Preparing a team to play a complete and winning softball game is one of the most important goals of a softball coach. Coaches also want to help her individual players to improve and maintain their interest in the game. She can accomplish all these goals by giving them hitting and fielding drills in practice.
Hitting Drill
In order to give your hitters the best chance to succeed against the tough pitchers who dominate fast-pitch softball, have them work on hitting to all fields. If your batting-practice pitcher does not have pinpoint control, you are better off using a pitching machine. Give each batter 15 pitches to hit. The first five should be over the inside corner, the second five should be over the middle of the plate, and the last five should be over the outside corner. Ask the hitter to pull the inside pitches, to drive the pitches over the middle to center field, and to hit the outside pitches to the opposite field. Good hitters can drive the outside pitch to the opposite field with power. Trying to pull that pitch will usually result in a playable ground ball. Hitters who go with the pitch are more disciplined, and will help their teams be more productive.
Three-Ball Infield Drill
Make sure your players are prepared to play infield defense. Hit each infielder three grounds balls. On the first ground ball, the infielder will throw to first base to retire the batter. On the second ground ball, the infielder will throw to second base, as if to start a double play. On the third ground ball, the infielder will throw home, to throw out a runner trying to score. Hit the ground balls to all the infielders, including the pitcher. The pitcher is the fifth infielder, and a very important part of your defense.
Three-Ball Outfield Drill
It is important for your outfielders to know what to do with the ball when they get it. Outfielders should never hold the ball. They should fire the ball into the infield after they get it, and that means they need to be aware of the defensive situation prior to the ball being put into play. On the first play, the coach should hit a line-drive single to the outfielder, and she should throw it into second base. On the next play, the coach hits a similar ball to the fielder, and she should throw it into third base. On the next play, the coach will hit a driving fly ball to the outfielder. She must drift back and catch it, then throw it home to get the runner trying to score on a sacrifice fly.
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