Got any specific advice or drills for using it? I love gadgets, but HATE using them incorrectly!
What age kids? I know we both post over at DFP, so is this for a FP team (your team) or are you working with just your own children?
Of course you know you can’t backhand or go hard glove side with these trainers, so just know that right off. And if you’re doing full infield practice with these and throwing to 1B, just have your 1B wear her regular glove, it’ll save you time and frustration, you can work with her and the trainer individually later.
Where we got the very most out of the trainers besides the obvious was perfecting footwork, getting into the best possible position to field the ball. To beat the ball to the spot where it was best to field it and be in an athletic position.
On slow hit balls it enforced circling behind the ball so it could be centered and squared up below the chin, remember....... you can’t close these trainers, and trust me, they’ll lose focus and try, these trainers reinforce using the throwing hand to trap and transfer the ball, and the kids can’t cheat! These trainers don’t lie!
On harder hit balls, they really reinforce getting low and really engaging their legs.....legs bent, butt down low, and fielding the ball way out front, NOT between the legs, out front!!
Tell your kids when they field a ball, you want to see the button on the top of their cap, you don’t want to see their face, that make sense?
Remember, for us these trainers were primarily used for two years in 12U, a team me and a guy I go to church with started, once 12U ended, Anna and another girl were the only two who wanted to move on to a bigger organization outside of our town, Anna ended up playing for a organization that had several National teams, rest is history but I don’t think she ever used those trainers again which was a shame, they work, or they worked for us!
Some of those practices in those early years turned into pissing matches! We’d start infield practice and they’d look so unfocused and like they had a backpack full of bricks strapped to their backs........three words.........SHORT HOP DRILL!! Let the tears start!
We'd split them into two groups, put them in front of each dugout and throw short hops to them, for how long and how hard was completely up to them! Oh the tears! But you know what, that one drill, which they ALL thought was punishment, and that us two coaches were mean, that one drill taught those girls how to field a ground ball and to not be afraid of short hops, and that one mean drill was instrumental early on in getting my daughter recruited to play college ball! That little 12U church / rec team won an ASA World Series their first year together in travel ball, which under the circumstances still today makes me prouder than me and Anna winning a State Championship together in high school, silly I know!
Sorry so long winded, must have slept good. Hope this helped!
