When working on softball fielding techniques, it’s important to include drills that work on pushing your fielders to the left or right. This is the ball where you work on pivoting while fielding the backhand and the forehand, with both the left foot and the right foot forward. This is important because you never know what foot you are going to need to field off of. You don’t want to be stutter-stepping to get on your strong leg when it comes time to make that grab! You need to train to be strong on both legs, on both the backhand and the forehand catch.
Breaking Down the “Left & Right” Softball Fielding Drill
- Draw a straight line in the dirt between 2 player
- One player stands on each side of the line
- Players should have a good solid base, and avoid feeling like they are on a “balance beam”
- Players should get low enough that they feel the “burn” in their quads, not in their back.
- Players will roll the ball diagonally across the line to the other player.
- Begin with one foot forward and work the forehand catch, and then switch feet but continue to catch in the forehand.
- Have both players alternate sides of the line, and do the same steps as above to work the backhand catch, again alternating the feet.
- Focus should be on fielding the ball from the ground up.
- After the catch, the ball should be brought right back up into the throwing side.
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