Beginner Softball Pitching Drills

One of the many things that distinguishes softball from baseball is the windmill pitch, a complicated maneuver requiring the pitcher to swing her arm in a circle, letting go of the ball at a precise position--not to mention landing it in the catcher's mitt in the strike zone. It’s no wonder it takes loads of practice to perfect this pitch. A few drills are available that can help prospective windmill pitchers accomplish this mighty feat.

  1. Wall Pitching

    • Pitching at a wall helps a player focus on speed, without concentrating on accuracy. The We Kids website suggests standing 10 or 15 feet away from a wall and pitching the ball toward it. Doing so will help the pitcher increase her delivery speed, along with the speed at which the ball is thrown. Pitchers should avoid throwing rubber balls and use softballs to get comfortable with the size and seaming of the ball. The ball will begin to soften due to the constant impact; therefore, use the same ball each time you practice this drill, if possible.

    Snaps

    • Learning how to spin the ball is one of the most important aspects of pitching. To help you learn, practice this drill 10 to 20 times each session, or as needed.

      Stand with your hips and arms square to your catcher, who should be about 10 feet away from you. Hold the ball in your hand with your arm hanging down by your side. Snap your wrist upwards so that your palm is facing the ground. Then, flip your wrist over so your palm faces the sky. Now, practice this same snap releasing it at your hip—you do not need to move your arm, only your wrist.

      Your aim is to create a spin on the ball. If you cannot get the ball to spin, you are likely holding it too tight and not letting your fingers roll off.

      If you do not have a catcher, reach your arm across your body and catch the spinning ball yourself in your glove.

    Follow Through

    • Once you have mastered the spin, add a little arm movement. Allow your arm to move forward and up by bending your elbow as you snap. Avoid any backwards movement with your arm, only move it forward.

      Your glove should be pointing at the catcher when you are finished with the follow through. You can also bring your pitching side knee up as you release the ball. Practice this technique 10 to 20 times each session.

    Timed Session

    • To improve your speed and control, try this interesting drill. Stand about 6 feet away from a wall in the stride position, or standing sideways. Perform your windmill and throw the ball at the wall—it should come back to you.

      Complete this technique repeatedly for 15 seconds and see how many you can do. Each time you attempt this drill, try to increase the amount of pitches you can throw in the time frame. Doing so will help you speed up your delivery and throw more controlled balls.