: Skills & Drills: Offense

The Sprint
Running to first base is the equivalent of the 40-yard dash, just shorter. The running style is similar to track and field; head held high, upper body leaning forward to create momentum, arms pump back and forth with the forward movement and run on the toes or ball of the foot. Players’ should focus on the following skills:

1. Run through the bag. The runner should not stop, slow down, or even change pace, except to adjust their stride to make contact with the bag, unless the coach signals them otherwise. Their momentum should carry them into foul territory, where they are deemed to be ‘safe’. If the player remains in fair territory, they can be tagged out.
   
2. Have the player watch the first base coach after the initial contact, not the ball. The coach should signal the coach to prepare to run ‘extra’ bases or to continue on to second.
   
3. Slide into first base only if the first baseman is off the bag and it is the only way to avoid a tag.
   
4. Once at or beyond first, the runners’ attention should turn to the third base coach, who will signal plays, steals, etc…