Softball Recruiting Camps - Be Prepared to Be at Your Best

Softball Recruiting Camps - Be Prepared to Be at Your Best
By guest author: Gary V Hawkins

If you are trying to make it to the next level in softball, softball recruiting camps may be something you want to consider. These camps, which are often called showcase events or evaluation clinics, can help you get noticed by scouts or by college coaches.

Before you attend one of these softball recruiting camps, here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Show up in shape just as if softball season was starting that day
2. Be ready to be at your best, make sure your skills are sharp before attending
3. Bring a copy of your athletic resume with you

When you attend one of these events, the spotlight is directly on you. You need to be in great shape and prepared to play at your highest level. These events are run by coaches who know what they are doing and they will put you through drills which will show what kind of athletic and softball talent you really have.

One of the worst mistakes you could make would be to show up at one of these events not prepared to be at your best. It could end up being hurting your chances of getting the recruiting attention you have been looking for.

After leaving these softball recruiting camps, you can take your chances of being recruited to an even higher level. How? Glad you asked! You can do that by marketing and promoting yourself to college coaches. Coaches at all division levels need good players who are also good students. When you make direct contact with coaches, you could end up being just the student athlete they are looking for.

Softball recruiting camps are a good way to get exposure. An even better way to make sure you get the attention of college coaches is to contact them directly. Direct contact is the best way to make sure coaches know about you and what you can potentially do for their program.

Gary Hawkins is a well known recruiting and athletic scholarship expert and the author of a popular 17-page free report titled:

"Five Secrets You Must Know To Get Recruited For Athletic Scholarships"

Head over to http://www.recruitedforscholarships.com/freereport.html to get your FREE copy now!

Gary Hawkins is passionate about helping high school athletes reach their dream of playing at the college level. In his Athletic Recruiting & Scholarship System, Gary teaches anyone how they can finally get the attention of college coaches and start being recruited for athletic scholarships. Just visit http://www.recruitedforscholarships.com/ and pick up your copy today!

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Girls Softball - Conditioning Program for Well-Rounded Athletes

Girls Softball - Conditioning Program for Well-Rounded Athletes
By guest author: Becky Wittenburg

Girls' softball - like any other sport - requires both practice drills to hone technique on the field and a conditioning program to increase strength, enhance performance, and decrease the risk of injury. An effective conditioning program will include flexibility training, cardiovascular training, weight training, and agility training. Players who train hard will become more well-rounded athletes and be more physically and psychologically prepared for competition.

Flexibility Training

The first step in a conditioning program should be flexibility training to get muscles loose and warmed-up for the rest of the training session. Start with a couple minutes of light jogging, then move on to stretching. An effective stretching program starts with the ankles and moves up throughout the body, including the calf muscles, hamstrings, quadriceps, back muscles, shoulders, neck, and arms.

For proper stretching technique, hold the stretching position until the muscles relax, and then increase the stretch to the point of feeling resistance. Stretching presents a good opportunity to increase body awareness; athletes need to know not to stretch any particular muscle too far for risk of injury.

Cardiovascular Training

Cardiovascular, or endurance, training increases the muscular and respiratory systems' ability to perform over time. Programs that increase heart rate while working the body are ideal for cardiovascular training.

Encourage athletes to join a gym that provides guidance and equipment. Classes in aerobics, spinning, and kickboxing all present a great endurance workout. Players who prefer to work out alone can use treadmills, Stairmasters, and elliptical machines. Those who do not want to join a gym can participate in a running or biking program that provides regular endurance training.

Weight Training

Weight training not only builds muscles, which will enhance performance on the field, but also reduces the risk of injury. However, before an athlete begins a weight training regiment, she needs to be properly trained in using the equipment.

While softball players want to primarily build up muscles in the legs, torso, abdominals, and arms, they should also work the rest of the body, including the back, shoulders, chest, and wrists. Because individual players are at different stages in development and have distinct body types, it is difficult to present one universal weight training program. Athletes should work with their coach or a trainer to develop a program that works for them.

Agility Training

Agility training increases players' ability to execute moves quickly and effectively on the field. Athletes should focus on increasing balance and developing acceleration. Exercises that include line jumps, quick sprints, lateral maneuvers, backpedaling, and bleacher steps will increase balance and explosiveness. Softball players whose bodies quickly and accurately respond in any situation will be an invaluable asset to their team.

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

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

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Softball Tips on Breaking the Most Common Softball Myths

Softball Tips on Breaking the Most Common Softball Myths
By guest author: Marc Dagenais

Softball is mostly a conservative game. Take a look at how much the softball gear and apparel have changed over the past century and you'll understand what I mean.

There's nothing wrong with being conservative per se. The uniform, for example, sets it apart from other sports, so people will understand if it doesn't change much.

But from a practical point of view, some things need to be changed in the way the sport is being played. This especially applies to the most common softball myths that most coaches still teach to their players today.

In this article, I'll be showing you some of these common myths and I'll tell you why they need to be changed once and for all.

Static Stretches

This is probably one myth that still persists not only in softball but in other sports as well. The premise of static stretches is that it helps you run faster, provide you with more power and prevent you from getting injured.

But studies have shown the opposite. Instead of giving you a performance boost, static stretches turn off your nervous system, which decreases your performance.

So instead of doing static stretches, softball coaches of the 21st century should teach their players dynamic stretches when warming up. That's because dynamic stretches effectively deliver what static stretches can't.

Should Softball Players Lift Weights?

In the past, softball players have been discouraged from lifting weights because it can negatively affect their performance. Unless you still practice this belief, you'll know that it isn't the case.

The truth is that lifting weights provides more benefits than traditional coaches could ever imagine. Lifting weights develops a player's stamina, endurance and strength, while providing more power to throw the ball faster and swing the bat at greater speeds.

Depending Too Much on Pitching Machines

The day pitching machines became available for softball teams was good news for softball coaches all over the world. And this is why most coaches now only depend on pitching machines to train their players' batting skills.

But pitching machines are a one-trick pony. They cannot completely teach your players how to hit the ball at different areas because the machine can only throw balls at one direction.

I recommend that you use pitching machines when teaching your players the correct hitting mechanics. But when it comes to hitting the ball at different zones, stick with the good old live pitching.

Yelling at Players

Today's coaches should remember that their job is to motivate and inspire their players. That said, coaches should now learn how to gain the respect of their players without shouting at them. What works today is creating a positive and motivating environment for players, and that's something that can never be achieved with tons of shouting.

Some of these softball tips look so obvious that they're funny. But the reality is that there are still coaches out there who continue to propagate these things to their players. It's about time that you do your share in helping break these common softball myths.

Marc Dagenais is a Softball Peak Performance Coach that helps softball players turn their athletic talent into extraordinary performances and help coaches get more out of their players, turn their struggling team around or get an edge over their opponents. Visit us to sign-up to get our FREE softball pitching tips!

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

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Softball Coaching Clinic for Players

WHS Softball Coach Graves, gives back to the community thru a free girls softball clinic held at West High School May 16, 2009. Thanks Coach Graves

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Check out these coaching articles at the Softball Coaching Digest:
SoftballCoachingDigest.com
• Articles from the Youth Softball Coaching Clinic Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Pitchers Blog
• Articles from the Coaching Fastpitch Softball Hitters Blog
• Articles from the Tips for Fastpitch Softball Coaches Blog
• The Fastpitch Softball Training Equipment Blog
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Softball Drills - Quick Drills to Get Players Fired Up

Softball Drills - Quick Drills to Get Players Fired Up
By guest author: 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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The Categories they have are: BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

The Three I's in Softball Coaching

The Three I's in Softball Coaching
By guest author: Marc Dagenais

The most comprehensive softball coaching can be found in an article that features not only the usual and the most basic coaching styles and techniques. It also comes in small packages like this one. This article is all about softball coaching. But what makes this article different is that it underscores only three of the most needed softball coaching elements. These are interest, improvement and importance.

Interest. In any softball coaching plan, awareness and concentration on the hustles and bustles of the game is important. The power and quality of the game depends upon the curiosity or concern displayed by all of the members of the softball team. But how can a player achieve his winning goal if the coach himself doesn't know what to do? There is really a great need of the incorporation of interest in any softball game because this serves as the link of involvement with something that makes the softball performance leads its way to progress or success.

Improvement. After you have carefully laid down your softball plans and priorities, you have to keep on advancing. As a coach, you must set continuous modifications of the plans and techniques that you have already done. There is much intensive change in the softball field every now and then. The softball coach should cope up with the great changes that the game of softball brings. He must also have the ability to become better and make his players better by constant practice and softball training. The involvement of changes adds value to the softball coaching of every person.

Importance. There is a much need to give value to the softball game itself. This means that the magnitude of your strength should be at least given to the softball coaching. When you give importance to the game, you have to set aside your extra-curricular activities and focus first on the development of your plans for the improvement of the team. In one way or another, you have to give a high interest to the different news happening around the softball world.

Softball coaching is not an easy task and it will never become easy. It will always become a big sacrifice. But the feeling of satisfaction and contentment once you are in the softball field become the energy that will bring more positive actions and more outstanding idea that you will share with the team. Yes, the job is not easy yet it will always be happy task.

Marc Dagenais is a softball peak performance coach that 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. Visit his site and sign-up to get his FREE softball hitting tips!

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

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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.
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Thinking About Coaching Youth Sports Like Baseball Or Softball? Go For It! You Won't Regret It

Thinking About Coaching Youth Sports Like Baseball Or Softball? Go For It! You Won't Regret It
By guest author: Bob Langys

You've been on the sidelines, watching your child play for the softball, baseball, soccer, football, or any other team. You'd like to get involved, but you don't know enough about the sport or about coaching.

Here is the deal: As long as you know a little more about the game than the players, you know enough. As long as you take some time along the way to attend a clinic or two, or even to research drills on the internet, you can stay ahead of the kids and provide value to them. If you can bring some enthusiasm and have a genuine desire to help the players progress, you can learn to coach them!

My Experience

My children started to play baseball and softball at a young age. I've never played any kind of organized sport, nor have I followed any professional sports. When my son joined the t-ball team, I initially sat on the sidelines and watched. As I saw what the drills were, it was quickly realized that they coach could use some help by breaking this team down to smaller, more interactive, groups. My offer to help with immediately accepted and my coaching career began.

As my children moved up through the levels of baseball and softball I studied along with them. My best gains in learning were had through the coordination with other coaches and with clinics that our league sponsored. The clinics were great in that they broke down individual skills down into a repeatable, numbered process. I've never pitched, but I can now get players started pitching. I've never been a catcher, but I can help kids be catchers.

Other considerations

The relationship with your child will change a little on the field and in practices. They are one of the team so you have to treat them like you do their teammates. That is often hard for the child, as they can't understand why you won't just be their mom/dad instead of the coach. A helpful technique for getting past this issue is to team up with another coach, and to have them responsible for coaching your child. It works well to tell the other coach the points that you want to get across to your child and let them do the work. Your other coaches will need the same from you.

Get Involved!

Go to the practices. Insert yourself into the process by helping with some drills. The coach may not know how to ask for help but most will not turn it down. Not sure what you are doing? Have the coach break down a drill for you. Start out as an assistant, but when you are ready make sure the league knows that you want to coach a team. Often times, they are short coaches and are looking for people who want to step up.

Assistant Coaches - the "Volunteering" of help.

Just like you have may have been a little hesitant to get involved many of the other parents are in the same boat. If a parent is at the practices and has not clearly indicated that they are not interested - they are a potential assistant coach. Learn some names, call them coach, and give them a drill to run. Believe me, more often than not that parent will be happy that they were able to help.

The Payoff

Coaching is very rewarding. Most coaches find that he benefits received consistently outweigh the time and energy put in. You will know that you have done it right when your players return for the following season and parents inquire as to your plans for next year. Over the years you will gain many relationships with parents, other coaches, and the players. When you get a chance to see the player - who has never made a play before - make the play for the first time you will never again wonder if you should have been a coach.

Bob Langys is an experienced telephone systems engineer and sales professional who has been in the industry for over 15 years. His interest in the technology and applications combined with his love of coaching / sharing the knowledge has served him well throughout his career. Bob works with Medlin Communications, in the Chicago Suburbs, and has the pleasure of working with a team of can-do people. Find out more about the information in this article at:

Find out more about Bob at:

http://www.langys.com

Find our more about Medlin Communications at:

http://www.supportdocs.net

Bob routinely works with a variety of systems including Asterisk, Elastix, Toshiba, Cisco, and Avaya. Whatever the communications need, Bob will put his experience to find the best solution for you. Call Centers, Call Recording, ACD (automatic Call Distribution), and general office telephone solutions are all in his core area of expertise. Single sites or multiple locations. Located in northern Illinois ( Chicago area ) or across the nation, Bob can help.

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

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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.

Softball Coaching Tips on Things Your Softball Team Should Always Focus On

Softball Coaching Tips on Things Your Softball Team Should Always Focus On
By Marc Dagenais

It's easy to get distracted when you're a softball coach. You have schedules to deal with, and you also need to train your players on top of that. And it can get even more confusing with the training part. What specific things should your team focus on? How do you measure your team's progress?

Don't get frustrated, though. If you feel like you're losing control over your team, let me show you how you can keep your players well-trained minus the stress. The secret: it's all about focusing on the basics. This softball coaching tip especially applies to coaches handling 16U teams.

What should the basics cover? Let me show you some of the important things your softball team should always focus on:

Hitting and pitching

Obviously, if you want to train your players with the basics, you need to start with hitting and pitching. With hitting, teach them how to hit the ball consistently. This involves teaching them the proper hitting mechanics, plus showing them how to track the ball, from the time it leaves the pitcher's hand to the time they already need to hit the ball.

Also teach your players how to bunt. Your team doesn't always need to aim for a homerun. Bunting is a useful skill if you want to have more runs, for example.

Then there's pitching. For one, you should help your players develop their core muscles, found at the trunk. Developing these muscles help them transfer power from their legs to their upper body, which translates to faster throws.

Running Bases

What most inexperienced softball players don't realize is that you don't just run like heck to another base and call it baserunning. To properly do that, you need to know when to do it, and when you shouldn't. Your players need to consider the overall situation of the team on the field before making a run.

Aside from that, they also need to develop their sliding skills along with this. Proper sliding enables your players to get to the base faster, while minimizing the chances of injury.

Decision making

This skill comes with experience. But building experience doesn't necessarily mean your team always has to play in competitions. You can improve their decision making skills by letting them play specific game situations during practice.

Showing them how to react during particular game situations enables your players to make decisions as soon as they recognize a similar situation in actual games.

Communication

Teaching your players how to make decisions quickly also involves helping them improve communication among their teammates. It may involve the use of signs, but whatever you do, show your players how they can elevate their communication to a level where they no longer need verbal communication just to get their message across.

Again, it all boils down to teaching your players the basics, especially if they're inexperienced. They need the basic skills in order to perform much more difficult skills required at the elite level. The basics should be the main thing your softball team should always focus on.

Marc Dagenais is a softball peak performance coach that 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. Visit his site and sign-up to get his FREE softball hitting tips!

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

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