Softball Skills

This is an excellent drill for teaching [tag]softball skills[/tag] that Rich sent to me. Try this out with your team tonight!

From Rich…
OUTFIELD THROWING DRILL
Align everyone, except a [tag]pitcher[/tag], a [tag]catcher[/tag] and an [tag]infielder[/tag] at 2B, equally across the outfield at the distance you want the players to [tag]throw[/tag]. Each player takes a ball to the outfield when they go. The pitcher is stationed in her cut off position, the catcher is set to make a tag at home plate and the infielder is stationed at 2B to take a throw.

The player closest to the foul line in left field tosses her ball a short distance in front of her, runs to pick it up and makes a throw to home. The catcher, judges the throw, if it is on line to the plate says nothing, lets the ball come home where she makes the tag on a virtual runner. If the throw is off line the catcher calls “Cut Two”, the pitcher cuts off the ball and throws to second base. In either case, once play is finished, the ball is thrown back to the player in the outfield who made the throw. The next player in line then makes her throw. After all players have thrown, switch pitchers, catchers and infielders with players from the outfield. The drill can be repeated as many times as desired.

This drill practices several skills: [tag]throwing[/tag] from the [tag]outfield[/tag], judging whether to cut off a throw, making a tag at home plate and cutting off a throw and throwing to 2B. Challenge the players to get 100% of their throws on line and hit the cutoff person. On throws through to the catcher, focus on good, strong, one bounce throws. Insure that the pitcher takes the proper position to cut off the throw and the catcher sets up properly in front of home plate.