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Fun Softball Practice Drills

Monday, January 3rd, 2011

Many softball players believe that practice always involves doing things that aren’t fun. However, there are many fun softball practice drills that can be done. Not only are these drills fun but they’re also beneficial. Three such drills are – Knock Barney off the Can, Pickle, and Beat the Ball.

Knock Barney off the Can

This drill involves hitting a stuffed Barney (the purple dinosaur some kids love) off of a garbage can that’s turned upside down. A player stands about 50 feet from Barney and all the other players line-up behind her.

The coach should then hit a grounder to that player. That player has to field the ball and then try to hit Barney with the throw. A little prize can be awarded to any player who is successful.

Of course there can be many other fun softball practice drills that are similar to this but use a different object or a different stuffed animal. As long as it works on a player’s fielding and throwing accuracy the drill will work great.

Pickle

For this drill players need to be divided into groups of three. In each group there will be a runner and two fielders. The fielders will line-up on bases that are placed up to sixty feet apart. The runner will begin on one of the bases.

Then the fielders will first throw a grounder to each other and then a pop fly to each other. During one of the four turns (two grounders and two pop flies), the runner has to try to advance to the other base.

Once the runner gets thrown out three times or steals three bases, the runner becomes a fielder and one of the fielders becomes the runner.

This drill gives the runner practice trying to steal a base and it helps the fielders work on fielding grounder and pop flies, throwing, and applying a tag.

Beat the Ball

This drill needs to be done on the base pads. The catcher lines-up behind the plate with a ball and a player takes each base. Then a player starts at the plate and will run around all the bases.

On the coach’s signal, the runner takes off. Meanwhile, the catcher must throw the ball to third base, receive a throw back, throw the ball to second base, receive the ball back, and then throw to first. The first basemen will then throw the ball back to the catcher, receive the throw back and then throw to each of the bases.

This continues until all 4 defensive players have taken their turn throwing to every base and home plate. This should happen before the runner makes it around the bases twice.

This fun softball drill helps work on every major facet of the game – running bases, catching, and throwing – except hitting.

Practice Can be Fun!

Practice doesn’t have to be boring and tough all the time. There are plenty of fun softball practice drills to add some excitement and entertainment. Most of these drills are beneficial too. Three such drills are Knock Barney Off the Can, Pickle, and Beat the Ball.

Coach Becky has been coaching softball for well over a decade. She’s constantly on the lookout for new softball practice drills You can get instant access to a sample of her softball practice plans by visiting her website:
SoftballSpot.com

For a limited time, all coaches who visit Becky’s site will also get a free copy of her special report: “The 7 Biggest Mistakes Softball Coaches Make”. Go get your free copy today!

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http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Becky_Wittenburg

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Softball Throwing Drills

Saturday, January 1st, 2011

Learning how to throw a softball is really important if you play the game. It’s one of the basic skills of the sport and something that all good defensive players know how to do very well. Throwing a softball occurs in many different game situations and so the better you know how to throw the ball then you are much more likely to help your team get out of a possible tough jam. This article has some softball throwing drills that will help you with throwing a softball the correct way. Take the time to practice these fastpitch softball drills because you’re defensive game will greatly benefit as a result:

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Fastpitch Softball Glove Review ACE70

Friday, December 24th, 2010

AKADEMA ACE70 FASTPITCH DESIGN SERIES SOFTBALL GLOVE

“Created to satisfy the needs of the competitive Fastpitch player, the Akadema Fastpitch Design Series is hand-crafted to increase the level of play on the field. Constructed of US Steerhide throughout the pocket and webbing, the back of the glove features exclusive AkademLyte leather, decreasing the overall weight of the glove and allowing for a faster break-in period and a more manageable feel. Smaller finger stalls used to decrease the distance between the thumb and index finger and Akadema Grasp Clasp Wrist System allow for increased playability. Endorsed by USA Softball stars Crystl Bustos and Monica Abbott.”

Ok, so that is the company’s blurb about this Fastpitch Glove. That’s a lot of sales copy, adequately describing this line of fast pitch softball gloves. Sales copy is good, but does it tell the real story?

They sound pretty proud of this line of ladies Fastpitch Softball gloves. You know what? They should be. This is one heck of a nice softball glove, and for the price range it is in there really are not any competitors out there that can beat it. You can see why Monica and Crystl endorse these gloves; they are high quality.

The ACE70 is priced in the low middle of the range but the quality and build of this glove should have it in the upper range. This glove has some really nice features and it plays very well too.

Here are some of its features.

13″ Slim Pattern

B-Hive Web

Grasp Clasp Wrist System

Small Finger Stalls

Deep Pocket

Right or Left Hand throw available

The Akadema ACE70 fastpitch glove is black with grey 1/4 inch lacing that makes a nice looking accent. There is some nice embroidered script Akadema on the back of the glove and also the logo, which makes this a really sharp looking softball glove. The model and series name are embossed into the inside of the glove for added effect. You hate to admit it but how well a glove, or bat or shoes looks does seem to make a difference to how you play – or at least how you feel about that glove or shoes, etc. So, that being said, this is one sharp looking fast pitch glove.

This glove is not as heavy as most thanks to the use of AkademaLyte leather on the back of the glove. This lighter weight leather is durable but allows for a quicker break in period. When you first get this glove it will be very stiff. You will need to do some break-in. If you use the Akadema glove conditioner on the palm and pocket and pound some softballs in there and play a lot of catch it should break-in in a few weeks for you.

The heavy Steerhide on the palm and fingers provides plenty of padding for those hot line drives to SS or those high fly balls in Center.

The 13″ slim pattern is the perfect size for a softball utility player. The deep pocket seems to just absorb the ball yet it gives it back quickly to make that fast glove to hand transition on the infield. The deep pocket helps you hang onto those fly balls in the outfield too.

Middle infielders, Shortstop and 2nd base will like the tight feel of the glove and the way it holds up to repeatedly slamming it into the dirt to grab that grounder up the middle. 3rd base will like the heavy palm and pocket to stop those hot liners coming down the line. As a pitcher you will appreciate the slightly larger pattern and deep closed web pocket to hide your grip as long as possible. Sorry batters. This will even make a great 1st base glove with its size and deep pocket.

That B-Hive web is a closed type web. It kind of looks like a honeycomb, thus the name I guess. It is made of the same top quality US Steerhide as the pocket and palm area. It is really thick too, looks to be about 1/4 inch and reinforced with that heavy 1/4 inch lacing. The B-hive construction makes it very secure and strong. Being a closed web you can use it to block out the sun on those bright summer days. As you break in the glove the web conforms very well to the ball and begins to give-in to allow easy closure by a smaller, ladies hand.

Akadema has a nice Grasp-Clasp Wrist System that incorporates an open back with an adjustable wrist closure using Velcro. This allows for a more comfortable and manageable fit. Rip back the velcro to put the glove on, then pull it tight to give you a snug fit. There is also a soft furry material on the top of this reinforced Grasp Clasp that cushions the top of your hand. It also absorbs some of your sweat so you don’t slip around so much. There is a tag attached there. I would suggest cutting it off if it bothers you.

Along with the Grasp-Clasp system, Akadema designed in smaller finger-stalls to better fit smaller hands like most ladies have. This also makes a shorter distance between the thumb and index finger. You ladies will love this. You don’t have to use the standard baseball glove anymore.

The only negative thing about this glove is those small finger-stalls. They are kind of small for most men. It will eventually conform to your hand but I would suggest moving into one of the men’s ProSoft or Professional series gloves if you are a man with average sized hands.

Younger players may find the stiffness a bit much but it does break in easy enough. Get your Dad or Mom to help you. This will be a glove that you could use for many years. The lighter weight will be a plus for you.

Competitive players moving up into high school age looking for a step up glove will really like this fastpitch glove for its high quality leather and lighter weight. That lighter weight can help with your quickness at ball transfer. You know how important that is in this game. This glove should last you through your high school years and into college. If you take care of it, it should be one you could give your own daughter one day.

This glove could also be a great second glove for that super competitive A level player, or the college or post college player looking for a glove to use for those weekend tournaments. The lighter weight and ease of break-in will help this glove find a home in your equipment bag.

These features make the Akadema ACE-70 one of the best fastpitch gloves available today. This is a great utility players glove. Two Thumbs UP!

Remember, to discover how great this glove is you have to use it. So get out there and get it dirty.

Take care of it and it will take care of you on the field!

Brad is a fastpitch softball enthusiast and has been involved in fastpitch softball and baseball for 20 years as a parent and coach. For more information on the ACE70 and others please visit http://www.BuyFastpitchGloves.com for some of the best fastpitch softball gloves and related accessories. Talk about Fastpitch Softball over at http://fastpitchsoftballtalk.blogspot.com/.

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Softball Drills – Quick Drills to Get Players Fired Up

Wednesday, December 1st, 2010

Some traditional softball drills have been around since the beginning of the sport for a good reason: they get the job done. These drills are simple and easy to explain, and they get players in shape and fired up for the game.

Hitting Drills

3-Player Bunt: This softball drill requires two players to pitch and one to bat. The pitchers alternate pitching and the batter bunts back to the one who pitched.
Broomstick Hitting Drill: Hit whiffle balls with a broomstick to work on batting technique. First use the right hand, then the left hand, and then both hands.
Hitting Machine Drill: Fill the hitting machine with three different colored balls. Have the players bunt on certain colors, take certain colors, and hit away on other colors.

Running Drills

Base Running Drill: This drill helps increase endurance and base running technique. Have the whole team run the bases 10 times, but pace it so that they jog the evens and sprint the odds.
Indian Relay Drill: The team runs laps in a single file line, and the player in front holds a ball. When the first player is ready she tossed the ball up in the air and runs to the back of the line. The second girl now leads the line and carries the ball until she is ready to move to the back, at which point she tosses the ball up for the next player.
Base Stealing Drill: Players form a line facing the coach. At the coach’s signal, they lead off the imaginary base. If the coach signals to return to the base, all players dive back to the imaginary base. If the coach signals to continue, all players spring to a designated area.

Fielding Drills

Rapid Fire Drill: For this softball drill, a coach or player quickly bats to various positions on the field, and the fielders throw to designated areas. This drill has a lot going on at once, but it is good practice for focusing on fieldwork.
3-Second Drill: This drill helps infielders quickly locate the ball and throw it where it needs to go. One player stands behind the fielder and gently tosses a ball at her feet. The baseman locates the ball and has three seconds to get it in a teammate’s glove across the infield.
3-Player Pivot Relays: Divide the team up into groups of three and have them form lines spread out across the outfield. Race to see who can complete the following drills, using the catch, pivot, throw method:

- Throw down the line and back, 1-2-3-2-1

- Throw down the line three times and back

- Make them think using the 1-3-2-3-1-2-3-1 pattern

And if you’d like to see more free softball drills and coaching tips, go here to watch a free video:

http://www.softball-spot.com/vid/

Becky Wittenburg is a kids softball coach, and the owner and publisher of Softball-Spot.com, the web’s #1 resource for softball drills, tips, and practice ideas for youth and high school coaches.

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http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Becky_Wittenburg

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Softball Drills – Fun and Challenging Hitting Drills

Sunday, October 31st, 2010

Practice can become dull and boring if the same softball drills are used every time. In order to keep athletes fresh in their skills, incorporate new drills as often as possible. These fun and challenging hitting drills will provide players a new perspective on hitting and force them out of a practice rut!

Pepper Game

This softball hitting drill emphasizes control over the bat and makes the hitter work on a short, quick swing.

Position three to five fielders about 25 feet from the batter, making sure they are spread safely apart.
Have the batter hit the ball with a short, downward stroke toward one of the fielders.
The fielder fields the ground ball and quickly pitches the ball back to the batter, who uses the same quick downward stroke to hit back to one of the fielders.
Right handed batters should hit inside pitches to the fielder on her left, middle pitches to the players in the center, and outside pitches to the fielder on her right.
To make the drill more challenging, have two balls going at once to really keep the batter focused.

Colored Softball Toss

This softball drill requires the hitter to really concentrate on the pitch and focus on keeping her weight back.

For this drill, the coach, or whoever is acting as pitcher, needs several balls of different colors.
The pitcher will toss two pitches simultaneously, making sure the balls are at different heights.
While releasing the toss, the pitcher will call out which ball the player should hit, forcing her concentration on just one ball.
For variations on this drill, the coach can sometimes incorporate fake tosses or vary the speeds of the balls. If colored balls are not available, the pitcher could call out “high” or “low” instead.
This hitting drill will help players adjust their swing for high or low pitches, particularly when they may have been expecting the opposite.

Hit the Bounce

This drill forces the hitter to focus on the timing of her swing, both the trigger – when she should initiate the swing – and the point at which she should make contact with the ball.

Have the pitcher stand to the front and side of the hitter, about ten feet away.
The pitcher tosses a tennis ball to the hitter, making sure the ball bounces once before reaching the strike zone.
The hitter should watch the pitch and use the bounce as a trigger for the swing.
Once she has started her swing, the hitter needs to time it so that she hits the ball at the top of the bounce.
This drill might take a lot of practice to master, both from the person tossing the tennis ball and the hitter, but once they understand the basics it can really help with timing the swing.

And if you’d like to see more free softball drills and coaching tips, go here to watch a free video:

http://www.softball-spot.com/vid/

Becky Wittenburg is a kids softball coach, and the owner and publisher of Softball-Spot.com, the web’s #1 resource for softball drills, tips, and practice ideas for youth and high school coaches.

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http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Becky_Wittenburg

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Softball Drills – Fun and Challenging Hitting Drills

Sunday, October 31st, 2010

Practice can become dull and boring if the same softball drills are used every time. In order to keep athletes fresh in their skills, incorporate new drills as often as possible. These fun and challenging hitting drills will provide players a new perspective on hitting and force them out of a practice rut!

Pepper Game

This softball hitting drill emphasizes control over the bat and makes the hitter work on a short, quick swing.

Position three to five fielders about 25 feet from the batter, making sure they are spread safely apart.
Have the batter hit the ball with a short, downward stroke toward one of the fielders.
The fielder fields the ground ball and quickly pitches the ball back to the batter, who uses the same quick downward stroke to hit back to one of the fielders.
Right handed batters should hit inside pitches to the fielder on her left, middle pitches to the players in the center, and outside pitches to the fielder on her right.
To make the drill more challenging, have two balls going at once to really keep the batter focused.

Colored Softball Toss

This softball drill requires the hitter to really concentrate on the pitch and focus on keeping her weight back.

For this drill, the coach, or whoever is acting as pitcher, needs several balls of different colors.
The pitcher will toss two pitches simultaneously, making sure the balls are at different heights.
While releasing the toss, the pitcher will call out which ball the player should hit, forcing her concentration on just one ball.
For variations on this drill, the coach can sometimes incorporate fake tosses or vary the speeds of the balls. If colored balls are not available, the pitcher could call out “high” or “low” instead.
This hitting drill will help players adjust their swing for high or low pitches, particularly when they may have been expecting the opposite.

Hit the Bounce

This drill forces the hitter to focus on the timing of her swing, both the trigger – when she should initiate the swing – and the point at which she should make contact with the ball.

Have the pitcher stand to the front and side of the hitter, about ten feet away.
The pitcher tosses a tennis ball to the hitter, making sure the ball bounces once before reaching the strike zone.
The hitter should watch the pitch and use the bounce as a trigger for the swing.
Once she has started her swing, the hitter needs to time it so that she hits the ball at the top of the bounce.
This drill might take a lot of practice to master, both from the person tossing the tennis ball and the hitter, but once they understand the basics it can really help with timing the swing.

And if you’d like to see more free softball drills and coaching tips, go here to watch a free video:

http://www.softball-spot.com/vid/

Becky Wittenburg is a kids softball coach, and the owner and publisher of Softball-Spot.com, the web’s #1 resource for softball drills, tips, and practice ideas for youth and high school coaches.

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http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Becky_Wittenburg

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Dramatically Improve Your Softball Game With These Sport Specific Exercises

Friday, October 8th, 2010

It has now become accepted fact that weight training can help softball players become better. In the last decade, specific training programs have really developed. There are different training programs for each type of sport, and softball is not an exception. The weight training programs for softball players mainly focus on the core stability of a player. They serve as a base for power conditioning that is required in the game. The program takes about 4 to 6 weeks and should be combined with a complete body workout.

Unfortunately, most of the softball players lay a limit to their muscle strengthening by working out only on a specific group of muscles. However, a number of muscles should be included in the best strengthening programs. Some of the muscles that are ignored are the lower back, abdominal muscles, hip flexors, hip abductors, and hip adductors as well as all the upper body muscles. To avoid injuries connected to the game, all these muscles have to be exercised. Some of the exercises that should be combined with the softball-training program include:

The Horse Stance Exercise

Start while you are on your knees and hands, with your spine in a neutral position. The abdomen should be drawn in and the chin tucked. Then slowly raise your arm with the thumb up as well as the opposite leg. The arm and leg should be kept straight as you lift your body to a given height and hold it for about 5 to 10 seconds. After this, return the leg and the arm to the ground slowly. This should be repeated on alternating sides while you maintain optimal alignment. As you become better at this exercise, try holding it for a longer time and also include weights.

Stork Stance

The stork exercise works on core stability and balance. You stand on your left leg with the knee slightly bent. Once in this position, draw your belly button toward your spine. While extending the other leg behind you, bend at the waist. Try keeping the leg straight by forming a parallel line from the head to the toe. While maintaining this position, lift the arms so that the upper arm is parallel to the floor. The position should be maintained throughout the exercise as you repeat the exercise for each leg.

Cobra Stance

This works on the core upper, lower back and the gluteus muscles. With your face laying on the floor, the legs straight and the core and gluteus tense, squeeze the gluteus muscles and slowly retract the shoulder blades. The arms should be at the side with the thumbs facing the ceiling. Tuck the chin towards the chest as you keep the neck and spine aligned. The head should not be allowed to extend backwards. There should be slight discomfort in your lower back while you concentrate on squeezing the gluteus muscles.

If these three exercises training exercises are performed regularly, you should see dramatic results in your softball game within just four to six weeks. Keep up the training, and you will leave the competition in the dust.

Bill has been an online article writer for nearly 6 years. In addition to his normal topics of diet, fitness and weight training, you can also check out his latest website on Brother Embroidery Machines as well as Garden Tractor Tires to see reviews and product comparisons.

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Fastpitch Softball – Basics on How Its Done & Fastpitch Softball Pitching Equipment

Tuesday, October 5th, 2010

The game of softball is often confused with the game of baseball and many are often lead to believe that if one plays baseball one can play softball too. Before one discusses what softball pitching is all about it would be worth while to just have a glimpse of some of the differences. Softball as a game has its roots in the game of baseball. In softball the numbers of innings are limited to seven; the ball is thrown underhand and played on a smaller ground. The game of softball has been attributed to George Hancock and since then this game has become increasingly popular. Today it is played in countries all over the world.

Pitching a softball requires quite a bit of practice. It’s not just about throwing the ball but instead requires proper hand and body coordination before the ball is pitched.

The whole idea of softball pitching concentrates around the pitchers body position with respect to the pitchers plate, the gripping of the ball in the hand and the proper positioning of the foot. A full understanding of these positions will help a softball pitcher perform better.

While pitching a softball the weak foot is usually placed at the end of the back of the pitch plate with the feet placed apart at around shoulder length. The arms are kept at the sides and the back heel is lifted in the air. This gives more strength to the front foot and greater balance. The weight can be shifted to the back by rocking the arms in a backward position. The arm is now brought forward with the ball in the glove such that the ball remains hidden from the batter. Rotating the ball in the air in the vertical direction and moving it in a circle the ball is released from the hip position. The action finishes by looking at the direction of the catcher. This is the essence of softball pitching where the main softball equipment with respect to the pitcher is the ball and the gloves.

However, there is fast-pitch softball also known as fast pitch or just fastpitch. This term refers to a form of softball played by women, though male and mixed fast pitch leagues also exist. They commonly start at the age of 6 and play it through the college. The International Softball Federation recognizes three pitch speeds: fast pitch, medium pitch and slow pitch. The fast pitch is considered as the most competitive form of softball. This form of softball was played in Olympic Games from 1996 till 2008.

Softball equipment helps a player to perform at the highest level possible. It is important that bats, gloves, cleats, apparel and more, are top notch in performance, quality, and durability at an affordable price. Nokona as a main manufacturer of softball equipment offers great quality and affordable prices. They make bat bags, softball knee leg guards, catcher gear and accessories (such as Nokona wrist saver, Nokona palm saver, Nokona classic glove conditioner, leather lacings, leather bags, NGM Nokona glove mallet).

Nokona athletic company provides softball players with quality gloves. They come in following series, Buffalo. Buckaroo, Classic Combo and Walnut Classic. They also use a wide range of materials to get the best results. Therefore, Buffalo and Classic Combo are made of American range bison, the leather which provides soft and sturdy at the same time. More over, Buckaroo is combination of kangaroo and cowhides to form lightweight gloves. At last, but not least important Nokona built its reputation on famous Walnut ‘crunch’ leather. For fastpitch, in their rich array they included series such are Catcher’s mitts, Elite and Youth.

Read more: Fastpitch Softball – Basics on How Its Done & Fastpitch Softball Pitching Equipment

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