Doing the standard pre-game warmup? Do THIS instead

Everywhere I go, 99% of coaches do the same thing with their team for pre-game warmup.

• kids pair up and mindlessly toss the ball back and forth to "play catch"
• coach has the team in a single-file line and hits a fly ball or ground ball to the first kid in line, who throws it in to an assistant coach standing next to the coach

This pre-game routine is akin to practices from the dark ages where one coach is pitching, one kid is hitting, and everyone else on the field is standing around. While our practices have come a long way from that, our pre-game routines still are pre-historic.

One barbaric practice is having the assistant coach catch infielder throws next to the coach.

Why?

To make the assistant feel like he's contributing to the team somehow?

It would be more efficient to use the assistant coach to run a separate station like we do in practices. So at a bare minimum, a player should catch infielder throws instead of the assistant coach. That would also involve another player so there's one less player standing around.

Some coaches split their team into an infield group and an outfield group. But while that may improve player involvement from one player to two players, there are still at least ten players standing around.

Next time your team has a game, consider this warmup instead:

• kids pair up and do a specific catch play routine, going through different types of throws
• the two coaches each have a hitting warmup station (choose from wiffle balls, mini wiffles, heavies, yogurt container lids, bunting baseballs)

Then transition to:

• an infield station where the fielder pretends to play the pitcher position and is surrounded by four teammates pretending to be at each of the bases
• an 'outfield' station where the fielder pretends to be an outfielder making a play and throws to a fellow fielder pretending to be an infielder

In the infield station:

• players line up single-file BUT the first five break off and go into specific positions
• one of the first five players stands next to the coach and acts as the catcher
• the other four players are in a '+' configuration: 'pitcher' in the middle and other infielders surrounding the pitcher at each 'base'

• the coach hits a ground ball to the 'pitcher' and calls out a number (1, 2, 3 or 4)
• the 'pitcher' fields the grounder, funneling it, and does the proper footwork to throw to the correct base (e.g., if the coach yelled '2', then the 'pitcher' does a 180-degree jump move to throw to a teammate behind him pretending to be at second base)
• the receiver of the throw practices a lightning fast tag of where the imaginary runner would be coming from
• in total, the coach always hits four grounders to the 'pitcher' so the fielder can practice throwing and footwork to each 'base', but the numbers should be random for each new 'pitcher', not always the same sequence where the 'pitcher' knows before the ball is hit where to throw
• after each 'pitcher' has thrown to each base, rotate
• the rotation is: single-file line -> second base -> first base -> pitcher -> third base -> catcher -> back to end of the line

In the outfield station:

• one player stands next to the other coach and acts as an infielder. Could pretend to be the cut/relay man or a base man
• the coach hits/throws a pop up to the forehand side of the first player in the outfield line
• the player catches the fly on the run, then stops his momentum quickly to make a strong throw to the infielder
• the player goes to the end of the line
• when all players have had an opportunity, the coach repeats this process with these other scenarios: fly to backhand side, fly over the fielder's head, fly in front of the fielder (must run in to catch), ground ball to forehand side, ground ball to backhand side, ground ball in front

When everyone has gone through the infield station, then rotate groups (infield station goes to outfield, and vice-versa).

The infield station involves multiple players and replicates game-like movements. The outfield station also replicates game-like movements. Having two stations keeps two groups active simultaneously. You could even have three or four stations to involve even more players simultaneously. Have a short hop station. Have a "pepper" or bunting station (even if you don't believe in bunts). Have a base stealing station. Have a diving station.

But for your players' sake, please don't do the status quo.