Softball Drills

Coaches use softball drills during practice to strengthen players’ skills. These drills can be used to improve batting averages and fielding instincts, and to help players control incoming ground balls and pop-ups. Drills can boost more than the physical aspects of the athletes' games; they can also improve team morale and individual motivation.

  1. Throwing accuracy

    • Players should be split into groups of two; partners standing somewhere between 60 and 90 feet apart. Assign one partner to be the catcher and the other to be the thrower. The thrower needs to aim for the chest, belt or head of the catcher, as balls approaching these areas of the body are easiest to receive. The catcher should remain rooted in her position, only moving to catch an erratic ball that may hurt someone. Run the drill for as long as necessary. Partners score 1 point for every ball that is thrown accurately, and the pair with the most points when time is up wins the game. This kind of repetition will help players get used to the appropriate arm motion of a solid throw and to improve their timing; having a feel for precisely when to release the ball during a throw is vital.

    Line drives

    • Use cones to mark off the outfield, infield and pitcher's mound. Depending on the age of the players, the coach or the team’s pitcher will stand at the pitcher’s mound. Choose players to be on defense, and divide them between the infield and outfield zones. One by one, the rest of the players will come up for a turn at bat. Defensive players cannot leave their zones during a play; However, in between innings the defense may switch zones for practice and skill-strengthening in each section. The batter will have a specified amount of pitches (could be 5, 10, 20, whatever the coach decides). For every line drive, batters get a point. For every pop-up they hit, they get a point taken away. Every line drive that allows the batter to reach first base is worth 2 points. Hitters can go through the rotation two or three times, and the hitter with the most points wins. This drill will help sharpen both hitting and fielding abilities.

    Fly balls and Pop-ups

    • Fly balls and pop-ups are common in baseball games, so it is wise to concentrate some softball drills on the fielding of these. Have the players line up at the far end of the right foul line. The coach should stand in right-center field. One at a time, players from the line will run toward second base, while the coach throws them a line-drive. Each player will catch the ball and then discard it on the ground as he continues to run and prepare for the next ball. The coach will throw a second line-drive, which the player must catch and discard again. The final throw will be a pop-up. Once the player leaves the foul line and starts running toward second base, he needs to continue to sprint and never stop or hesitate. After the player has fielded all three balls, he will return the balls to the coach and take his place at the end of the line. The second player goes.