The Youth Softball Coaching Clinic Blog is your free online source for youth softball and little league softball coaching tips and drills. Our articles and daily post covers all aspects of coaching girls softball and girls softball teams.

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Softball Drills - Quick Drills to Get Players Fired Up


Softball Drills - Quick Drills to Get Players Fired Up
By Becky Wittenburg

Some traditional softball drills have been around since the beginning of the sport for a good reason: they get the job done. These drills are simple and easy to explain, and they get players in shape and fired up for the game.

Hitting Drills


3-Player Bunt: This softball drill requires two players to pitch and one to bat. The pitchers alternate pitching and the batter bunts back to the one who pitched.
Broomstick Hitting Drill: Hit whiffle balls with a broomstick to work on batting technique. First use the right hand, then the left hand, and then both hands.
Hitting Machine Drill: Fill the hitting machine with three different colored balls. Have the players bunt on certain colors, take certain colors, and hit away on other colors.

Running Drills


Base Running Drill: This drill helps increase endurance and base running technique. Have the whole team run the bases 10 times, but pace it so that they jog the evens and sprint the odds.
Indian Relay Drill: The team runs laps in a single file line, and the player in front holds a ball. When the first player is ready she tossed the ball up in the air and runs to the back of the line. The second girl now leads the line and carries the ball until she is ready to move to the back, at which point she tosses the ball up for the next player.
Base Stealing Drill: Players form a line facing the coach. At the coach's signal, they lead off the imaginary base. If the coach signals to return to the base, all players dive back to the imaginary base. If the coach signals to continue, all players spring to a designated area.

Fielding Drills


Rapid Fire Drill: For this softball drill, a coach or player quickly bats to various positions on the field, and the fielders throw to designated areas. This drill has a lot going on at once, but it is good practice for focusing on fieldwork.
3-Second Drill: This drill helps infielders quickly locate the ball and throw it where it needs to go. One player stands behind the fielder and gently tosses a ball at her feet. The baseman locates the ball and has three seconds to get it in a teammate's glove across the infield.
3-Player Pivot Relays: Divide the team up into groups of three and have them form lines spread out across the outfield. Race to see who can complete the following drills, using the catch, pivot, throw method:

· Throw down the line and back, 1-2-3-2-1

· Throw down the line three times and back

· Make them think using the 1-3-2-3-1-2-3-1 pattern

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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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!

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Kids Softball Drills - Fun Drills for Beginning Players

Kids Softball Drills - Fun Drills for Beginning Players
By Becky Wittenburg
Start with the Basics

These kids softball drills teach the basics -- hitting, running, throwing, and catching -- in fun, simple ways that beginners will understand and enjoy!

Don't Miss

This hitting drill emphasizes making contact with the ball and correct placement of the bat once the batter has hit the ball. You will need a tee, a ball, a bat, gloves for each player, and a hula hoop.

Divide the team into two sides. Fielders will play as usual. Batters take turns hitting from the tee, focusing on making solid contact with the ball. Once they have hit the ball, they must toss their bat into the hula hoop on the ground next to home base before they can run to first. If the player misses the ball or knocks the tee over, it's a strike. After three strikes, the player is out. The player is also out if they don't place their bat in the hula hoop before running to first.

Red Light/Green Light

This kids softball helps beginners get used to running with a glove and ball in their hands. Each player will need a glove with a ball in it. Have the players form a line facing the coach, who is about 60 to 90 feet away.

The drill begins when the coach turns away from the players and yells "green light." The kids run toward him/her as fast as they can, making sure to hold on to their balls. Periodically the coach will yell "red light" and spin around. If the coach sees any of the players moving after he/she has called "red light," those players are out. The first player to get close and tag the coach out wins.

Hit the Coach

This is a fun beginning softball drill to teach throwing accuracy. The kids form a line facing the coach, each one holding a small foam ball or other type of soft ball.

When the coach says to begin, the kids all try to hit him/her with their balls while the coach tries to avoid getting hit. The kids can run to retrieve their balls after they have thrown them, but they must throw from the starting line. Once the coach has been hit three times, the kids get to make him/her do something silly, like a dance or animal noise.

Look Up

This softball drill for kids teaches beginning players to catch fly balls in the outfield. When first learning softball, many kids are afraid of looking up to catch the ball. This drill will ease them into feeling comfortable catching from below.

This drill requires small foam balls and as many tall people (coaches, assistants, or parents) as possible to stand next to the kids and drop the balls over their heads. The kids look up with their hands raised and try to catch the balls. At first they should use both hands and no glove to get used to catching with both hands. Eventually they can move on to using gloves.

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 kids softball drills, tips, and practice ideas for youth and high school coaches.

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

========


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!