Introduction

Welcome to the VLL Off-Season Program!! Off-season training isn’t just “waiting for next spring”; it’s an opportunity to build foundational athleticism, reduce injury risk, and return stronger. The winter months provide an ideal window for youth baseball players to focus on muscular strength, explosive power, speed, and overall resiliency, which all translate directly to improved performance on the baseball field. Hitting and throwing skills matter, but without a well structured off-season program, achievement is limited. Importantly, youth athletes should beencouraged to take time off from baseball and participate in multiple sportsrather than specializing early in baseball alone. The off‐season should gradually shift from strength/power work to more sport-specific skill work as the season approaches.

Why this matters for VLL families

By committing to an off-season program:

-Your child gains strength and athleticism that will improve batting speed, throwing velocity, quicker ground balls, and better base running.

-They become more resilient: fewer injuries, less fatigue, stronger physical base.

-They’ll be prepared for spring season readiness: when practices start, your child isn’t playing catch and stretching only; they will be in shape.

-Encouraging multisport engagement means your child develops a broad athletic base (balance, coordination, agility) and avoids burnout or overuse injuries from too much baseball too soon.

-Keep it fun!!

How this program is structured

The following pages contain weekly plans for each division. Each weekly plan includes: stretches/warm‐ups, throwing drills, batting/hitting drills, strength/coordination drills. Parents, you are the primary facilitators. Try your best to work with your child at least twice a week in the off-season, supplementing with multisport play (soccer, basketball, swimming etc.) as encouraged above. The goal isn’t to train like a pro; your child is not a miniature professional athlete. But the basic foundational principles of strength, power, speed, coordination, and arm-care apply.

Thank you for your support and commitment. Let's help our VLL athletes build stronger, smarter, and have fun doing it!

-Luis Rojas and James Aquilina, Directors of Coaching.

Training Program by Level:
-Majors: Current and rising Majors players
-3A: Current and rising 3A players
-2A: Current and rising 2A players
-1A: Current and rising 1A players
-Rookie: Current and rising Rookie Ball players
-T-Ball: Current and rising T-Ball players