Glove Work & Footwork: Footwork Around the Cones
Footwork Around the Cones Drill: Teaching Game-Speed Transitions
As players start to grasp the basics — their fielding position, throwing mechanics, and how to move through drills like Step and Stop or Field to Throw Transition — the next step is introducing game-speed footwork.
That’s where the Footwork Around the Cones Drill comes in. This one is all about getting kids used to moving quickly, staying low, and transitioning into strong throwing positions under pressure — just like they’ll need to do in a game.
Why We Run This Drill
We’ve already taught players “one, two, field — one, two, throw,” and that’s perfect for beginners. But baseball moves fast. That two-step rhythm isn’t realistic when you’re charging a ball or making a quick out under pressure.
This drill teaches them how to:
- Stay low and balanced
- Move with quick, efficient footwork
- Transition into a proper throwing stance
- Develop muscle memory for real-game movement
The Setup
You’ll need four cones set out in a square — spacing depends on the age and size of your players.
Each player moves around their own set of cones using the drill sequence. I like to keep things safe and smooth by running three small groups of four (when we have 12 players), but this can scale up or down depending on your session.
How It Works
- Player start in fielding position at one corner of the cone square.
- Perform “one, two, field” with glove down, hand over the top — strong mechanics.
- Then simulate the throwing transition by replacing their feet around the corner.
- Right foot replaces left, left foot points to target (or opposite for lefties).
- Land in a strong throwing position.
- Repeat around each side of the cone square, staying low and fast.
Progression: Add a Ball
Once the footwork looks good, I remove one cone and shift the layout into an L-shape. That’s when I start rolling them easy ground balls.
- Coach rolls a grounder.
- Player fields, funnels the ball, replaces feet around the corner.
- Drop the ball in bucket (no throwing yet – we’re still reinforcing footwork).
- Back to the line.
We’re not trying to make it hard at this stage. This is still foundational — the goal is clean, controlled footwork and landing in position to throw. We can crank up the challenge later in the term once this part becomes second nature.
Wrap Up
The Footwork Around the Cones Drill is one of my favourites for bridging the gap between beginner drills and game-ready movement. It teaches players how to move with intent, keep their bodies low and balanced, and get rid of the ball quickly — all while reinforcing the throwing technique we’ve already worked on.
Keep it simple, keep it sharp, and you’ll be surprised how quickly the kids start moving like ballplayers.
Watch the full video below to see how it’s done! 👇
