King of the Mound | Youth Pitching Drill

First have  all your players  line up on the pitcher’s mound. The first player will step on the rubber and attempt to throw a strike. If he throws a strike, he goes to the back of the line.
If he misses, he is on the hot seat ( you can actually put out a bucket to sit on or just have the player stand near mound).

If the next player throws a strike, he is out of the game. If the second player throws a ball, the first player goes to the back of the line and the second player is on the hot seat. Keep going  until only one player is left. That player is the king mound. Winning this drill should earn a player some pitching time in the next game.

You can actually give a few more places to allow some success for your players that do not pitch often but want a chance. This game gives them something to strive for. We hope they will practice before/after practice , or at home so they can win King of the mound and get some game time.

Purpose of this pitching drill

This is a good game for those kids that want to pitch  but have not yet practiced enough to take the mound. It offers an opportunity for all players to pitch and explains the why for you as a coach. You can actually have this as a station and leave your normal starting pitchers out(doing a different drill at another location) so that others have a chance for the reward.

Players learn the game in practice. However, practice does not have to be drudgery. If you turn the drills into games you can keep your player’s attention and that will allow them to focus better and learn more. Keep drills and practice games short and competitive will help youngsters get the most out of their time on the practice field.