From Rey…
I coach my daughter’s coach pitch team. We do what’s called (Queen of the Swing).  All the girls line up with their bats, they get 1 swing, wherever that softball is pitched they must make contact. It’s a good last pitch drill. Past ball, they are out, foul ball they are out, fair ball they continue till only 1 girl is left. Last girl must hit the ball fair, or she is out too. Good softball drill for pitching coach. Last pitch always has more pressure.

From Ricky…
I currently have been coaching a Fastpitch/Coach Pitch Girls 6 & Under softball team for the last two years.
One fun and memorable softball drill/game that we do is play the softball version of HOT POTATO.

All the girls get in a circle and they have to pass the ball around in the circle and place it in the “pocket” of the glove of the girl seated next to her.  We have someone not in the circle, softball coach/parent etc. who turns their back to the game and calls time at random.  Eventually, someone wins by process of elimination.  I have found that this is a simple but fun game for young girls at the 6 & under level.

Of course the emphasis it to remember that the pocket of the glove not the palm is where the ball belongs.

Technorati Tags: softball pitching drills, softball, softball drill, softball coach

From John…

A softball drill I do is one that allows pitchers to work on their pickoff moves, baserunners work on reading the pickoff moves and fielders to work on covering their base on a pickoff. Here is how it goes:
1. Add another pitching rubber about 5′ on each side of the existing pitching rubber on the infield.
2. Put a runner at 1st, 2nd and 3rd, along with a fielder covering that base.
3. Have the pitcher nearest 1st base working on pickoffs going to that base, with the baserunner working on his lead-off and getting back when the pitcher throws over to first, and the baserunner getting a good jump when the the pitcher goes home.

The Pitcher in the middle works to 2nd base and the pitcher closest to 3rd works that base.

After 10 minutes or so the pitcher rotates to a different rubber as does the baserunners.

Technorati Tags: softball pitching tips and drills, softball, drill, pitchers, baserunners, pickoff, fielders, pitcher

From Steve…
Here’s a softball drill I use:

For Pitchers –”Handkerchief Reach” –

Have the pitchers do their normal pitching motion, without any softballs.

While watching their mechanics, have a coach see where their front foot (delivery) foot lands and where their delivery hand lands.   Mark that spot.

Now take out a handkerchief (towel will do) and have the coach stand directly in front of the pitcher.  Tell the pitcher to do the pitching motion again, but this time to “hit” the handkerchief with their “pitching hand”. Repeat this activity, but each time, the coach moves a distance farther from the pitcher.

After about 2 -4 times, the pitcher has increased the “delivery distance” and “stretched further down/over”.

I have had pitchers add between 2 & 4 feet to their delivery motion and “end-up” distance. This has increased velocity,  improved mechanics, etc.

Technorati Tags: youth softball pitching drills, softball, drill, pitching, coach, pitcher

When looking for free girls softball fastpitch drills, you want a set of drills that cements the fundamentals of pitching while pushing your pitcher to achieve a new standard of speed and precision.  For the first girls pitching drill, have your pitchers stand in a line next to a wall or fence with their pitching arm in.  Their feet should be angled approximately 45 degrees from the wall, and they should be standing anywhere from 4 to 6 inches away from it.

Each girl is to go through all the motions of whichever pitch they prefer, the slingshot or the windmill, or they may practice both.  By practicing beside the wall I find my girls to be less likely to drop their shoulders and lapse into the swooping motion that can be damaging come game time.

The next of the free girls softball fastpitch drills can be performed either with a catcher or against a backstop, whichever is easier.  This drill is all about pitching from a distance and working on improving throws from afar.

The pitcher starts with a bucket of balls at her side standing at her usual pitching spot.  She is to throw a ball with the goal of crossing the plate.  If she is successful, she moves back 5 feet (or one giant step) and throws another.  For every successful throw over the plate she moves back until she can no longer throw over the plate.  The best aspect of this drill is that pitchers will notice an improvement on their distance throwing skills after only a few short weeks of practice.

Technorati Tags: free girls softball fastpitch drills, drills, pitching, pitcher, pitching drill, softball, fastpitch, drill

One very successful softball throwing drill is called the Triangle Drill.  Divide the team into three groups.  Group one will stand between 1st base and 2nd base, group two will stand at short stop, and group three will stand at home plate.  You, the assistant coach and a catcher should stand to the side of home plate.  You should hit the ball to group one.  Someone in group one should catch the ball and throw it to group two as their group runs to group two’s position.  The catcher in group two should throw to home plate while group two runs to that position.  Basically, the team will be practicing their throwing skills as they rotate positions.

Another softball throwing drill is Long Ball and it helps to develop arm strength and to improve the distance of throws.  The team should partner up and line up about ten feet from one another. Instruct the pair to toss the ball back and forth; when both players successfully throw and catch the ball, they should take two steps back.  Have them continue to do this, gradually getting far enough so that they can practice fast overhand throwing.  Stop the drill when the 1st pair gets far enough from one another that their throws no longer reach the other.  Before starting the drill, emphasize on position and on stance; also, the form of the throw is very important.  Display high elbow above your shoulder, palm down, and snap wrist on the follow through.

This next softball throwing drill is a game called Hit the Bucket.  Hit the Bucket will increase throwing accuracy and it’ll also help with footwork in the infield.  Divide the team into two groups. Position half at short stop and half at second base.  At home plate, put two bins down, stacked on top of each other.  Mark a point where the girls should stand until the ball is tossed to them.  The groups will alternate by fielding the balls thrown to them and then throwing it at the bins.  If the ball hits the top bin on a bounce, the team gets one point.  If the ball hits the top bin without a bounce, the team gets two points.  Instruct the players to throw the ball at full speed.  The 1st team to ten points wins.  You can make the losing team run a couple of laps to make the game more interesting.

You should do multiple softball throwing drills at each practice to make sure that every player is comfortable with their throws.  It is always a good idea to combine throwing, catching and running in one drill for better conditioning.  Having a good arm is necessary for players in every position, even if pitching is not their focus.

Technorati Tags: throwing, softball, drills, coach, catcher, drill

I’m coaching a girl’s 10u fastpitch travel softball team with only 2 returning players.  The following drill to help the girls to learn each others name and to re-enforce the using two hands when catching.

Have your team line up in two lines, facing one another approximately 10-15 feet apart with 8 – 10 feet between one another and staggered–8–10ft between and 10–15 ft apart for this drill.

Have the first girl underhand toss the ball to the girl across from her while saying that girls name.  The girl catching the ball catches on the back side of her glove, the back of the fingers and uses her throwing hand to hold it to the back of the glove.  If a girl drops a ball they do not pick it up.  The last player drops the ball in the bucket. 

Count the number of dropped balls.  Have the girls switch places so they are throw to someone new.  Give incentives for a perfect round, no dropped balls.

Technorati Tags: fastpitch softball pitching drills, fastpitch, softball, drill

From Denise…
Two players are back against the backstop about 3 or 4 ft away from the back.  Standing about 40 ft. away from these two players is the softball coach hitting balls at these two girls, working on reaction backhand and forehand. 

The object is not to let a ball touch the backstop.  Make sure the player gets a chance to field from both sides.  Make this a great competition.  And the coach can take out a few frustrations also!!!

From John…
One line of people at first base and one line at second base.  After the player throws the ball he runs to the back of the line and the next player runs up to the base and position’s themself to catch the ball from the person who just caught the ball at the other base.
  
I emphasize to them this is not a drill to see how hard you can throw the ball but work on hitting the other person’s outstretched glove.

Technorati Tags: drills for fastpitch, softball, coach, drill

From Daniel:
One softball drill that has helped us is hanging three different size towels (large, medium, and small) on a fence.  We make two teams. 
We put the players 46 feet from the targets.  Each team player throws a ball one at a time.  If they hit the towel they get 1 point for large, 2 points for medium, and 3 points for the small face towel.  The team with the most points wins. 
We have found pitchers with good control doing this drill.

From  Mark:

My favorite drill is the ball recognition drill.  In this drill you can use soft or hard balls.
Have your batter at the plate or closer if you use nonhard balls.  The balls are different colors and the batter only swings at the balls of one color.  I try to get the hitter to pick up the ball right at the pitcher’s hip.  It will help all batters keep their eye on the ball better.

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For someone new to softball pitching: once he learns the motion, he has to follow these steps (completion is about 5 in a row).  This drill will show fast pitching improvement with your new players.

a - Throw to the catcher’s target; catcher is standing up.

b - Catcher sits down; throw strikes down the middle.

c - Catcher now puts glove either on the left side or right side of the plate; pitcher has to throw a catchable ball to the correct side (height doesn’t matter)

d - Progression to target work: low outside, high inside, etc.

Technorati Tags: youth softball practice drills, softball, pitching, drill

A softball drill that I use for my players that don’t throw the ball 3/4 arm slot or have their elbows too low :
1-Have a player and a partner sit indian-style about 10-15 feet away, toss the ball to their partner keeping their elbow up and when ball is released, right hand should be at left knee on grass. repeat at least 10 -15 times or until done satisfactory.  Stress throwing “over-the-top”.
2-Next, players increase distance 5 ft., kneel on right knee, and toss to partner. Throwing hand to touch opposite knee. Repeat 10-15 times or until players are improved or repeating drill efficiently.
3-Finally, players spread out another 5 ft. and on both feet. Ball is tossed between players at a normal warm-up drill, ensuring elbow is at correct height and angle.

This drill is really productive for 1st year players. They don’t acquire bad habits dropping down or throwing sidearm.
 

Technorati Tags: softball throwing driils, softball, drill