By: Wade Gilbert Originally Published in: Coaching Better Every Season Provided by: Human Kinetics Most coaching books start with a discussion of the importance of creating a coaching philosophy and follow up with a section […]
Dirting a Changeup with Lonni Alameda – Florida State Univ.
Watch as Coach Lonni Alameda explains, and a pitcher demonstrates dirting a changeup. This is a great 0-2 pitch that allows the pitcher to expand the zone by bouncing the ball before the plate.
Pitching: Analysis and Count with Randy Simkins – Utah Tech Univ.
Watch as Coach Randy Simkins discusses pitch analysis and count. Both pitchers and coaches should always know the count. When you are ahead in the count be aggressive and attack but don’t waste pitches. The […]
Social Media: Knowing Your Audience with Garry Rosenfield – Coaches Inc.
Watch as Garry Rosenfield explains that it is important to be informed and have your own opinions, but it is also important to know who your audience is on social media and realize that not […]
Band Hitting Drill with Garland Shirley – Clarke Univ.
Watch as Coach Garland Shirley explains, and hitters demonstrate this band drill. This drill works on balance and coordination and helps the hitter to feel the front hip flexor working the muscles that reinforce her […]
Keeping the Hitter Guessing with Rachel Lawson – Univ. of Kentucky
Watch as Coach Rachel Lawson discusses keeping the hitter guessing with a drop rise combo. She explains tunneling and if you can tunnel the rise and drop ball, that will keep the hitter guessing. If […]
Be Careful Not to Overuse Technology in Coaching
From the time most children can walk and talk today, they have a technological device of some type in their hands. By the time they finish elementary school, children can code, decode, transmit and transcend […]
Triangle and X Drills with Michele Biffle – Langham Creek High School (TX)
Watch as Coach Michele Biffle explains, and infielders demonstrate the Triangle and X Drills. The Triangle Drill has the players working in groups of three with two on the baseline and one fielder. The shortstop […]
Coaches’ Stressors & Mental Health with Dr. Peter Ormsby – Univ. of North Carolina Pembroke
Watch as Dr. Peter Ormsby discusses coaches’ stressors and mental health. He cites case studies that indicate the three main stressors are performance-related, organizational-related, and personal. Performance stressors deal with injuries to athletes and poor […]
The Grind
By: Coach Mickey Marley Originally Published in: Game Ready – 52 Takeaways for Winning If you are a professional, or at the least someone who has sought out to be a champion, you probably have […]
90-Second Hybrid Defensive Drill with Bonnie Tholl – Univ. of Michigan
Watch as Coach Bonnie Tholl explains this 90-second hybrid drill and emphasizes that the time of the drill can be changed to fit your personnel. This is a 5-station drill covering 3rd, 2nd, and 1st […]
Selecting an Assistant Coach with Ricci Woodard – Texas State Univ.
Watch as Coach Ricci Woodard explains that the biggest thing in hiring a new assistant coach is for them to understand what the program is about and what it takes to be successful. Loyalty, how […]
Infield: Sacrifice Bunt with Megan Smith Lyon – Marshall Univ.
Watch as Coach Megan Smith explains and a corner demonstrates the proper positioning and responsibilities for fielding a sacrifice bunt. When a batter squares to bunt, the corners yell “bunt” and slowly creep toward the […]
Small Plate Pitching Day with Paige Cassady – North Carolina State Univ.
Watch as Coach Paige Cassady explains, and pitchers demonstrate small plate day which means there is a tight strike zone. Pitchers want to throw competitive pitches that put pressure on both the hitter and the […]
Developing a Culture
By: Jen Welter Originally Published in: Winning Ways of Women Coaches Provided by: Human Kinetics You must give players a voice in shaping the identity and setting the tone. With the most powerful teams I […]
Hula Hoop Slapping Drill with Jessica Bracamonte – Univ. of Toledo
Watch as Coach Jessica Bracamonte explains, and batters demonstrate the Hula Hoop Slapping Drill. The focus of the drill is on barrel path and direction. The batter should be in the middle of the hoop […]
Developing Routines for Handling Pressure with Bob Ligouri – Des Moines Area CC
Watch as Coach Bob Ligouri asks three of his players if they have developed any routines or tricks for dealing with pressure. Player #1 looks in the mirror as she is doing her hair and […]
5 Ways Champions Keep Their Heads in the Game
By: Cindy Bristow Provided by: Softball Excellence The biggest difference between champion softball players and everyone else who plays softball is that champions control their minds – they don’t let their minds control them. Discover […]
Why I Don’t Yell at Players with Matt Blackburn – Lake Belton High School (TX)
Watch as Coach Matt Blackburn explains why he does not believe in yelling at his players. Players emotionally respond to their coaches during a game and when a coach is mad or angry the players […]
Hitting: Ball Under the Back Knee Drill with Mary Jo Firnbach – Southern Illinois Univ. Carbondale
Watch as Coach Mary Jo Firnbach explains, and a hitter demonstrates this ball under the back knee drill. The hitter is in a ready stance and the back knee is over the ball. Emphasis is […]
Changeup: Flips and Grips with Jennifer Williams – Dartmouth College
Watch as Coach Jennifer Williams discusses changeup flips and grips. The variety of flips are the classic flip change (flip and pull back, flip up and pull back, or flip and reach), and the horseshoe. […]
Are You Building a Better You? with Chet Scott – Built to Lead
Watch as Chet Scott explains why it’s necessary to build a “better you” to be an effective leader. The way coaches regulate or react to a room influences the type of team they have. He […]
6 Steps to Better Bunting
By: Cindy Bristow Provided by: Softball Excellence Bunting isn’t glamorous or exciting but doing it successfully can be the difference between winning or losing a close game. Like free throws in basketball, bunting seems almost […]
Challenging Athletes Without Destroying Their Confidence with Dr. Greg Dale – Duke Univ.
Dr. Greg Dale explains that it is key to hold athletes accountable but do so without destroying their confidence or undermining their dignity. He talks about the difference between being intense and being emotional as […]
Safety in Sports Includes Mental Health Care
Medical professionals agree that about 20% of high school athletes and 30% of college athletes have or will have a serious anxiety or diagnosable mental health disorder that causes some degree of impairment in their […]
Teaching Defensive Skills with Larissa Anderson – Univ. of Missouri
Watch as Coach Larissa Anderson explains that she wants to teach everybody everything and make her players great athletes and her athletes great softball players. It is important that all the players practice defensive skills.
Team Culture Is Everything with Scott Whitlock – (Retired) Kennesaw State Univ.
Watch as Coach Scott Whitlock discusses team culture and how you must create a culture that does not compromise your core values and at the same time is a culture that allows the team to […]
Resistive Swings Slapping Drill with Donna J. Papa – Univ. of North Carolina
Watch as Coach Donna J. Papa explains, and a slapper demonstrates this resistive swings drill. The drill works on getting stronger through contact and strengthening the hand path. The batter should only take five swings […]
Tire Slam Drill with Caitlin Blanchard – Lourdes Univ.
Watch as Coach Caitlin Blanchard explains and demonstrates this tire slam hitting drill. The batter should hit the tire as hard a possible, as this allows them to feel the connection and power in the […]
Duties and Personalities on a Team
By: Kelly Inouye-Perez Originally Published in: Winning Ways of Women Coaches Provided by: Human Kinetics All the best teams in every sport have strong leadership among team members. But not every team member is going […]