softball drills

Purpose: Ball players should be filthy after sliding and diving and those "wisks" around the base. Sliding head first  is tough skill to learn but still can be taught.

Procedure: you'll be needing throw-down bases. Wisk detergent can clean the dirtiest of uniforms.The day before playing wisk tell kids to wear uniform, pants, sweats or old jeans. this activity is best suited without shoes. Start with one giant line of people (standing on the foul line). Have a starting signal. Include five sliding stations.

First, use a per leader to demonstrate each of the five slides 1) straight leg but arms down to avoid the tag. 2) pop-up, 3) hook with either leg, 4) head first, and 5) slide past the bag and reach around to touch it. Second, have the kids perform each bent-leg slide (leg out front) as a group by only taking a few steps and then sliding. Focus on technique rather than speed. Fourth, take a full sprint towards the instructor some distance away. After a sprint, simply turn around and face the other direction. Start off in the stealing position. Fifth,have a sliding contest. Award a prize for the best slide or give a round of applause to the dirtiest person. On that hot summer day, hose down the water slide mat to practice head first dives.

Purpose: This is a rapid-fire bunting drill designed to get a lot done in a short period of time.  Bunting is a skill each player in a team should know how to do, coaching softball should have bunting in their practice sessions

Procedure: Prepare a batting cage, pitching machine, jug balls, helmet and thunderstick bat. Use the thunderstick bat for purpose of hand-eye coordination and confidence. Put the balls into the pitching machine one after another. Stay in the bunting stance for each pitch. Focus on the "peas" shooting out from the machine. Bunt left. Bunt right. Lay down the sacrifice bunt drag and squeeze. Go through an entire bucket of balls. Don't worry about a pop-up. Get ready for the next pitch because there's no time to dwell on the negative. 

Purpose: To develop tactics for handling a wild pitch with a runner on third base. A  softball pitching tip to remember is to practice pitchers to defend as well.

Procedure: This drill needs a softball and gloves. Situate the fielding team in their regular positions. Put a base runner on third. The coach places a softball somewhere behind the catcher without the catcher knowing where. On the "go" command the base runner sprints for home plate. The catcher turns to locate the softball, and the pitcher runs to cover home plate. When the catcher locates the ball, he turns and tosses it to the pitcher covering home. The pitcher tags the sliding runner with the ball.

This situation occurs in almost every youth softball game and is very rarely practiced. This is an easy drill to set up and if practiced correctly, can prepare players for real game situations.

1 While running to cover home plate, the pitcher should yell to the catcher where the ball is if the catcher has trouble locating it.

2. The catcher should concentrate only on locating the ball. After doing so, he should turn and toss !he ball underhand and low to the pitcher so that the pitchers glove will be in a good position to tag the sliding base runner.

3. The pitcher should concentrate on catching the ball before turning toward the base runner.
Because this is practice, the base runner should, at first, slow up a few feet before reaching home plate so that fielders can effectively practice the drill.

4. When this play occurs, either In practice or in a game, the second baseman should move to the base of the plate to back up the toss to the pitcher. This backup can prevent additional runs if the catcher overthrows the Loss to the pitcher and there is more than one runner on base.

5. Rotate all of the pitchers and catchers in this drill.

Purpose: To familiarize fielders with the "two players on one base" game situation. One softball fielding tip is to give game situation drills to help players develop instincts on the field.
Procedure: This drill will be needing a softball and gloves All infielders play in their usual positions except the shortstop. The shortstop plays 15 feet in front of the usual position.
Two base runners stand between second and third base, approximately 10 feet from one another.
Without the shortstop looking (she shouldn't turn around, the two base runners should locate themselves in an odd, yet common,softball. situation such as (1) the one mentioned above or (2) two players on one base. Youth players tend to make all kinds of base running errors that are so unusual that fielders are not sure what to do. This drill teaches the fielders to pursue the lead runner. The coach stands in front of the shortstop and directs both runners. He can direct both back toward second or both toward third. He can tell the lead runner to go to third and the trail runner to go to second. He can also keep base runners where they are.
The coach gives the ball to the shortstop and tells him to go after the lead runner. On the "go" command, the shortstop turns around. The base runners break (or stay still) according to the direction given.
The shortstop runs at the lead runner and/or throws to the lead base, depending on how close he is to the base runner and how close the base runner is to the lead base. If the shortstop is close enough to the runner to run him down and tag him, he should do so. However, if the shortstop is unable to catch the runner, then he should throw to the lead base.
In the drill, the two base runners serve as a distraction as the fielder faces the "two players on one base" situation.
1. The fielders must always run at the lead runner.
2. Once the lead runner commits to a base, the fielder should try to run him down.
3. If the fielder cannot catch the runner, he should throw to the lead base.
4. Give each infielder a chance to perform this drill as a runner and as a fielder.
5. Teach outfielders to move in when they sse this situation so they can serve as a backup.

Variation
This drill has many variations: two players on the same base, two play between first and second, two- players between second and third, and two players between third and home.

Purpose: Teach the second baseman the footwork needed for turning a double play when the ball is hit deep in the hole to the shortstop.  Coaching softball entails teaching everything there is to know on the field and it is important to take time to practice learned skill.
Procedure: this drill is located in the infield around second base. prepare a crate of softballs, a base. Coach hits the ball in the hole between the shortstop and second base using a fungo bat. The shortstop should move to field the batted ball and make the throw to second base . The second baseman should move to cover second base, timing her arrival at second base so that she gets to the base at the same moment the ball arrives on the throw from the shortstop. The second baseman should turn the double play using the proper sequence of the footwork. Her left foot touches the bag, her right foot steps backward in the dirt, her left foot is on the dirt on the rightfield side of second base. The second baseman should hold her hands open at chest level, forming an angle with his palms facing the ball and his fingers pointing to the sky. The second baseman should receive the throw at the back point of the base. After receiving the throw from the shortstop, the second baseman should then simulate the throw to first base and hop over an imaginary player who is sliding to second base.

The second baseman should exhibit "happv feet" (i.e., feet continually moving in place in a short choppy manner), as she receives the throw and completes the double play. When the balI hits his glove, the second baseman should use the middle finger of her glove hand to push the ball out of her glove. This step results in the ball quickly popping out to the throwing hand. The second baseman's throwing hand should always be held in a position to catch the ball once it is forced out of the glove. When completing the footwork of the double play the second baseman should point her left foot toward first to set open her hips.

Purpose: If a hitter expects to execute a game, one needs to practice those plays beforehand. It's very important to practice different game situations because it's easier for players to recall and execute a play when done during practice. These are good coaching softball tips for fall.

Procedure: You will be needed a Pitching machine, batting cage, bats, balls and helmets. Simulate the many offensive strategies while batting against a pitching machine. Each discipline may call for a different batting grip, body alignment, position in the batter's box, and strength of swing. Use the following strategy. Progress in numerical order.

Sacrifice Bunt: Bunt a strike away from the pitcher,

Drag Sunt: Bunt a strike close to the foul line.  

Squeeze Bunt: Bunt any pitch on the ground.

Hit-and-Run: Swing down at any pitch, and hit it on the ground.

Move the Runner to next base: Hit a strike to the right side.

Sacrifice Fly: Loft a ball to the outfield.

Line Drive: Rip a strike up the middle.

Try this game (older players) with a verbal command (particular play) just as the ball is pitched shout out from between the pitching machine wheels. The batter must be quiet and decisive just as in a regular game. If a batter is unsuccessful in executing a play, the next person hits. You can also perform "Name That Play against a live pitcher. With hitting groups in the cage, have three stations; 1) live batting with the above scenario, 2) deciphering offensive signals from a coach (say what was called), and 3) standing in against a pitcher throwing on the side (no swinging).

Part I: Start with the outfielders throwing twice to each base. First second base, then third, and finally home. Use cutoff people. Pitchers can field comebackers and work on throwing to 1st base. Catchers can be fielding bunts and throwing to first base as well.

Part II: Infielders should start by throwing the ball twice around the infield to each person. Then field a series of grounders. Get on the grass, and throw to home plate. Then throw twice to first base (first basemen throw to third). Work in the catchers at each stop. Next is "One and Cover" where the catcher throws to each base (make tags). Then perform two double plays each. Try a long throw from
Daring Part II: Outfielders should catch fly balls as a group in center field. The instructor should stand in foul territory with a bucket of balls. Just keep hitting them one after another. Don't use a cutoff man. After catching each variety (routine balls left and right, over the head, line drive, and shallow pop-up), toss the ball to an open area which is in front of and away from the group.

Part III: During the final infield scenario, line everyone up down the foul line on your dugout side. Exchange glove slaps. During the entire routine, hustle and talk it up. Throw the ball hard. Hit the cutoffperson- Use newer balls for a touch of class.

Purpose: In Vamos (Spanish for "let's go") the challenge is to run in the correct
direction, not necessarily home to first. To get your player's attention you sometimes
must have fun drills when coaching softball.

Procedure: Drill will need bases. Make different baserunning rules for an actual
practice game or specific inning. First inning: run the bases in reverse. Second inning:
second base becomes first, third becomes second, and first becomes third. Third
innning: when the ball is hit to the right side of the field (or infield), the player should
initially run to third base and proceed around the bases in reverse. If another batter hits
the ball to the left side, then the player funs to first base. If multiple players are on the
base paths they must determine the correct direction in which to run, based upon
where the ball is hit. then reverse this trend the next inning. Stipulate that "running in the
wrong direction" (for that particular play) results in an out for the offensive team. Fourth
inning: refer back to the rules of the first inning. Keep home plate as the final destination
in each phase.