Are you spending enough time working on the mental aspects of hitting with your softball team? In this post, we’ll cover some mental hitting basics, and five simple mental hitting drills you can use to boost your hitter’s success.
Hitting – Skip the Rock Drill – Randy Schneider – Univ. of WI
Watch as Coach Randy Schneider explains and a batter demonstrates this Skip the Rock Drill.
Ball Target and Contact Drill – Gordon Eakin – BYU
Watch as Coach Gordon Eakin explains and a batter demonstrates this Ball Target and Contact Drill.
3 Drills for Bunting Under Pressure
You’re facing a tough pitcher and finally get a runner on 1st, only to have your batter unable to bunt the runner over to 2nd and you end up losing 1-0. Sound familiar? If so these Critical Bunting Drills…
Outside Pitch – Back Hand Drill – Challenge U Softball
Watch as Challenge U. Softball’s Coach Stacy explains this Outside Pitch – Back Hand Drill.
Pitching – Forward Motion Faze Drill with Beth Torina – Louisiana State Univ.
Watch as Coach Beth Torina explains and a pitcher demonstrates this Forward Motion Faze Drill.
Making Sense Of Baserunning Strategies
Watching softball tournaments this summer, I was struck by a variety of approaches to baserunning. It can be a lot of fun – or disconcerting – to listen to the “peanut gallery” in the stands as a game plays out. Many freely second-guess…
Infield – Fake Throws that Work – Cindy Bristow – Softball Excellence
Watch as Coach Cindy Bristow discusses tips for infielders fake throws that work.
Two Strike Approach – Margie Knight – Salisbury University
Watch as Watch as Coach Margie Knight explains and a batter demonstrates this Two Strike Approach Drill.
Tips to Teach You How to Hit a Softball Fastball
As a longtime softball player and now a coach, I have often noticed hitters struggle to have their swings catch up to the pitch velocity of some of the faster pitchers. How to hit a softball fastball? The key to success, I’ve found, is having…
Hitting – Front Toss From Behind Drill – Christina Sutcliffe – Northern IL Univ.
Watch as Assistant Coach Alicia Abbott explains and a player demonstrates this Hitting – Front Toss From Behind Drill.
Hitting – Holding The Bat – Howard Dobson – Louisiana State Univ.
Watch as Coach Howard Dobson explains the proper position and technique for holding the bat.
Avoid ACL Injuries in Softball with PREP
The Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) is one of the four major ligaments that provide stability to the knee joint. ACL injuries are most common in sports that require sudden changes of direction or abrupt stops and starts. There are many…
Outfielder Crow Hop Throwing Drill – Challenge U Softball
Watch as Coach Lori explains and an outfielder demonstrates this Outfielder Crow Hop Throwing Drill.
3rd Base: Covering the Base with Kyla Holas
Watch as Coach Kyla Holas explains and a player demonstrates the proper technique for Covering 3rd Base.
3 Softball Pitching Drills for Accuracy!
Softball Pitching Drills – “Hit the Bucket” Drill: Pull out first base and put a 3-4 ft wooden pole (old broomstick or shovel handle) into the base peg hole and put a bucket over the top of the stick; Have the players stand at 2nd base…
Pitch Calling Strategy – Cindy Bristow – Softball Excellence
Watch as Coach Cindy Bristow discusses tips for Pitch Calling Strategy.
Drop and Drop Curves Hitting Drill – Margie Knight – Salisbury University
Watch as Coach Margie Knight explains and a batter demonstrates this Drop and Drop Curves Hitting Drill.
Slapping – Cross Over Step Drill – Challenge U Softball
Watch as Challenge U. Softball’s Coach Lisa explains this Slapping Cross Over Step Drill.
Team Defense – Four Cone Drill – Christina Sutcliffe – Northern IL Univ.
Watch as Coach Christina Sutcliffe explains and players demonstrates this Team Defense – Four Cone Drill.
Softball Throwing Clock – Cindy Bristow – Softball Excellence
Watch as Coach Cindy Bristow explains how the throwing clock can assist in teaching arm motion to fielders.
Soft Toss – Point of Contact Drill – George Wares – Central College
Watch as Assistant Coach Alicia O’Brien explains and a hitter demonstrates this Soft Toss – Point of Contact Drill
How To Deal With Unsportsmanlike Parents
Sportsmanship has become a hot topic in today’s society. Whether you’re watching a little league, high school, club or college game, you see acts of both good and bad sportsmanship on the field and in the…
Infielder’s Hop Drill – Ricci Woodard – TX St. Univ.
Watch as Coach Ricci Woodard explains and a infielders demonstrates this Hop Drill.
Hitting – Drive off the Bucket Drill – Challenge U. Softball
Challenge U. Softball’s Coach D explains this hitting drill on how to drive your bottom half through the ball!
How a Hammer Can Help
Of all the hitting drills I know, this is definitely one of the best! Not only is it simple, but it makes sense to hitters and most importantly, they can transfer it to actually hitting a ball with a bat (something that many hitting drills don’t do!)
Pitching: Changeup Lunge Drill with Melyssa Lombardi
Watch as Coach Melyssa Lombardi explains and a player demonstrates this Changeup Lunge Drill.
Working With Umpires Betters The Game
Last month we discussed the third team on the field: the umpire crew. Here are some thoughts from an umpire’s perspective on how players and coaches can work with umpires for the betterment of the game.
Hitting – Ribbon Drill – George Wares – Central College
Watch as Assistant Coach Alicia O’Brien explains and a player demonstrates the Ribbon Drill.
Infielders – Short Game Coverage Drill – Ehren Earleywine – Univ. of Missouri
Watch as Coach Ehren Earleywine explains and players demonstrate this Short Game Coverage Drill.