Girls Fastpitch Softball Drills & Tips: Fastpitch Articles

Here is a description Softball History and how it started in the 16th Century. In the United States "Softball" was said to be invented In 1887 by George Hancock. © 2001 ASA. All Rights Reserved. See www.softball.org

Also don't forget to visit our Drills & Tips page to find many more tips!

Origins of softball

Raining? Too cold? Try these indoor drills!

Indoor Drills

If you are a pitcher, you are the inspirational centerpiece of your team. You, of all the players, are in control of the ball more than any other member of your team. by Hal Skinner

A Pitcher & Team Hustle

When you step on the field to play you need to focus on the task at hand, and that's playing softball. There are plenty of things that can distract you if you are not concentrating and focusing. by Bill Bruce

Focus

Nice preseason Checklist for coaches to help make sure they covered "all the bases".

Checklist

There are two or three aspects to teaching a player to successfully dive for ground balls and line drives. First there must be a desire on the part of the player to go all out to stop the ball. Every player does not have this drive, but if that aspect is there then the technique is fairly simple.

Dive Drill

All the physical ability in the world will not make a pitcher a winner without mental discipline. A pitcher can be helped with their mental discipline, but ultimately controls her own destiny. The following article was written by John Gay.
Visit John's site @ www.softballclinics.com

Mental

I like to start each pitching practice with the players playing the 3-ball game. I got this game from ASU Head Softball Coach Linda Wells.

Tempo Drills

The following article was published in Sports Illustrated for Kids, June, 1997

It was a situation that could have turned a game of baseball into a youth sports nightmare. Late in a tight baseball game in Harlem last summer, the coach of a team of 13-to-15-year-olds realized that he hadn't met the league rules about playing time. Two players hadn't had their turn in the field. To accommodate both players meant taking out a key player. Not playing the reserves meant forfeiting the game.

Building a team player teamwork skills learned on the playing field can serve your child throughout his/her life.

Build a Team Player

"The biggest challenge is how to treat your own child as a member of the team."
By Jonathan H. Buzby

Coaching Your Child

We have had many requests from new coaches wondering where to start with their teams. We believe that regardless of the level of play that you are at,you must start with the basics. We do this using drills. There are so many good drills that it is hard to know where to start, but here are three that we use at every practice.

Three Basic Drills

One Softball mom made a few surprising discoveries after taking the field. by Margaret Sieck Sports Parents - From the editors of Sports Illustrated For Kids.

View from coach's box

New national standards tell parents what to expect of coaches. If you're a parent of one of the 30 million U.S. children who participate in school - or community-based athletic programs, you should have asked yourself this question by now: Does my kid's coach know what he (or she) is doing? by Kent Hannon

Coach Know?

What does it mean to be part of a team? It means you are part of a group who have come together to achieve the same goals. You are a piece of a puzzle. All of the pieces -- you, your teammates, your coaches, and maybe even the parents of the team members -- must fit together to make the whole puzzle which is the team. By Richard Stratton, Ph.D

Being part of a Team

There is no single magic food that will help you feel stronger, train harder and compete better. However, every food that you eat, in combination with when you eat it, can affect your athletic performance. Here are a few sports nutrition tips which may help you eat to win!

Sports Nutrition

Many of today’s gloves, regardless of price, seem to be available at retailers in a presoftened form. While this may cut down on some of the work and time required, it probably doesn’t mean you can’t and shouldn’t do more to train a new glove so it is most effective in helping you perform in the field.

Breaking in a glove

As an outfielder, a player must take pride in being the team ís last line of defense. There are many responsibilities unique to the outfield position. Following is a short checklist of the skills needed by outfielders. Besides evaluating their players performance of these skills, coaches should give practice time to help outfielders work on and improve them. By Jacquie Joseph

Developing Outfielders

It's a common sound around ballparks and soccer fields or any venue where youth sports are being played. Moms and Dads yelling at their kids. By Jonathan H. Buzby

Let the Coach Do the Coaching

I have received numerous questions from coaches and parents regarding the differences between female athletes and male athletes. One of the underlying themes of these questions has been whether the differences are real or just a perception based on expectations. It is, of course,likely that both explanations come into play. Certainly there are some differences. The magnitude of the differences, however, is likely far less than we tend to expect.

Parenting the Female Athlete

Every year a college team wins the NCAA title. Every year a team wins Nationals. Every year the best team in each division wins the Provincial crown (a Canadian title). All of these teams have one thing in common, and contrary to popular belief, gifted and talented athletes are not the answer. No matter how tough it became throughout their season, they did one thing...they held the rope.

Hold The Rope

The on deck circle is one of three very important phases of your game day hitting routine. Some say it is the most important phase. Coaches compared the on deck circle to starting blocks in a track event, or the huddle in a football game. Either way, it is an extremely important part of your preparation as hitter, once the game begins. By Ralph Weekly

The On Deck Circle

Why does setting goals help us in the first place? Our goals become our own personal map, and help us stay on course and keep working toward reaching the final goal, whatever that happens to be for us and our teams. This article was found on the Lamar High School Lady Vikings Softball website.

Goal Setting

In the Winter 1998 edition of their newsletter, CAPS Matters,the Coalition of Americans to Protect Sports identifies the Nine Legal Duties of a Coach.

Legal Duties of a Coach

Having been a teacher and a coach for over 10 years, there is one thing I can tell you that have found to be true. Teachers and coaches are the biggest thieves known to mankind. by Kyle Brumbaugh

Drill Development - Improve Player Skill

There is no substitute for experience. Coaches often have been heard to lament the youth of their team or comment on the experience factor as a determinant of potential for success. This is certainly true for individuals as well as teams. Catchers, with the expansive amount of material they must understand in order for a team to succeed, are certainly subject to this rule of experience. By Kris Herman

Developing a Young Catcher

Mission Statement written by Ron Holt coach of the: Texas Comets and adopted for the North Texas Bees with Ron's permission. Ron is also a pitching coach & book author. Check out his website Wind Pitch - Fastpitch Softball Pitching Lessons.

Mission Statement

The National Institute for Child Centered Coaching prepared this quiz for coaches to evaluate themselves. Note the response that best reflects your thoughts about each statement.

What Kind of Coach are you??

A checklist outline for catchers. Includes, Position/Setting Up, Receiving the ball, Signals, Blocking balls, Catching Pop Ups, Passed Balls, Plays at Home, and Throwing. by Rocci Pignoli

A_Catcher's_Checklist1.txt

One of the most frustrating plays in softball is to have a routine foul pop-up misplayed because of bad mechanics by the catcher. Although not as important as calling pitches, blocking balls in the dirt, or throwing out base stealers, it is still one of the most important skills a catcher must master. Here are some effective skill enhancers. by Dr. Rob Westling

Catching_the_Foul_Pop-Up1.txt

Take the pressure off of hitting by learning and teaching the basics of QABs. Actually obtaining a 'hit' is difficult. Hitting should be the least of the batter's worries. QABs should be the priority. Batting success starts with QABs. If you concentrate on QABs and BIPs, hits will happen. by Ron Holt

QAB1.txt

This drill is for the batter, pitcher and catcher. At all times, the batter is trying to reach base, while the pitcher and catcher are trying to get the batter out.

Situational_Hitting_-Pitching1.txt

Unpredictability is absolutely necessary to stay competitive and progress to the higher levels of play. Here are some suggestions on how to become unpredictable. by Hal Skinner

UNPREDICTABLE_PITCHING1.txt

In the development of young pitchers, it is most important to master the mechanics of the pitching motion before moving on to off speed and movement pitches. If your pitcher has not done this, the development of 'junk' pitchessuch as a rise, drop or curve will be difficult and unsuccessful. This rule applies to a change-up A change-up can be your pitcher's best friend and most effective pitch. By Jodi L. Robinson

Pitching-knuckle_Ball1.txt

The game is a pretty simple game when you come to think about it. The pitcher throws it, the batter hits it, the fielder chases it, catches it or throws the runner out. I'm probably leaving out a few explanatory details but by and large that is it. From a coach's perspective I know that my nerves get shortened when my pitchers are constantly behind in the count. At the collegiate level, we cannot afford to be behind in the count because good situation hitters will kill you. by Ken Eriksen

Pitching_Philosophy1.txt

Advice From an 'experienced' softball player parent.

Parent_tips1.txt

Some very good advise for parents from Dr. Moe Gelbart.

Parents_-_Involvement_Or_Interference1.txt

Today's pitcher faces more challenges than eve before in that the hitters are constantly improving, athletes are becoming more physically fit, and weak opposing pitchers are few and far in between. All this adds to the importance of self-improvement, and wit it a better understanding of this art called pitching. By Drew Peterson

Pitching-Setting_Up_Hitters1.txt

See Where They Land
By MIKE CANDREA
Head Coach, University of Arizona

Here are a few guidelines to prepare your team and make sure everyone
\is game-ready by the February opener. The very first concept is to work
backwards from the first date of competition as you plan practice schedules.

One Man's Plans:

Slap hitting is an offensive strategy designed to place stress on the defense and provide more opportunities for our offense to score runs.

Slap hitting

All one needs to so is see someone try to hit without taking a stride and the reasons why the stride is an essential component of hitting becomes apparent.

Stride

It happens before every game. My teams have done it and I bet yours have too. The team arrives at the field and the pre-game ritual begins. Players stretch, take laps, throw and take PRE-GAME BATTING PRACTICE.

Pre-game batting

There is a great deal of information here. If one employs only some of it, there will be improvement of hitting performance.

Gaining Advantage

Okay, you have practice. What are you doing today? Offense? Defense? Base-running? Pitching?…So much to cover, and so little time. You need to get organized. How? Well, that is what I want to help you do.

Practice Organization

Be physically ready for the ball to come to you, think ahead, and many more tips.

Tips for Better Fielding

Even if your no where near as good as the other players, You can still get highly recognized by the coach.

tryout

Here's some easy softball tips for infielders and outfielders, and some softball hitting tips, slow down and relax!

PlaySmartDefense

Drill submitted by Pete Sprenkle          Ball Tips

King of the Hill

Drill submitted by Pete Sprenkle          Ball Tips

infield throwing drill

Drill submitted by Pete Sprenkle          Ball Tips

Out Field Throwing Drill

Drill submitted by Pete Sprenkle          Ball Tips

Speed and Agility Drill