Coaching Fastpitch Softball Pitchers: softball article

Showing posts with label softball article. Show all posts

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.

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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.
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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shanna_Stevens

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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

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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

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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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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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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

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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, July 26, 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
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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Ripley

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