Chris from Iowa sent in a request for a [tag]fielding[/tag] [tag]drill for girls softball[/tag] he could use with his team. Here are two [tag]softball[/tag] [tag]drills[/tag] sent to me by Fred and by Shawna.
From Fred…
I coach younger girls 8-10 but have also used this for some of the older ones for different reasons.
Hoola hoop drill.
Purpose:
To assist younger kinds in judging the balls trajectory on [tag]fly balls[/tag] and build confidence. Teach them to keep their glove arm down when they are running.
Each girl has a hoola hoop around their waist.
The [tag]coaches[/tag] stand back with a bunch of tennis balls and throw pop flys.
Girls try and get the ball to land inside the hoola hoop.
Can be incoporated into a game of 500 up.
From Shawna…
I’m [tag]coaching[/tag] 7 & 8 year old girls. Most have never played before.
In getting them in a [tag]defensive[/tag] position to field a ball, we pretend that we are a back stop. Legs open, knees bent (like sitting in a chair). Back stop can shuffle to the right or left in order to keep the ball coming directly at the back stop.
I know it’s a no brainer but it seems to help a lot. They can visualize their body as a backstop and understand how they need to be in position.