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Hitting Workout Skills and Drills

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with Crystl Bustos, 3x US Olympic Medalist (2 Gold and a Silver); 3x Pan American Gold Medalist; 2008 USA Softball Player of the Year; holds the record for most home runs during an Olympic Series (6)

If you want to learn from the best but can't find a camp or clinic in your area you can still learn from one of the best female hitters to ever step up to the plate.

With the Hitting Skills and Drills DVD Crystl starts at the beginning of one of her workouts and will walk you through every step just like she would if she was in front of you at an event. These are drills she and hitting Coach Howard Carrier have developed to instill the basics for any hitter. Their constant statement has always been "we are not trying to make you better hitters but smarter hitters".

Follow along while Crystl explains the different drills she teaches and still uses her self and what her reasoning is for each one she teaches. Her approach works with players of any age and size because she teaches the skills needed for constant contact and allows the player to then develop their own style of hitting. And, unlike attending a camp or clinic where you only have the opportunity to watch and learn during the event, you can now watch and learn over and over at your own pace using your own equipment.

55 minutes. 2012.


Infield Mechanics and Drills for Softball 2-Pack

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SD-04232E: with Ehren Earleywine, University of Missouri Head Softball Coach;
3 WCWS appearances; 2x Big 12 Coach of the Year; 3xNFCA Midwest Coach of the Year; over 280 career wins

Three-time NFCA Midwest Coach of the Year Ehren Earleywine provides thorough explanations and demonstrations of the mechanics of infield play that often times get overlooked or undervalued. Coach Earleywine breaks down everything from how to take a throw at every base to applying tags. He also demonstrates the importance of pre-pitch movement, double play transitions and footwork, and infield throwing mechanics.

Coach Earleywine begins by examining the pre-pitch movements needed for corner and middle infielders, including how they differ from each other. You'll see detailed instruction on the mechanics of fielding a routine ground ball, including the proper approach to the ball, fielding position, glove work, and footwork.

Earleywine covers three different types of backhands, three variations on forehands, and fielding two different types of ground balls on the run. For each, he explains the fielding mechanics in detail, and has a few of his players demonstrate.

You will learn the necessary footwork for tag plays and how to set up at each base for steals, pick off plays, and throws from the outfield. Earleywine has several of his players demonstrate each play at each base.

In the throwing segment, Earleywine explains why a three-quarters arm slot is preferable for infielders, but also demonstrates a sidearm throwing technique for rushed throws. Good throwing mechanics will help keep your players free of injuries.

Earleywine explains how his middle infielders change their positioning with runners on base. He then has his players demonstrate the footwork for turning a double play from every position on the field, as well as several variations of the footwork at second base.

Finally, Coach Earleywine talks about an infielder's most important tool, their glove. He explains the characteristics each position would want in a glove as far as size and pocket shape, including how to break a glove in properly, and the pros and cons of different ways to treat gloves.

This video includes the same infield mechanics that have made the Missouri Tigers a national contender and produced a nationally ranked defense.

78 minutes. 2013.



SD-04232F: with Ehren Earleywine, University of Missouri Head Softball Coach;
3 WCWS appearances; 2x Big 12 Coach of the Year; 3xNFCA Midwest Coach of the Year; over 280 career wins

University of Missouri Coach Ehren Earleywine follows up his infield mechanics DVD with this all inclusive DVD on infield drills - enough to fill up entire week's worth of practice!

Coach Earleywine introduces you to 12 drill sets he uses with his infielders. In each drill set, several coaches are hitting to different infielders at the same time allowing the infielders to maximize repetitions and work on several different skills simultaneously.

Earleywine also offers an alternative called "Twos" that is better suited for teams that don't have several coaches or managers available to hit. He also shows you how he uses a short game scrimmage to work on bunt and slap coverage, and practices defensive situations with an 'infield only' defensive drill.

This comprehensive infield includes instruction on:

  • Infield warm-up and a daily throwing routine to polish mechanics and prepare for practice.
  • Short hop drills for developing quick hands.
  • A four corner drill, with several variations, for different types of ground balls and throws.
  • Basic drills using a paddle to work on soft hands.
  • Pick off plays and rundowns.
  • And more!
Coach concludes the video with infield team defense drills to help bring the whole thing together.

Strengthen your defense today with these proven infield drills!

62 minutes. 2013.



Patty Gasso Coaching Softball 3-Pack

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SD-04526A: with Patty Gasso, Oklahoma University Head Coach;
2013 WCWS Champions; first ever WCWS champion to lead the nation in scoring and ERA;
Distinguished member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Hall of Fame (2012); Back-to-Back Big 12 Coach of the Year (2012-13); 6x Big 12 Coach of the Year; 2012 WCWS Runners-up, 2000 WCWS Champions, Over 1,000 career victories

As Patty Gasso says and many coaches would agree, defense wins championships. In this DVD, Coach Gasso explores the aggressive defensive mindset, strategies, and drills that have helped her Oklahoma Sooners win two NCAA National Championships. She begins with bunt and slap defense, moves on to defending the steal, covers first and third situations, and touches on relays.

Bunt and slap defense
The defense can better prepare itself if it knows what to expect from the offense. Coach Gasso begins her presentation by explaining the different defensive approaches she uses with a runner at first base, a common bunting scenario. Coach Gasso explains how her team handles bunt defense, and has her defense demonstrate coverage. She also delves into defending against slappers and bunt coverage with multiple runners on base, situations that place pressure on the defense to execute.

Steal
With one or more runners on base, many offenses will choose to challenge the catcher by stealing to advance runners, rather than give the defense an out with a bunt. Coach Gasso shows how to neutralize the steal, using good communication between the fielders and different steal coverage. A steal attempt requires the defense to be quick and accurate, so knowing how to anticipate steals and position the defense accordingly is critical.

Double plays
Coach Gasso believes in an aggressive style of defense with fielders playing to get the lead out when runners are on base. This opens up the door for double plays. Coach Gasso and her team demonstrate turning double plays from all positions on the field. A defense that can convert a double play when there are runners on base has a better chance at getting out of the situation without giving up a run.

First and third situations
First and third situations put pressure on a defense to execute as players must make quick decisions and accurate throws. Even though first and third situations don't happen very often, Coach Gasso places special emphasis on them. If these situations aren't handled correctly, the offense can score without the batter ever touching the ball. She has six options for defensive plays that she runs against a first and third situation. Gasso has her defense demonstrate the plays, and offers advice on when to use each option.

Relays
A good relay will get the ball from the outfield to the infield quickly, preventing an offense from advancing and scoring. Coach Gasso's team demonstrates different ways to handle relays depending on where the ball is hit, and offers advice on how to set up the cut-offs.

Although offense is becoming a focal point of the game of softball, a good defense can help neutralize an opponent's powerful offense. If an opponent can't score on your team, they can't beat you. Coach Gasso shows you how to keep an opponent's offense at bay by creating an airtight defense. The results will show in the win column.

54 minutes. 2014.



SD-04526B: with Patty Gasso, Oklahoma University Head Coach;
2013 WCWS Champions; first ever WCWS champion to lead the nation in scoring and ERA;
Distinguished member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Hall of Fame (2012); Back-to-Back Big 12 Coach of the Year (2012-13); 6x Big 12 Coach of the Year; 2012 WCWS Runners-up, 2000 WCWS Champions, Over 1,000 career victories

In this incredible DVD, Patty Gasso offers her ideas and strategies on building an aggressive offense that can capitalize on defensive miscues to score more runs. Coach Gasso delves into rundowns, bunting, moving runners with hit and runs and angle-down plays, how to use slappers, first and third plays, and squeezes.

Rundowns
Properly executed, an aggressive offense can use a rundown to pressure the defense into making a mistake. Coach Gasso outlines situations that can result in rundowns. She discusses what the base runner should do to avoid being tagged out and also demonstrates how to stay in a rundown for as long as possible, thus increasing the chance of a defensive miscue.

Bunts
Bunts are a good way to advance runners because they allow the batter to place the ball wherever the defense is weakest. Coach Gasso explains five options for bunting and advancing runners, including the sacrifice, split grip, bunt for a hit, show-pull backslap, and the bunt-and-run. . Having multiple bunting options keeps the defense guessing and gives you the opportunity to select the option that you think will work best.

Slappers
Slappers are an important part of an aggressive offense because their speed puts pressure on the defense to get outs even on routinely hit balls. Coach Gasso shares five options for advancing runners and/or getting on base themselves. Having so many options will make defending the slapper nearly impossible.

First and Third Situations and Squeezes
First and third situations offer the chance to score runs without ever having a batter touch the ball. By putting runners in motion, the pressure is shifted almost entirely to the defense, forcing them to make decisions about which runner to attack and which play to execute. The more pressure an offense can put on a defense, the more likely they are to make mistakes. A first and third situation is also an ideal time to call a squeeze bunt, which has the potential to score a run and advance a runner.

Many teams rely solely on power hitting for offensive production. While this is a valid strategy, an aggressive offense will put pressure on defenses and result in more consistency in run production. Let Coach Gasso show you how to put together an aggressive offense that will frustrate the defense and score more runs.

54 minutes. 2014.



SD-04526C: with Patty Gasso, Oklahoma University Head Coach;
2013 WCWS Champions; first ever WCWS champion to lead the nation in scoring and ERA;
Distinguished member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Hall of Fame (2012); Back-to-Back Big 12 Coach of the Year (2012-13); 6x Big 12 Coach of the Year; 2012 WCWS Runners-up, 2000 WCWS Champions, Over 1,000 career victories

See how Patty Gasso molds her team into one of the best, year after year. Coach Gasso opens practice with aggressive angle-down plays and drills, and then moves on to infield and outfield defensive drills. Finally, the team takes batting practice in the cages and pitchers get a quick pitching workout in the bullpen.

Here's a breakdown on how Coach Gasso proceeds through her DVD presentation.

Team Drills: Angle Down, Range, and Ball Reading Drills
Coach Gasso begins practice with angle-down plays, as players alternate between hitting in this situation, and running the bases. This is a very quick-paced routine with lots of offensive skills being practiced in a short period of time. Players are then challenged to extend their range as they move on to infield and outfield drills. Gasso pulls the entire team together for ball-reading drills, in which coaches hit bloopers between the infielders and outfielders. This gives the defense a chance to improve communication and overall awareness of the field.

Infield drills
Coach Gasso breaks the team into positions and focuses on the foundation of a good defense. The infielders use smaller gloves and balls to perfect their footwork and glove work before moving on to practice executing on balls hit to either side, throwing on the run, and double plays. You'll see Coach Gasso's time-based drill, where the infielders try to beat the clock. This is one of several techniques that Coach Gasso to prepare her defense for pressure they'll encounter in game situations.

Outfield drills
Similar to infield drills, the fundamentals and drop steps of outfield drills are practiced using smaller balls and no gloves. Players gradually progress to drills where they must track batted balls and field fly balls from a pitching machine. Coach Gasso spends a significant amount of time working with her outfielders on balls hit into the gaps. These plays require the outfielder to cut off the ball and come up throwing quickly, while keeping the arm action of the throw short. By getting these balls cut off and back to the infield quickly, the defense can stop runners from advancing and scoring.

Batting cages
The action shifts to the batting cages where the hitters rotate through four different stations. Multiple stations enable hitters to accomplish more in a shorter amount of time. The Sooner hitters work on fundamentals from two tee stations. They also have a front toss and live cage, allowing them to see several pitches thrown live to them, giving them a chance to practice their timing and approach.

Bullpen Pitching
Coach Gasso's practice session ends at the bullpen, where one a pitcher goes through a series of drills, preparing to throw live on the field. After performing a few drills to work on fundamentals, the pitcher warm-ups up all of her pitches in a specific sequence. The first few drills are physical drills, but the final drill is a performance drill involving pitch sequence combinations. It is important to work both on physical drills and performance-execution drills, as pitching live to hitters requires proficiency in both.

One player at a time, position by position, until they're working in unison, Coach Gasso shows you her secrets for preparing her team. This is a must-see video to help bring your team to the next level.

93 minutes. 2014.



Mega Softball Drill Series

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SD-03380A: with John Tschida, University of St. Thomas Head Coach;
Over 800 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

Develop a short, quick, efficient swing!

Step into the batter's box with three-time national championship coach, John Tschida, as he leads you through a comprehensive video library of all the drills needed to perfect the fundamentals and the mechanics required to drive the softball.

To open, Coach Tschida demonstrates, step-by-step, how to build a mechanically proper swing. He then leads you through 70 common mistakes players make in their swings and shows you how you can help them correct these faults. Tschida's covers the fundamentals, faults and corrections for the:

  • Stance
  • Loading Phase of the Swing
  • Unloading Phase of the Swing
  • Rotation Phase of the Swing
  • Bat Lag Phase of the Swing
  • Contact Phase of the Swing
  • Extension Phase of the Swing
  • And more.

From there, Tschida demonstrates over 110 hitting drills that you can use with your team to ensure they are using proper form. These drills cover the areas of rhythm and timing, load and trigger, linear stride, rotation, power and bat speed, elbow connection and contact, extension, bat control, and adjustments.

The fundamentals, drills and corrections shown in this video will help you develop more fundamentally sound hitters for your team.

265 minutes (2 DVDs). 2009.



SD-03380B: with John Tschida, University of St. Thomas Head Coach;
Over 800 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

Develop better control and more explosion in your pitchers.

This extensive library of pitching drills features more than 90 exercises from three-time national championship coach - John Tschida. Coach Tschida demonstrates drills that will help you work with your players to correct common mistakes in their pitching form to develop effective throws.

Starting with wrist snaps to build the throwing motion, Tschida demonstrates drills that encourage your players to maintain a loose wrist and loose arm. These drills will eliminate restrictions in your pitchers delivery, which will give you top velocity. Tschida moves to drills that will help keep your players balanced and develop a consistent stride to maximize the effectiveness of their pitches.

From there, Tschida shares drills that focus on the rotational part of the pitching motion and the follow through that work on finishing off pitches properly. Tschida closes with drills to increase velocity and build control. He also includes some competitive drills that bring all of the elements together and force your players to focus on the entire motion to throw a quality pitch.

Many of these drills presented provide your payers with immediate feedback so they can adjust their mechanics as needed. With these drills you will be able to work with your players to develop their pitching mechanics and fundamentals.

147 minutes. 2009.



SD-03380C: with John Tschida, University of St. Thomas Head Coach;
Over 800 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

Mold your team into a championship caliber defensive squad!

NCAA Division III All-Time winningest coach, John Tschida, leads you through over 50 drills that will emphasize proper fielding mechanics and technique to develop ready position, approach, soft hands, diving technique, flips, double plays and relay throws in your players' to get the most out of them defensively.

Coach Tschida starts by showing a proper ready position and how to react to the ball coming into play. These drills will show your fielders how to take the most efficient path to the ball and make the play.

Tschida moves into first step approach drills, developing good hands and diving drills. He emphasizes proper mechanics at all times and uses his players to demonstrate each of these techniques. Finally, Tschida takes you through double plays, relays and cuts, and tags.

Tschida's on-field demonstration of each drill allows you to see how to set-up and execute each drill. He also notes many common mistakes players make performing these drills and during game play, and shows you how you can correct them. This is the most comprehensive video library of drills on the market today that will help you to perfect your team's defensive fundamentals and the mechanics required to get the most of your players' abilities.

127 minutes. 2009.



LSU Softball Skills and Drills Series

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SD-04344A: 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.



SD-04344B: 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.



SD-04344C: 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.



SD-04344D: 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.



SD-04344E: 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

Not every hitter is the same, but to be successful, every hitter needs to master the basic fundamentals of hitting.

USA Softball Elite Team assistant coach Howard Dobson explores every facet of the swing, showing some of most common flaws that hitters exhibit, while demonstrating his overall philosophies on hitting to develop the correct mechanics a hitter needs to be successful at the plate.

The Stance
As elementary as it may seem, the batting stance has a significant impact on the swing, setting a hitter up for success or failure. Coach Dobson develops the swing from the ground up, because power and force come from the ground. He covers every detail of an effective set-up for the lower body - an athletic, balanced position with the body stacked.

Bat Placement
By starting with your body in the correct position, there are fewer moving parts that can break down. Dobson delivers an essential demonstration lecture on gripping the bat, bat placement, body posture, head angle, and more. Each technique relates back to minimizing bat movement to create a quicker, more effective swing.

The Stride
Coach Dobson takes on a somewhat contentious topic in softball, the linear weight shift. He begins by discussing the load and stride, and also explains when to load based on the pitcher you are facing. He also explains the correct technique for the stride, which part of the foot should land first, and purposes of the stride. A proper load is necessary for good weight transfer, and a well-timed stride will help enhance timing.

Contact
Learn why it's important to keep the hips behind the barrel and the hands close to the body. Good hip movement helps batters deliver strong contact on an outside pitch. Learn how to extend through the ball to stay in the zone and develop consistency in your swing.

Finishing
At times, too much emphasis is placed on the finish of the swing. According to Coach Dobson, the finish of the swing should happen naturally. He also tackles questions like where to stand in the box and how to make adjustments to box position based on the pitcher. Each pitcher throws differently and will dictate a somewhat different approach.

It is easy to see why Coach Dobson has produced some of the best hitters in the game. His passion and enthusiasm for the art of hitting are contagious!

87 minutes. 2013.



SD-04344F: 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.



SD-04344G: with Sharonda McDonald, Texas Tech Associate Head Coach; former LSU Volunteer Coach;
4x All Big 12 performer at Texas A&M; is second all time on Texas A&M's career hits list (249) and holds the program's sixth-best career average (.338); won the 2005 Golden Shoe Award as the nation's best best runner (led the nation with 48 steals that year); a six year National Pro Fastpitch career that has included an All-Rookie team selection, an All Star honor, and in 2012 shared the NPF's Golden Spikes Award (given to the player that led the league in stolen bases)

As the common phrase goes, 'speed doesn't slump.' In this DVD, Sharonda McDonald shares the mechanics, strategy and 20+ drills for multiple types of slaps and bunts.

Slapping
Coach McDonald teaches and demonstrates correct footwork, the crossover step, and the ideal contact position that will improve your slappers' ball placement to the left side and their explosive movement after contact. McDonald offers five effective drills she uses with her slappers to practice the basic mechanics of slapping.

Power Slap
Depending on where the defense is playing the slapper, she may need to use a power slap to drive a ball through the infield. Coach McDonald explains the strategy and mechanics of the power slap, as well as how the power slap differs from the basic slap. She demonstrates four drills to master these fundamentals.

Soft Slap
Another weapon you can use to pressure the defense is the soft slap. The soft slap is a great option if the defense is playing deep on the slapper. Coach McDonald explains the mechanics and introduces five drills to perfect the soft slap. The soft slap is all about speed, so McDonald also highlights five drills to quickly get your slappers out of the batter's box.

Bunting
Another option for the slapper to use when the defense is playing deep is the bunt. Coach McDonald explains how to drop a bunt from the slapping position. She explains the mechanics of drag bunting to help keep the defense at bay for as long as possible. She also offers three drills to practice bunting.

Coach McDonald provides you with all the tools you need to disarm any defensive alignment.

40 minutes. 2013.



Tim Walton 4-Pack

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SD-03493A: 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

A program isn't just for one year - building a program the right way can carry you through the good times and the bad.

Take a seat in the office of University of Florida Head Coach Tim Walton as he shares his coaching philosophy that has produced back-to-back SEC Championships and back-to-back SEC Coach of the Year accolades.

Coach Walton breaks down his philosophy into four major categories:

  • Building a Foundation - Includes hiring assistants, prioritizing, being a coach, discipline and more.
  • Out-of-Season Training - Learn to establish goals and practice plans, define roles and active rest versus rest.
  • In-Season Training - Develop an in-season check off list, keeping athletes mentally strong, batting order, knowing your personnel and more.
  • Evolution of a Coach - Includes insights into team rules, working smart versus hard, communication and "new school" approaches to practice.

Within each category, Walton shares his insights, ideas and experiences - what's worked and what hasn't worked.

This in-depth analysis of successful coaching will help you grow as a coach and build a strong program for years to come.

87 minutes. 2010.



SD-03493B: 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

Dominate your opponent offensively and defensively with championship caliber short game play. Join two-time SEC Coach of the Year Tim Walton as he leads you through the offensive and defensive principles of the short game.

Coach Walton first guides you through 13 different short game strategies from a right-handed batter. These techniques take advantage of your batter's speed to get on base, as well as protecting the runner, and giving her an advantage to take the next base. Walton covers drag bunts, fake bunts, timing slaps, bunt-slap-bunt, hit-and-run, squeeze bunts and more.

From the left side, Walton covers 15 weapons a slapper can use at the plate. Walton shows you how to train your slappers to execute each technique from their hitting position keeping the defense on their heels and disguising your strategy until the last second. Walton discusses developing good timing and positioning, slapping for power, the chop, the push bunt, bunting backwards, one-handed bunt and more.

Defensively, Walton explains how to put a defense in place to protect yourself against the bunt, the slap or the steal. He shows his standard defensive reads and explains strategy and how it varies with different runners and out situations. Using both classroom explanation and on-field demonstration, Walton walks you through four different plays that he uses in specific situations - covering every aspect you will need to implement these plays.

A good offensive team should be able to create difficult situations for the defense, no matter what play is called. Walton leads you through each of his defensive plays and guides you offensively with where to place a bunt or slap.

Get two of the hottest topics in softball in one great package with this exhaustive look at short game offense and defense!

106 minutes. 2010.



SD-03493C: 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

Make solid contact with every swing.

Step into the batter's box with the University of Florida Head Coach Tim Walton as he presents techniques and drills to improve your power hitting.

This instructional DVD features 20 drills to develop the basic needs for a power hitter. Walton's drills focus on training:

  • Eyes - Improve pitch selection and hit more "good pitches" harder.
  • Base - Develop a solid stride and proper balance to transfer weight and stay on the ball longer.
  • Timing - Allow your batter's upper half and lower half to work together in a smooth swing.
  • Strength - Build bat speed.
  • Hands - Develop strong, fast hands to get through impact.

These drills also address elements such as stance, opposite field power, having a hitting plan, plate coverage, rhythm and more.

A great power hitter can feel their swing and understand when one of these elements is not quite right. These drills will help isolate a player's focus to a specific area. Walton explains the focus and attention required by both the player and the coach for each drill.

Walton's power hitting system has produced a teams that ranked in the Top 10 nationally in home runs, slugging and scoring.

Maximize each at-bat for your team!

78 minutes. 2010.



SD-03493D: 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.



George Wares Championship Drills for Softball Series

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SD-04776A: with George Wares, Central College Head Coach,
over 1,000 Career wins - most winning coach in NCAA Division III softball history;
distinguished member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Hall of Fame (2007); 4x National Championship Coach

It's hard for players to show competitiveness in a game if they don't first have it with their team in practice. Learn how to make games feel easier by making your practice more difficult! Coach George Wares, the most winning coach in Division III softball history, shares 20 drills that will put your players in competitive situations and inspire competition among the team.

Indoor Drills
Don't let the weather hold your team back from competitive greatness! Coach Wares begins indoors with his team, demonstrating eight drills designed to foster competition that can be used during indoor practices. These competitive drills focus on various skills such as throwing and rundowns, fielding and bunting. Although these drills are done indoors, they are easily converted into outdoor drills, giving coaches even more options.

Team Building Drills
Coach Wares introduces two team-building drills that require players to work together in competitive situations. Throughout these drills, Coach Wares emphasizes the importance of winning and taking pride in winning. On the opposite end of the spectrum, when players are not up to the task, they must experience finishing last ,which helps foster their desire to win. Teach your players how to compete together!

Outdoor Drills
Practice moves outdoors where Coach Wares runs 10 drills specifically for outdoor use. These drills cover defense, base running, communication and conditioning. Most importantly, the drills put players in positions where they can either execute and be successful or fail. Softball is often called a game of failure ...teach your players how to handle failure! During the conditioning drills, athletes must battle adversity and learn how to complete the drill when they are tired.

Coach Wares gives a detailed, intense presentation that will develop the mental and physical toughness of your team.

101 minutes. 2015.



SD-04776B: featuring George Wares, Central College Head Coach,
over 1,000 Career wins - most winning coach in NCAA Division III softball history;
distinguished member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Hall of Fame (2007); 4x National Championship Coach

and Alicia O'Brien, Central College Associate Head Coach

There are many components to a successful and productive offense. A batter must have numerous weapons in her arsenal in order to be successful. In this presentation, Coach George Wares, the most winning coach in NCAA Division III softball history, shows you how to create a productive offense that will put pressure on defenses and score more runs! Coach Wares shares over 30 of his favorite drills to develop hitters and slappers.

Tee Drills and Soft Toss Drills
Tee work is a building block of Coach Wares' offensive approach. Using live demonstrations, he explains six tee drills that allow hitters to focus more on their mechanics. Hitters progress to five soft toss drills that emphasize contact point. Throughout the drills, Coach Wares offers important points of emphasis for the hitter and the coach.

Cage and Live Hitting Drills
Teach your hitters to put pressure on opposing pitchers by only swinging at strikes. Coach Wares shares five cage drills he uses with batters to help develop strike zone discipline and work on pitches of different speeds. Finally, hitters progress into live hitting situations where the batter is competing with the pitcher to get a hit. Coach Wares uses these opportunities to check his batters' mindsets. You'll see how he helps his players learn to deal with failure by checking in with them and asking about their mindset after they experience a failure.

Bunt Drills
One key to having a productive offense is possessing many weapons. Bunting is one of those important weapons for advancing runners without pressuring the batter to get a hit. Coach Wares explains six bunting drills, which his players demonstrate, that will help your hitter get the bunt down when the game is on the line.

Slap Hitting Drills
Slappers will always put pressure on an opposing defense because they must play quicker. Learn how to further develop a slapper or convert a right-handed hitter into a slapper with Coach Wares' seven drills for slapping. Coach Wares also shows you how to help your slappers develop confidence on the left side by teaching them to hit away.

Coaches at all levels will find drills in this presentation that will help them make their practices more interesting and productive.

73 minutes. 2015.



SD-04776C: with George Wares, Central College Head Coach,
over 1,000 Career wins - most winning coach in NCAA Division III softball history;
distinguished member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Hall of Fame (2007); 4x National Championship Coach

and Alicia O'Brien, Central College Associate Head Coach

Opposing offenses are faster than ever, applying constant pressure on defenses to play fast and not make any mistakes. To do this, a coach must develop fundamentally sound infielders and outfielders. In this presentation, four-time National Championship Coach George Wares shows how to meet that objective using 22 proven drills.

Outfield Drills
Coach Wares shares 12 drills to help outfielders' throwing, footwork, reaction and tracking skills. Coaches who struggle to find drills for indoor outfield work will especially benefit from this section. Use Coach Wares' three throwing drills, created specifically for outfielders, to teach players how to throw correctly with a long arm circle, so they'll have stronger arms and fewer injuries. Coach Wares also has his players demonstrate a few tennis ball drills that help outfielders perfect their fundamentals. Many of Coach Wares' outfield drills have a conditioning component, which gets players in top playing shape and force them to execute when they are tired.

Infield Drills
Make games easier by making practice tougher with Coach Wares' 10 drills for infielders. Coach Wares offers coaching advice and drills for practicing infielders' pre-pitch movement, soft hands, quick transfer and release, allowing your athletes to "play quicker." Many of Coach Wares' drills also give players a chance to work on certain mental skills like focus and concentration, while putting players in competitive situations.

Improve pitching performance and hold opposing offenses at bay with drills and strategies for an error-free defense from one of the game's best coaches.

71 minutes. 2015.



Christina Sutcliffe's Softball Drills 3-Pack

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SD-04808A: 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.



SD-04808B: 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.



SD-04808C: 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.




The Florida Softball 4-Pack

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SD-03220A: 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.



SD-03220B: 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

Coach Walton knows how to maximize his fielders' performance and has a record setting 70-win season to prove it. With the help of his Assistant Coach Jenny Gladding, Walton shows you an extensive list of drills they use to get the most out of their infield and outfield. Ground balls, short hops, double plays, bunts, plays at the plate, deep fly balls, drop steps and plays off the wall are just some of the skills and exercises Walton delivers. He also covers the importance of good communication, working with other fielders, getting every player involved and being prepared for any defensive situation. A great team starts with a great defense, so prepare your team with these proven drills.

109 minutes. 2009.



SD-03220C: 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

Coach Walton is an expert on getting the most out of his team. In this excellent softball DVD, he presents the extensive practice schedule that contributed to the Gator's record setting 70-win season. With the help of Steve Orris, Florida's Strength & Conditioning Coordinator, the practice kicks off with a 20-minute set of stretches and agility drills, followed by Walton's throw-and-catch isolation drills. These drills work on throwing technique by concentrating on specific parts of the player's body. From there, Coach Walton gives you an in-depth look at his team's defense. Walton runs the Gators through multiple defensive situations including different types of bunt defenses, slap defense, baserunning situations and more. Walton then presents various offensive situations, incorporating the entire team through different stations for hitting, pitching, baserunning and fielding. Finally, Walton discusses the importance of baserunning, which he demonstrates through a series of drills emphasizing various offensive situations such as stealing, running on a bunt and pass balls. This DVD is an excellent tool for coaches at any level.

151 minutes. 2009.



SD-03220D: with Jennifer Rocha, University of Florida Assistant Softball Coach;
2015 National Champions - Back-to-Back WCWS Titles (2014-15);
3x SEC Champions; 2008 Women's College World Series semifinalists;
4x NFCA Southeast Region Coaching Staff of the Year (2007, '08, '09, '11)

Florida Pitching Coach Jennifer Rocha takes you through an extensive five-day workout that the Gators use to prepare pitchers for game day. Each day presents a variety of challenges for your pitchers including fundamentals, great drills, work on spin pitches, locating pitches, endurance, game situations and more. Rocha teaches, coaches, and demonstrates specific drills to work on all areas of the workout. All of these critical skills are woven into this five day workout program that will have your pitchers coming the ballpark loose, focused, and ready to play!

87 minutes. 2009.



Mega Softball Drills: Hitting

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with John Tschida, University of St. Thomas Head Coach;
Over 800 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

Develop a short, quick, efficient swing!

Step into the batter's box with three-time national championship coach, John Tschida, as he leads you through a comprehensive video library of all the drills needed to perfect the fundamentals and the mechanics required to drive the softball.

To open, Coach Tschida demonstrates, step-by-step, how to build a mechanically proper swing. He then leads you through 70 common mistakes players make in their swings and shows you how you can help them correct these faults. Tschida's covers the fundamentals, faults and corrections for the:

  • Stance
  • Loading Phase of the Swing
  • Unloading Phase of the Swing
  • Rotation Phase of the Swing
  • Bat Lag Phase of the Swing
  • Contact Phase of the Swing
  • Extension Phase of the Swing
  • And more.

From there, Tschida demonstrates over 110 hitting drills that you can use with your team to ensure they are using proper form. These drills cover the areas of rhythm and timing, load and trigger, linear stride, rotation, power and bat speed, elbow connection and contact, extension, bat control, and adjustments.

The fundamentals, drills and corrections shown in this video will help you develop more fundamentally sound hitters for your team.

265 minutes (2 DVDs). 2009.

Defensive Team Drills for 16U and 18U

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with Mike Stith,
founder of Team Mizuno and is the organization's Director of Player Development and College Recruitment; Head Coach for Team Mizuno's 16U Travel Team; 3x ASA National Championship Coach

See a defensive workout that covers many situations a defense will have to face during games.

Mike Stith shows us the defensive team workout that has made his older teams successful and prepared his players to compete at the collegiate level. Coach Stith begins practice with warm-ups and throwing, and also introduces many fielding drills with a conditioning component. He uses these drills, along with hitting many repetitions of live batted balls, to build consistent defenders.

Warm-up and Throwing
Throughout Coach Stith's warm-up throwing routine, careful attention is paid to throwing with correct technique, something that is important to avoid injuries and keep the player's arms healthy. Stith has his infielders practice short hop drills with each other, and the team moves into a Four Corners Drill. This drill incorporates a lot of throwing, with an emphasis on accuracy. This drill is helpful to allow the players to practice a few of the basic but critical fundamentals of the game, such as throwing, catching, footwork, and communication.

Conditioning Drills
Once warmed-up, the entire team participates in three softball specific conditioning drills, which also allow the players to practice fielding fundamentals. The conditioning drills begin with the coaches rolling ground balls to players, gradually increasing the distance between the fielders and the balls. These drills are important as they give the players a chance to focus on fielding fundamentals, good footwork, and seeing the ball all the way into their gloves. These drills progress into the next set of drills, which involve live ground balls hit balls off the bat.

Fielding
Coach Stith believes fielders should be hit a lot of ground balls off the bat, as there is no substitute for reading the ball off the bat and reacting to the ball. The infielders are put in their positions and hit numerous ground balls to each side. They are also given smaller gloves and hit baseballs, forcing them to focus hard on seeing the ball. Fielding numerous ground balls is necessary for fielders to become consistent and develop confidence in their fielding skills.

Group Drills
The outfielders get a chance to participate in the next set of drills, which involve balls hit to the outfielders in each position of the outfield. The outfielders must field or catch the ball, and throw to certain bases. The infielders then throw the ball around the infield, alternating bases, to incorporate more throwing practice. Finally, the coaches hit balls with runners on base, to help simulate more realistic game situations. The fielders must make the play and react to the base runner.

Use Coach Stith's defensive ideas to run a practice that will prepare your team to face any game situation with confidence.

75 minutes. 2013.

Mechanics and Drills for Softball Series

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SD-04232A: with Ehren Earleywine, University of Missouri Head Softball Coach;
3 WCWS appearances; 2x Big 12 Coach of the Year; 3xNFCA Midwest Coach of the Year; over 280 career wins

Maximize your potential at the plate!

There is a well-defined list of absolutes that every accomplished hitter follows. But within those absolutes, there are also styles. Style can be different for every hitter, but every successful hitter needs to be good at the absolutes. In this unique video, two-time Big 12 Coach of the Year, Ehren Earleywine describes the absolutes and distinguishes the styles.

Coach Earleywine discusses the differences between absolutes and styles in hitting. Moving in expert step-by-step detail from the stance to finish, Earleywine categorizes the multiple swing mechanics that must be present in a great hitter's swing and the absolutes associated with each.

This video includes 10 hitting phases: the stance, negative move or load, positive move, toe touch or launch position, rotation, bat path, connection, contact, extension, and the finish. These "absolutes" are explained in detail, demonstrated by current players, then shown in a live game with video analysis software. He also includes side-by-side video analysis of experienced hitters and beginning hitters executing these mechanics.

No matter what level you're competing at, Coach Earleywine's hitting mechanics breakdown will enable you to understand the difference between the "style" of your swing and the "absolutes" a great hitter must possess.

You don't need every absolute to be successful, but continued pursuit of the absolutes will definitely maximize your hitting performance. Softball Hitting Absolutes enables you to pursue the absolutes efficiently and effectively.

69 minutes. 2013.



SD-04232B: with Ehren Earleywine, University of Missouri Head Softball Coach;
3 WCWS appearances; 2x Big 12 Coach of the Year; 3xNFCA Midwest Coach of the Year; over 280 career wins

Learn 24 key drills to improve and correct errors in the softball swing. Three-time College World Series coach Ehren Earleywine, provides an overview of the 10 key phases of the swing. Earleywine provides an in-depth breakdown in the video Softball Hitting Absolutes. To help illustrate the 10 phases, Earleywine analyzes video clips of his Missouri hitters compared to amateur hitters and points out key absolutes for each phase of the swing.

Each drill includes excellent demonstration, coaching points and what to look for as you teach and execute the drill. In addition, Earleywine demonstrates drills that he uses to prepare his athletes for different types of pitchers and pitches, including a timing drill, a two-tees drill to correct improper bat path, and drills for hitting rise balls and drop balls.

Coach Earleywine also offers advice about drills in general, pointing out that he stays away from gimmicks and wants any drill he uses with his hitters to be as realistic and game-like as possible.

Ramp up your run production this season by fully training and developing each phase of the swing!

74 minutes. 2013.



SD-04232C: with Ehren Earleywine, University of Missouri Head Softball Coach;
3 WCWS appearances; 2x Big 12 Coach of the Year; 3xNFCA Midwest Coach of the Year; over 280 career wins

Most softball coaches agree that speed doesn't slump. Now 2x Big 12 Coach of the Year Ehren Earleywine helps you take advantage of your team speed using effective slap hitting mechanics.

Coach Earleywine begins by presenting a few of the major goals of slapping. He discusses the three different types of slaps - The Tap Slap, Regular Slap and Power Slap - and the mechanics needed to be consistent from the plate regardless of the pitch. For each type of slap, Earleywine shows video of his Missouri slappers and has a few of his players demonstrate correct and incorrect mechanics.

Next, Coach Earleywine reveals four variations of footwork that slappers can utilize. As his players demonstrate the footwork, he discusses the pros and cons for each. He also discusses slappers having either slow or fast feet, and the benefits and drawbacks of both.

Coach Earleywine moves on to the hands and introduces four different types of grips that slappers can use. He covers the correct positioning of the hands, bat angle, and approach to the ball for slappers. Earleywine talks about the ideal bat plane for a slapper and how that bat plane will vary based on the type of pitch they are thrown. He has his players demonstrate and shows video to further explain his approach.

You'll also hear Coach Earleywine's discuss his coaching philosophy on slapping. He talks about when to slap, some common situations when slapping would be an ideal weapon, and which type of slap to use. He also points out a few situations when slapping would not be a go-to strategy. Finally, Earleywine offers some general tips to slappers about strategy and practice ideas.

Use Coach Earleywine's mechanics and strategy ideas to turn your slappers into base hit machines!

65 minutes. 2013.



SD-04232D: with Ehren Earleywine, University of Missouri Head Softball Coach;
3 WCWS appearances; 2x Big 12 Coach of the Year; 3xNFCA Midwest Coach of the Year; over 280 career wins

Get the most out of your practice time with slap drills that will keep your slappers' batting average up and strike out percentage down.

Ehren Earleywine follows up his slapping mechanics DVD by introducing 18 different drills he uses to help develop his University of Missouri slappers. For each drill presented, Coach Earleywine discusses the key coaching points as a few of his slappers demonstrate. He also presents video analysis of three different types of slaps, to help address coaching points for several of the drills.

These drills cover every aspect of slapping, starting with footwork and the importance of slappers running in a straight line out of the batter's box. Earleywine introduces a toe touch tee drill to put the slapper into the launch position and isolate the mechanics of the upper body.

Many of the drills Earleywine talks about emphasize developing the proper bat plane. To illustrate the importance of getting on plane with a pitch, he shows video of his slappers hitting various pitches. Earleywine introduces a few of the tee drills he uses to work on bat plane with rise and drop balls. He also shows a few innovative ways to throw front toss that simulates rise and drop balls, including a tennis ball bounce drill.

Often, slappers are naturally right handed, and therefore have weaker left hands. Coach Earleywine shows one-handed slap drills to strengthen the left hand, as well as hitting away and using a heavier bat.

Bat control is also of vital importance to slappers. Earleywine provides two drills designed to work on bat control through ball placement. You will also learn a few drills for eye hand coordination and timing.

This DVD will be an asset to softball coaches at any level. Use Coach Earleywine's drills to develop every aspect of your team's slapping game and dominate the batter's box!

47 minutes. 2013.



SD-04232E: with Ehren Earleywine, University of Missouri Head Softball Coach;
3 WCWS appearances; 2x Big 12 Coach of the Year; 3xNFCA Midwest Coach of the Year; over 280 career wins

Three-time NFCA Midwest Coach of the Year Ehren Earleywine provides thorough explanations and demonstrations of the mechanics of infield play that often times get overlooked or undervalued. Coach Earleywine breaks down everything from how to take a throw at every base to applying tags. He also demonstrates the importance of pre-pitch movement, double play transitions and footwork, and infield throwing mechanics.

Coach Earleywine begins by examining the pre-pitch movements needed for corner and middle infielders, including how they differ from each other. You'll see detailed instruction on the mechanics of fielding a routine ground ball, including the proper approach to the ball, fielding position, glove work, and footwork.

Earleywine covers three different types of backhands, three variations on forehands, and fielding two different types of ground balls on the run. For each, he explains the fielding mechanics in detail, and has a few of his players demonstrate.

You will learn the necessary footwork for tag plays and how to set up at each base for steals, pick off plays, and throws from the outfield. Earleywine has several of his players demonstrate each play at each base.

In the throwing segment, Earleywine explains why a three-quarters arm slot is preferable for infielders, but also demonstrates a sidearm throwing technique for rushed throws. Good throwing mechanics will help keep your players free of injuries.

Earleywine explains how his middle infielders change their positioning with runners on base. He then has his players demonstrate the footwork for turning a double play from every position on the field, as well as several variations of the footwork at second base.

Finally, Coach Earleywine talks about an infielder's most important tool, their glove. He explains the characteristics each position would want in a glove as far as size and pocket shape, including how to break a glove in properly, and the pros and cons of different ways to treat gloves.

This video includes the same infield mechanics that have made the Missouri Tigers a national contender and produced a nationally ranked defense.

78 minutes. 2013.



SD-04232F: with Ehren Earleywine, University of Missouri Head Softball Coach;
3 WCWS appearances; 2x Big 12 Coach of the Year; 3xNFCA Midwest Coach of the Year; over 280 career wins

University of Missouri Coach Ehren Earleywine follows up his infield mechanics DVD with this all inclusive DVD on infield drills - enough to fill up entire week's worth of practice!

Coach Earleywine introduces you to 12 drill sets he uses with his infielders. In each drill set, several coaches are hitting to different infielders at the same time allowing the infielders to maximize repetitions and work on several different skills simultaneously.

Earleywine also offers an alternative called "Twos" that is better suited for teams that don't have several coaches or managers available to hit. He also shows you how he uses a short game scrimmage to work on bunt and slap coverage, and practices defensive situations with an 'infield only' defensive drill.

This comprehensive infield includes instruction on:

  • Infield warm-up and a daily throwing routine to polish mechanics and prepare for practice.
  • Short hop drills for developing quick hands.
  • A four corner drill, with several variations, for different types of ground balls and throws.
  • Basic drills using a paddle to work on soft hands.
  • Pick off plays and rundowns.
  • And more!
Coach concludes the video with infield team defense drills to help bring the whole thing together.

Strengthen your defense today with these proven infield drills!

62 minutes. 2013.



The Softball Pitching Factory: The "Daily Dozen" Pitching Drills!

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with Nancy Evans,
#1 all time pitching record in NCAA history and 3rd all time in wins,
1998 National Player of the Year (Honda Award), 6 NCAA Championships (as player & coach);
was an assistant softball coach at her alma mater, Arizona, and also at DePaul University; coached the Dutch National team to their first European Championship title in 19 years,
3x All-Star in the National Professional Fastpitch (NPF), a member of the 30 player Pac-12 'All Century Team'

Arizona Softball pitching legend Nancy Evans shares the "daily dozen" drills that catapulted her to 1998 National Player of the Year and have made the University of Arizona a "softball pitching factory" (Evans, Jennie Finch, and more) and a national powerhouse in collegiate softball. Coach Evans presents a wide variety of unique, practical pitching drills for pitchers of all levels and abilities. These individual drills will help pitchers develop and master all of the elements of successful pitching such as 'violent' wrist snap, correct spin, control and accuracy, muscle memory, effective leg drive, proper mechanics, arm strength, and velocity. Coach Evans strongly emphasizes building an arsenal of pitches using these drills by teaching the principles and mechanics of the fastball, rise ball, curveball, screwball, drop ball, and change-up. Effective teaching points and quality demonstrations will help you put a polish on your favorite pitches!

76 minutes. 2005.

Power: Developing Strong, Athletic and Mentally Tough Pitchers

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with Myndie Berka,
owner/pitching instructor of BreakThrew Fastpitch

Myndie Berka has trained hundreds of successful pitchers. Her pitchers have:

  • earned scholarships at over 60 different colleges and universities
  • competed at the Women's College World Series at the NCAA DI, DII, NAIA and JUCO levels
  • been named collegiate All-Americans
  • been collegiate national strikeout leaders at both the NCAA DI and DII levels

Speed is a typical concern for pitchers; almost all pitchers want to throw harder. Throwing faster pitches puts pressure on opposing batters to make quicker decisions, which makes the pitcher more difficult to hit.

In this softball pitching video, Myndie Berka offers 25 drills and four circuits to make pitchers stronger. She breaks down the body into lower and upper body and drills each separately before putting it back together and training the whole body for producing power and speed. These challenging workouts teach hurlers not only the physical toughness they'll need to be successful on the mound, but also the mental toughness and discipline to become dominant pitchers.

Coach Berka does a remarkable job of explaining what some of the common flaws are and how to correct them during many of these challenging drills. She explains the value and purpose of every exercise and tool she introduces so you have a better understanding of the drills. Each drill reinforces proper mechanics as Coach Berka explains variations of many of the drills so you can cater them to each of your own pitchers.

Lower Body: Harness and Loading

The strongest part of the pitcher's body is their legs. Therefore, most of the power generated by a pitcher must come from the legs and lower body. Coach Berka introduces five harness drills that show pitchers what it feels like to get more power from their lower body. Three loading drills are also demonstrated, which put pitchers in a position to generate more power from the legs. Proper mechanical principals are emphasized and reinforced during these challenging drills.

Upper Body: Weighted Balls

If a pitcher has good mechanics, throwing with heavier or oversized balls can help strengthen the shoulder, arm and wrist, while also creating a faster arm circle. In these four drills, Coach Berka has her pitchers train with oversized softballs, over-weighted balls, and two softballs taped together to strengthen the arm and make pitchers be faster with the snap. She pairs this with throwing with a lighter ball to increase arm speed, resulting in stronger and faster pitches.

Walk-throughs and Distance

Putting the whole motion together, Coach Berka introduces three walk-through drills to help pitchers understand what it feels like to be more powerful. She also has her students demonstrate a distance throwing drill, and offers four drill options for throwing distance when confined in a small space. These drills are ideal for indoor practices when space is limited.

Circuits and Drills

Get in a challenging pitching workout while pressed for time! Coach Berka offers four pitching circuits, which combine several pitching drills and demand maximum effort from pitchers in minimal time. She also explains four other demanding pitching drills that are good for conditioning and can be used as an entire pitching workout. These drills will teach your players the physical and mental discipline necessary to complete a challenging workout.

The challenging drills taught by Coach Berka will help your pitchers develop physical strength and mental toughness, which will translate to more wins on the mound.

63 minutes. 2016.

Controlling Hitters: Hitting Spots and Changing Speeds

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with Myndie Berka,
owner/pitching instructor of BreakThrew Fastpitch

Myndie Berka has trained hundreds of successful pitchers. Her pitchers have:

  • earned scholarships at over 60 different colleges and universities
  • competed at the Women's College World Series at the NCAA DI, DII, NAIA and JUCO levels
  • been named collegiate All-Americans
  • been collegiate national strikeout leaders at both the NCAA DI and DII levels

There's more that goes into pitching than just throwing a ball across home plate and hoping that batters don't hit it. All too often, developing pitchers focus on throwing strikes and fail to develop the discipline to throw to precise locations while mixing speeds.

Myndie Berka delves into the art of pitching, showing more advanced pitchers how to control and neutralize hitters by hitting spots and varying speed. She takes you through an ordered and detailed development of drills to help pitchers improve their ability to hit locations. You'll also learn a series of instruction on the development of alternative change-up techniques that will help keep hitters off balance.

Developing Focus Points

Teach your pitchers the physical adjustments they must make to hit their spots consistently. Coach Berka discuses focus points and release points, which helps pitchers develop the feel and visual focus needed to control the ball both in the zone when they need a strike and around the zone when they are ahead of the count.

Drills for Hitting Spots

Missed spots often result in the opposing batters making solid contact, so having good command is something pitchers need to excel at. Coach Berka offers 12 drills for pitchers to employ when practicing hitting their spots. These practical visual feedback drills require simple tools available to any pitcher. Advanced location drills are demonstrated and explained to provide a simple and effective training routine for pitchers to hone their location performance and begin to understand the selection of location, based on the count.

In one particular drill - One Skips - pitchers try to skip the ball off home plate to practice keeping the ball low. Gradually, pitchers progress to hitting a knee-high, then chest-high target. Throughout the drill, Coach Berka reinforces the art of pitching by helping players understand where they want to miss, if they happen to miss their spot. All pitchers miss spots, so it's important to know where to miss when it happens.

Change-ups

The changing of speed can be the most crucial part of controlling the hitter. Coach Berka teaches a variety of change-ups starting with the Flip, modifying it to develop a Curve Change, and then the Shove change using six different grip variations. For all change-up techniques, Coach Berka provides a logical sequence of drills and progressions for learning the pitch, as well as which one may be most beneficial based on the strengths of the pitcher.

Coach Berka teaches not just mechanics, but the art of pitching. This video will teach your intermediate and advanced pitchers how to control hitters by hitting their spots and changing speeds.

91 minutes. 2016.


Jenny Allard's Youth Pitching 2-Pack

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YSD-04265A: with Jenny Allard, Harvard University Head Coach;
6x Ivy League champions; five 30-win seasons; over 450 career wins; has mentored 5 Ivy League Pitchers of the Year; Former Big 10 Player of the Year and All-American as a player at Michigan

Jenny Allard uses her years of experience as a Division I Head Coach and an All-American pitcher to guide players and coaches through the the basic principals of pitching from the grip, spin and stride. She breaks the motion down into manageable steps that players of any age or ability will be able to comprehend and implement, giving you an understanding of the common flaws young pitchers make when starting out and how to correct the mistakes.

Coach Allard opens up by explaining how to correctly grip the softball, and adjustments that can be made based on the size of the pitcher's hands. Young pitchers may or may not be big enough to grip a 4-seam fastball, so teaching them a grip for a 2-seam will help them get the proper rotation on the softball. She then moves on to the proper wrist snap and release. Using a couple of young pitchers as demonstrators, Allard introduces a series of pitching progression drills that train pitchers to lead with the wrist and stay behind the ball. These begin by isolating the wrist snap, and gradually build up, moving the arm further and further back, until the pitcher is doing almost a full arm circle.

Coach Allard then introduces four drills she uses to isolate the arm circle. Pitchers begin by practicing the arm circle on a knee, and after mastering that, stand up and gradually incorporate more use of the legs. Again, Allard has two of her beginning pitchers demonstrate each step. Getting good leg drive is one of the biggest struggles for young pitchers. Legs are crucial to the speed and power of your pitcher. As an introduction to proper leg use, Allard gives you some basic instruction on how to use the legs to generate more power behind the pitch, as well as the basics for how to line up the pitcher's feet on the pitcher's mound. She also presents three drills for learning how to load and drive with the legs. Also discussed is the optimum stride length for young pitchers, as well as a few teaching cues for coaches to allow them to drive out farther, creating more velocity and less time for the hitter to react to the pitch.

Pitching is a difficult skill to master, and learning the correct fundamentals is essential for later success. Coach Jenny Allard will help young pitchers develop the basic pitching skills that will frustrate opposing batters for years to come.

70 minutes. 2013.



YSD-04265B: with Jenny Allard, Harvard University Head Coach;
6x Ivy League champions; five 30-win seasons; over 450 career wins; has mentored 5 Ivy League Pitchers of the Year; Former Big 10 Player of the Year and All-American as a player at Michigan

Usually, pitching instruction has been targeted at beginners and advanced level pitchers, neglecting a very large segment of pitchers who fall in the in-between. Jenny Allard gives instruction targeted for intermediate pitching students, those pitchers who are beyond the beginner level but are not quite advanced. These pitchers have the basic fundamentals and coordination of the pitching motion, but still need some correction and development on additional pitches.

Usually, with an intermediate level pitcher, their hands will be big enough that they can grip the ball along the "C" of the seams, giving a four-seam rotation to help the ball spin. She introduces six drills she uses to further develop an intermediate pitcher's wrist snap and release. A good wrist snap will create more power and velocity on the ball. These drills build up from isolating the wrist snap and gradually incorporating more arm circle, until the pitcher is throwing with a full arm circle motion.

For each drill, Coach Allard explains and gives instruction, as one of her intermediate level pitchers demonstrates.

Coach Allard then moves on to the legs, aiming to teach her intermediate pitcher better leg drive and follow through. She demonstrates three drills she uses to teach leg drive, including starting the pitcher from a loaded position, walk-throughs, and long toss. Allard also alludes to some of the mental game of pitching, giving some advice for pitchers who need to make corrections in game, explaining that they should say a cue word off the mound, then have a clear mind when they step on the mound and pitch.

Finally, Coach Allard talks about throwing four types of change-ups, explaining the grip and mechanics for each. Not every athlete is successful with the same type of change-up, her instruction will give your pitcher options to see what works best for them. She explains how she develops the pitch, beginning with flip drills, the building up using a snap progression, and finally throwing full distance.

Coach Allard will show you how to develop these intermediate level pitchers and help them step up their game!

44 minutes. 2013.



Developing Championship Pitchers

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with Stacy Iveson,
University of Arizona Assistant Coach/Pitching Coach;
former Head Coach at Pima Community College and Yavapai College - winning four NJCAA National titles (two at each school);
2004 NJCAA Coach of the Year;
coached some of Arizona's most decorated pitchers and catchers, including: Becky Lemke, Jennie Finch, Nancy Evans, Carrie Dolan, Leah Braatz and Lindsey Collins

Looking for a complete pitching program from one of the top programs in the nation? Stacy Iveson has developed several of the most dominant pitchers in college softball at the University of Arizona. In this video, she shows how to maximize the development and success of your pitching staff year-round. Discover concepts and practice plans that allow you to divide your pitching program into phases. You'll learn how to train to maximize your pitchers' development individually, and as part of a staff.

Seasonal Plans

Depending on whether you're in the off-season, preseason, or in-season, you'll want to prepare your pitchers differently. Iveson explains when and how you should work to improve your pitchers' strength, stamina and speed, and how to maintain those attributes throughout the season. Each skill required is covered in drill routines that can be incorporated into daily or 2-3 practices per week to work the pitching staff through the nine month cycle of off-season through in-season training.

Coach Iveson shares the Wildcat blueprint for the three-stage training of pitchers. Her coaching plan covers:

  • Off-season workouts focusing on building a base of physical and mental skills. Pitchers will build a rapport and communication with the catchers and rest of the defense. Pitchers are developed physically through strength training to build stamina and velocity.
  • Pre-season workouts to shift the focus to live situations. Pitchers are challenged with pre-determined counts and batters standing in to work on specific outcomes. You'll also see how scrimmages are used as an opportunity to practice in-game adjustments.
  • In-season training that centers on the involvement of the pitchers in the overall team defense. Pitching staffs are integrated into the fielding drills and are prepared for their roles in the weekly game plan.

Bullpens

See how to run a live bullpen session with Coach Iveson and several of Arizona's pitchers. Iveson opens the doors to two of her bullpen workouts, where each pitcher has a specific focus and works on a different drill. This session highlights drills for developing accuracy and improving velocity and stamina. PFP (Pitcher Fielding Practice) is showcased as the cornerstone for integrating your pitchers into the overall defense. Iveson also offers ideas about how to transfer the success attained in the bullpen onto the field during games.

Coach Iveson also explores philosophies behind managing the physical and mental aspects of pitchers. Pitching comes with a tremendous amount of physical and mental stress, so being able to help the pitcher and the team manage it is critical to the team's success.

Help prepare your pitchers to peak when it matters most by altering workouts based on what phase of the season you're in. Learn the approach and drills that have led to consistent success on the pitcher's mound at Arizona!

66 minutes. 2017.

First and Third Offensive & Defensive Strategies

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with Shonda Stanton,
Indiana University Head Coach;
former Marshall University Head Coach;
the winningest coach in Marshall softball history;
2017 Conference USA Coach of the Year;
2013 Conference USA Tournament Champions; 4x Conference champions;
former Coach for the Akron Racers of the Women's Professional Fastpitch League

The offensive and defensive options of the first and third situation in softball present one of the most complex and nuanced situational decision-making environments for both players and coaches. Strong teams know how to handle the first and third situation on both offense and defense. With this video, you'll learn how to incorporate each phase of the first and third into a practice setting.

Shonda Stanton details many base running options at both first and third base, the purpose of each option and when a coach would want to use each option to put pressure on the defense and create run scoring opportunities. She also discusses defensive options to shut down aggressive teams' first and third opportunities, including essential rundown principles.

First and Third Base Options and Commands

The more runners you put in scoring position, the more runs you'll score. Coach Stanton defines four different options for safely getting a runner to second base, and explains ways to pressure the defense into making mistakes. She also expands on the benefits of each option and when teams would best use each of them.

The defense will implement many plays to prevent the runner from scoring and to get runners out. Coach Stanton covers six options at third base, including commands that a coach would use based on how the defense is trying to execute its strategy. She thoroughly explains when and why you would use each particular strategy.

Coach Stanton shows you how to prepare your runners to make their own decisions about when to go. Teaching your athletes to read and react on the base paths makes them more unpredictable, putting even more pressure on the defense.

Defensive Strategies for First and Third Situations

All too often, defenses give up second base to keep a runner from scoring, or they give up the run to get an out. Coach Stanton breaks down your defensive opportunities, allowing you to determine the defensive set up that suits your team best. She gives you a glimpse of the 12 different defenses employed by Marshall University and shows drills to train your players. Your defense will be prepared for anything your opponent throws at you.

Simplify the Rundown

Effective execution of the rundown is essential to to first and third defense. Not only is it important to get the out, but the defense needs to be able to hold the runner or get the second out. Coach Stanton explains the run down from when to throw, when and where to run, how to communicate, how to place tags, and how to finish the play. These are demonstrated with simple drills and appropriate cues.

Coaching First and Third

One of the most important players in the first and third situation is the coach, but many don't focus on the correct responsibilities. Your job is to keep your runners safe, and Coach Stanton shows you how. With these tools, you will be able to identify pick-off plays and keep your runners safe from the dreaded out.

Coach Stanton gives you an efficient and effective practice plan that provides athletes confidence in both offensive and defensive first and third base scenarios.

66 minutes. 2017.

How to Create Competitive Pitching Workouts

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with Myndie Berka,
owner/pitching instructor of BreakThrew Fastpitch

Myndie Berka has trained hundreds of successful pitchers. Her pitchers have:

  • earned scholarships at over 60 different colleges and universities
  • competed at the Women's College World Series at the NCAA DI, DII, NAIA and JUCO levels
  • been named collegiate All-Americans
  • been collegiate national strikeout leaders at both the NCAA DI and DII levels

Competition between the pitcher and batter is at the heart of the game of softball. With the ball in the pitcher's hand, the outcome of the game is usually also in their hands. Pitchers must practice these pressure-packed, competitive situations to excel in live game situations.

Pitching coach Myndie Berka introduces multiple competitive games that can be done individually or with a fellow pitcher. Consequences are also built into the drills to help pitchers learn how to deal with the failure or stress that can occur during a game. Coach Berka's games and drills will force your pitchers to be uncomfortable and she discusses different strategies of how to deal with the pressure situations and failures that often occur during games.

Mechanics

Having a good mechanical foundation is important part of pitching, as poor mechanics can result in inefficiencies or injury. Mechanics can break down under pressure, so Coach Berka starts off with four mechanical competitions. These drills feature pitchers competing against a partner and challenges the pitchers to conquer basic mechanical concepts like staying balanced.

Movement Pitches, Change-Ups and Target Pitching

Throwing late-breaking movement pitches is vital to success on the mound, as these are the pitches that will cause batters to swing and miss. Coach Berka has her pitchers compete with a different drill for throwing fastball/change-ups, drop balls, and rise balls. Location is another critical component for success on the mound, and Coach Berka has three stations of drills to prepare her pitchers to hit their spots when the pressure is on.

Conditioning

Pitching is a demanding cardiovascular activity, so pitchers must be in top shape to be able to throw full 7-inning games. Coach Berka offers four competitive conditioning drills to challenge pitchers to execute their pitches while fatigued. In one drill, players must throw a pitch and sprint to the catcher to retrieve the ball, and then sprint back to the mound to throw another pitch. In this drill, the pitcher is competing with the clock, as the goal is to get seven pitches thrown as quickly as possible.

Games

Coach Berka helps pitchers develop the mental toughness it takes to work through the adversity that can occur during a game. She offers two competitive pitching games and two drills to replicate game-like situations. These drills focus on important concepts for pitchers like throwing strikes, hitting spots, and also challenge pitchers to understand the strategy behind pitching.

Pitching is one of the most pressure-packed positions a player can assume on the field. Coach Berka's drills will help prepare your pitchers to thrive in competitive game situations.

77 minutes. 2016.

Peter Turner 2-Pack

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SD-05326A:

with Peter Turner,
San Jose State University Head Coach;
the winningest coach in San Jose State program history (over 300 wins);
2017 Mountain West Conference Champions; 2x Conference Coach of the Year;
member the ASA National Softball Hall of Fame (2007);
former USA Softball Men's National Team coach ('02 - '13)

Don't have enough time to cover everything you want in practice? Feel like your team isn't making the best use of practice time? Some coaches waste too much time hitting ground balls and fly balls to one player at a time while the rest of the team waits their turn.

Peter Turner shows you how to run an efficient practice where infielders and outfielders practice the skills they will need most on game day. Additionally, you'll get a unique pitcher's workout that uses a lot of run-through drills to build on accuracy as well as conditioning and fielding.

With over 20 drills showcased, Coach Turner takes you "behind the scenes" and allows you to learn from a program that gets the most out of practice time.

Practice Philosophy

Learn how to avoid long practices by drilling the skills needed most on game day. Coach Turner shares his practice philosophies and offers simple suggestions to make practices and drills you already run more efficient. He teaches how to plan a practice and what to cover at various parts of the season - pre-season, mid-season, and post-season - and how to maximize your staff and their abilities.

Infielders Catch and Throw

Cut down on throwing and catching mistakes and you will eliminate a lot of your team's errors, in general. Turner shows you seven drills to work on game-like throwing and catching technique, while challenging your players to be quick.

In the 21 drill, players must make 21 perfect throws in a row. Just like on game day, they need to make 21 outs, while the coach times the group. This drill challenges players to be quick while applying pressure similar to the pressure they may experience in a game.

Infield Everyday Drills

Practice eight of the most common plays for infielders in a controlled setting using Coach Turner's everyday drills. These drills are designed to get infielders lots of reps where the player and coach can focus on fielding technique and fundamentals. Improve your infielders' glove work while ensuring that they take proper angles to the ball, which will give them more range. Key teaching points include:

  • Stopping the ball with the glove instead of squeezing the ball for quicker transfers.
  • Taking a 45 degree angle to the ball up the middle or in the hole.
  • Assessing speed of the players around them, on the bases, and at the plate.

Outfield Everyday Drills

Get outfielders involved with four everyday drills of their own. These drills will help your outfielders take better angles to the ball, which will result in more caught fly balls. You'll see how to teach players to catch a line drive coming directly at them - one of the hardest plays for outfielders to read.

Pitcher Run-Through Drills

After the pitcher releases the ball, they're no longer a pitcher - they are a fielder! Help your pitchers improve their pitching and fielding skills with three run-through drills. These run-through drills will help your pitchers practice fielding the ball and improve their conditioning and athleticism.

Lower Half Pitching Drills

Coach Turner introduces two drills to improve the lower half of your pitchers that will get them driving harder and rotating faster in order to throw the ball harder. These drills will emphasize the importance of rotation and location in pitching. He also demonstrates six drills that work on improving accuracy while incorporating other aspects of pitching

Having enough time to cover all skills and give every player the reps they need is a challenge for coaches at all levels. This video gives you plenty of techniques for accomplishing more at practice in less time.

89 minutes. 2018.



SD-05326B:

with Chase Turner,
San Jose State University Assistant Coach;
member of the Men's USA Softball National Team

Chase Turner has done a great job of taking his own fast-pitch softball playing experience with ASA `A' National Championship teams and USA Softball teams and sharing it with the hitters of SJSU. In the eight seasons (through 2017) that Turner has been an assistant at SJSU, batters have set program records in team batting average, slugging percentage, on base percentage, runs, hits, doubles, home runs, RBIs, walks, and total bases.

Few coaches train their players using proven scientific principles. This is only one of the attributes that sets Chase Turner apart from the rest. Learn the biomechanical principles of ground reaction force, torque, and inertia and how utilizing these three concepts will help you turn your athletes into power hitters.

Hitting Mechanics

Learn how to make your swing as mechanically efficient and powerful as possible. Turner explains several scientific and biomechanical principles and applies them to the softball swing. See how a batter can use the Magnus effect to hit the ball in the correct location to put the desired spin on a batted ball, which will make it fly farther.

Ground Reaction Force

Draw power from the ground with Turner's four ground reaction force drills. In the Bucket drill, Turner shows you how to drive the back knee down and in toward the ground, into a bucket placed in front of the back knee. This will helps your hitters swing with more power because the force the hitter puts into the ground will be transferred into the swing.

Torque

Turner shows how to use drive your back side into your front side to create torque, which will power your swing. He also shares four drills to help get more torque and power out of your players' swings.

Inertia

Learn how to use the inertia your hitters create to hit the ball harder and further. Turner presents nine drills to train your hitters to start the swing tight to their bodies to maximize inertia, then let go of that inertia at contact and release to transfer force into the softball.

From A to Z, Coach Turner covers all the aspects behind power hitting. You'll see how to get the most out of your softball swing, and your body when hitting, with science on your side!

62 minutes. 2018.



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