. Keep it simple by only having one line catch the ball. At higher levels, you can combine this communication with calling for the ball. Set the Zooka to place the ball in a variety of places, making adjustments with the keypad as needed.
Training and Fun Meter: At the high school level this is a necessity. At lower levels, it is a good concept to work on as an introductory skill.
Catcher Pop-ups
Drill: Place the Zooka at home Plate. Set the ball to land near the backstop fence.
Training and Fun Meter: Perhaps the least consistently practiced skill in baseball is catcher's pop fouls. It is nearly impossible to accurately repeat the same ball. Not anymore. Great drill. Catchers love this - at any level!
Range Finder
Help players at any position work on their range. Increasing incrementally the distance a ball is propelled means you can control the distance a player goes to get that ball.
Drill: Use a cone or marker to designate the starting point. Players may move once they hear the ball shot from the Zooka. Set the ball to land a fair distance away. Using the keypad or tripod direction knobs, make changes with each repetition. As you approach a specific players ultimate range, the keypad provides the quickest and most fine adjustment. § This can be used for both fly balls and ground balls.
Training and Fun Meter: Loads of fun. Create a healthy, competitive environment at higher-level play. Push your athletes on each repitition.
Talent Evaluation
Drill: Using the Range Finder Drill concept, players can start from the same place. You can quickly learn player's differences in range, quickness and hand/eye coordination.
Training and Fun Meter: The same requirements for each player mean a truly fair drill. High marks here.
Pitch and Bunt location hitting
As with any skill, "practice makes perfect"
Drill: Set the Zooka up about 20 feet away from the batter (always wear a helmet). Put the ball at game simulated speed (at 30 feet, a 30 mph pitch is equivalent to a 60 foot, 60 mph pitch). Set the machine to throw pitches inside, outside, high or low. Working on specific pitch locations is very helpful to hitters. It is recommended that you use a dimpled "machine ball" for the greatest accuracy.
Training and Fun Meter Can you ever get enough bunting or batting practice? This keeps it fun and focused.
Game Situation Recreation
From a pure coaching standpoint, the Zooka allows for a ball to travel at the same speed, to the same place, time after time. Because of this, you can replicate any ball, any exact game situation; problem-solve and practice it over and over again. So your creativity is the only missing link toward even more drills and practical uses for this fabulous tool.
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Hope this helps,
coach@baseballtips.com
