Training games for softball pitching are designed to help improve your pitch accuracy and speed. While some softball pitching games help simulate typical game situations, others take the form of drills, which attempt to isolate a specific element of your pitching technique and help you improve it. Softball pitching games range from strikeout games to towel drills.
Distance Game
Have your pitcher's stand next to the mound with a catcher behind home plate. Have the first pitcher step up and throw a pitch to home plate. After the first pitch, have her take a step back and throw another pitch to home plate. After each additional throw that successfully makes it to home plate, instruct the pitcher to take another step back. As soon as a pitch fails to make it to the catcher, place a marker on the ground with respect to the pitcher's furthest distance. The winner of the game is the pitcher who throws the ball home from the farthest distance away.
Rapid Sequence Game
This training game is designed to improve your player's release time. Have a pitcher stand at the mound and a catcher line up behind home plate. On your mark, have the pitcher throw a ball to home without winding up. The pitch should be thrown from the hip. Have the catcher fire the ball back to her and have them repeat this toss 15 times. Time each of your pitchers to see who has the fastest release on your team.
Wall Drill
This drill is designed to improve your pitcher's control and wrist strength. Have a pitcher stand facing a wall with a ball in her throwing hand. Instruct her to flick the ball directly at the wall using only her wrist. Try and get her to bounce the ball directly off the wall and back into her throwing hand. Count how many times she can perform this throw without dropping the ball. Have each pitcher on your team perform this drill to see who is the most consistent.
Wall Windmill Drill
This game is designed to get your pitcher's to focus on the windmill portion of the windup. Have a pitcher stand 6 feet in front of a wall in a basic stride position. From here, have the pitcher use only the windmill portion of her windup to toss the ball against the wall. If thrown accurately, the ball should come right back to the pitcher. Take out a stopwatch and time your pitcher for 15 seconds. See how many throws she can perform during this time period.
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