Fastpitch Softball Pitching - Fielding your Position

Fastpitch Softball Pitching - Fielding your position

This Fastpitch Softball lesson will focus on the Fastpitch softball pitcher, not on the mechanics of how to throw a rise ball, drop ball, or change up, but rather on a particular defensive softball drill that will improve the confidence of the fastpitch softball pitcher. The beauty of this drill is that incorporates both fastpitch softball pitching practice and softball fielding practice within the same drill.

Go to any Girls Fastpitch Softball tournament and you'll see more and more fastpitch softball pitchers wearing protective head gear very similar to a clear catchers mask. Our top priority should and must be the safety of the developing player, however over protection can be equally as dangerous to the players development. I fully support protective gear (for the defensive player) if the athlete has been injured and is using it to get back into the game, I'm not as supportive of these softball products if they're being used as a shield. My reasoning here is that it masks (no pun intended) the confidence growth that is essential to the development of the quality fastpitch softball player.

Let's look at a drill that will instill defensive confidence in the fastpitch softball pitcher.

This drill is good for all levels from the beginning 10 and under pitcher to the 18 Gold or College fastpitch softball pitcher.

Here's how it works:

Step One:Allow the pitcher to warm up properly before you start the drill allow her to get fully loose. If you're doing a 50 pitch session with your fastpitch softball pitcher use the first 25 pitches to focus on rotation of the pitch, body mechanics for the proper release of the pitch, location of the pitch etc.. This will put her in the frame of mind that we want for this drill. The second 25 pitches we want the same focus on every pitch, hitting our spots, striding out and maintaining our angles through release of the pitch etc. but we're now going to add another element.

Step Two:we now add a third person to the drill, dads while you're sitting on the ball bucket catching your young developing star ask mom or a sibling to come stand behind you with some softball sized whiffle balls, as your pitcher throws the pitch (still focusing on the items outlined above) have the third person throw a whiffle ball towards the pitcher just before you catch the pitch. Start out with light throws and work up to more aggressive throws as the pitcher develops. The goal here is to have the pitcher focus 1) on the execution of the pitch and staying balanced through the process and 2) to understand once the pitch has been released that they are now a defensive player and to be prepared for a ball coming back to you.

For the higher level of player a light flight ball and a pitching machine works well. Make this drill part of your pitching focus a couple times a week and you'll see a dramatic change in your players defensive ability but more importantly in their confidence to handle the situation.

Footnote: teach your faspitch softball pitcher to work the edges of the plate and not dead red middle, this will make them more effective as a pitcher and less likely to have a screaming line drive come right back at them.

Keep in mind that confidence breeds confidence, and instilling it into your fastpitch softball pitcher today, makes for a better fastpitch softball pitcher tomorrow.

Softball is for everyone... Fastpitch softball is for athletes!