Coming up with new ideas for [tag]fastpitch softball drills[/tag] can sometimes be a challenge. Here’s a tip that Ron sent in that works well. Keep ’em coming!
From Ron…
First I have been coaching girls [tag]fastpitch softball[/tag] for awhile, it has been the younger girls just starting out from 8 years old to 13.
For this [tag]softball drill[/tag], I use a soccer or volleyball and have a coach toss the ball to the player, some at waist or below and some from waist up.
The player then has to yell “Fingers to the sky” if the ball is over their head or “Fingers to the ground” if it is below their waist and catch the ball using two hands.
This accomplishes a few things:
1. it gets them to think of where do my hands go depending where the ball is
2. the ball is bigger than their mitt so they have to use both hands and catch the ball with soft hands as well as having the face of the glove facing the incoming ball.
3. by saying “fingers to the sky”, “fingers to the ground” it puts the mitt in the open and correct position to catch a ball.
You can alter this once they start to get more comfortable and start using a [tag]softball[/tag] and/or baseball. If they go back to using stiff arms and one hand or backhanding ball right at them you switch back to the bigger ball.
Just an idea that I have used and usually after a few weeks the younger players start to understand and they are catching (or at least attempting) fly balls and grounders with mitt in correct position.