Practice Focus by Age

• 8U: We keep practices fun and energetic, with short, skill-specific stations (15 minutes per skill). Emphasis on rep volume.
• 9U: Mix skill stations with game-situation drills and scrimmages to build awareness and skill transfer capacity.
• 10U: Incorporate high-pressure scenarios during practices, focusing on fine-tuning mechanics and strategy.
  
  

  Training Program

  
  

  8U: Building Fundamentals

  With this age group, our focus is on learning the game, developing confidence, and introducing foundational skills for our select level players.

  Hitting

• Emphasize proper grip, stance, and swing mechanics.
• Teach contact hitting—focus on consistently putting the ball in play rather than power.
• Introduce tracking pitches (hand-eye coordination) with soft toss and tee drills.
• Reinforce the concept of a level swing path and hitting the inside of the baseball.

• Fielding

• Teach basic fielding fundamentals:
  • Proper glove positioning ("alligator" drill for grounders).
  • Using two hands when fielding close balls.
• Emphasize getting in front of the ball to block it instead of relying on backhanding or off to the side.
• Practice catching fly balls with both glove positioning and footwork drills.
• Begin to develop catchers and their receiving position, blocking in the dirt, quick transfer and release on throws (pop time).

• Pitching/Throwing

• Focus on proper throwing mechanics to prevent injury:
  • Grip (four-seam fastball for accuracy).
  • Balance, stride, and follow-through.
• Begin teaching simple pitching concepts, such as aiming for the middle of the strike zone early in counts and getting hitters to chase with 2 strikes.

• Base Running

• Teach running through first base and rounding the bases correctly. 
• Learn how to tag up.
• Practice recognizing when to run on passed balls and when to hold at the secondary lead. Watching for overthrows to the pitcher.

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  9U: Building Competitive Awareness

  At 9U, our players should be ready to grasp more complex skills and game strategies and begin to sharpen their ability to compete consistently.

  Hitting

• Introduce hitting to specific fields:
  • Focus on pulling inside pitches and hitting outside pitches to the opposite field.
• Teach bunting fundamentals to both sides of the mound.
• Start working on situational hitting, such as advancing runners or hitting in RBI situations.
• Practice tracking live pitches with emphasis on pitch recognition.

• Fielding

• Work on pre-pitch readiness:
  • Teach players how to anticipate the ball (prep-step) and move to it with intent.
• Refine footwork for force outs, throwdowns, pick-off attempts and double play balls.
• Introduce cut-off and relay drills to teach proper positioning and throw accuracy.

• Pitching/Throwing

• Teach pitch control (hitting the catcher’s glove consistently).

• Base Running

• Teach stealing bases and reading a pitcher’s move to home/base. 
• Introduce lead offs and aggressive secondary leads.
• Emphasize quick reactions to line drives and tag-up situations.
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• 10U: Built to Win.

  This age group should be adapted to high-level competition with a deep understanding of the game and ready to realize their potential as a team. 

  Hitting

• Work on creating power through proper lower-body mechanics (loading and hip rotation).
• Teach hitters to recognize breaking pitches versus fastballs.
• Focus on consistent two-strike approaches (shortening swing, protecting the plate).
• Create an adaptation to faster pitching speeds. (Higher than game-level velo)

• Fielding

• Sharpen quick-release techniques for all fielders, especially infielders.
• Teach advanced defensive strategies:
  • Double play depth and positioning, 1st & 3rd set plays.
  • Reading the ball off the bat to determine the best play (e.g., going home versus first base).
• Outfielders work on reading ball trajectories and making accurate throws to the cut-off man or base.

• Pitching/Throwing

• Begin developing secondary pitches for advanced players (e.g., basic changeup).
• Focus on pitch sequencing to keep batters off balance.
• Teach pitchers to manage the mental side of the game:
  • Resetting between pitches.
  • Handling tough batters or errors behind them.

• Base Running

• Work on aggressive leads and proper sliding techniques.
• Teach situational awareness for advancing bases during overthrows or deep hits.
• Encourage stealing bases with an emphasis on reading catcher tendencies.
• Introduce the concept of different grips for simple pitches (e.g., changeup, two seam FB).
• Start developing mental focus for pitchers:
  • How to handle pressure and reset after a bad pitch or fielding error.

Fall Select Program

• Comprised of prior Summer All-Star players and/or prior Select players
• Practice two days a week as a team Starting in Mid/Late August​​​​​​​
• Compete in the Irvine Select League starting in September through playoffs in November
• TCS Desert Thanksgiving Qualifier Tournament in Palm Desert 
• If the team, coaching staff and schedule allows, teams may enter NCS, PG, or similar weekend tournaments.
• Continuity between 9u and 10u teams. 
• Approved general managers (GMs) for each team - 8u, 9u, 10u.  
• Preference is to have a dad(s) approved by the board, coach the 8u team.  

Spring Select Program

• Format is Sunday only games/practices.  
  
• 8U * Sunday practices with focus on building fundamentals. Scrimmages with other nearby programs may be coordinated in the 2nd half of the season.  Larger total roster size (up to 20) to facilitate intrasquad scrimmages when desired.  
• Similar to the Fall season, 9U and 10U teams are “tied” together with shared coaches and fields.  
• Depending on interest, the teams can alternate weekends and compete in the Baseball Forever One Day tournaments that are held throughout OC.