When young people start to play softball, there are many skills they must learn to master. Hitting, throwing, catching, and running drills can help them improve --- but you should remember that they're still children, and that the main goal of playing softball is to have fun. This is not a time for undue pressure.
Pitching Drill
Pitching is a very important part of softball. It takes many years of practice to develop a windmill style and become a dominant pitcher. However, children can learn the wrist snap that is such a vital part of pitching by practicing. In this drill, two players should stand about 15 feet apart, and play catch by making underhand tosses. They should bring the ball back about 18 inches from the hip, then bring it forward, snapping the throwing wrist from an open angle to a closed angle as the ball comes across hip level. The partner catches and makes the same toss back. Have the players do this for 10 to 15 minutes at a time.
Weight Shift Drill
Softball players quickly learn that when they hit the softball, it is not merely about holding the bat and swinging their arms. Instead, it is about getting the whole body involved by shifting weight. Get the player into her normal stance, weight is on her back leg. She should stride forward about eight inches, but keep the weight on her back leg as long as possible; she should not swing the bat. She will see that her weight will not come forward until she swings the bat; now she should finish her swing. This teaches young people exactly how and when to shift their weight. Do this 10 times, take a 30-second break, and do 10 more weight-shift swings.
Running Relay
This is a fun drill that will help young players how to run the bases. Divide your team into two groups, and have half the team line up at second base and the other team line up at home plate. On the coach's signal, each group will start a sprint around the bases. Each player will carry a softball during this sprint, handing it off to the next player in line when they complete a circuit. Each player must concentrate on hitting the inside corner of each base and running as fast as she can.
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