Practice Tips and Tricks
Throwing Tips and Techniques:
The best throwing techniques are when the arm comes through the "slot" at a 45 degree angle. Here are some University of Michigan softball players in action. Throwing Video
The best throwing techniques are when the arm comes through the "slot" at a 45 degree angle. Here are some University of Michigan softball players in action. Throwing Video
Hitting Tips and Techniques:
"And just how do we get the hands into the hitting zone as quickly as possible, you ask? The easiest and best way is to NOT “wrap the bat”. Again, in agreement with the best hitting instructors across the country, this is the biggest mistake a batter can make when hitting. Wrapping the bat is actually “over-loading”. Also called the “negative move”, “trigger”, or “take away”, loading should only occur in the preparation phase of the swing, and NOT in the stance. When a player wraps the bat way back behind the head, it makes it nearly impossible to maintain a quick and precise swing for maximum contact. In wrapping the bat, the distance to the hitting zone is so much longer, causing the hands to drop and the swing to “loop”, making it a long and much slower swing. The best way to get the bat to the point of contact, is to get the body, hands, and bat in a ready position that allows the batter the quickest, shortest, and smoothest path to the ball.
Doug-Out Chatter by Doug Gardner- Director ALL-AMERICAN Fastpitch SOFTBALL CAMPS
Mindset: ESPN’S Sport Science did an episode on the speed of softball showing that a pitch traveling at 70mph at a release point of 37 feet gives the batter .35 seconds to react to the pitch. If our approach isn’t YES, YES, NO that .35 seconds goes by even quicker. By starting with the mindset of YES the batter only has to choose visual cues that are NO’s. We focus on those visual cues being high/low, inside/outside and rise. Anything else is (hopefully) within the strike zone and we’re taking a hack at it. When we have players strike out looking, I will always check in with them on what their mindset was on that pitch. A lot of times the answer will be “I was looking for this and she threw this instead” admitting that they got away from thinking just YES, YES, NO. From Coach Lisle of the University of Oregon
Keeping Palm up Palm down and front sholder in CLICK HERE
Extension Drill, keeping shoulder in: Click Here
3 plate drill: click here
2 Tee drill: Click here
Long Tee Drills: to watch the video: Click Here
Extension Tee Drill: to watch the video Click Here
Contact Points: to watch the video: Click Here
Soft Toss How to W/ contact points: Click Here
Matching the Plane of the ball to watch: Click Here
Being On-time to Hit: To watch the video: Click Here
Hitting Posture & Load: to watch the video: Click Here
Reggie Jackson: Sit Drill Click Here
Tennis Ball Bounce Drill: Click Here
2 ball side toss Drill: Click Here
Hitting a change up: Click Here
Vision and Hitting: Click Here
Sac Bunt demonstration: Click Here
Slapping Drills: Click Here
Break down slapping drill: Click Here
Slapping Drill: to watch the video: Click Here
Slapping Tee Drill: to watch the video: Click Here
Extension Drill, keeping shoulder in: Click Here
3 plate drill: click here
2 Tee drill: Click here
Long Tee Drills: to watch the video: Click Here
Extension Tee Drill: to watch the video Click Here
Contact Points: to watch the video: Click Here
Soft Toss How to W/ contact points: Click Here
Matching the Plane of the ball to watch: Click Here
Being On-time to Hit: To watch the video: Click Here
Hitting Posture & Load: to watch the video: Click Here
Reggie Jackson: Sit Drill Click Here
Tennis Ball Bounce Drill: Click Here
2 ball side toss Drill: Click Here
Hitting a change up: Click Here
Vision and Hitting: Click Here
Sac Bunt demonstration: Click Here
Slapping Drills: Click Here
Break down slapping drill: Click Here
Slapping Drill: to watch the video: Click Here
Slapping Tee Drill: to watch the video: Click Here
FIELDING TIPS and TRICKS:
PRE GAME warmups Video
Basic Fielding (no glove Drill): Click Here
Basic Fielding 2 (with glove): Click Here
Relay Drills: Click Here
Relay Drill from Right to 1st: Click Here
Around the Horn Drill: Click Here
4 Cone Drill: Click Here
Pressure Pre game / drill: Click here
Fielding Drills: Click Here
Stationary Fielding Drill: Click Here
Fielding inside Drills: Corners Diving: Click Here
Outfield Drills: Click Here
Outfield Drill 4 corners: Click Here
Outfield stay behind the Ball: Click Here
Outfield Drill Shoestring Catch: Click Here
http://softball.coachesdirectory.com/article/outfielder-crow-hop-throwing-drill--challenge-u-softball-video.htmlOutfield Crow hop Drill: Click Here
Inside Competition Drills: Click Here
Inside Star Drill: Click Here
4 Corner Quick Catch: Click Here
Run Down Drills: Click Here
Tag Drill with a bag: Click Here
1st Base footwork, pickoff from Catcher: Click Here
3rd base coverage: Click Here
Catchers Drills and Workouts: Click Here
Pitching a Riseball: Click Here
Pitching break down: Click Here
Pitching wrist snap: Click Here
Pitching Location Drill:Click Here
Pitching Location Game: Click Here
Pitching Warm Ups: Click Here
Pitching Work Outs: Click here
Pitching Lunge and Pitch Click Here
Pitching Exploding off the mound: Click Here