I just got my hands on a very interesting article that deals with overuse injures of softball pitchers. It was published in Training and Conditioning Magazine a few weeks ago. This is the official professional magazines of athletic trainers. These are the people that works with sports teams and take care of injured athletes.
Colleagues of mine who works with the Montreal Canadiens NHL Ice Hockey Club gave me a copy of the article.
The information presented is very important so I thought I would share with you the key messages contained in the article.
Here are the key messages:
- We assume that softball pitchers didn't have to worry about overuse injuries. That's not true.
- Recent studies have shown that the forces produces by the windmill pitching motion is similar to the baseball pitching motion and does take a toll on a softball pitcher's arm.
- Many studies conducted in the last few years have revealed that softball pitchers are subject to a high incidence of overuse injuries.
- Two main causes of chronic injuries in softball pitchers: poor mechanics and overuse. It's totally possible for a pitcher to never get injured if you do three things: (1) teach them proper pitching mechanics , (2) manage their use (pitching time) and recovery and (3) complete injury prevention training through softball-specific conditioning.
- Poor pitching mechanics can lead to injury even at young age.
- First thing you should work on with pitchers is to make a perfect circle with proper shoulder rotation. Most injuries are caused by an improper circle.
- Improper hip rotation has been shown to be another common cause of injury. The biggest flaw seen in pitchers is how their hips move when they release the ball.
- Lack of follow-through is also an important source of the stress on the shoulder and can also injuries.You also have to watch the follow-through on the various pitches as many causes very high levels of stress in the forearm, arm and shoulder.
- Another often overlooked factor is bad overhead throwing mechanics in pitchers - especially those playing another position. Often, this combines with a lot of underhand pitching leads to chronic injuries.
- You should keep count of pitches like they do in baseball. When reaching 100-120 pitches in a game, you should have your bullpen ready.
- You should NOT throw every day (practices or games). You should give at least a day or two off after a big weekend or a lot of pitching on the weekends.
- You should NOT overuse a pitcher every weekend (like pitching 3-4 games in a weekend). It's ok once or twice a year but doing it consistently will quickly wear down the shoulders and you are asking for trouble down the road.
- You also have to be careful with athletes playing other sports like volleyball or tennis for example where there is a lot of overhead motions. If this is the case, you should consider limiting the amount of pitching a bit to prevent injuries.
- Common overuse injuries in pitchers are in the rotator cuff and in the biceps.
- Signs and symptoms of overuse injuries: nagging pain, fatigue, decreased performance, change in mechanics, loss of velocity or control and changed in pitcher's attitude.
- Commonly diagnosed injuries: biceps tendonitis, rotator cuff strains, impingement syndrome (inflammation of rotator cuff tendons). Overuse injuries can also affect the lower back and the knees.
- You should differentiates normal soreness (temporary stiffness from doing work) and bad soreness (pain) that causes discomfort. Watch for pitchers' body language or facial expressions - these are good indicators of discomfort or injuries. Many athletes don't want to tell their coach because they don't want to be taken out of the line-up.
- Main treatment for overuse injuries: rest and proper treatment. if it is minor enough and you are in the middle of the season, just cut down on pitches and provide plenty of rest. You should also ice after every game or pitching practice.
- The use of anti-inflammatories is also recommended but should be done under the supervision a qualified medical professional.
- Doing exercises in a pool is recommended for good shoulder conditioning or rehab (make sure not to do too much swimming as it is hard on the shoulders).
- Massage is another element that can be integrated in a treatment or injury prevention plan. Make sure you work with a qualified and registered massage therapist. They can improve circulation, re-align the tissue, and enhance muscular relaxation, which promotes healing.
- Strength training is very important in preventing softball pitching injuries.
- Training the core is very important. The core is the lower part of the trunk musculature (hips, buttocks, abdominal, obliques, lower back, etc.). Lack of strength and flexibility in the core
often results in over-compensating and injuries show up elsewhere like in the shoulder.
- Almost every softball athlete has a deficient core.
- Single leg work help make pitchers stronger and is very sport- specific. Doing body-weight deadlifts with one leg, single-leg squats, and that type of exercises is highly beneficial.
- Tubing exercises is also very beneficial for strengthening the shoulder.
- Explosive strength is also something pitchers should work on because from the start of the pitching motion to release takes less than a second.
- Work with overweighted and underweighted balls is beneficial for injury prevention and gaining speed.
- There are traditional exercises you should avoid like overhead lifts. They are not really recommended for pitchers. Also, there should be less emphasis on bench press (don't eliminate entirely but do much less of it). There should be more focus on body- weight push-up variations.
- You should focus more on pulling exercises and do less pushing exercises (do more rows and less presses).
- References used for this articles can be found at: www.athleticsearch.com/softrefs
What I think
WOW.. that's a lot of powerful information. I agree 100% with everything in this article because I have been preaching a lot of it for years!
I have seen too many dominating young pitchers just disappear of the circulation due to overuse injuries. It starts slowly and over a few years, they completely disappear because they can't pitch anymore. I am sure you have seen plenty of those cases too.
I really want you to take action and think on the long-term health of yourself (if you are a pitcher) or your pitchers (coach or parents). There is no point at over-utilizing a pitcher if she won't be able to compete down the road due to overuse injuries.
Marc Dagenais
Marc Dagenais, MHK, CSCS, is a Softball Peak Performance Coach that helps softball players and teams hit with more power, run faster, throw harder, become mentally tougher and be more dominant on the softball field.
Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/authors/marc-dagenais/106433
Monday, July 15, 2013
Monday, July 8, 2013
Coaching Fastpitch Softball Pitchers: Softball pitching tips with Amanda Scarborough
Former Texas A&M All-American softball pitcher Amanda Scarborough breaks down the fundamentals of several different softball pitches. For more info, visit Former Texas A&M All-American softball pitcher Amanda Scarborough breaks down the fundamentals of several different softball pitches. For more info, visit softball.com and Amanda9.com. and Amanda9.com.
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Softball Pitching - How to Easily Get 80% of Batters Out
By Marc Dagenais
I've coached at pretty much all levels of the game going from rec 8U to college and international softball in the as 20 years. I've coached and watched a lot of softball games in my life. A couple of years ago, I even spent an entire summer scouting (charting pitches, identifying pitching patterns, measuring speed, etc.) and filming the best pitchers in the world (Finch, Roche, Ueno, Fernandez, etc.) for the Canadian Women's National Team. One thing that seems to be consistent across all levels is the difficulty that the majority of batters have hitting the low inside and outside pitches. At the younger levels (not talking about 18U Gold or college ball), I strongly believe that if a pitcher keeps the ball low most of the time and throws strikes on the low corners (even only using a fastball), she can get easily 80% of the batters out.
Do you know many teams that carry a lot of hitters able to consistently hit rockets out of low inside or outside pitches? I don't. Most teams may have one or two such hitters - maybe three if they are lucky. Hitting a low inside or outside pitch (even if it is a strike) solidly is tough and challenging! As you know, I strongly believe in shifting the odds in your favor. Think about this for a second. Most hitters fail at least 70% of the time less than 300 batting average at the plate. The same hitters probably fail at least 85% of the time on low inside or outside pitches for strikes. What are the odds that 2 or even 3 hitters will line up several hits in a row to score a run if you keep the ball low, throw strikes and avoid giving up walks? The odds are very low - especially if your defense can do the job of getting the batters out on easy grounders or lazy pop-ups.
Bottom line - there are two things I want to emphasize:
1) Keep the ball low on the corners. Throw most of them for strikes.
2) Practice keeping the ball low.
Unless you are practicing a rise or a high pitch on purpose, everything you throw even in a warm-up should always be BELOW the waist (and knee-high ideally). I see a lot of pitchers who warm-up and keep throwing everything high until they get in their full motion. That's a mistake. Why so? Because you're training the habit of throwing the ball high. Pitching is a matter of timing and consistency of release point. Start right away learning to throw strikes low inside or outside consistently on each pitch - even in the warm-up. To go a step further, I would probably ban anything that is above the waist - unless it was meant when working with younger pitchers! Just doing this will quickly help you get most of the batters out! Imagine when you start mixing them up with change-ups and other moving pitches in addition to keeping the ball low, you can become very effective pitchers even if you don't throw that hard!
Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Marc Dagenais, MHK, CSCS, is a softball peak performance coach that helps players and teams hit with more power and be more dominant on the softball field. To get tons of great FREE softball drills to boost your game, visit us at: http://www.softballperformance.com/softball-drills
I've coached at pretty much all levels of the game going from rec 8U to college and international softball in the as 20 years. I've coached and watched a lot of softball games in my life. A couple of years ago, I even spent an entire summer scouting (charting pitches, identifying pitching patterns, measuring speed, etc.) and filming the best pitchers in the world (Finch, Roche, Ueno, Fernandez, etc.) for the Canadian Women's National Team. One thing that seems to be consistent across all levels is the difficulty that the majority of batters have hitting the low inside and outside pitches. At the younger levels (not talking about 18U Gold or college ball), I strongly believe that if a pitcher keeps the ball low most of the time and throws strikes on the low corners (even only using a fastball), she can get easily 80% of the batters out.
Do you know many teams that carry a lot of hitters able to consistently hit rockets out of low inside or outside pitches? I don't. Most teams may have one or two such hitters - maybe three if they are lucky. Hitting a low inside or outside pitch (even if it is a strike) solidly is tough and challenging! As you know, I strongly believe in shifting the odds in your favor. Think about this for a second. Most hitters fail at least 70% of the time less than 300 batting average at the plate. The same hitters probably fail at least 85% of the time on low inside or outside pitches for strikes. What are the odds that 2 or even 3 hitters will line up several hits in a row to score a run if you keep the ball low, throw strikes and avoid giving up walks? The odds are very low - especially if your defense can do the job of getting the batters out on easy grounders or lazy pop-ups.
Bottom line - there are two things I want to emphasize:
1) Keep the ball low on the corners. Throw most of them for strikes.
2) Practice keeping the ball low.
Unless you are practicing a rise or a high pitch on purpose, everything you throw even in a warm-up should always be BELOW the waist (and knee-high ideally). I see a lot of pitchers who warm-up and keep throwing everything high until they get in their full motion. That's a mistake. Why so? Because you're training the habit of throwing the ball high. Pitching is a matter of timing and consistency of release point. Start right away learning to throw strikes low inside or outside consistently on each pitch - even in the warm-up. To go a step further, I would probably ban anything that is above the waist - unless it was meant when working with younger pitchers! Just doing this will quickly help you get most of the batters out! Imagine when you start mixing them up with change-ups and other moving pitches in addition to keeping the ball low, you can become very effective pitchers even if you don't throw that hard!
Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Marc Dagenais, MHK, CSCS, is a softball peak performance coach that helps players and teams hit with more power and be more dominant on the softball field. To get tons of great FREE softball drills to boost your game, visit us at: http://www.softballperformance.com/softball-drills
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Softball Pitching - 4 Steps To Great Mechanics
By Becky Wittenburg
Because softball pitching requires one fluid motion, it is difficult to coach it in terms of fundamentals. However, pitchers need to understand the proper mechanics in order to develop their pitching skills. If a pitcher is struggling with her delivery, then breaking the pitching motion down into its fundamental elements will help isolate and fix the problem. The following tips will help coaches and pitchers establish a firm pitching foundation.
The Windmill Method
The most popular delivery in fastpitch softball is currently the windmill method. In this underhand pitch, the pitcher's arm starts in front of her body, winds back, completes a full circle, releases the ball at the hip, and then follows through.
The windmill is more than just an arm motion, however; it requires a long stride that utilizes the legs and torso to generate more power. Both speed and the shift of weight play an important part in executing the windmill effectively, so pitchers should practice the motion to develop a comfortable rhythm. Maximum velocity and accuracy will only occur if all of the movements are in sync.
The Fundamentals: Grip
In fastpitch softball pitching, the grip on the ball depends on the type of pitch being thrown. How the pitcher holds the ball will direct the rotation of the ball and the way the wind interacts with the seams, which will in turn determine how fast the ball travels. For example, to throw a four-seam fastball, the pitcher will hold the ball so the laces form a letter "C," then place her fingers across the "C." For a two-seam fastball, the pitcher will hold the ball so the laces form a "U." Her pointer and ring fingers will each rest along a seam and the middle finger will go in between the seams.
With either delivery, the middle three fingers will be on top of the ball, with the pinkie tucked underneath and the thumb on the side of the ball. The ball should be held securely in the fingers, not against the palm of the hand.
The Fundamentals: Stance
A pitcher's stance is the position she assumes before beginning her wind-up. It can vary from pitcher to pitcher, but a player should have a basic stance that is consistent and comfortable for her.
She should begin by holding the ball in her glove and standing up straight at the pitcher's mound. Her lead foot, or throwing-side foot, should be on the rubber with the toes extended over the front edge. The rear foot toes should touch the back of the rubber. Her front leg should be straight while the back leg is slightly bent, and the feet should be just a little closer than shoulder-width apart. The pitcher should square her shoulders toward home plate, keeping her weight on the balls of her feet.
At this point in a game, the pitcher would look to the catcher for the signal while slightly shifting her weight forward. She would then visualize her pitch, take a deep breath, and begin her wind-up.
Completing the Pitch
In order to properly execute the pitch, the pitcher needs to develop her wind-up, stride, arm movement, and follow-through. Once she is comfortable with her grip and stance, continue the pitching lesson by introducing the pitching motion. Players often become overwhelmed at first, but by starting with the basics, coaches can guarantee understanding before moving on to developing more advanced skills, like an effective change-up.
And if you'd like to see more free softball pitching drills and coaching tips, go here to watch a free video:
http://www.softball-spot.com
Becky Wittenburg is a softball coach, and the owner and publisher of Softball-Spot.com, the web's #1 resource for softball pitching drills, tips, and practice ideas for youth and high school coaches.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Becky_Wittenburg
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6231786
Because softball pitching requires one fluid motion, it is difficult to coach it in terms of fundamentals. However, pitchers need to understand the proper mechanics in order to develop their pitching skills. If a pitcher is struggling with her delivery, then breaking the pitching motion down into its fundamental elements will help isolate and fix the problem. The following tips will help coaches and pitchers establish a firm pitching foundation.
The Windmill Method
The most popular delivery in fastpitch softball is currently the windmill method. In this underhand pitch, the pitcher's arm starts in front of her body, winds back, completes a full circle, releases the ball at the hip, and then follows through.
The windmill is more than just an arm motion, however; it requires a long stride that utilizes the legs and torso to generate more power. Both speed and the shift of weight play an important part in executing the windmill effectively, so pitchers should practice the motion to develop a comfortable rhythm. Maximum velocity and accuracy will only occur if all of the movements are in sync.
The Fundamentals: Grip
In fastpitch softball pitching, the grip on the ball depends on the type of pitch being thrown. How the pitcher holds the ball will direct the rotation of the ball and the way the wind interacts with the seams, which will in turn determine how fast the ball travels. For example, to throw a four-seam fastball, the pitcher will hold the ball so the laces form a letter "C," then place her fingers across the "C." For a two-seam fastball, the pitcher will hold the ball so the laces form a "U." Her pointer and ring fingers will each rest along a seam and the middle finger will go in between the seams.
With either delivery, the middle three fingers will be on top of the ball, with the pinkie tucked underneath and the thumb on the side of the ball. The ball should be held securely in the fingers, not against the palm of the hand.
The Fundamentals: Stance
A pitcher's stance is the position she assumes before beginning her wind-up. It can vary from pitcher to pitcher, but a player should have a basic stance that is consistent and comfortable for her.
She should begin by holding the ball in her glove and standing up straight at the pitcher's mound. Her lead foot, or throwing-side foot, should be on the rubber with the toes extended over the front edge. The rear foot toes should touch the back of the rubber. Her front leg should be straight while the back leg is slightly bent, and the feet should be just a little closer than shoulder-width apart. The pitcher should square her shoulders toward home plate, keeping her weight on the balls of her feet.
At this point in a game, the pitcher would look to the catcher for the signal while slightly shifting her weight forward. She would then visualize her pitch, take a deep breath, and begin her wind-up.
Completing the Pitch
In order to properly execute the pitch, the pitcher needs to develop her wind-up, stride, arm movement, and follow-through. Once she is comfortable with her grip and stance, continue the pitching lesson by introducing the pitching motion. Players often become overwhelmed at first, but by starting with the basics, coaches can guarantee understanding before moving on to developing more advanced skills, like an effective change-up.
And if you'd like to see more free softball pitching drills and coaching tips, go here to watch a free video:
http://www.softball-spot.com
Becky Wittenburg is a softball coach, and the owner and publisher of Softball-Spot.com, the web's #1 resource for softball pitching drills, tips, and practice ideas for youth and high school coaches.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Becky_Wittenburg
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6231786
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
How to Fast-Pitch in Softball
How to Fast-Pitch in Softball
Uploaded by livestrong It's helpful to use your whole body when pitching in softball. Learn some tips towards throwing faster strikes in this softball video.
Baseball2u.com and CoachesBest.com is your online super store for baseball batting cages, pitching machines and protective screens and nets. This fully licensed company has a full time staff to help you from 8:00 to 5:00 CST. You may order securely online or by phone, toll free, at 1-877-431-4487.
Check out these categories that are featured at Baseball2u.com.
Jugs Complete Packages
Batting Cages
60' Portable Batting Cage
55' Portable Batting Cage
70' Portable Batting Cage
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BATA Pitching Machines
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…and if you are looking for Youth Training Equipment, Advanced Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, and Pitching & Throwing Trainers, or Portable Mounds, they have those too!
Plus, they have one the internet's largest selections of Baseball Training and Coaching DVDs and Books. Make sure to chweck our their CLEARANCE DEPARTMENT for rock bottom prices on top quality equipment.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Fastpitch Softball - Basics on How Its Done & Fastpitch Softball Pitching Equipment
Fastpitch Softball - Basics on How Its Done & Fastpitch Softball Pitching Equipment
By guest author: Mike Ripley
The game of softball is often confused with the game of baseball and many are often lead to believe that if one plays baseball one can play softball too. Before one discusses what softball pitching is all about it would be worth while to just have a glimpse of some of the differences. Softball as a game has its roots in the game of baseball. In softball the numbers of innings are limited to seven; the ball is thrown underhand and played on a smaller ground. The game of softball has been attributed to George Hancock and since then this game has become increasingly popular. Today it is played in countries all over the world.
Pitching a softball requires quite a bit of practice. It's not just about throwing the ball but instead requires proper hand and body coordination before the ball is pitched.
The whole idea of softball pitching concentrates around the pitchers body position with respect to the pitchers plate, the gripping of the ball in the hand and the proper positioning of the foot. A full understanding of these positions will help a softball pitcher perform better.
While pitching a softball the weak foot is usually placed at the end of the back of the pitch plate with the feet placed apart at around shoulder length. The arms are kept at the sides and the back heel is lifted in the air. This gives more strength to the front foot and greater balance. The weight can be shifted to the back by rocking the arms in a backward position. The arm is now brought forward with the ball in the glove such that the ball remains hidden from the batter. Rotating the ball in the air in the vertical direction and moving it in a circle the ball is released from the hip position. The action finishes by looking at the direction of the catcher. This is the essence of softball pitching where the main softball equipment with respect to the pitcher is the ball and the gloves.
However, there is fast-pitch softball also known as fast pitch or just fastpitch. This term refers to a form of softball played by women, though male and mixed fast pitch leagues also exist. They commonly start at the age of 6 and play it through the college. The International Softball Federation recognizes three pitch speeds: fast pitch, medium pitch and slow pitch. The fast pitch is considered as the most competitive form of softball. This form of softball was played in Olympic Games from 1996 till 2008.
Softball equipment helps a player to perform at the highest level possible. It is important that bats, gloves, cleats, apparel and more, are top notch in performance, quality, and durability at an affordable price. Nokona as a main manufacturer of softball equipment offers great quality and affordable prices. They make bat bags, softball knee leg guards, catcher gear and accessories (such as Nokona wrist saver, Nokona palm saver, Nokona classic glove conditioner, leather lacings, leather bags, NGM Nokona glove mallet).
Nokona athletic company provides softball players with quality gloves. They come in following series, Buffalo. Buckaroo, Classic Combo and Walnut Classic. They also use a wide range of materials to get the best results. Therefore, Buffalo and Classic Combo are made of American range bison, the leather which provides soft and sturdy at the same time. More over, Buckaroo is combination of kangaroo and cowhides to form lightweight gloves. At last, but not least important Nokona built its reputation on famous Walnut 'crunch' leather. For fastpitch, in their rich array they included series such are Catcher's mitts, Elite and Youth.
Fastpitch softball pitching equipment
http://fastpitchsoftballpitching.org
http://softballbaseballequipment.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Ripley
======================
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Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer
QuickSwingTrainer.com
How Does the Quick Swing Batting Trainer Work?
Joe Mauer Quick Swing Links
Video Demo of the Joe Mauer Quick Swing Baseball Batting Trainer
By guest author: Mike Ripley
The game of softball is often confused with the game of baseball and many are often lead to believe that if one plays baseball one can play softball too. Before one discusses what softball pitching is all about it would be worth while to just have a glimpse of some of the differences. Softball as a game has its roots in the game of baseball. In softball the numbers of innings are limited to seven; the ball is thrown underhand and played on a smaller ground. The game of softball has been attributed to George Hancock and since then this game has become increasingly popular. Today it is played in countries all over the world.
Pitching a softball requires quite a bit of practice. It's not just about throwing the ball but instead requires proper hand and body coordination before the ball is pitched.
The whole idea of softball pitching concentrates around the pitchers body position with respect to the pitchers plate, the gripping of the ball in the hand and the proper positioning of the foot. A full understanding of these positions will help a softball pitcher perform better.
While pitching a softball the weak foot is usually placed at the end of the back of the pitch plate with the feet placed apart at around shoulder length. The arms are kept at the sides and the back heel is lifted in the air. This gives more strength to the front foot and greater balance. The weight can be shifted to the back by rocking the arms in a backward position. The arm is now brought forward with the ball in the glove such that the ball remains hidden from the batter. Rotating the ball in the air in the vertical direction and moving it in a circle the ball is released from the hip position. The action finishes by looking at the direction of the catcher. This is the essence of softball pitching where the main softball equipment with respect to the pitcher is the ball and the gloves.
However, there is fast-pitch softball also known as fast pitch or just fastpitch. This term refers to a form of softball played by women, though male and mixed fast pitch leagues also exist. They commonly start at the age of 6 and play it through the college. The International Softball Federation recognizes three pitch speeds: fast pitch, medium pitch and slow pitch. The fast pitch is considered as the most competitive form of softball. This form of softball was played in Olympic Games from 1996 till 2008.
Softball equipment helps a player to perform at the highest level possible. It is important that bats, gloves, cleats, apparel and more, are top notch in performance, quality, and durability at an affordable price. Nokona as a main manufacturer of softball equipment offers great quality and affordable prices. They make bat bags, softball knee leg guards, catcher gear and accessories (such as Nokona wrist saver, Nokona palm saver, Nokona classic glove conditioner, leather lacings, leather bags, NGM Nokona glove mallet).
Nokona athletic company provides softball players with quality gloves. They come in following series, Buffalo. Buckaroo, Classic Combo and Walnut Classic. They also use a wide range of materials to get the best results. Therefore, Buffalo and Classic Combo are made of American range bison, the leather which provides soft and sturdy at the same time. More over, Buckaroo is combination of kangaroo and cowhides to form lightweight gloves. At last, but not least important Nokona built its reputation on famous Walnut 'crunch' leather. For fastpitch, in their rich array they included series such are Catcher's mitts, Elite and Youth.
Fastpitch softball pitching equipment
http://fastpitchsoftballpitching.org
http://softballbaseballequipment.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Ripley
======================
Thanks to our sponsors:
Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer
QuickSwingTrainer.com
How Does the Quick Swing Batting Trainer Work?
Joe Mauer Quick Swing Links
Video Demo of the Joe Mauer Quick Swing Baseball Batting Trainer
Monday, November 7, 2011
Hitting Drills For Fastpitch Softball Players
Hitting Drills For Fastpitch Softball Players
By guest author: Shanna Stevens
Hitting drills can be done by softball players effectively without having to waste time waiting around for busy coaches. Its is also important what type of bats are being used by the athlete's. Aluminum versus Composite.
Aluminum fastpitch bats and composite fastpitch bats have their pros and cons. Because fastpitch softball requires great bat speed and reaction time selecting the proper bat can mean the difference between striking out, laying down a bunt, getting a base hit or even hitting a home run.
Composite bats offer more advantages than aluminum bats these days, but cost more and lack durability. Composite bats also require attention and care to prevent damage.
Composite Bat Speed: Composite bats are easier to swing and can be more accurately controlled.
Aluminum Bat Speed: Aluminum bats are generally heavier than composite bats and less evenly balanced.
Composite Performance: Composite bats peak in performance once they have been properly broken in. A broken-in composite bat will outperform most aluminum bats.
Aluminum Performance: Aluminum bats maintain a steady performance throughout the life of the bat.
Composite Durability: Composite bats are fragile and batters must be conscious of weather conditions and proper use.
Aluminum Durability: Aluminum bats are very durable and require little attention.
Composite Cost: Composite bats vary greatly in cost, depending on materials used.
Aluminum Cost: Aluminum bats are less expensive than composite bats and do not require as much technology to produce.
With a type of bat in mind, now you can start gather hitting drills for your players. Some aspects of hitting to focus on could include Building The Swing, Visual Preparation and Game Adjustments. There are many types of drills to focus on the simple mechanics of hitting. Some use a hitting Tee, some will use wiffle balls and even the Soft Toss Drill where a ball is tossed in front of the hitter in line with the big toe allowing the hitter to focus on their technique instead of reading a pitch coming straight at them.
If you're looking to improve your bat speed or looking to increase your bat strength make sure you choose a bat that best fits your personal preference. Take some time to choose your bat. Take the time to select your hitting drills and get yourself set up for the drills that are focusing on the specific mechanics you are looking to improve and get to work! May all your swings come true. Have a great year!!
Highly effective hitting. How do you get the most out of your drills so your not wasting anyone's time. What ques do you use, what equipment do you use and what drills do you use. These are common questions coaches across the world ask themselves everyday. If your players don't hit the ball they don't score, if they don't score, they can't put point's on the board. If you're not putting points of the board your not going to win ball games. Hitting has to be done effectively with confidence.
http://www.shopsoftballutah.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shanna_Stevens
=========================
Thanks to our sponsors:
Baseball2u.com and CoachesBest.com is your online super store for baseball batting cages, pitching machines and protective screens and nets. This fully licensed company has a full time staff to help you from 8:00 to 5:00 CST. You may order securely online or by phone, toll free, at 1-877-431-4487.
Check out these categories that are featured at Baseball2u.com.
Jugs Complete Packages
Batting Cages
60' Portable Batting Cage
55' Portable Batting Cage
70' Portable Batting Cage
Extender Batting Cage 30'
Jugs Pitching Machines
Iron Mike Pitching Machines
BATA Pitching Machines
Heater Pitching Machines
Granada Pitching Machines
Phantom Pitching Machines
…and if you are looking for Youth Training Equipment, Advanced Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, and Pitching & Throwing Trainers, or Portable Mounds, they have those too!
Plus, they have one the internet's largest selections of Baseball Training and Coaching DVDs and Books. Make sure to chweck our their CLEARANCE DEPARTMENT for rock bottom prices on top quality equipment.
By guest author: Shanna Stevens
Hitting drills can be done by softball players effectively without having to waste time waiting around for busy coaches. Its is also important what type of bats are being used by the athlete's. Aluminum versus Composite.
Aluminum fastpitch bats and composite fastpitch bats have their pros and cons. Because fastpitch softball requires great bat speed and reaction time selecting the proper bat can mean the difference between striking out, laying down a bunt, getting a base hit or even hitting a home run.
Composite bats offer more advantages than aluminum bats these days, but cost more and lack durability. Composite bats also require attention and care to prevent damage.
Composite Bat Speed: Composite bats are easier to swing and can be more accurately controlled.
Aluminum Bat Speed: Aluminum bats are generally heavier than composite bats and less evenly balanced.
Composite Performance: Composite bats peak in performance once they have been properly broken in. A broken-in composite bat will outperform most aluminum bats.
Aluminum Performance: Aluminum bats maintain a steady performance throughout the life of the bat.
Composite Durability: Composite bats are fragile and batters must be conscious of weather conditions and proper use.
Aluminum Durability: Aluminum bats are very durable and require little attention.
Composite Cost: Composite bats vary greatly in cost, depending on materials used.
Aluminum Cost: Aluminum bats are less expensive than composite bats and do not require as much technology to produce.
With a type of bat in mind, now you can start gather hitting drills for your players. Some aspects of hitting to focus on could include Building The Swing, Visual Preparation and Game Adjustments. There are many types of drills to focus on the simple mechanics of hitting. Some use a hitting Tee, some will use wiffle balls and even the Soft Toss Drill where a ball is tossed in front of the hitter in line with the big toe allowing the hitter to focus on their technique instead of reading a pitch coming straight at them.
If you're looking to improve your bat speed or looking to increase your bat strength make sure you choose a bat that best fits your personal preference. Take some time to choose your bat. Take the time to select your hitting drills and get yourself set up for the drills that are focusing on the specific mechanics you are looking to improve and get to work! May all your swings come true. Have a great year!!
Highly effective hitting. How do you get the most out of your drills so your not wasting anyone's time. What ques do you use, what equipment do you use and what drills do you use. These are common questions coaches across the world ask themselves everyday. If your players don't hit the ball they don't score, if they don't score, they can't put point's on the board. If you're not putting points of the board your not going to win ball games. Hitting has to be done effectively with confidence.
http://www.shopsoftballutah.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shanna_Stevens
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Check out these categories that are featured at Baseball2u.com.
Jugs Complete Packages
Batting Cages
60' Portable Batting Cage
55' Portable Batting Cage
70' Portable Batting Cage
Extender Batting Cage 30'
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Iron Mike Pitching Machines
BATA Pitching Machines
Heater Pitching Machines
Granada Pitching Machines
Phantom Pitching Machines
…and if you are looking for Youth Training Equipment, Advanced Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, and Pitching & Throwing Trainers, or Portable Mounds, they have those too!
Plus, they have one the internet's largest selections of Baseball Training and Coaching DVDs and Books. Make sure to chweck our their CLEARANCE DEPARTMENT for rock bottom prices on top quality equipment.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Fastpitch Softball Pitching Takes a Lot of Work
Fastpitch Softball Pitching Takes a Lot of Work
By guest author: Gregory Covey
Fastpitch softball pitching is much harder than people think. Proper mechanics will make all the difference in the world for accuracy and speed. It must be a natural motion.
My daughter has been a softball pitcher since she first began the game. She has progressed each year but it has not come without a lot of time and effort.
When I talk about mechanics I am speaking about the motion the softball pitcher will go through as they deliver the ball to the plate.
There are some different beliefs as to which motion works best but I will speak to the one she uses since I believe it has worked very well for her, while at the same time not doing any harm to her back, arm, or shoulder since she has been softball pitching.
I am speaking from the perspective of a right handed softball pitcher, since that is what she is.
The first and most important thing is to stand almost straight up with your right foot on the mound and the left foot just behind the mound.
Your left foot big toe should be at the heel of the right foot at shoulder width apart.
This particular element of the softball pitching delivery will save on your daughters back. Many softball pitchers will lean way forward as they prepare to deliver the softball. The pitcher should have their nose just behind their hip. Leaning forward does not help with speed or accuracy. It is simply a bad habit that needs to be corrected.
One law of physics is that any action will have an equal or opposite reaction.
So every motion that your daughter has in her delivery needs to be evaluated so that you are not making unnecessary motions.
The next motion should be to present the ball to the batter. This is in the ASA Softball rules.
Next she raises her hands together with the right hand holding the ball inside the glove hand as if she is praying. They are now up against her chest together.
Then she moves her arms straight out still holding the ball inside the glove hand. The hands are straight out in front at shoulder height. A good way to tell if she is doing this correctly is that it should be blocking her view of the batter and catcher.
Then she separates her hands as she swings them back directly in alignment so that both go just as far back behind her back and at about should height and width apart or so.
Once the right arm swings back completely and starts moving forward is when she should start to be moving forward and pushing off the mound. The legs are a huge part of the speed she will get from her pitch.
Then both arms come forward with the glove hand slowing down and staying out in front almost blocking the view of the batter and catcher again while the right arm keeps swinging around. A great way to know if things are going well to get the most speed from the pitch would be to see the right arm behind at the same height of the left arm in front.
As the right arm continues around she should be pushing hard forward off the mound while stretching out her left leg and foot directly toward the plate. Remember in ASA softball rules a softball pitcher's right foot (if they are a right handed pitcher) can't leave the ground.
One thing to keep in mind is that the left foot as she is stretching out toward the plate should not be pointing up. If you are standing at the plate and you can see the bottom of her foot the left leg is coming to high off the ground in her stretching motion. This is wasting effort that will cost her in her softball pitching speed. Teach her to point her toe toward the batter and this should stop this habit.
The left leg and foot should be planted just as her arm is at her hip. This will cause a tremendous amount of force to be stopped and this is what creates the most speed of all. That sudden stop as she is delivering the ball is a mighty force.
The drag foot should create an opposite question mark like design on the ground behind her. If it is more like a check mark then she is wasting motion and her pitch will slow down. This will also be hard on her body.
I hope this was of some help.
May God Bless You and good luck!
Follow my daughter's softball career on my blog where I discuss the ups and downs that are sometimes embarrassing. Go to Playing Softball.
You can visit my blog where I talk about being a parent and all the struggles we as parents go through. My wife and I have four children and have been married for over 25 years, so we have some experiences to share.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gregory_Covey
===========================
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By guest author: Gregory Covey
Fastpitch softball pitching is much harder than people think. Proper mechanics will make all the difference in the world for accuracy and speed. It must be a natural motion.
My daughter has been a softball pitcher since she first began the game. She has progressed each year but it has not come without a lot of time and effort.
When I talk about mechanics I am speaking about the motion the softball pitcher will go through as they deliver the ball to the plate.
There are some different beliefs as to which motion works best but I will speak to the one she uses since I believe it has worked very well for her, while at the same time not doing any harm to her back, arm, or shoulder since she has been softball pitching.
I am speaking from the perspective of a right handed softball pitcher, since that is what she is.
The first and most important thing is to stand almost straight up with your right foot on the mound and the left foot just behind the mound.
Your left foot big toe should be at the heel of the right foot at shoulder width apart.
This particular element of the softball pitching delivery will save on your daughters back. Many softball pitchers will lean way forward as they prepare to deliver the softball. The pitcher should have their nose just behind their hip. Leaning forward does not help with speed or accuracy. It is simply a bad habit that needs to be corrected.
One law of physics is that any action will have an equal or opposite reaction.
So every motion that your daughter has in her delivery needs to be evaluated so that you are not making unnecessary motions.
The next motion should be to present the ball to the batter. This is in the ASA Softball rules.
Next she raises her hands together with the right hand holding the ball inside the glove hand as if she is praying. They are now up against her chest together.
Then she moves her arms straight out still holding the ball inside the glove hand. The hands are straight out in front at shoulder height. A good way to tell if she is doing this correctly is that it should be blocking her view of the batter and catcher.
Then she separates her hands as she swings them back directly in alignment so that both go just as far back behind her back and at about should height and width apart or so.
Once the right arm swings back completely and starts moving forward is when she should start to be moving forward and pushing off the mound. The legs are a huge part of the speed she will get from her pitch.
Then both arms come forward with the glove hand slowing down and staying out in front almost blocking the view of the batter and catcher again while the right arm keeps swinging around. A great way to know if things are going well to get the most speed from the pitch would be to see the right arm behind at the same height of the left arm in front.
As the right arm continues around she should be pushing hard forward off the mound while stretching out her left leg and foot directly toward the plate. Remember in ASA softball rules a softball pitcher's right foot (if they are a right handed pitcher) can't leave the ground.
One thing to keep in mind is that the left foot as she is stretching out toward the plate should not be pointing up. If you are standing at the plate and you can see the bottom of her foot the left leg is coming to high off the ground in her stretching motion. This is wasting effort that will cost her in her softball pitching speed. Teach her to point her toe toward the batter and this should stop this habit.
The left leg and foot should be planted just as her arm is at her hip. This will cause a tremendous amount of force to be stopped and this is what creates the most speed of all. That sudden stop as she is delivering the ball is a mighty force.
The drag foot should create an opposite question mark like design on the ground behind her. If it is more like a check mark then she is wasting motion and her pitch will slow down. This will also be hard on her body.
I hope this was of some help.
May God Bless You and good luck!
Follow my daughter's softball career on my blog where I discuss the ups and downs that are sometimes embarrassing. Go to Playing Softball.
You can visit my blog where I talk about being a parent and all the struggles we as parents go through. My wife and I have four children and have been married for over 25 years, so we have some experiences to share.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gregory_Covey
===========================
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Baseball Parent Guide: Today's Post
Baseball Articles for Coaches
Baseball Blogs
Teaching Your Child to Hit
Throwing and Pitching Fundamentals
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Current Topics and Issues Related to Safety in Baseball
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Fastpitch Softball Drills - Develop Speed and Accuracy With These Pitching Drills
Fastpitch Softball Drills - Develop Speed and Accuracy With These Pitching Drills
By guest author: Becky Wittenburg
Once softball pitchers have developed their technique, they often reach a plateau where they no longer improve. However, there is always potential to be a better pitcher. These innovative fastpitch softball drills were designed to help pitchers develop their speed and accuracy on the mound.
Snap Drill
This fastpitch softball drill was developed to practice the snap of the wrist at the end of the pitch. Using the wrist muscles to snap the ball as it is released will increase the velocity of the pitch.
For this drill, two pitchers will stand about ten feet apart. The first pitcher will start with the pitching hand down at the side, holding the ball. She then takes her wrist back slightly before flipping the ball forward to her teammate, focusing on using as much power as possible. The partner will catch the pitch and use the same technique to snap the ball back. Each pitcher should snap the ball twenty-five times, working to increase strength in the wrist and velocity in the snap. This also serves as a great pitching warm-up.
Two for One
This drill for fastpitch softball helps the pitcher develop fielding skills while practicing pitches. The pitcher needs to always be prepared for a ball hit back to the mound.
Set up this drill with the pitcher at the mound and the catcher at the plate, each with one ball. As the pitcher delivers her pitch, the catcher will toss a ground ball to the mound. The pitcher should field the ball and use it for her next pitch, while the catcher will receive the pitch and use it for her next toss. Complete the routine twenty times, focusing on proper technique and increasing reaction time.
Distance Pitching
This pitching drill develops arm strength while emphasizing accuracy of pitches.
Start with the pitcher twenty feet from home plate, pitching to the catcher at home. The pitcher throws as many pitches as it takes to get five strikes, according to the catcher's judgment. Next, the pitcher should move back ten feet and pitch five strikes from that position, and so on until she is sixty feet from home plate.
Pitching from a long distance stretches the arm and increases strength, resulting in more powerful pitches. Using the catcher to determine strikes will keep the focus on accuracy, as well.
Isolation Drill
This softball drill for pitching focuses on the last portion of the pitch. By isolating the final stage of the pitching motion, players can develop the specific moves required to deliver an accurate pitch.
Have the pitcher stand thirty feet away from a teammate. The pitcher will start by raising the pitching arm and curling the wrist to form a letter "c" above the head. She should then complete the pitch from this position, concentrating on swinging the arm down, firing the hips, snapping the wrist, and releasing the pitch.
And if you'd like to see more free softball drills and coaching tips, go here to watch a free video:
http://www.softball-spot.com/vid/
Becky Wittenburg is a kids softball coach, and the owner and publisher of Softball-Spot.com, the web's #1 resource for softball drills, tips, and practice ideas for youth and high school coaches.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Becky_Wittenburg
===========================
Thank to our sponsors:
Baseball2u.com and CoachesBest.com is your online super store for baseball batting cages, pitching machines and protective screens and nets. This fully licensed company has a full time staff to help you from 8:00 to 5:00 CST. You may order securely online or by phone, toll free, at 1-877-431-4487.
Check out these categories that are featured at Baseball2u.com.
Jugs Complete Packages
Batting Cages
60' Portable Batting Cage
55' Portable Batting Cage
70' Portable Batting Cage
Extender Batting Cage 30'
Jugs Pitching Machines
Iron Mike Pitching Machines
BATA Pitching Machines
Heater Pitching Machines
Granada Pitching Machines
Phantom Pitching Machines
…and if you are looking for Youth Training Equipment, Advanced Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, and Pitching & Throwing Trainers, or Portable Mounds, they have those too!
Plus, they have one the internet's largest selections of Baseball Training and Coaching DVDs and Books. Make sure to chweck our their CLEARANCE DEPARTMENT for rock bottom prices on top quality equipment.
By guest author: Becky Wittenburg
Once softball pitchers have developed their technique, they often reach a plateau where they no longer improve. However, there is always potential to be a better pitcher. These innovative fastpitch softball drills were designed to help pitchers develop their speed and accuracy on the mound.
Snap Drill
This fastpitch softball drill was developed to practice the snap of the wrist at the end of the pitch. Using the wrist muscles to snap the ball as it is released will increase the velocity of the pitch.
For this drill, two pitchers will stand about ten feet apart. The first pitcher will start with the pitching hand down at the side, holding the ball. She then takes her wrist back slightly before flipping the ball forward to her teammate, focusing on using as much power as possible. The partner will catch the pitch and use the same technique to snap the ball back. Each pitcher should snap the ball twenty-five times, working to increase strength in the wrist and velocity in the snap. This also serves as a great pitching warm-up.
Two for One
This drill for fastpitch softball helps the pitcher develop fielding skills while practicing pitches. The pitcher needs to always be prepared for a ball hit back to the mound.
Set up this drill with the pitcher at the mound and the catcher at the plate, each with one ball. As the pitcher delivers her pitch, the catcher will toss a ground ball to the mound. The pitcher should field the ball and use it for her next pitch, while the catcher will receive the pitch and use it for her next toss. Complete the routine twenty times, focusing on proper technique and increasing reaction time.
Distance Pitching
This pitching drill develops arm strength while emphasizing accuracy of pitches.
Start with the pitcher twenty feet from home plate, pitching to the catcher at home. The pitcher throws as many pitches as it takes to get five strikes, according to the catcher's judgment. Next, the pitcher should move back ten feet and pitch five strikes from that position, and so on until she is sixty feet from home plate.
Pitching from a long distance stretches the arm and increases strength, resulting in more powerful pitches. Using the catcher to determine strikes will keep the focus on accuracy, as well.
Isolation Drill
This softball drill for pitching focuses on the last portion of the pitch. By isolating the final stage of the pitching motion, players can develop the specific moves required to deliver an accurate pitch.
Have the pitcher stand thirty feet away from a teammate. The pitcher will start by raising the pitching arm and curling the wrist to form a letter "c" above the head. She should then complete the pitch from this position, concentrating on swinging the arm down, firing the hips, snapping the wrist, and releasing the pitch.
And if you'd like to see more free softball drills and coaching tips, go here to watch a free video:
http://www.softball-spot.com/vid/
Becky Wittenburg is a kids softball coach, and the owner and publisher of Softball-Spot.com, the web's #1 resource for softball drills, tips, and practice ideas for youth and high school coaches.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Becky_Wittenburg
===========================
Thank to our sponsors:
Baseball2u.com and CoachesBest.com is your online super store for baseball batting cages, pitching machines and protective screens and nets. This fully licensed company has a full time staff to help you from 8:00 to 5:00 CST. You may order securely online or by phone, toll free, at 1-877-431-4487.
Check out these categories that are featured at Baseball2u.com.
Jugs Complete Packages
Batting Cages
60' Portable Batting Cage
55' Portable Batting Cage
70' Portable Batting Cage
Extender Batting Cage 30'
Jugs Pitching Machines
Iron Mike Pitching Machines
BATA Pitching Machines
Heater Pitching Machines
Granada Pitching Machines
Phantom Pitching Machines
…and if you are looking for Youth Training Equipment, Advanced Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, and Pitching & Throwing Trainers, or Portable Mounds, they have those too!
Plus, they have one the internet's largest selections of Baseball Training and Coaching DVDs and Books. Make sure to chweck our their CLEARANCE DEPARTMENT for rock bottom prices on top quality equipment.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Fastpitch Softball Pitching Fundamentals 2
Fastpitch Softball Pitching Fundamentals 2
Uploaded by jrice81
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Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Free Girls Softball Fastpitch Drills
Free Girls Softball Fastpitch Drills
By guest author: Becky Wittenburg
Any softball coach or player who wants to learn more softball drills can easily find a lot of drills in books and videos and on the internet. Most of these drills cost money but some of them are free. These free girls softball fastpitch drills are very good. Most of the free drills focus on throwing, fielding, and hitting the ball.
Throwing the Ball
The position of a player determines the most common types of throws that player will have to make. For example, a 3rd baseman will need to make hard throws all the way across the diamond to 1st base while a right fielder will most commonly have to make a longer throw from the outfield to a cut-off man near the infield or to a base.
The Before Inning Warm-up Drill
All softball coaches and players know what players do before an inning begins. The first baseman throws a grounder to each infielder while the outfielder stands in their positions and play catch. This is a common drill during games but it should also be performed everyday in practice.
The Relay Throws Drill
The Relay Throws Drill is another one of the good free girls softball fastpitch drills. This drill involves 2 outfields lining up on each side of an infielder. Each player should be about 100 feet apart.
One of the outfielders starts out with the ball and throws the infielder the ball using the crow-hop. The infielder catches the ball, pivots, and uses the crow-hop while throwing the ball to the other outfielder. That outfielder catches the ball and then throws back to the infielder, once again using the crow-hop.
This drill allows all 3 players to practice throwing using a crow-hop. It also helps teach the outfielders to hit the cutoff man. Finally, it helps the infielder practice receiving the cutoff throw, pivoting, and throwing to the desired base.
Fielding
It doesn't matter how well a team can hit and pitch if the team can't play good defense in the field. The key to playing good defense is for every player to be fundamentally sound. A great drill for this the No Glove Fielding Drill.
The No Glove Fielding Drill
Just as the name suggests, this fastpitch softball drill requires players to field the ball without a glove. The drill can be run with bare hands or with a board that is specially made for the drill and worn on the fielders' glove hand.
Players can either field balls hit to them by the coach (more advanced) or they can field balls rolled to them. They need to concentrate on keeping their upper bodies square with the ball (get in front of the ball), bending at the knees, and cradling the ball with two hands into their body.
Once players master the technique of fielding without a glove then they will find fielding with a glove much easier.
Hitting
The only way for a player to get better with hitting the ball is for them to actually hit. Players can either hit a ball off a tee (to work on the basics) or they can hit pitches. Also, a part of hitting that is often overlooked is bunting. Players should be required to lay down at least 3 bunts every time they take batting practice (BP). If possible, players should take BP every practice and before every game.
Look for Free Girls Fastpitch Softball Drills
Softball players need to be drilled on the basics of the game (throwing, fielding, and hitting) as often as possible. Any coach or player who is looking for drills to do can easily find them. In fact, there are a great many free girls softball fastpitch drills on the internet.
Becky Wittenburg has been coaching softball for over 15 years- it is her true passion. She's constantly on the lookout for new free girls softball fastpitch drills. You can get instant access to a sample of her softball practice plans by visiting her website:
SoftballSpot.com
For a limited time, all coaches who visit Becky's site will also get a free copy of her special report: "The 7 Biggest Mistakes Softball Coaches Make". Go get your free copy today!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Becky_Wittenburg
===========================
Thanks to our sponsors:
SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!
By guest author: Becky Wittenburg
Any softball coach or player who wants to learn more softball drills can easily find a lot of drills in books and videos and on the internet. Most of these drills cost money but some of them are free. These free girls softball fastpitch drills are very good. Most of the free drills focus on throwing, fielding, and hitting the ball.
Throwing the Ball
The position of a player determines the most common types of throws that player will have to make. For example, a 3rd baseman will need to make hard throws all the way across the diamond to 1st base while a right fielder will most commonly have to make a longer throw from the outfield to a cut-off man near the infield or to a base.
The Before Inning Warm-up Drill
All softball coaches and players know what players do before an inning begins. The first baseman throws a grounder to each infielder while the outfielder stands in their positions and play catch. This is a common drill during games but it should also be performed everyday in practice.
The Relay Throws Drill
The Relay Throws Drill is another one of the good free girls softball fastpitch drills. This drill involves 2 outfields lining up on each side of an infielder. Each player should be about 100 feet apart.
One of the outfielders starts out with the ball and throws the infielder the ball using the crow-hop. The infielder catches the ball, pivots, and uses the crow-hop while throwing the ball to the other outfielder. That outfielder catches the ball and then throws back to the infielder, once again using the crow-hop.
This drill allows all 3 players to practice throwing using a crow-hop. It also helps teach the outfielders to hit the cutoff man. Finally, it helps the infielder practice receiving the cutoff throw, pivoting, and throwing to the desired base.
Fielding
It doesn't matter how well a team can hit and pitch if the team can't play good defense in the field. The key to playing good defense is for every player to be fundamentally sound. A great drill for this the No Glove Fielding Drill.
The No Glove Fielding Drill
Just as the name suggests, this fastpitch softball drill requires players to field the ball without a glove. The drill can be run with bare hands or with a board that is specially made for the drill and worn on the fielders' glove hand.
Players can either field balls hit to them by the coach (more advanced) or they can field balls rolled to them. They need to concentrate on keeping their upper bodies square with the ball (get in front of the ball), bending at the knees, and cradling the ball with two hands into their body.
Once players master the technique of fielding without a glove then they will find fielding with a glove much easier.
Hitting
The only way for a player to get better with hitting the ball is for them to actually hit. Players can either hit a ball off a tee (to work on the basics) or they can hit pitches. Also, a part of hitting that is often overlooked is bunting. Players should be required to lay down at least 3 bunts every time they take batting practice (BP). If possible, players should take BP every practice and before every game.
Look for Free Girls Fastpitch Softball Drills
Softball players need to be drilled on the basics of the game (throwing, fielding, and hitting) as often as possible. Any coach or player who is looking for drills to do can easily find them. In fact, there are a great many free girls softball fastpitch drills on the internet.
Becky Wittenburg has been coaching softball for over 15 years- it is her true passion. She's constantly on the lookout for new free girls softball fastpitch drills. You can get instant access to a sample of her softball practice plans by visiting her website:
SoftballSpot.com
For a limited time, all coaches who visit Becky's site will also get a free copy of her special report: "The 7 Biggest Mistakes Softball Coaches Make". Go get your free copy today!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Becky_Wittenburg
===========================
Thanks to our sponsors:
SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!
Monday, September 26, 2011
Softball Pitching - 4 Steps To Great Mechanics
Softball Pitching - 4 Steps To Great Mechanics
By guest author: Becky Wittenburg
Because softball pitching requires one fluid motion, it is difficult to coach it in terms of fundamentals. However, pitchers need to understand the proper mechanics in order to develop their pitching skills. If a pitcher is struggling with her delivery, then breaking the pitching motion down into its fundamental elements will help isolate and fix the problem. The following tips will help coaches and pitchers establish a firm pitching foundation.
The Windmill Method
The most popular delivery in fastpitch softball is currently the windmill method. In this underhand pitch, the pitcher's arm starts in front of her body, winds back, completes a full circle, releases the ball at the hip, and then follows through.
The windmill is more than just an arm motion, however; it requires a long stride that utilizes the legs and torso to generate more power. Both speed and the shift of weight play an important part in executing the windmill effectively, so pitchers should practice the motion to develop a comfortable rhythm. Maximum velocity and accuracy will only occur if all of the movements are in sync.
The Fundamentals: Grip
In fastpitch softball pitching, the grip on the ball depends on the type of pitch being thrown. How the pitcher holds the ball will direct the rotation of the ball and the way the wind interacts with the seams, which will in turn determine how fast the ball travels. For example, to throw a four-seam fastball, the pitcher will hold the ball so the laces form a letter "C," then place her fingers across the "C." For a two-seam fastball, the pitcher will hold the ball so the laces form a "U." Her pointer and ring fingers will each rest along a seam and the middle finger will go in between the seams.
With either delivery, the middle three fingers will be on top of the ball, with the pinkie tucked underneath and the thumb on the side of the ball. The ball should be held securely in the fingers, not against the palm of the hand.
The Fundamentals: Stance
A pitcher's stance is the position she assumes before beginning her wind-up. It can vary from pitcher to pitcher, but a player should have a basic stance that is consistent and comfortable for her.
She should begin by holding the ball in her glove and standing up straight at the pitcher's mound. Her lead foot, or throwing-side foot, should be on the rubber with the toes extended over the front edge. The rear foot toes should touch the back of the rubber. Her front leg should be straight while the back leg is slightly bent, and the feet should be just a little closer than shoulder-width apart. The pitcher should square her shoulders toward home plate, keeping her weight on the balls of her feet.
At this point in a game, the pitcher would look to the catcher for the signal while slightly shifting her weight forward. She would then visualize her pitch, take a deep breath, and begin her wind-up.
Completing the Pitch
In order to properly execute the pitch, the pitcher needs to develop her wind-up, stride, arm movement, and follow-through. Once she is comfortable with her grip and stance, continue the pitching lesson by introducing the pitching motion. Players often become overwhelmed at first, but by starting with the basics, coaches can guarantee understanding before moving on to developing more advanced skills, like an effective change-up.
And if you'd like to see more free softball pitching drills and coaching tips, go here to watch a free video:
http://www.softball-spot.com
Becky Wittenburg is a softball coach, and the owner and publisher of Softball-Spot.com, the web's #1 resource for softball pitching drills, tips, and practice ideas for youth and high school coaches.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Becky_Wittenburg
=======================
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By guest author: Becky Wittenburg
Because softball pitching requires one fluid motion, it is difficult to coach it in terms of fundamentals. However, pitchers need to understand the proper mechanics in order to develop their pitching skills. If a pitcher is struggling with her delivery, then breaking the pitching motion down into its fundamental elements will help isolate and fix the problem. The following tips will help coaches and pitchers establish a firm pitching foundation.
The Windmill Method
The most popular delivery in fastpitch softball is currently the windmill method. In this underhand pitch, the pitcher's arm starts in front of her body, winds back, completes a full circle, releases the ball at the hip, and then follows through.
The windmill is more than just an arm motion, however; it requires a long stride that utilizes the legs and torso to generate more power. Both speed and the shift of weight play an important part in executing the windmill effectively, so pitchers should practice the motion to develop a comfortable rhythm. Maximum velocity and accuracy will only occur if all of the movements are in sync.
The Fundamentals: Grip
In fastpitch softball pitching, the grip on the ball depends on the type of pitch being thrown. How the pitcher holds the ball will direct the rotation of the ball and the way the wind interacts with the seams, which will in turn determine how fast the ball travels. For example, to throw a four-seam fastball, the pitcher will hold the ball so the laces form a letter "C," then place her fingers across the "C." For a two-seam fastball, the pitcher will hold the ball so the laces form a "U." Her pointer and ring fingers will each rest along a seam and the middle finger will go in between the seams.
With either delivery, the middle three fingers will be on top of the ball, with the pinkie tucked underneath and the thumb on the side of the ball. The ball should be held securely in the fingers, not against the palm of the hand.
The Fundamentals: Stance
A pitcher's stance is the position she assumes before beginning her wind-up. It can vary from pitcher to pitcher, but a player should have a basic stance that is consistent and comfortable for her.
She should begin by holding the ball in her glove and standing up straight at the pitcher's mound. Her lead foot, or throwing-side foot, should be on the rubber with the toes extended over the front edge. The rear foot toes should touch the back of the rubber. Her front leg should be straight while the back leg is slightly bent, and the feet should be just a little closer than shoulder-width apart. The pitcher should square her shoulders toward home plate, keeping her weight on the balls of her feet.
At this point in a game, the pitcher would look to the catcher for the signal while slightly shifting her weight forward. She would then visualize her pitch, take a deep breath, and begin her wind-up.
Completing the Pitch
In order to properly execute the pitch, the pitcher needs to develop her wind-up, stride, arm movement, and follow-through. Once she is comfortable with her grip and stance, continue the pitching lesson by introducing the pitching motion. Players often become overwhelmed at first, but by starting with the basics, coaches can guarantee understanding before moving on to developing more advanced skills, like an effective change-up.
And if you'd like to see more free softball pitching drills and coaching tips, go here to watch a free video:
http://www.softball-spot.com
Becky Wittenburg is a softball coach, and the owner and publisher of Softball-Spot.com, the web's #1 resource for softball pitching drills, tips, and practice ideas for youth and high school coaches.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Becky_Wittenburg
=======================
Thanks to our sponsors:
Baseball2u.com and CoachesBest.com is your online super store for baseball batting cages, pitching machines and protective screens and nets. This fully licensed company has a full time staff to help you from 8:00 to 5:00 CST. You may order securely online or by phone, toll free, at 1-877-431-4487.
Check out these categories that are featured at Baseball2u.com.
Jugs Complete Packages
Batting Cages
60' Portable Batting Cage
55' Portable Batting Cage
70' Portable Batting Cage
Extender Batting Cage 30'
Jugs Pitching Machines
Iron Mike Pitching Machines
BATA Pitching Machines
Heater Pitching Machines
Granada Pitching Machines
Phantom Pitching Machines
…and if you are looking for Youth Training Equipment, Advanced Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, and Pitching & Throwing Trainers, or Portable Mounds, they have those too!
Plus, they have one the internet's largest selections of Baseball Training and Coaching DVDs and Books. Make sure to chweck our their CLEARANCE DEPARTMENT for rock bottom prices on top quality equipment.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Drills and Activities to Improve Softball Pitching
Drills and Activities to Improve Softball Pitching
By guest author: Marc Dagenais
Softball pitching is one of the offensive armaments in the softball. Most coaches and trainers pay much concentration in the pitching capability of the players because they believe that this added an artillery and fire power to the game. Poor pitching techniques oftentimes results to a bad performance of the team. Worse, it might lead to losing the game. That is why there is a more complexity in the field of softball pitching drills and activities. Softball players should be equipped with the dos and don'ts of the softball pitching process.
Read on and perfect these valuable drills and activities which will help you get an edge over hitter and batting lineup you face:
The pitching all happens with the release. When this is happening just: · Stay Tall · Pull your shoulders back · Have a firm front side · No bending at the waist
For lower body pitching mechanics: · Make a powerful push from the pitching rubber · Build up a strong, fast and long stride · Make a push-back against the stride leg as the pitching arm comes down through the release point
To maximize your pitching speed, you must: · Make sure that your upper body is upright when at the release · You push back against your stride leg · Your shoulders should most of the time way closed · Your hips should be halfway or less closed at the release
The power, the speed and the landing of the stride determines how effectively the pitcher can push back against the stride in order to throw the ball with a maximum speed.
The fastest pitch depends on the lower portion of a pitcher's body. Remember to always improve the speed and control of the leaping styles. The leaping style must have a fast and strong push-off from the pitching rubber in order to drive the stride leg out fast and far.
Always look at the power and the quickness of the stride to allow for a blocking or a hard push against the stride leg at the end of the pitch sequence. Ideally, your pitching strides must be precise and sure so that a powerful pitching technique will be achieved.
Softball pitching requires technique, speed and proper pitching location. The edge to softball pitching lies upon the perfection of the most comfortable techniques you already have or at least bend your softball life on learning more of the existing pitching techniques.
Marc Dagenais, MHK, CSCS, is a softball peak performance coach that helps players and teams hit with more power, run faster, throw harder, become mentally tougher, and be more dominant on the softball field. Visit us and sign-up to get tons of great FREE Softball Pitching tips to boost your game!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marc_Dagenais
==========================
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---BatAction Machine at CoachesBest.com
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---If you are looking for BatAction Replacement Balls or Power Bands Click Here
By guest author: Marc Dagenais
Softball pitching is one of the offensive armaments in the softball. Most coaches and trainers pay much concentration in the pitching capability of the players because they believe that this added an artillery and fire power to the game. Poor pitching techniques oftentimes results to a bad performance of the team. Worse, it might lead to losing the game. That is why there is a more complexity in the field of softball pitching drills and activities. Softball players should be equipped with the dos and don'ts of the softball pitching process.
Read on and perfect these valuable drills and activities which will help you get an edge over hitter and batting lineup you face:
The pitching all happens with the release. When this is happening just: · Stay Tall · Pull your shoulders back · Have a firm front side · No bending at the waist
For lower body pitching mechanics: · Make a powerful push from the pitching rubber · Build up a strong, fast and long stride · Make a push-back against the stride leg as the pitching arm comes down through the release point
To maximize your pitching speed, you must: · Make sure that your upper body is upright when at the release · You push back against your stride leg · Your shoulders should most of the time way closed · Your hips should be halfway or less closed at the release
The power, the speed and the landing of the stride determines how effectively the pitcher can push back against the stride in order to throw the ball with a maximum speed.
The fastest pitch depends on the lower portion of a pitcher's body. Remember to always improve the speed and control of the leaping styles. The leaping style must have a fast and strong push-off from the pitching rubber in order to drive the stride leg out fast and far.
Always look at the power and the quickness of the stride to allow for a blocking or a hard push against the stride leg at the end of the pitch sequence. Ideally, your pitching strides must be precise and sure so that a powerful pitching technique will be achieved.
Softball pitching requires technique, speed and proper pitching location. The edge to softball pitching lies upon the perfection of the most comfortable techniques you already have or at least bend your softball life on learning more of the existing pitching techniques.
Marc Dagenais, MHK, CSCS, is a softball peak performance coach that helps players and teams hit with more power, run faster, throw harder, become mentally tougher, and be more dominant on the softball field. Visit us and sign-up to get tons of great FREE Softball Pitching tips to boost your game!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marc_Dagenais
==========================
Thanks to our sponsors:
www.BatAction.com
---BatAction Machine at CoachesBest.com
---BatActionMachine on Ebay.com
---BatAction Machine Video Clips
---BatAction Trainer - 15 Reasons Why You Must Own This Machine
---Message to Parents From Coach Nick
---If you are looking for BatAction Replacement Balls or Power Bands Click Here
Monday, September 19, 2011
Exercises to Increase Fast Pitch Softball Pitching Speed
Exercises to Increase Fast Pitch Softball Pitching Speed
By guest author: Marc Dagenais
Pitching speed is something you can never have too much of as a pitcher. It's true that pitching wins championships and you always want to throw with fire at your opposition. Softball pitching drills that increase speed are usually the fastball type of drills and in this article are several of those. So, if you want to become a flame thrower then work with these following drills and you will see that the amount of speed on your pitches is certainly becoming a lot higher.
Drill 1 - Arm-Speed Development
Purpose: To learn the feeling of arm speed and to develop acceleration through the arm circle.
Procedure: The pitcher works alone on her arm circle. The drill has two parts.
- The pitcher stands in a sideways pitching position with the stride leg forward and the pitching arm above the head at the top of the circle. She moves the arm around in a perfect circle as fast as she can to get the feel of high arm speed. She keeps the arm totally relaxed, as loose as a noodle.
- The pitcher then focuses on building acceleration through the circle. Still sideways, she begins with the pitching arm at waist level. The pitcher focuses on lifting the arm in a relaxed manner and increasing the speed of the arm by accelerating on the downswing with a whip-like action. The arm is extended (elbow relaxed) to create the biggest arc and lever possible. The longer the lever, the more force it can produce.
Drill 2 - No Stride
Purpose: To promote proper ball release and speed.
Procedure: The pitcher delivers a ball to a partner without using a forward stride. The partner can be another pitcher, so this is a good warm-up drill. The stride foot is even with the pivot foot. The pitcher pitches the ball using good hip rotation, a strong snap of the wrist, and a good follow-through, focusing on proper hip and arm mechanics. Pitchers should be aware of the danger of not rotating the hips and then throwing only with the arm.
Drill 3 - Speed Pitching
Purpose: To develop speed while throwing to a catcher.
Procedure: The pitcher works with a catcher, concentrating on exploding off the mound and attempting to throw each pitch a little harder.
Drill 4 - Wall Pitching
Purpose: To develop speed without worrying about accuracy
Procedure: The pitcher stands 10 to 15 feet from a wall and throws hard, focusing on mechanics and the feeling of throwing the ball hard. The repeated impact will soften a ball before long, so the pitcher should use the same ball. Don't use a rubber ball that lacks seams because the pitcher must be able to grip the ball properly. An advantage of this kind of practice is that pitchers can do it on their own at any time,
Marc Dagenais is a softball peak performance coach that provides softball tips, softball drills, and information on techniques for hitting, pitching, coaching, and training through his blog at http://www.softballperformance.com/blog
He also helps softball players and coaches improves their game by sharing with them the tips and strategies used by the world's best softball players and coaches to achieve extraordinary performances. You can sign-up to get his FREE Softball Tips at http://www.softballperformance.com/softball-tips.html. Go Sign-up Now!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marc_Dagenais
========================
Thanks to our sponsors:
SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!
By guest author: Marc Dagenais
Pitching speed is something you can never have too much of as a pitcher. It's true that pitching wins championships and you always want to throw with fire at your opposition. Softball pitching drills that increase speed are usually the fastball type of drills and in this article are several of those. So, if you want to become a flame thrower then work with these following drills and you will see that the amount of speed on your pitches is certainly becoming a lot higher.
Drill 1 - Arm-Speed Development
Purpose: To learn the feeling of arm speed and to develop acceleration through the arm circle.
Procedure: The pitcher works alone on her arm circle. The drill has two parts.
- The pitcher stands in a sideways pitching position with the stride leg forward and the pitching arm above the head at the top of the circle. She moves the arm around in a perfect circle as fast as she can to get the feel of high arm speed. She keeps the arm totally relaxed, as loose as a noodle.
- The pitcher then focuses on building acceleration through the circle. Still sideways, she begins with the pitching arm at waist level. The pitcher focuses on lifting the arm in a relaxed manner and increasing the speed of the arm by accelerating on the downswing with a whip-like action. The arm is extended (elbow relaxed) to create the biggest arc and lever possible. The longer the lever, the more force it can produce.
Drill 2 - No Stride
Purpose: To promote proper ball release and speed.
Procedure: The pitcher delivers a ball to a partner without using a forward stride. The partner can be another pitcher, so this is a good warm-up drill. The stride foot is even with the pivot foot. The pitcher pitches the ball using good hip rotation, a strong snap of the wrist, and a good follow-through, focusing on proper hip and arm mechanics. Pitchers should be aware of the danger of not rotating the hips and then throwing only with the arm.
Drill 3 - Speed Pitching
Purpose: To develop speed while throwing to a catcher.
Procedure: The pitcher works with a catcher, concentrating on exploding off the mound and attempting to throw each pitch a little harder.
Drill 4 - Wall Pitching
Purpose: To develop speed without worrying about accuracy
Procedure: The pitcher stands 10 to 15 feet from a wall and throws hard, focusing on mechanics and the feeling of throwing the ball hard. The repeated impact will soften a ball before long, so the pitcher should use the same ball. Don't use a rubber ball that lacks seams because the pitcher must be able to grip the ball properly. An advantage of this kind of practice is that pitchers can do it on their own at any time,
Marc Dagenais is a softball peak performance coach that provides softball tips, softball drills, and information on techniques for hitting, pitching, coaching, and training through his blog at http://www.softballperformance.com/blog
He also helps softball players and coaches improves their game by sharing with them the tips and strategies used by the world's best softball players and coaches to achieve extraordinary performances. You can sign-up to get his FREE Softball Tips at http://www.softballperformance.com/softball-tips.html. Go Sign-up Now!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marc_Dagenais
========================
Thanks to our sponsors:
SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!
Friday, September 16, 2011
Softball Pitching Drills - The One-Knee Drill
Softball Pitching Drills - The One-Knee Drill
Uploaded by softballperformance
http://www.softballperformance.com/ - Lauren Bay, star pitcher and Olympian demonstrates an excellent drill to increase your pitching speed and technique.
=======================
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Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Softball Pitching Tips and Drills - Increase Speed Video
Softball Pitching Tips and Drills - Increase Speed Video
Uploaded by softballperformance http://www.softballperformance.com - Softball pitching drills and tips on how to increase pitching speed
========================
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Friday, September 9, 2011
Fastpitch Softball Pitching Fundamentals 2
Fastpitch Softball Pitching Fundamentals 2
Uploaded by jrice81
http://www.Kudda.com presents thousands of free youth sports coaching videos.
=====================
Thanks to our sponsors:
SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!
Monday, August 29, 2011
Team Improvements Through the Use of Fastpitch Softball Drills
Team Improvements Through the Use of Fastpitch Softball Drills
By guest author: Troy A Phillips
The quality of your fastpitch softball drills is directly related to your teams ability to perform under a large diversity of in game situations. When coupled with repetition they can prepare your team for whatever challenge they face come game time.
All too often a new team is thrown into a game unprepared for the well oiled team of veterans. This has been known to place the whole group into a loosing mentality. They feel as if they are not as high a quality athletes as the winning team.
Nothing could be further from the truth in most cases. If they had only been given access to easy to implement fastpitch softball drills the feelings of inferiority could have been avoided.
Now I won't go so far as to tell you this is always the solution to the problem. The work ethic of the whole team has to be taken into consideration. This goes for the coaches and assistant, as well as the players.
In twenty plus years of coaching I have saw a lot of games lost because of coaching mistakes. I will not insult your intelligence by trying to convince you that I have never been the reason for a loss.
It is a good idea that all team staff be kept up to speed and on the same page.
This is extremely important when implementing fastpitch softball drills. Nothing spells confusion like a head coach saying one thing and an assistant telling the team something else. A quick team conference is usually a good idea before starting any type of whole team exercise.
Get to practice early and set up anything needed ahead of time. Set things up so that every player gets even time in each station. Any time a drill can be completed at a fast pace it can take some of conditioning's allotted practice time. Going into practice with a strict plan can mean the difference in getting everything needed completed and having to choose between being unprepared or running practice over. With the schedules for practice field time being an issue for almost all teams, unprepared is the usual result.
As you can see, a lot of different variables goes into running a well versed team. With proper communication, planning and the right resources, your team can be the ones that are smiling from ear to ear when it comes trophy time.
Speaking of resources, Make sure that all the information you use is set up and designed for fastpitch. All too often someone has took a standard baseball drill and changed he to she. Proper fastpitch softball drills are designed to work on specific parts of the game that are not related to any other sport.
This game is not a watered down version of baseball. Use game specific fastpitch softball drills and see your team improve dramatically ! That's all we deal with at http://www.bestfastpitchdrills.com/fastpitchsoftballdrills.
Troy Phillips
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Troy_A_Phillips
========================
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www.BatAction.com
---BatAction Machine at CoachesBest.com
---BatActionMachine on Ebay.com
---BatAction Machine Video Clips
---BatAction Trainer - 15 Reasons Why You Must Own This Machine
---Message to Parents From Coach Nick
---If you are looking for BatAction Replacement Balls or Power Bands Click Here
By guest author: Troy A Phillips
The quality of your fastpitch softball drills is directly related to your teams ability to perform under a large diversity of in game situations. When coupled with repetition they can prepare your team for whatever challenge they face come game time.
All too often a new team is thrown into a game unprepared for the well oiled team of veterans. This has been known to place the whole group into a loosing mentality. They feel as if they are not as high a quality athletes as the winning team.
Nothing could be further from the truth in most cases. If they had only been given access to easy to implement fastpitch softball drills the feelings of inferiority could have been avoided.
Now I won't go so far as to tell you this is always the solution to the problem. The work ethic of the whole team has to be taken into consideration. This goes for the coaches and assistant, as well as the players.
In twenty plus years of coaching I have saw a lot of games lost because of coaching mistakes. I will not insult your intelligence by trying to convince you that I have never been the reason for a loss.
It is a good idea that all team staff be kept up to speed and on the same page.
This is extremely important when implementing fastpitch softball drills. Nothing spells confusion like a head coach saying one thing and an assistant telling the team something else. A quick team conference is usually a good idea before starting any type of whole team exercise.
Get to practice early and set up anything needed ahead of time. Set things up so that every player gets even time in each station. Any time a drill can be completed at a fast pace it can take some of conditioning's allotted practice time. Going into practice with a strict plan can mean the difference in getting everything needed completed and having to choose between being unprepared or running practice over. With the schedules for practice field time being an issue for almost all teams, unprepared is the usual result.
As you can see, a lot of different variables goes into running a well versed team. With proper communication, planning and the right resources, your team can be the ones that are smiling from ear to ear when it comes trophy time.
Speaking of resources, Make sure that all the information you use is set up and designed for fastpitch. All too often someone has took a standard baseball drill and changed he to she. Proper fastpitch softball drills are designed to work on specific parts of the game that are not related to any other sport.
This game is not a watered down version of baseball. Use game specific fastpitch softball drills and see your team improve dramatically ! That's all we deal with at http://www.bestfastpitchdrills.com/fastpitchsoftballdrills.
Troy Phillips
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Troy_A_Phillips
========================
Thanks to our sponsors:
www.BatAction.com
---BatAction Machine at CoachesBest.com
---BatActionMachine on Ebay.com
---BatAction Machine Video Clips
---BatAction Trainer - 15 Reasons Why You Must Own This Machine
---Message to Parents From Coach Nick
---If you are looking for BatAction Replacement Balls or Power Bands Click Here
Friday, August 19, 2011
Fastpitch Softball Pitching Fundamentals 1
Fastpitch Softball Pitching Fundamentals 1
Uploaded by jrice81 http://www.Kudda.com presents thousands of free youth sports coaching videos.
=======================
Thanks to our sponsors:
QuickSwingTrainer.com
QuickSwingMachine.com
Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer
QuickSwingTrainer.com
How Does the Quick Swing Batting Trainer Work?
Joe Mauer Quick Swing Links
Video Demo of the Joe Mauer Quick Swing Baseball Batting Trainer
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Woman Softball Star Cat Osterman talks about Pitching Skill
Woman Softball Star Cat Osterman talks about Pitching Skill
Uploaded by STACKVids
Cat Osterman, NCAA all time leader for strikeouts per 7 innings in Women's softball, and 2004 Summer Olympics athlete, tells us who taught her the art of pitching. ""I had some pitching lessons for my 11th birthday, because I have been on a little league team. Little league regalates how many innings a pitcher can throw in a week. I think we had a bigger game at the end of the week, so our coach needed a pitcher to come in to pitch two innings. The pitcher that has started alraedy had a lot of her innings, and our better pitcher they were saving for the end of the week. At that time I in the outfield, just picking flowers and not doing much of anything, so I volunteered and came in. I don't know if I struck out my first hitter or one of their better hitters. I still remember who it was to this day. I struck out one person and I loved it, so from then on I asked my dad for those pitching lessons. I wanted to try it, and as long as I was working at it, he was happy giving lessons. We went and sought out a pitching coach in Houston, his name was Tim Timmons. He gave me lessons for the first three years, then I went to another coach Bobby Smith, who is still a men's pitcher to this day.""
===========================
Thanks to our sponsors:
SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!
Uploaded by STACKVids
Cat Osterman, NCAA all time leader for strikeouts per 7 innings in Women's softball, and 2004 Summer Olympics athlete, tells us who taught her the art of pitching. ""I had some pitching lessons for my 11th birthday, because I have been on a little league team. Little league regalates how many innings a pitcher can throw in a week. I think we had a bigger game at the end of the week, so our coach needed a pitcher to come in to pitch two innings. The pitcher that has started alraedy had a lot of her innings, and our better pitcher they were saving for the end of the week. At that time I in the outfield, just picking flowers and not doing much of anything, so I volunteered and came in. I don't know if I struck out my first hitter or one of their better hitters. I still remember who it was to this day. I struck out one person and I loved it, so from then on I asked my dad for those pitching lessons. I wanted to try it, and as long as I was working at it, he was happy giving lessons. We went and sought out a pitching coach in Houston, his name was Tim Timmons. He gave me lessons for the first three years, then I went to another coach Bobby Smith, who is still a men's pitcher to this day.""
===========================
Thanks to our sponsors:
SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!
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