The recipient of a master's degree in civil engineering from Virginia Tech, Wayne Schepens possesses more than 20 years of experience in cybersecurity and serves as the managing director of LaunchTech Communications. A former collegiate baseball player, Wayne Schepens maintains involvement in the sport through his role as the coach of a junior varsity high school team.
Fielding the ball is an integral part of playing baseball. Here are three drills that coaches can use to help:
1. Distance throw - Have players line up at the end of a series of cones 10 yards apart and extending to the outfield fence. Each player throws three to five balls and earns points for the balls that land in the target area between cones. This drill should improve both throwing power and accuracy.
2. Backhand drill - Emphasizing positioning, this drill has the coach roll a ball to the side of a player so the player can scoop it up with the glove in a backhand position. The player should then throw the ball to the nearest base.
3. Double-play flips - Best for second base players and shortstops, this drill begins with the coach or another player hitting a ground ball to the middle of the diamond. The player closest to the ball should catch it and then flip it to the other player, who should be covering second base.
