Elite Softball Drills – Fun Softball Drills
As all coaches and players know, running drills is an important part of leading an effective practice. However rote pitching, fielding, and running drills can quickly become monotonous and lead to player apathy and disinterest. Having players perform the same motions in a new way or with a new twist will keep players on their toes and provide them with fun and innovative ways to practice essential skills. Incorporate these fun softball drills into your practice and watch enthusiasm soar!
Hitting – Fun Softball Drills
Batters must be able to discern in a split second if they should swing at a ball and what placement of their bat they need to use. The two ball drill can help players with these vital skills. For this drill, two different colored balls must be used. The coach or a drill partner should kneel on the side of the batter. They will toss the two balls in front of the batter as they call out a color. The batter must swing and try to hit the correct ball.
This drill allows for multiple skills to be practiced. Batter practice their quick reasoning and judgment when determining which ball to swing at. They also work on bat placement. The balls will be in two different areas, one towards the outside of the plate and one towards the inside of the plate. The batter must attempt to hit only the color called and attempt to keep the ball in fair territory. To turn this drill into a competition have students work in teams, scoring a point for each colored ball correctly hit in fair territory.
Fielding – Fun Softball Drills
Everyone knows the classic fielding drills that are used in every practice. The players field a ball and throw it to the correct base. These skills are essential for any defense to have. However, practicing them the same way endlessly can be monotonous for players. Instead of having a player stand at first base (or whatever base you are throwing to) have a stool with a stuffed animal perched on top.
As players field the ball they attempt to throw the ball and knock the stuffed animal from on top of the stool. This gives players the ability to practice throwing to different areas of the base as well. If they only train to throw to the glove when there is no other interfering factor, then they might not be able to hit their targets in a game situation. Once the players are familiar with the concept of knocking the target off the stool, turn it into a competition with teams at each fielding position.
Base Running – Fun Softball Drills
Running laps around the bases can seem like a tedious drill that causes players to dread practice, it can be made into a fun and competitive moment for the players to show off what they can do. Set up two sets of bases around the diamond. Make sure there is enough room between the bases for runners not to bump into one another. The players will run relay style races in different configurations. Divide the players into two evenly matched teams. If there is an odd number of players, choose a player to sit out for a round or make one player run twice.
The players will run relay style races in different configurations. Start players off running through first base as though they hit a single. As soon as their foot hits the bag the next player should take off from home base. Another relay could be running to first and checking for the possible double before going back to first base. For this style, there should be an indicator of where the runner should stop before returning to first base. Once they have returned to first base, the next runner should leave home. This same style can be used for a possible triple or home run. Try running relays for doubles, triples, and home runs where the players are sliding into their finishing base.
The Final Inning – Fun Softball Drills
There are many ways to turn regular drills into something fun and exciting for players. They play a competitive sport for a reason! Tap into their competitive spirit and turn regular practice drills into something that they want to do at each and every practice. The more passion and creativity you put into it, the more effort your players will give it. Those other teams may not know what hit them! If you have any questions or need further clarification or ideas reach out to us at coach@elitesoftballdrills.com.
Get out there and play ball!
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