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Building a Championship Catcher

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with Lindsay Leftwich, LSU Assistant Coach (Catchers/Hitters);
All-conference player at Northwestern State

Lindsay Leftwich shares her extensive knowledge of the catching position including framing, blocking, throwing, and fielding bunts. For each skill, Coach Leftwich provides you with a thorough explanation of the mechanics involved, explains why the mechanics are such, and offers several drills and work-ups.

Framing
When done properly, framing can help make borderline pitches look like strikes to the umpire. Coach Leftwich has her catchers demonstrate four drills to practice framing fundamentals. She also demonstrates the basic stance catchers should assume to ensure move quickly and effectively receive the ball.

Blocking
Being a good "blocking" catcher will give your pitchers confidence that they can throw any pitch in any situation, because they know their catcher will stop the ball, no matter where it goes. Coach Leftwich explains the correct mechanics of blocking and offers eight drills and work-ups to help catchers master the skill. You'll see how to block pitches right at the catcher and pitches thrown to either side.

Throwing
Learn the quickest way to transfer the ball from glove to throwing hand and learn the footwork required for throwing to each base. Ball transfer and foot quickness can compensate for average arm strength or enhance a catcher with a strong arm. Leftwich also explains several drills and work-ups for throwing out runners attempting to steal second base, as well as pick off throws to first and third base.

Bunts
Take the pressure off of corner infielders and stifle your opponent's short game! Catchers who are proficient at fielding bunts can wreak havoc on your opponent's offense. Learn the drills, footwork techniques and approaches to the ball that your catcher needs to make plays on any bunt.

Coach Leftwich does a great job not only explaining the proper mechanics for the catching position, but also the "why" behind her philosophy and teaching, often citing research and video analysis.

This DVD will produce a more productive and efficient catcher to get your pitcher more strikeouts and to get those tough outs on defense.

68 minutes. 2013.


Speed Doesn't Slump: Building a Triple Threat Short Game Offense

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with Yvette Healy, University of Wisconsin Head Coach;
2013 Big Ten Tournament Champions; four straight 30-win seasons (2011-14);
former Head Coach at Loyola University (Ill.), 2007 Horizon Coach of the Year; 2x All American at DePaul University

Yvette Healy shares her blueprint for turning a right-handed hitter into a lefty slapper. Coach Healy demonstrates 20 drills and shares the key points of the tools a slapper needs to be successful: bunting, soft slapping, and power slapping.

Getting Out of the Box
Getting out of the batter's box quickly is one of the most important and most overlooked aspects of becoming a great slapper. Coach Healy shares three drills for developing first-step quickness out of the batter's box. These drills will help get your slapper closer to first base before the defense has a chance to react.

Bunting
If the defense is playing back, the slapper can catch them off guard with a bunt. Coach Healy explains bunting strategy, including the parts of the field that are ideal for bunting, and demonstrates four bunting drills. One of the drills is a three-part progression that isolates the skill initially without the footwork, and gradually builds up into the entire skill.

Soft Slapping
Another option to use against a defense that's playing deep is the soft slap. Coach Healy explains the strategy behind the soft slap, and the mechanics involved in its execution. She focuses on the importance of grip strength for handling the bat, which is critical to soft slap success. A number of drills are shared to perfect the soft slap, including several one-arm drills to promote forearm and grip strength.

Power Slapping
The power slap is used to drive the ball through the infield when the defense is playing in. Coach Healy explains a few key mechanical differences between the soft slap and the power slap, as well as strategic goals. She provides 11 drills to help the slapper get more power out of her slap.

A triple threat slapper is a defense's worst nightmare. Start developing your triple threat slappers today - order now!

60 minutes. 2014.

All Access Florida Softball Practice

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with Tim Walton, University of Florida Head Coach;
2015 National Champions - Back-to-Back WCWS Titles (2014-15);
2013 SEC Coach of the Year, 4x SEC Coach of the Year;
3x SEC Champions;
has led Florida to seven Women's College World Series appearances in eight years (2008-15);
over 600 career wins; 2015 USA Softball Junior Women's National Team Assistant Coach

Tim Walton invites you to three days of Florida softball practice. You get total, first-person access to Walton's approach, observing his style, the way he structures practice and the specific guidance he gives his players on mechanics, strategy and more. Everything from the players mental approach, to detailed pitching, fielding, hitting, and base running drills are covered. There is even footage of Florida's conditioning program before and after practices.

Disc 1:

  • Coach the mechanics for hitting different pitches and pitches in specific locations
  • Learn how to maximize players potential

Disc 1 includes full access to a team meeting in which Coach Walton discusses team strategies and addresses his expectations for individual players. The meeting includes a give-and-take between the players and Walton. From the team meeting, you move into the cages, where you can watch Walton run their hitting stations, passing on detailed coaching on mechanics, with a focus on hitting in specific situations and hitting specific pitches.

Disc 2:

  • Learn how to correct minor pitching flaws and habits
  • Coach pitching mechanics for specific pitches
  • Learn the importance of base running and the attention to detail required to be successful on the base paths

Disc 2 focuses on pitching and catching workouts and baserunning. The pitchers and catchers incorporate multiple drills that focus on mechanics for every pitch, plus mixing pitches in a game-like fashion. At the end of the pitching workout, you will see a challenge that works on game situations and pressure situations. The second phase of the practice focuses heavily on baserunning. Coach Walton leads the players all the way around the diamond teaching the expectations on each base and covering the specific techniques, movements and situations.

Disc 3:

  • Cover the intricacies of base running in all situations
  • Set up a wide variety of fielding stations so each player is working on the skills they need, without standing around
  • Utilize unique and productive work-station drills, which can be run by one coach to make the most of your resources

Learn how to advance on the bases with balls hit to the infield or outfield. The practice then moves into defensive circuit work, where the groups work on different drills simultaneously. Circuit work stations include Texas Leaguers (with a focus on communication), Drop Steps/Pop Flys, Dives, Throws on the Run, and more.

Disc 4:

  • Coach the details of infield and outfield mechanics
  • Learn how to get multiple pitchers and catchers all working simultaneously
  • Make sure your team knows their responsibilities on cuts and relays

Coach Walton puts the team through Split Defense with outfielders working through a variety of drills, including the Sun Drill and ground balls on the glove-hand and backhand sides. At the same time, infielders are working ground balls to all positions, with the coach working around the diamond in rapid fashion while coaching mechanics and movement throughout. The team comes together to work on cuts and relays. Walton explains his system of coverages and backups for each player.

The pitchers and catchers work both lanes in the bullpen focusing on fastballs, counts, pitch outs, pickoffs, and intentional walks. Then it's back to the hitting cages with Walton coaching each hitter's individual style.

Disc 5:

  • Learn how to break down a player's swing with one-on-one batting practice
  • Learn how to field a variety of balls hit to the outfield
  • See how to use different defensive plays based on the situation and the personnel on the field

Walton takes you through batting cage work, divided defensive practice, and situational defensive coverage. Walton starts hitters in the cages with a focus on points of contact. Walton next runs his outfielders through a new set of drills, while infielders also work on a new set of skills, including short-hops and grounders. The team then comes together to work on short game defense covering the bunt, slap and steal.

Disc 6:

  • Run a productive, on-field batting practice
  • Get your entire team working on defense in unison

Disc 6 gives you on-field BP, with the hitters working through the same pattern of hitting: hit and run, slap and run, move 'em, score 'em, and then hit and run again, with a runner on third. Walton has athletes running bases and working on fielding while the hitters work on situations.

678 minutes (6 DVDs). 2012.

All Access videos are designed to allow viewers from all over the world to see how successful coaches run their practices in a "live" practice setting. All Access videos allow viewers to see the practices un-edited and in real-time. You will see how top coaches run their drills, interact with their team and staff, how they motivate their team, the cue words they use, the atmosphere of the practice and how practices are structured from day to day. Many coaches visit successful colleges and high schools to watch practice. But if you live out of state or out of the country, visiting another coach's practice can be costly. That's why we created the All Access Practice - to bring the practices to you!

All Access Indoor Softball Practice with John Tschida

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with John Tschida, University of St. Thomas Head Coach;
Over 770 career wins; highest winning percentage in D-III softball history (.850 winning percentage);
3x national championship coach, first coach to win national title at two schools;
2x NFCA Division III National Coach of the Year; 11x MIAC Coach of the Year

John Tschida and his staff welcome you to their indoor practice facility to show you how to get the most out of your practice time, practice space and out of your players - even during inclement weather. In this series you will see how Coach Tschida runs his practices - focusing on proper throwing fundamentals, fielding and position work, hitting, and bunting. Every aspect of the game is covered, and it's all indoors.

Disc 1:
Coach Tschida opens up his practice with a classroom session. See how he gets the team focused, explains the drills that will be used in practice, reviews sacrifice and drag bunts, and instructs his players on the proper techniques and strategies for each.

Once practice begins, the team executes a dynamic warm-up and goes through a throwing progression while working on several different types of throws. The team works on bunt defense, before splitting up into groups for position-specific drills. You'll see how Tschida maximizes the use of the facility through proven drill strategies. Finally, the team comes back together and works on several hitting drills.

Disc 2:
The team is split up into multiple stations where each group will work on a specific aspect of hitting. In the cage, hitters will see specific pitches in a live setting to learn to pick out what type of pitch is coming. Other stations feature tee drills focusing on high pitches, low pitches, slap hitting, and coach-pitch "soft toss." This format provides a lot of cuts, while keeping your players focused and working hard. At the end, Coach Tschida has a post-practice meeting in which he rewards the hard work of deserving players.

Moving onto the next practice, Coach Tschida opens up by talking about sports psychology concepts including visualization, routines, and confidence. In the gym, practice begins with a dynamic warm-up using medicine balls, which will help your athletes get stronger while they loosen up. Tschida's throwing build up gives players a chance to practice the throws they will make in a game. Finally, the team does some position work and fielding drills.

Disc 3:
Practice begins with infielders and outfielders working on different types of fly balls, while adding cuts and relays into the drill. Next, the infield works on defending bases loaded situations.

After a brief meeting, the team breaks up into hitting and pitching groups. The hitters work on dry swings and then the team moves into live batting practice with the pitchers throwing to batters. At various times throughout the live hitting, Coach Tschida will call out 'champion on the floor' and all activity will stop and focus on one player who must execute whatever skill they are working on.

Coach Tschida brings a unique style and attitude to coaching. His practices get the most out of his team, his time, and the practice space. This video provides great indoor practice ideas and drills that will help your team improve even during the when you can't be on your field.

314 minutes (3 DVDs). 2012.

All Access videos are designed to allow viewers from all over the world to see how successful coaches run their practices in a "live" practice setting. All Access videos allow viewers to see the practices un-edited and in real-time. You will see how top coaches run their drills, interact with their team and staff, how they motivate their team, the cue words they use, the atmosphere of the practice and how practices are structured from day to day. Many coaches visit successful colleges and high schools to watch practice. But if you live out of state or out of the country, visiting another coach's gym can be costly. That's why we created the All Access Practice Series of videos -- to bring the practices to you!

Building a Championship Pitcher

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with Beth Torina, LSU Head Coach;
2012 Women's College World Series qualifier;
former Head Coach at Florida International; 2x Sunbelt Conference Coach of the Year; former Head coach of the USSSA Florida Pride of the National Pro Fastpitch League

Join LSU Head Coach Beth Torina as she teaches and demonstrates the pitching mechanics and drills that have helped the Tigers rank among the nation's best in ERA on an annual basis.

Coach Torina's program starts at the ground level with the initial push to create forward motion and then moves into the stride, front side resistance, the arm circle and the wrist snap.

Initial Push and Forward Motion
With proper use of her legs, a pitcher will be more explosive in creating speed and drive toward the plate. And she will take stress off of her arm.

Are you creating timing issues and "hip hitting" with your coaching? Coach Torina breaks down the forward push and the mechanics of loading the legs and driving forward. You'll see six drills she uses to practice the load and drive.

Torina also talks about the forward motion and how to avoid "hip-hitting" with the arm circle. She shares the drills you need to perfect timing and to get your pitcher's arm in the slot so they can effectively execute their spins and pitches.

The Stride and Front Side Resistance
Improve your pitcher's power and control! Coach Torina offers three drills to perfect your pitcher's power line, stride length and improve explosiveness and accuracy.

You will also see three drills to develop front side resistance and learn how to troubleshoot pitchers who lean forward or backward. With optimal front side resistance, your pitchers will create more power from their stride, allowing them to throw harder.

Arm Circle and Wrist Snap
The pitcher's arm circle should be loose and relaxed to create fast circles and maximize whip. Coach Torina introduces six drills you can use to get great whip from the arm and wrist. The arm circle and wrist snap are essential for producing that final burst of speed on a pitch and for maximizing movement on your pitches.

From Bullpen to Live Game
How do you transfer practice fundamentals to a live game? Pitchers often struggle transferring what they practice into game situations. Torina offers ideas to make bullpen practice more game-like and competitive. She also offers ideas on how to teach your pitchers to make location adjustments and control the game.

It is easy to see why Beth Torina is one of the best pitching minds in the game. She offers an extensive knowledge of pitching mechanics, but also has a vast array of fun and innovative drills to practice and perfect these fundamentals.

53 minutes. 2013.

All-Access UCLA Softball Practice

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featuring Kelly Inouye-Perez,
UCLA Head Softball Coach; 2010 NCAA Champions;
with UCLA Assistant Coaches Lisa Fernandez (3x Olympic Gold Medalist)
and Gina Vecchione (ASA Hall of Fame),
2010 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) National Coaching Staff of the Year

Kelly Inouye-Perez, fresh off of UCLA's 2010 National Championship season, takes you inside the UCLA softball program as the Bruins prepare for the 2011 season. These practices will give you insight into how Inouye-Perez teaches and builds her players' fundamental skills using drills and drill progressions.

DISC 1
Three-time Olympic Gold Medalist Lisa Fernandez and Inouye-Perez walk you through a warm up progression used at UCLA to prepare pitchers for competition - physically and mentally. This progression will build fundamentals, increase speed and maximize power. The coaches finish with a pitching competition session. These competitions are designed to put the pitchers in game like situations to see which pitch they would use as well as being able to make the pitch

On the field, practice begins with a warm-up that consists of dynamic stretching and a thera-band workout. From there the team moves into:

DEFENSE DRILLS: Watch as the UCLA staff takes their team through Pre-Practice Fundamentals (PPF) drills that focus on defense. The PPF drills include a ground ball series and reaction drills that get players comfortable with moving their feet and getting their body in the correct position to field the ball.

BASERUNNING: Inouye-Perez incorporates defense, live hitters and base runners to create a game-like atmosphere. See how she coaches players to be aggressive and to read outfielders.

OUTFIELD: ASA Hall of Famer and former All-American Gina Vecchione takes her players through an outfield workout that includes throwing to bases, catching fly balls on the run, line drive work, and running through the catch on tag up situations. Vecchione also runs a number of breakdown drills including over the shoulder catches, drop steps, shoe string catches, and wall balls.

DISC 2:
Before practice begins, Coach Inouye-Perez gathers the team for a pre-practice meeting and allows you a look inside a typical team meeting. On the field, the practice focuses on:

INFIELD: Fernandez works with the infielders concentrating on arm slot and footwork using a four corner drill and a ground ball series.

CATCHERS: Inouye-Perez puts the catchers through a series of drills working on catching foul balls, passed balls, blocking drills and fielding the ball to make a tag at the plate. She is a big believer that a catcher's success is in their leg strength and she puts them through a bunt drill to work on their leg strength.

TEAM DEFENSE: The team works on infielders/outfielders fly ball communication as well as a live relay & cutoff drill and finishing with working on bunt defense and bunt offense.

HITTING DRILLS: The hitting segment of practice begins with Coach Fernandez discussing with you the hitting mechanics they are teaching at UCLA. Inouye-Perez then takes you through some hitting drills involving upper body and lower body movement. These drills begin with working off a tee and include front arm, back arm, two hands, and walk-though and progresses to a long tee drill, front toss with weighted balls, front toss with regular balls, and a flat hip drill.

Inouye-Perez then shares an on-field combination hitting drill which works the live hitters working on opposite field hitting while another hitter is working on a front toss series. They finish with two drills used in the batting cage and involve working on the mechanics of rhythm and timing of the swing.

This is your chance to look inside one of the most heralded softball programs in the nation! This DVD set provides all coaches the opportunity to see teaching methods, coaching philosophy and drills to improve a players fundamentals and create a championship mentality.

194 minutes (2 DVDs). 2011.

All Access videos are designed to allow viewers from all over the world to see how successful coaches run their practices in a "live" practice setting. All Access videos allow viewers to see the practices un-edited and in real-time. You will see how top coaches run their drills, interact with their team and staff, how they motivate their team, the cue words they use, the atmosphere of the practice and how practices are structured from day to day. Many coaches visit successful colleges and high schools to watch practice. But if you live out of state or out of the country, visiting another coach's practice can be costly. That's why we created the All Access Practice Series of videos -- to bring the practices to you!

25 Essential Hitting Drills for Softball

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with Howard Dobson, LSU Assistant Coach;
2014 USA Women's Softball National Team Assistant Coach;
Assistant Coach for the 2012 USA Softball Elite Team; former Southern Mississippi Head Coach

Howard Dobson shares twenty-seven of the drills he uses at all levels of the game to build better hitters starting from the ground and working up.

These are the same drills he uses with his hitters at LSU. Dobson provides a thorough explanation of how to correctly perform each drill - including any variations. He explains drills to work on every aspect of the swing working from the ground up, starting with the legs and moving on to the upper-body.

Lower Body
Power for hitting comes from the ground. By leveraging their legs correctly, your hitters will maximize their power in every swing. Coach Dobson introduces several drills that will develop your hitter's lower body.

These drills help the hitter get their legs in the correct position and set them up for a correct load, stride, and weight shift. Each drill is designed to help the hitter recognize the correct feeling associated with whatever hitting skill is being taught.

Upper Body
Develop your teams' ability to make consistent contact with the ball and stay long through the zone. Coach Dobson introduces drills designed to teach the hitter the correct grip, path to and through the ball, and finish. He shows how proper hand placement during the swing brings the contact point out in front of the body allowing the hitter to have better control of ball placement.

Dobson also shares a few drills he uses to improve a hitter's bat speed, which is an important component for power.

Using Coach Dobson's innovative drills, your hitters will develop the feeling of a correct, mechanically sound swing, which will ultimately help them reach their potential and put runs on the board.

102 minutes. 2013.

Training the Battery Through the Legs and Core

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with Christina Sutcliffe,
Northern Illinois University Head Coach;
back-to-back MAC Tournament runners-up (2013-14)

With explosive offenses becoming a softball staple, pitchers must be stronger than ever to shut down opposing hitters. Christina Sutcliffe gives you 25 drills for training your pitchers and catchers. Coach Sutcliffe shows you how to teach pitchers to use their legs and compete better, and then moves on to the catchers, focusing on framing, throwing and blocking.

Pitching
The pitching motion starts from the ground up, so Coach Sutcliffe starts her work by focusing on pitcher's legs. Coach Sutcliffe shares 10 drills that emphasize the role of the legs in the pitching motion. These drill focus on developing leg strength, staying balanced and being explosive through the pitch.

Coach Sutcliffe introduces five game-like drills that simulate the competitive pressures pitchers face on game day. These drills not only incorporate competition, they also help teach the strategy of pitching and where to throw certain pitches based on counts.

Catching
Give your pitchers the confidence to throw any pitch in their arsenal by training your catchers to receive or block (if necessary) any pitch. Catchers can help the pitchers get more called strikes by framing pitches that are close to the strike zone. Coach Sutcliffe offers three drills to help catchers make close pitches look better to the umpire. You'll also see four drills to help your catchers develop leg strength and block pitches in the dirt.

Help your catcher who doesn't have a strong arm - or make your strong-armed catcher even better - by practicing quick transitions to each base. Coach Sutcliffe explains some of the mechanics catchers need to master when throwing the ball to different bases. She explains and demonstrates three throwing drills that will help your catchers throw out runners on bunts, pick offs and steals.

Coach Sutcliffe shows you how to get the most out of your battery by having your pitchers and catchers work together and build their game from the ground up.

74 minutes. 2015.


55 Drills for Building Hitters from the Ground Up

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with Christina Sutcliffe,
Northern Illinois University Head Coach;
back-to-back MAC Tournament runners-up (2013-14)

Discover 55 drills you can use to develop powerful hitters from the ground up. Starting with the legs, Christina Sutcliffe covers the key components of the swing including hand path and extension before offering advice and drills for slappers.

Legs
Since the swing starts from the ground, Coach Sutcliffe works from the ground up when training her hitters. Using stationary and active leg drills, you'll see how she trains her hitters to generate power from their legs.

Learn how to help your players get more out of their legs with 10 drills designed to improve players' weight shift and leg drive.

Hand Path
Extra movement in the swing decreases consistency so one goal of any good hitter is to have a swing that is short to the ball. This requires an efficient hand path. Coach Sutcliffe introduces 12 drills to help your hitters get their hands to the ball efficiently and with no extra movement.

Extension
Once the hitter makes contact with the ball, the next task is to extend through the pitch. Good extension helps hitters keep their bat in the zone longer, making them more consistent and powerful.

In this video, you will learn about the power lines for each pitch and where extension should happen for inside, outside and middle pitches. In addition to learning about these concepts, you will see demonstrations of 10 drills you can use to develop and improve extension.

Visual Training
Discover 12 drills to help hitters see the ball better and develop concentration skills by training them to focus on the incoming pitch.

Competitive Drills
To help you keep practice fresh and exciting, Coach Sutcliffe shares six hitting games that will challenge your team by pitting them against each other. When your players compete in practice they are prepared for the competitive pressures they will experience on game day.

Slapping
Key pieces to any successful line-up are the table setters, those versatile players who can get on base to set the table for the big hitters to drive them in. Coach Sutcliffe introduces six drills that she uses to train her slappers how to become more explosive out of the batter's box and quicker to first base. She also shows how many of the drills she uses with her hitters can be converted for use with slappers.

Packed with 55 drills, this presentation is sure to give even the most experienced hitting coaches more than a few new ideas.

89 minutes. 2015.

25 Defensive Team Drills for Infield and Outfield

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with Christina Sutcliffe,
Northern Illinois University Head Coach;
back-to-back MAC Tournament runners-up (2013-14)

Discover over 25 drills for throwing, infield play and outfield play, that progress from simple to complex. Christina Sutcliffe shows you how to train players to get to the ball quickly and how to set up to make a quick, accurate throw to all bases. Coach Sutcliffe includes drills that have the infield and outfield working together in game-like situations.

Outfield
Discover nine progressive drills that will help your outfielders get positioned and ready to make the play before the ball touches their gloves. The outfield sessions opens with a complete a series of fundamental quarterback drills. Outfielders practice getting behind shallow fly balls, drop stepping and cutting for deep fly balls, and fielding ground balls.

You will also learn a five-step progression for getting your outfielders comfortable with diving for the ball.

Infield
Moving on to the infielders, Coach Sutcliffe explains and demonstrates a "dailies" progression. Beginning with knee work and working up to fungos, you will see unique twists on common drills to ensure players are working on quicker transitions and accurate throws. The infielders start with no gloves, progress to mini-gloves and then to regular gloves while working on different types of ground balls and hops, all while practicing the throwing transitions to different bases.

The infielders also demonstrate different flips with the glove and bare hand, and practice picking throws at their bases.

Team Drills
After working on the individual components of the infield and outfield, players come together for 10 team drills. Included are drills for throwing, infield/outfield communication, diving, cut offs, tag plays and more. Most of these team drills have a conditioning component which minimizes the need for extra running before or after practice.

In addition to drills, you'll also hear Coach Sutcliffe talk to her players about corrections they need to make, why it's important to make them and how it relates to actual game situations.

This collection of drills will help keep your practices fresh and help train your players in the key fundamentals of infield and outfield play.

100 minutes. 2015.

Dominating the Base Paths

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with Tim Walton, University of Florida Head Coach;
2015 National Champions - Back-to-Back WCWS Titles (2014-15);
2013 SEC Coach of the Year, 4x SEC Coach of the Year;
3x SEC Champions;
has led Florida to seven Women's College World Series appearances in eight years (2008-15);
over 600 career wins; 2015 USA Softball Junior Women's National Team Assistant Coach

Be ready for any situation you will encounter on the base paths.

University of Florida Head Coach Tim Walton breaks down each base giving you detailed baserunning techniques and drills to turn your players into championship baserunners! Each drill is demonstrated in a team setting during a Gator's baserunning practice making implementation simple.

Starting from home to first, Coach Walton discusses the proper route a runner should take when the ball is hit to left field, center field and right field. He demonstrates team drills you can use to simulate each of these situations putting your players in position take an extra base if the situation presents itself.

Next, Walton breaks down the first base to second base segment. Learn to take safe, yet effective leads, as well as how to safely advance on fly balls and ground balls and how to take advantage of bunt situations.

From second and third and third to home, Walton explains proper leads, tagging up on fly balls and when to advance on ground balls. Walton also shows how to slide into each base in many different situations.

Walton finishes out the practice with a "live" demonstration of each of the techniques he discusses and drills in the video.

Improve the efficiency and effectiveness of your baserunning practices with these fantastic techniques and team drills. Make the most of your on base opportunities!

86 minutes. 2010.

Margie Knight's Defensive Practice Drills Set

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SD-04771A: with Margie Knight,
Salisbury University Head Coach; 2014 NCAA D-III runners-up;
17x Capital Athletic Conference Champions (in 18 years as head coach);
11x Capital Athletic Conference Coach of the Year; over 675 career wins

With time and space usually limited, most coaches struggle to organize an efficient practice. In this instructional presentation, Coach Margie Knight shares a routine for the beginning of practice that takes only 20 minutes, but prepares players for hundreds of game situations.

Coach Knight explains her skill perfections and philosophy on how to best utilize these drills in practice and better prepare the team for game time. These exercises are self-directed, which enables players to practice and develop leadership abilities. Her teams do skill perfection drills for the first 20 minutes of every team practice. Each position player, as well as pitchers, get numerous touches of the ball, both in a partner setting with the ball tossed and in a multi-positional setting with coaches hitting fungos.

Coach Knight's team demonstrates all of the skill perfection while she explains the key coaching points of each drill. Skill perfections, which are shown for every position on the field cover partner drills for routine grounders, backhands, short and long hops with tags, feeds and flips, fence balls, outfield diving, sun balls, catching framing and blocking. In addition, she provides drills that require multiple positions to work together such as double play feeds and turns, rundowns, bunt defense work and passed ball plays. You'll learn how to prepare your team for every play imaginable.

Coach Knight shows you how to accomplish more in less time!

67 minutes. 2015.



SD-04771B: with Margie Knight,
Salisbury University Head Coach; 2014 NCAA D-III runners-up;
17x Capital Athletic Conference Champions (in 18 years as head coach);
11x Capital Athletic Conference Coach of the Year; over 675 career wins

It's difficult to design a team practice where each defensive position is involved and efficiently working on position-specific situations and drills. Learn from Coach Margie Knight the defensive shells that keep an entire team involved while practicing multiple defensive situations. In this presentation, Coach Knight explains the set-up for 10 different defensive shells that allow each player to practice numerous position-specific situations.

Coach Knight shares her insight on how to best utilize practice drills and get the most out of her defensive shells. These shells are ideal for teams with fewer coaches, as players can participate and manage the drills on their own. Coach Knight shows how to get players involved in running each shell to keep practice moving.

These shells cover many defensive situations from the routine ground or fly ball to rundowns to passed balls and involve numerous players working together to practice almost any defensive situation. For example, one shell involves the battery and right side of the infield working together on pickoffs at first base while the left side of the infield and the outfielders simultaneously practice ground balls to the outfield and throwing the ball in to the appropriate base. Every player on the field is involved!

It is often said that pitching and defense win championships. If that's true, Coach Knight's defensive shells will help build an airtight defense that will lead to championships. Plan your practice with these shell drills in mind and become a winner!

71 minutes. 2015.



Developing Great Hitters Series

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SD-04678A: with Yvette Healy, University of Wisconsin Head Coach;
2013 Big Ten Tournament Champions; four straight 30-win seasons (2011-14);
former Head Coach at Loyola University (Ill.), 2007 Horizon Coach of the Year; 2x All American at DePaul University

Yvette Healy shares her blueprint for turning a right-handed hitter into a lefty slapper. Coach Healy demonstrates 20 drills and shares the key points of the tools a slapper needs to be successful: bunting, soft slapping, and power slapping.

Getting Out of the Box
Getting out of the batter's box quickly is one of the most important and most overlooked aspects of becoming a great slapper. Coach Healy shares three drills for developing first-step quickness out of the batter's box. These drills will help get your slapper closer to first base before the defense has a chance to react.

Bunting
If the defense is playing back, the slapper can catch them off guard with a bunt. Coach Healy explains bunting strategy, including the parts of the field that are ideal for bunting, and demonstrates four bunting drills. One of the drills is a three-part progression that isolates the skill initially without the footwork, and gradually builds up into the entire skill.

Soft Slapping
Another option to use against a defense that's playing deep is the soft slap. Coach Healy explains the strategy behind the soft slap, and the mechanics involved in its execution. She focuses on the importance of grip strength for handling the bat, which is critical to soft slap success. A number of drills are shared to perfect the soft slap, including several one-arm drills to promote forearm and grip strength.

Power Slapping
The power slap is used to drive the ball through the infield when the defense is playing in. Coach Healy explains a few key mechanical differences between the soft slap and the power slap, as well as strategic goals. She provides 11 drills to help the slapper get more power out of her slap.

A triple threat slapper is a defense's worst nightmare. Start developing your triple threat slappers today - order now!

60 minutes. 2014.



SD-04678B: with Randy Schneider, University of Wisconsin Associate Head Coach;
2013 Big Ten Tournament Champions;
Former head coach at Valparaiso University, where he left as the programs all-time wins leader; 2008 Horizon League Co-Coach of the Year

Efficient hitters are successful hitters. Learning how and why it's important to keep your hands inside your elbows, stay connected with your hips and drive the forces through the ball are important elements of being efficient and powerful.

Randy Schneider uses his knowledge of physics and bio-mechanics to show you how to construct a scientifically efficient and powerful softball swing. Coach Schneider deconstructs the swing phase-by-phase, explaining the key points and the laws of physics associated with each phase. He also shares his knowledge of educational psychology, explaining the importance of how hitters are taught.

Stance
Get your hitters into a strong, balanced stance to deliver force into the ball. Coach Schneider opens with a discussion of key principles for the stance position. Referencing several of Newton's laws of motion, he explains how to harness the energy coming from the ground to put hitters in a strong position to hit.

Load
Another key factor in the softball swing is the athlete's load and negative movement. Coach Schneider explains how to use the load to create separation of the hands, which is critical for producing power. He demonstrates how to activate the hands to create a double pendulum effect, which helps hitters generate more bat speed, thereby increasing power and consistency.

Connection
Making an efficient connection move helps hitters stay in a strong position to create a transverse force. Coach Schneider explains how to start the swing with the back elbow to create a whipping effect, while driving and popping with the hips. The back elbow starts the swing and therefore can be the first mechanical part of the swing to breakdown causing the rest of the swing to be off time and balance.

According to Coach Schneider, understanding variables is an important part to teaching and coaching hitting. He explains differential learning and also discusses how to better prepare hitters by adding variables into your practices to make them more game-like.

Coach Schneider is the master of the physics and the bio-mechanics of the softball swing. With his thorough explanations and examples, you will be better equipped to teach hitters how to change the game with one swing of the bat.

64 minutes. 2014.



SD-04678C: with Randy Schneider, University of Wisconsin Associate Head Coach;
2013 Big Ten Tournament Champions;
Former head coach at Valparaiso University, where he left as the programs all-time wins leader; 2008 Horizon League Co-Coach of the Year

To maximum success, a great swing needs the correct sequence of movements. In this instructional and informative video, Randy Schneider offers physics-based drills that teach the key fundamentals of a bio-mechanically sound swing. Coach Schneider shares drills for each phase of the swing, as well as drills to train vision. He also shares his thoughts on differential learning to help structure practices to produce the most learning.

Stance and Load Drills
A strong stance is critical to putting the hitter in a good position to generate power using the ground. Coach Schneider explains principles of the stance and offers two drills to teach hitters how to get into a strong stance position. He also explains how to activate the hands with a load and demonstrates three drills to work on the load phase of the swing.

Connection and Contact Point Drills
Connection is when the forces of the upper and lower body are added together. Good connection and contact help the hitter stay on plane longer, giving them them the opportunity to hit more balls solidly. Because connection is so important to the swing, Coach Schneider shows two drills that work specifically on getting into a good connection position. He also shares six drills to practice moving from connection to, and through, contact.

Coach Schneider continues his presentation with a number of other drills he uses with his hitters, including vision drills that work specifically on seeing the ball well. He offers valuable advice for hitting change-ups, and shares a drill he uses to practice staying back on off-speed pitches.

The best way to teach any skill is to give players the feeling of proper movement. Coach Schneider shares 19 drills to help you give your hitters that feeling and to put them on track for hitting success.

80 minutes. 2014.



Hitting Drills That Work

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with Margie Knight,
Salisbury University Head Coach; 2014 NCAA D-III runners-up;
17x Capital Athletic Conference Champions (in 18 years as head coach);
11x Capital Athletic Conference Coach of the Year; over 675 career wins

Running an efficient batting practice can be challenging. Legendary softball coach Margie Knight lays out a blueprint for getting the most out of your time with your team. Coach Knight outlines how to run practice using hitting stations that will keep all your players involved.

Coach Knight begins by highlighting some key points of her philosophy on hitting and practice. She discusses how to better prepare players with game-like drills. In addition, Coach Knight discusses the benefits of using a daily goal or theme to keep players focused on the drills.

Coach Knight shares 13 of her favorite hitting drills, organized into hitting stations. She details the set-up required for each station as well as instructions for how to perform each drill correctly, and then runs the drill in a practice setting. These drills cover everything from hitting change-ups to timing to laying down the perfect bunt. In one drill, Coach Knight explains her team's two-strike approach to at-bats, and shows the viewer how to get the hitter to attack any ball close to the strike zone.

Let Coach Knight show you the hitting stations and drills that will produce hitters who strike fear into the opposing pitchers.

52 minutes. 2015.

Year Round Pitching Workouts

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with Beth Torina, LSU Head Coach;
2012 Women's College World Series qualifier;
former Head Coach at Florida International; 2x Sunbelt Conference Coach of the Year; former Head coach of the USSSA Florida Pride of the National Pro Fastpitch League

Each phase of a year round pitching program is important and has its own goals and objectives for maximizing your pitchers' abilities. Beth Torina, head coach at LSU and with the USSSA Florida Pride, guides you through the thought process for building year round workouts.

Off-Season
Fundamentals and conditioning form the back bone of Coach Torina's off-season pitching workouts. Torina lays out how the Tigers structure their off-season workouts breaking down each pitch and developing their pitchers' spin and body position.

Off-season workouts are essential to ensure that your pitchers come into the season with their pitches working, as there is not a lot of time for major overhauls once the season begins. This is also an important time to focus on conditioning and speed development, and Torina offers four drills to develop this area.

Pre-Season
At LSU, the pre-season is a time to work on a little bit of everything. One major focus of the pre-season is location. If a pitcher misses their spots frequently, they will either give up a lot of walks or hits. Torina offers eight workout drills to practice location, as well as throwing "believable balls" on 0-2 pitches. She also provides ideas for working on the break points of pitches to make them deceptive and for getting the pitcher in shape to throw 7 innings (a full game).

In-Season
Now it's time to get results! Although it's important to continue to maintain fundamentals, Torina explains how you can develop workouts that involve situations and counts on imaginary batters. Learn how you can get your pitchers thinking in terms of game situations and their thought process behind each pitch, because the pitcher should understand and have confidence in every pitch she throws.

Using Coach Torina's ideas and philosophies, any coach can easily develop a structured plan for how to best prepare their pitcher for when the games mean the most.

59 minutes. 2013.


The Encyclopedia of Hitting

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with Tim Walton, University of Florida Head Coach;
2015 National Champions - Back-to-Back WCWS Titles (2014-15);
2013 SEC Coach of the Year, 4x SEC Coach of the Year;
3x SEC Champions;
has led Florida to seven Women's College World Series appearances in eight years (2008-15);
over 600 career wins; 2015 USA Softball Junior Women's National Team Assistant Coach

In this comprehensive softball DVD, Coach Walton takes you through his extensive hitting program of drills and confidence-building strategies. Walton starts with special hitting approaches including different slaps and bunts and the game situations that make them effective. From there Walton teaches his six hitting strategies: Building the swing, visual preparation, game preparation, mental preparation, in-game adjustments and post-game adjustments. Within these strategies, Walton presents an expansive set of drills that help build and improve on your hitter's confidence, technique and timing. He takes into account all the different types of hitters from quick-running bunters and slappers to power hitters, and gives you special advice for each. Every hitter is different, and this excellent DVD provides you with ways to play to their strengths.

97 minutes. 2009.

Dominating the Base Paths

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with Tim Walton, University of Florida Head Coach;
2015 National Champions - Back-to-Back WCWS Titles (2014-15);
2013 SEC Coach of the Year, 4x SEC Coach of the Year;
3x SEC Champions;
has led Florida to seven Women's College World Series appearances in eight years (2008-15);
over 600 career wins; 2015 USA Softball Junior Women's National Team Assistant Coach

Be ready for any situation you will encounter on the base paths.

University of Florida Head Coach Tim Walton breaks down each base giving you detailed baserunning techniques and drills to turn your players into championship baserunners! Each drill is demonstrated in a team setting during a Gator's baserunning practice making implementation simple.

Starting from home to first, Coach Walton discusses the proper route a runner should take when the ball is hit to left field, center field and right field. He demonstrates team drills you can use to simulate each of these situations putting your players in position take an extra base if the situation presents itself.

Next, Walton breaks down the first base to second base segment. Learn to take safe, yet effective leads, as well as how to safely advance on fly balls and ground balls and how to take advantage of bunt situations.

From second and third and third to home, Walton explains proper leads, tagging up on fly balls and when to advance on ground balls. Walton also shows how to slide into each base in many different situations.

Walton finishes out the practice with a "live" demonstration of each of the techniques he discusses and drills in the video.

Improve the efficiency and effectiveness of your baserunning practices with these fantastic techniques and team drills. Make the most of your on base opportunities!

86 minutes. 2010.

A to Z Guide to Pitching Mechanics and Drills

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with Boo Gillette, Arizona State University Assistant Softball Coach;
3x All-Big Ten catcher at the University of Wisconsin, former Assistant Coach at Purdue and University of North Carolina

Prepare any pitcher for game day with the drills and techniques in this comprehensive video from Arizona State assistant coach Boo Gillette. Coach Gillette explains the basic concepts of her bullpen workouts and how she develops mental toughness in the bullpen. She also shares two live bullpen workouts focusing on developing mechanically proficient and strategically prepared pitchers.

Throughout the video Gillette provides a valuable mix of coaching instruction and live teaching as she coaches her players through the workouts.

Bullpen Workout
Coach Gillette begins with an outline of her pitching bullpen workout. She explains how her pitchers "backtrack" to break down each pitch, and gives several keys from the perspective of the person catching the ball. She breaks down the pitching motion into four phases that will help the pitcher and coach identify where problems occur.

Mental Toughness
With the game on the line and the ball in her hand, a strong mental game can be the difference between a win and a loss. Mental toughness doesn't happen on its own; it's a skill that must be developed. Coach Gillette offers strategies to improve mental toughness and drills that require mental toughness to execute.

All Access Bullpen - "Pitcher Picks"
Watch a typical bullpen workout live with the Arizona State pitching staff. Day 1 is a "pitcher picks day" that lets the pitcher pick a pitch (usually her best) to work on. Coach Gillette puts the pitcher through a series of drills to breakdown the mechanics of the pitch. She offers corrections and feedback as pitchers execute each drill.

All Access Bullpen - "One-Two-Three"
This live bullpen session focuses on pitching strategy and execution. The pitchers do a "one-two-three" drill trying to throw a called strike on the first pitch and then expanding the plate and making batters chase pitches out of the zone. Coach Gillette wraps up the bullpen session by explaining what she was focusing on with each pitcher and why.

Fastball Mechanics Drills
Most advanced pitchers do not throw fastballs during a game. However, the mechanics for every pitch they throw are set up by the fastball. In this segment, Coach Gillette explains and demonstrates 25 pitching drills that can be used with not only the fastball, but with any pitch.

It is often said that pitching and defense win championships. No matter how you spin it, pitching is and will always be central to the game of softball. Order now and let Coach Boo Gillette show you how to prepare any pitcher for game day!

128 minutes. 2014.

The Encyclopedia of Hitting

$
0
0
with Tim Walton, University of Florida Head Coach;
2015 National Champions - Back-to-Back WCWS Titles (2014-15);
2013 SEC Coach of the Year, 4x SEC Coach of the Year;
3x SEC Champions;
has led Florida to seven Women's College World Series appearances in eight years (2008-15);
over 600 career wins; 2015 USA Softball Junior Women's National Team Assistant Coach

In this comprehensive softball DVD, Coach Walton takes you through his extensive hitting program of drills and confidence-building strategies. Walton starts with special hitting approaches including different slaps and bunts and the game situations that make them effective. From there Walton teaches his six hitting strategies: Building the swing, visual preparation, game preparation, mental preparation, in-game adjustments and post-game adjustments. Within these strategies, Walton presents an expansive set of drills that help build and improve on your hitter's confidence, technique and timing. He takes into account all the different types of hitters from quick-running bunters and slappers to power hitters, and gives you special advice for each. Every hitter is different, and this excellent DVD provides you with ways to play to their strengths.

97 minutes. 2009.

Teaching the Drop Ball and Rise Ball

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with Beth Torina, LSU Head Coach;
2012 Women's College World Series qualifier;
former Head Coach at Florida International; 2x Sunbelt Conference Coach of the Year; former Head coach of the USSSA Florida Pride of the National Pro Fastpitch League

LSU and USSSA Florida Pride Head Coach Beth Torina gives you the tools necessary to stifle opposing batters with two pitches that look enticing, but jump out of the strike zone with late breaking movement - the Drop Ball and the Rise Ball.

Coach Torina fully explains the mechanics of each pitch and demonstrates drills that coaches and athletes alike can use to perfect these pitches.

The Drop Ball
The drop ball is safe for young arms, because it has a similar spin to a fastball. It also keeps the ball in the ball park. The drop ball is great when you need a ground ball or to keep the ball in the infield.

Getting the drop ball to spin correctly is critical, since the spin dictates when and how the pitch will break. In this segment, you will learn three ways to release the drop: the peel, turnover, and half turn. These options will allow your pitchers to select the drop ball that works best for them.

To ensure success, the drop ball should break late, right as it approaches the hitter. To do this effectively, Torina introduces six drills to practice getting the correct spin on the pitch.

Your pitcher's forward body position is another essential part of what makes the drop ball move in a downward path. Coach Torina demonstrates five drills to help the pitcher achieve a slightly forward body position. She also offers four drills for practicing the whole pitch and working on break points. If the pitch breaks too early or too late, it will not be nearly as effective, as the batter will either recognize the pitch and/or hit it.

The Rise Ball
Keep opposing hitters off balance with a killer rise ball!

Coach Torina explains five spin drills your pitchers can use to get their rise ball to jump versus being just a high pitch.

Unlike the drop ball, the rise ball pitcher wants her body position to be slightly back. Coach Torina explains the correct technique and offers six drills to work on achieving optimal body position to throw the rise. In addition, she explains two more drills that can be used to work on getting the pitch to break at the proper time - right as it approaches the batter.

This DVD is an excellent resource for coaches and pitchers alike aiming to develop or improve two pitches that are crucial to any pitcher's or team's success.

48 minutes. 2013.

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