From my past experience, I have been seeing, that youngsters are not willing to drill, but rather play directly. And undoubtedly, it’s a problem to become a good baseball player.
Kids in the age group of 8-year-olds should invest more time in drilling instead of playing to develop their skills and potential.
By the way, the youth baseball players who are willing to drill for 8-year-olds face difficulties in choosing which one they should do. From my almost 12 years of coaching career, I would like to help young baseball players with drilling to improve their capabilities.
There are a bunch of drills for 8-year-olds to do for getting better baseball skills. Here I am going to share my thoughts about top baseball drills for 8-year-olds so that they would help themselves in building a great career through team play. And of course, the passion will definitely protect them from dropping as well. So, let’s move.
What Are Drills in Game?
Drills are one kind of physical education. You may place the concept in Teaching Games for Understanding (TGFU). TGFU is an approach to teaching children physical activities.
By the way, physical education in the team, or drills is such an extraordinary method of learning physical skills by not being aware of the game. Rather, it helps to develop particular gaming skills without game awareness.
As a result, children start to learn and enrich their technical and tactical skills, along with understanding them gradually.
If I need to say it in a formal way, I would like this:
"The term drill and practice are defined as a method of instruction characterized by systematic repetition of concepts, examples, and practice problems. Drill and practice is a disciplined and repetitious exercise, used as a means of teaching and perfecting a skill or procedure."
By the way, as a coach, I can assure you, drill helps your kids to develop their skills and potential subconsciously which will be the main fact become true baseball players.
When you are looking for coaching the youngster and make them ready for baseball, you should not insist them practice their baseball skills directly. Rather, you should make sure a positive learning environment.
Coach them in an engaging way so that they get fun practicing. As a result, the kid experience will be great, including 8-year-olds young players.
Throughout the drilling for 8-year-old buddies, they need to meet the goal of learning to hit, catch, field, base running, pitching (older than 8 years), and some basic skills.
However, let’s now talk about 8 different drills for 8-year-olds which will surely improve the kids’ mechanics if done with fun baseball drills.
8 Fun Baseball Drills for 8-Year Olds
Warm-up Drill
The very first drills for 8-year-olds should be just warm-up drills. This is simply played catch among the kids in groups. Hands-on catching practice brings many advantages.
Warm-up drills are ideal for adjusting the throwing motion and path. Catching along with throwing is the main subject to be developed with the warm-up drills for 8-year-olds.
As a coach split them into groups and set them near to each other. Set their distance closer to each other and let them keep increasing their distance. Allow them to make distance among them gradually, and see how they do in their maximum throwing distance with throwing.
Catching in groups develops the mechanics of catching fly balls, ground balls, throwing accuracy on maximum throwing distance, and so on. As a coach, you need to just monitor the kids’ throwing motion if they are being accurate in throwing.
Hitting Drills
There is no doubt that kids of 8-year-olds will surely love to hit the ball underhand with the bat. The contact and crunchy sound must give a feeling of inner peace. So, as a result, the kids must love to push the balls as far as possible by hitting them
By the way, another great thing is, that a batting drill is also a fielding drill for the other participants who catch the balls hit by the hitters.
- Start with placing a player in the plate zone and pitch balls to him. Let him hit the ball and try to bring accuracy. You can start the hitting practice for the kids while you kneel off to the side.
- Now, you can throw the ball to the hitter through the strike zone and let him hit the ball as per his highest level of power. Let him do this times. You may allow a hitter 12 balls or 16 balls in a row. Now bring another hitter to do so. Keep the rock and roll on until everybody finishes their turns. Keep your coach pitching on for better hitting instead of direct pitching in-game.
You need to practice a lot to become a good batter. Read my full guide about how to become a better slow pitch softball hitter
Contact Drill
Here is my extending thought sharing on hitting practice. Hitting is for developing the contact and power-hitting both. When we do hitting drills on our coaching ground, we also do focus on contact hitting as well.
Most often, we make ready multiple hitting stations for multiple players. Basically, this happens when we break the players into multiple groups with 2 to 3 players each.
Based on the skill and capability of players, we do such groups. Our groups are divided into hitting cage, tee-ball station, heavy ball station, and tennis balls.
Because all players together are not capable of doing the same performance in hitting drills. By the way, after completing the basic hitting drills, we normally move the players through the contact hitting zone.
Here we do everything with fun and try to make sure all get a chance to develop their contact capability in the zone.
By the way, for the contact drill for your age group students, either you can use baseball, or whiffle balls/tennis balls.
Now let’s see, how we normally work with contact baseball drills for 8-year-olds.
- As I’ve mentioned before, we normally set multiple hitting stations. So, you may follow this for your coaching facility.
- Based on the number of players, break them into at least 3 to 5 groups.
- Now, in every station, bring the first hitter on the home plate. Let him hit at least 12 balls (same for each player).
- Now, examine how can the players contact the balls consecutively. Also, you can count the foul balls too.
- Keep the cycle for around 10 minutes. Allow the players to compete in a healthy environment.
- After the session end, identify who has done great in each group. Make another group for them, and take extra care of the players who need more development from other aspects.
Benefits Your Kids Will Get
- Their contact ability will be increased.
- A healthy completion will help them to make contact even with the toughest balls.
- They will learn how to win the bats perfectly for perfect contact.
Exit Velocity Drill
Hitting has more than one goal besides making contact. Power-hitting is also a part of baseball basic skill levels of baseball practices. Baseball activities for young children should include power hitting.
So, the exit velocity practice is intended to teach the students how to hit and cause injury. The ball travels far when a baseball player hits well.
In the end, these exit velocity exercises for 8-year-olds are enjoyable since they may show off the small hands’ muscles.
So, as a coach, be sure that the hitters are developing the proper swing motion.
How to do It
- Like the contact hitting, do the same for forming the groups.
- Allow each layer for 12 balls for power hitting.
- Set a targeted velocity, and use a radar gun to measure the exit velocity of the ball.
- Set the hitting cycles at least three times for good results.
Staying on the Coach Pitch for a Further Year
Now, my point of view about hitting is here. Many parents stay confused about the hitting of the kids from the coach pitch or the kids’ pitch.
Here I would like to suggest, keeping your kids under the coach pitching for at least another year. Because between the kid pitch and coach pitch there is a significant difference.
There are many 8-year-olds that didn’t work with pitched balls. When they directly go for the kids’ pitch, they might face some difficulties. Also, there are many experienced hitters who hit well the live pitches.
In this case, the newcomers may have frustration and a lack of adaptation.
On the other hand, coach pitches are likely to kids pitch in a soft way. So, before going for live pitching, another significant year of coach pitching drills would bring a great result.
Fielding Drills
Fielding baseball drills for 8-year-olds is highly efficient to boost up and improve their confidence. One of the basic lessons of the fielding drill is to teach the baseball drills for 8-year-olds how to bend their waist and knee to catch ground balls.
It is important to learn how to move in front of the balls, down and put the gloves on the ground. So, you should hit ground balls for them to catch properly through the drill. Do it for each player in the group.
- Position the players in several places. Keep a standard distance among them. Throw the balls and let them scoop the balls with the glove. Make sure they secure the balls from the top with the other hand.
- Another fielding practice is catching the balls from high up. Set two players 40ft away from each other. Now, toss up the ball and let them catch the ball before grounding.
- See how they communicate with each other so that one can make a safe state to catch up the ball for another fielder.
Fielding baseball drills include alligator traps, belly up, lazy catch, pop quiz, short Hop Showdown, ground ball shuffle, and more.
Let’s watch 10 Best Baseball Fielding Drills for Kids.
During the fielding, youth baseball sunglasses could help your kids front the UV rays. If you are looking for the best glasses, you may check out the guide on 14 Best Youth Baseball Sunglasses To Grab In 2022.
Throwing Drills
There are differences between the catching practice and throwing practice, though catching practice includes some throwing into it.
First, divide the players into 2 to 3 groups with 5 to 6 players. Position them 20 feet from each other. Now, let them start throwing the ball to each other serially. Keep the pace for several weeks.
Extend the distance over time. Make sure the accuracy of throwing minimum of 60 feet by this time. Though throwing short distances is always crunchy. The throwing drill works for boosting muscle power as well as target practice.
By the way, after ensuring the improvement of individual throwing capability and skill, now you can use the entire field for all players at a time. You need to divide all players into two long-line drives.
I Hope, you could cover the entire field vertically with these two lines. Now, start throwing the ball from the first of the one line to the first of the opposite line. Keep the cycle on until the ball reaches the end of the second line.
Also, you can make the drill more precise by implementing practice base-wise. Set the players by first to the third baseman including shortstops.
Now, let them throw the ball to third base to shortstop to 2nd base to 1st base. Keep the cycle for 4 to 5 minutes. Now, replace the players with another group and do so until all groups finish the throwing.
Check the best pitches to throw in baseball
Knockdown Drills for 8 year
The knockdown drill is a throwing drill that mainly set the goal to knock down the target. It allows practicing the target with accuracy. Also, mastering in catching ground balls, and fly balls.
Now, as a coach, put a target on a chair and allow the groups to throw the balls and touch the target by throwing the ball. Keep on the cycle for 8 to 10 turns.
Monitor who knocks the target the most in the entire cycle. If someone is found, separate him/them, and make another group with the players who got the best results.
Also, keep the other ones and make sure they get proper chances for developing their knockdown skills.
The knockdown drills the players of age group to enhance their focus in knocking the target with the accurate throw, and also give fun to do so.
Throwing drill around the horn:
Knockout Drill
One of our next baseball drills for 8 year olds is the knockout drill. The knockout drill is a combination of fielding drills and throwing drills for 8 year olds. In the knockout drill, along with catching the ground balls, the young players need to throw them accurately to knock the target.
If someone misses the target, they will be out of the drill. You can say, it is one of the advanced level drills for enhancing the fielding and throwing to the next level.
- You can divide your young players into 3 to 4 groups.
- hit a ground ball to the first player. Mae sure he grabs and cleans the ball with an accurate throw.
- Continue the cycle until only a single player is left on the baseball field. Motivate the other players to give their best. Balance their hand-eye coordination to get more great results.
- By the way, the fly balls also could be used for this drill.
If you ask for the benefits of the knockout drill, it means a lot. Since it’s a type of advanced drill, it imposes a little pressure during the drill. This pushes the players to do good fielding along with an accurate throw.
Running Drills
in the baseball drills for 8-year-olds, running bases is one of the most important drills for being good baseball players for young kids. So, this should be drilled with the 8-year-older age groups precisely.
The base coach should teach them how to run in first base first. The running drills should go through gradually: first base> second base> third base> and finally for a home run.
After completing the first base, the base coach can send them to the second base. Ultimately, base running drills need a long time to be mastered with. so, the players must go through the drill repeatedly for months and keep pace.
Here is my in detail guide about Baserunning in Baseball. Hope you will have no question after reading this
How the Drill Works
The drill works from the home plate. Lineup all players on the home plate. After forming the line, push the players to run from the plate to the first base serially.
Keep in mind that the run will only be a single base. Don’t do this around all bases at a time. If the coach thinks a young player is ready for the next base, just then proceed him for the next run.
Goalie Drill
Our next drill to talk about is the goalie drill. It is a defensive drill that works for infielders. The primary objective of the goalkeeper exercise is to do everything it takes to keep the ground balls in front of the infielder. This aids in enhancing the infielders’ quick reaction and mobility.
You need to create a goalie box for accomplishing this out of hats, or something similar, even out of buckets. The coach will stand between 50 and 60 feet from the goalkeeper’s box.
Then he will hit ground balls directly to the infielder’s position, which is the goaltender box.
Now, ensure that your player completes his task properly. Ensure that he is making every effort to prevent the ball from passing him.
Do the hit 10 to 15 times and bring another player in front of the goalie box.
Additional read: Positions On The Baseball Field Explained By A Coach
Barrier Course
The barrier drill, as the name suggests, combines all of the essential drills. You will aid in enhancing your kids’ capacity to prevent any barriers by participating in this exercise.
The 8-year-old boys will mostly use their speed and agility. The exercise comprises base running, throwing, and hitting. The barrier course is ultimately made up of all successful practices.
The mentioned drills are not the last words of drilling. There are many other baseball drills for 8 year olds that should be utilized and implemented on the field for being a good baseball player.
As long as drilling with the mentioned ones, decision making, patience and focus control, etc., should be practiced as well.
Aside from particularly for 8-year-olds, here is our guide on 7 Youth Baseball Hitting Drills – Hit To Stars Like A Pro! You may check on it for your kids.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I help my 8-year-old hit baseball?
Hitting is one of the most essential and important drills for an 8-year-old. So, when he is doing this drill, let him hit the ball and help him out to adjust his stance, and swing style, if needed.
Also, monitor their movement. Tell them to adjust their hand-eye coordination while the ball comes.
Throw them different pitches so that they can accustomed to them. Allow them to swing the bat with as much power as they want. And, don’t give pressure don’t hem. Make fun baseball drills for 8-year-olds while drilling with hitting.
Wrapping Up
Baseball drills for 8 year olds are the foundation of their baseball career. There is no way to deny its importance. So, you have to make sure you are giving the peak advantages of proper drill works for your young players.
In addition, if you are a coach, be sure to do the practice in an appropriate and expected manner. Avoid forcing anything on them that can make them nervous.
Additionally, as a coach for a younger age group, you should have fun while drilling because children’s mental states differ greatly.
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Hello everyone. My name is Jason Butler, and I live in California, America. I was a professional AAA Minor League Baseball player. I lost my chance of playing MLB for injury issues, but I did not lose my love for baseball. I attended the coaching training program and am now working as a coach in a small school in San Diego.
I always love to share my experience and knowledge if that can help you. Play baseball, and stay fit.