Practice time is very important when coaching softball. It can help players improve at specific tasks that are vital when it comes to winning and losing in basketball. Hitting and base running drills can help a team score more runs. Defensive drills are at least as important because teams that can make plays can stop their opponent from scoring and help their team gain momentum.
Two-Ball Drill
Taking batting practice is vital at all levels of softball, but hitters can learn patience at the plate with the two-ball drill. In this drill, the softball coach will have two different colored softballs in her hand. She will stand to the side of the batter and toss them into the hitting zone. She will call out one of the colors of the softball and the hitter will attempt to hit that one and not the other. Toss 10 pairs of softballs to each hitter. A good performance will see the hitter make contact with the correct ball seven times out of 10. This will emphasize hand-eye coordination and quick wrists in addition to having patience at the plate.
Infield Drill
This will help infielders get in the practice of thinking before they make a play and hustling every time a ball is put in play. In this drill, a runner will be placed on first base before the ball is put into play. The coach hits a ground ball to the third baseman and she must throw to second to cut off the baserunner and potentially start a double play. After the play is completed, the first baseman throws it into the catcher, which fires the ball to the third baseman, which slaps a tag on an imaginary runner. Then the third baseman throws the ball back to the catcher and she starts jogging in towards the plate. The catcher rolls her a soft grounder—about the speed of a bunt—and the third baseman picks the ball up and throws it to first. The third baseman goes back to her position and the coach then hits a similar ball to the other infielders.
Baserunning Relay
This simple drill emphasizes speed, quickness and proper base-running technique. Line up half your team at second base and the other half at home plate. Give the first player in each line a softball. On your signal, each player takes off for a race around the bases. Each base runner must hit the inside corner of every base. When she gets to the starting point, she must hand the ball to the second person in line who follows the same path. All runners complete the sprint around the bases and the first team that completes the run with every runner touching every base wins the drill. If a player misses a base, she must go back and re-touch the base.
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