“Coach Dunn’s Quick Pitches” By Coach Jack Dunn

The Wall Drill – Part 2

Competitive Wall Drills
(Competitive drills that introduce pressure)

1. One on One
   
   Purpose
   
   Develop correct fielding techniques while performing under the pressure of competition.
   
   Procedure
   
   
   1. There are two players and each has a baseball.
   2. Players are facing the wall and are far enough apart so as to not interfere with each other's fielding.
   3. Players are 15 feet from the wall.
   4. A line of demarcation should be drawn/established, and players must stay behind the line.
   5. On the command "Go!", players throw the ball against the wall and the first player to reach 10—or to field the most balls in a predetermined time—is the winner.
   6. Staying behind the line is critical to fairness. Getting in front of the line gives that player an unfair advantage.
   Variations
   
   
   1. One-on-One Championship:
      
      
      1. If there is sufficient wall space, several individual players may compete at the same time! The first to reach 10, wins.
      2. Establish brackets and have players compete against each other until an individual champion is determined.
      3. Create teams of two or more players, and compete against each other until a champion is determined.
      Keys
      
      
      1. Players must remain behind the demarcation line or they are disqualified.
      2. Accurate throws will result in the ball rebounding to the same place, resulting in a quicker return of the ball.
      3. A throwing zone on the wall should be established to ensure that the ball will return to the fielder in the same spot every time.
      4. This target can be taped-off on the wall, if desired—further emphasizing accurate throwing under pressure.
      5. Where the ball hits the wall, is critical to quickness in this drill. Accuracy is a must.
         1. Throw too low against the wall, and the ball makes several bounces.
         2. Throw too high against the wall, and the ball bounces too close to the fielder.
         3. If the ball hits the ground or floor first—and then the wall—it results in a fly ball. If this occurs, the throw DOES NOT COUNT!
   2. Multiple Players in Each Line
      
      
      1. The first player in each line starts the drill by throwing the ball against the wall. After completing his throw, he goes to the end of his line.
      2. The second player in line fields the ball (on or behind the demarcation line) and throws the ball back against the wall. After completing his throw, he goes to the end of his line.
      3. The drill continues until a predetermined number of balls have been fielded or one of the teams fields the most balls within a predetermined time.
      4. To avoid interfering with the other teams, it should be predetermined how players return to the end of their lines: After throwing, all players should veer either right or left.

Summary

The Wall Drill can be made competitive by pairing individuals or groups against each other. The first individual or group to field a prescribed number of ground balls—or most ground balls within a specified time—is the winner. (Errors don�t count) Use your imagination.

Good Luck!

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