Softball Practice Drills – Ground Ball Drill

I have several favorite softball practice drills. This drill works well for us getting the girls warmed up and loose.   I call it the Ground Ball drill.

Ground Ball Drill:
Girl is at First, Girl at Home, Remaining girls line up at third base.
Coach hits a ground ball to the first girl at third base.   She fields the ball, throws to first.   First throws home.   Each girl follows her throw.   In other words, the third baseman fields the ground ball, throws to first, and goes to first to receive the throw from the next girl.   The girl at first goes home when she throws home.

Two rounds at third base, then the girls move to shortstop.   Same thing — two rounds, then move to second.   Two rounds of ground balls at second, throwing to first, first throwing home.
Next, girls go to shortstop, a girl is at second base, and a girl at first and home.
Coach hits ball to short, she feeds ball to second (for double play), second throws to first and first throws home.   Two rounds of this with girls following their throw to cover the next base.

When this is completed, the line moves to second and the coach hits the ball to second, girls feeding ball to shortstop to first (double play starting at second).   Then put the line of girls at second, one at first and one home.   Ground balls are hit between first and third working on communication between the first baseman and the second baseman.

The girls continue by following their throw.   After a couple of rounds to each girl, we finish with the line of girls at first receiving ground balls, throwing home and following their throw home.

We do this softball drill for about 15 — 20 minutes warming the girls up on grounders, throwing accurately, and hustling.