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Mega Softball Drills: Pitching

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with John Tschida,
University of St. Thomas Head Coach;
member of the NFCA Hall of Fame (2016);
Over 900 career wins; highest winning percentage in D-III softball history (.840 winning percentage);
3x national championship coach, first coach to win national title at two schools;
2x NFCA Division III National Coach of the Year; 12x MIAC Coach of the Year;
has now led St. Thomas to the NCAA Tournament each of the last 15 seasons

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.


Building a Championship Catcher

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

68 minutes. 2013.

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.



Developing Championship Infielders

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featuring Mike Candrea,
University of Arizona Head Coach;
8x NCAA Champions, winningest coach in NCAA Division I Softball history (1500+ wins);
4x National Coach of the Year; named the Pac-12 Coach of the Century;
Distinguished member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Hall of Fame (1996);
2x US Olympic Softball Coach (Gold in '04, Silver in '08)

While all infielders must share certain fielding skills, each position requires a different skill set and mentality. Coach Candrea provides you with the essential background knowledge to make your infielders more efficient and more powerful.

Candrea dives into the intricacies of each position on the infield, while also addressing the basic fielding mechanics that all great infielders must master. You'll learn footwork, throwing techniques, base-covering tips, and other infield responsibilities to give your players the ultimate advantage.

Principles by Position

Most errors that occur in the game of softball happen in the infield. Coach Candrea provides an in-depth look for each infield position, by breaking down the necessary skills for third base, shortstop, second base, and first base. He provides specific tips to help each position player reach her full potential, covering:

  • Throwing - Warm up and types of throws.
  • Mentality - Fearless, athletic, creative.
  • Mechanics - Glove work and basic infield footwork.
  • Pop fly responsibilities.
  • Cut-off responsibilities.
  • Base coverage and tagging techniques.
  • Double play footwork.
  • Fielding bunts.
  • Pre-pitch preparation.

Throwing Techniques

Teaching throwing mechanics is step one to having elite players. Coach Candrea describes how athletes at each infield position should throw the ball to maximize their power, strength, and decision-making. He demonstrates the "thumb flick" to describe the action used by the hands to get into a strong throwing position.

Footwork and Fielding

Candrea discusses how to field the ball at each base, utilizing "rake throughs," "get arounds" and "short hops" to get the ball in your players' gloves effectively and efficiently. These techniques lead to a higher fielding percentage and result in fewer errors and more outs.

A fielding drill Candrea shares will teach your infielders to choose the good hop by having them count the number of hops as the ground ball is being hit to them. The drill helps your players:

  • Pick the short hop, not the long hop.
  • Open up on the long hop.
  • Make sure the glove is on the ground when the ball takes its last hop.
  • Field the ball out in front of their nose.

Candrea provides philosophy on what type of athlete should play each position, as well as how they should line up. Also included is the strategy on when to play up or back, as well as multiple ways to cover a bag when receiving throws from both the infield and outfield. These points are often overlooked by young or inexperienced coaches and they can be the difference between a win and a loss.

If you want to know the ins and outs of infield play that oftentimes get overlooked and under-coached, you need this video from Coach Candrea!

55 minutes. 2017.

Advanced Team Defense Drills for Softball

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with Patty Gasso, Oklahoma University Head Coach;
2017 WCWS Champions - Back-to-Back WCWS Championship Seasons (2016-17) - 4x WCWS National Champions including 2013 - the first ever WCWS champion to lead the nation in scoring and ERA;
Distinguished member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Hall of Fame (2012);
2017 Big 12 Coach of the Year - the 10th time she has won the award, which includes six straight honors (2012-17);
16x Big 12 Champions; Over 1,100 career victories

Patty Gasso opens up her softball drill library and delivers 24 fast and challenging drills that will stretch your team defense. These infield and outfield drills are designed to improve players' fielding skills, range, footwork and conditioning.

WARM UP DRILLS
In this working warm up, Gasso demonstrates a five drill warm up circuit. Before taking the field, she demonstrates drills that include a weighted glove reaction drill, slide board leg work, and several wall ball drills.

On the field, Gasso demonstrates two team warm up drills: Around the World and Touch & Go. Around the World doubles as a warm up and conditioning drill for both infielders and outfielders. The Touch & Go drill works on creating athleticism and maximizing the players' range.

These drills will energize your team and set the tone for practice.

INFIELD DRILLS
Gasso runs her players through eight Infield Drills. These multifaceted drills work players all around the infield focusing on range, glove work, footwork, short hops, sliding with the throw, throwing on the run and more.

OUTFIELD DRILLS
The Outfield Drills include nine drills that work on becoming efficient in the outfield. These drills fine-tune all ares of outfield defense, including footwork, fielding ground balls with the forehand and backhand, throwing to bases, hitting relays and recovering from bad throws, playing the ball off the wall, taking good angles to the ball and going hard to get the out in foul territory.

Coach Gasso has molded the University of Oklahoma softball program into a national power. She has placed herself among the elite college softball coaches in the country, winning over 700 games at Oklahoma - and these drills play a large part in her success. This DVD is a must for coaches looking to take their athletes to new heights.

91 minutes. 2010.

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.

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.


The Next 60 Feet: Strategic Stealing and Sliding

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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

Put pressure on your opponent and make them make plays. Coach Shonda Stanton has compiled a video featuring a comprehensive set of sliding and baserunning drills to help your team "Take the next 60 feet."

Once on base, from stealing to making aggressive baserunning reads, Coach Stanton teaches what to look for as a coach and runner, and shares 24 drills to put pressure on the opposing defense.

Leads, Stealing, and Sliding

Getting off the base efficiently in the lead is the first step to stealing. Coach Stanton teaches you to avoid the five common base stealing mistakes, most of which start at the base. Learn the three things you need to know and the formula for success in stealing bases, as well as six stealing drills to help you swipe bases more effectively.

Sliding is a major part of the game, and knowing when to use a variation of slides at the right time will help you steal more bases and get more safe calls. Not only does Coach Stanton show you how to teach your players to slide into bases with no fear using six sliding drills, she'll also show various ways to slide and when you should execute each type of slide.

Baserunning

Being smart but aggressive baserunners allows your players to be in scoring position more often. Putting pressure on the other team ultimately leads to making them be perfect in their execution. Be more efficient around the bases and read the ball better with Coach Stanton's nine drills. In the controlled baserunning reads drill, the runners are placed in five common baserunning situations and they have to make reads off a hitter's batted ball. The runners learn to take into account the defense and how each ball is hit when making their reads.

Score more runs with smarter baserunning!

72 minutes. 2017.

35 Competitive Drills to Build a Complete Infielder

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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

Good infielders are athletic, can move quickly, and are able to make difficult plays look easy. Coach Shonda Stanton brings you a fully comprehensive instructional video filled with over 35 innovative drills to make your athletes better infielders.

Teaching footwork to go along with glove work is a necessity to quality infield play. Working from the ground up, Coach Stanton isolates the hands and feet before putting it all together and drilling the full skill, which leads to the finished product: a complete, athletic infielder capable of making every play.

Mechanics of Fielding a Ground Ball

Coach Stanton takes you through what to look for in your players when they field a ground ball:

  • Good footwork
  • Smooth and quick hands
  • Good posture (chest forward, butt out, create a hinge with wrist and elbow)
  • Transfer ball at mid-line

She emphasizes the four key points above during each drill. You'll also see her team run through an assortment of drills to drive the key components of sound mechanics.

Glove Work and Footwork

Footwork and glove work are necessities to getting outs. Learn from Coach Stanton the pre-pitch movement to put your body in a good fielding position to make a play quicker. She cover six drills to isolate the footwork necessary to get to balls hit to all sides of a player, as well as 15 drills for hands and glove work.

In one drill, Coach Stanton sets out hula-hoops that her players have to step in to emphasize the need to gain ground on their first steps. The first steps are the most important, as you cannot make up for a poor start to a ball.

Infield Fundamental Drills

Putting it all together, Coach Stanton offers 19 infield drills she uses to develop athletic fielders. She progresses her drills from working with a stationary ball, to rolling, and finally fungo fielding. Teach your players several key pieces to being an athletic infielder, including:

  • How to make plays and field a ball while moving
  • How to react quicker
  • How to transfer the ball faster

At the end of the video, Coach Stanton gives an assortment of drills that puts everything together for the athlete. The Scramble Drill has base runners and infielders competing against each other. It incorporates fielding, throwing and tagging runners out as well as slides for the runners.

You can't make an out unless you field the ball first! Coach Stanton gives you over 35 drills to help even the newest infielders develop into great players. Mastering the skills in this video will help your players become complete infielders.

80 minutes. 2017.

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 Outfielders

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with Caitlin Lowe,
University of Arizona Assistant Coach;
member of the 2008 US Olympic Team (Silver Medal); 4x All-American (and only one of two players in Arizona history to be named 1st team All-America 4x at Arizona);
part of 2 NCAA Championship teams, winner of the adidas Golden Shoe Award (for the nation's best base-stealer);
Arizona's all time leader in stolen bases, 2nd all time in career batting average (.446), 4th in hits and triples and 7th in runs scored;
played for the USSSA Pride for 6 seasons, 3 National Pro Fastpitch titles, 2012 Player of The Year & USSSA Hall of Fame (2106)

Outfielders are often an overlooked aspect of the game, and this video allows you to see how a commitment to these players can help develop world-class technique and solid and repeatable performance of your athletes.

Caitlin Lowe takes you through the full slate of outfield training activities used at the University of Arizona. She offers 10 drills, plus a 4-step rolling progression and a 9-step throwing progression, to build an outfielder's physical skills. She also addresses the mentality and anticipation that separate good outfielders from great ones.

Characteristics and Philosophy

Learn the mentality every outfielder needs, as well as the pre-pitch preparation needed to be in the right position. Lowe explains five characteristics of a good outfielder, and also explains her philosophy on outfield play. Outfielders must have certain physical tools to be successful, but they also must embody several mental characteristics, like fearlessness. Learn to instill the fearlessness necessary for your outfielders to aggressively and intelligently make the routine and big plays.

Throwing Progression

One physical tool great outfielders must possess is a strong and accurate arm. The outfielders at Arizona demonstrate a 9-step throwing progression to help improve throwing mechanics, arm strength, and simulate some of the throws they may make during a game. Learn how to get rid of the ball quickly to get a force out, or run through a do-or-die and crow hop for more strength on a longer throw.

Drills

Coach Lowe begins with the outfielders gloveless and catching tennis balls, then incorporates a 4-step roll progression before hitting balls to the outfielders. She also introduces a drill series to practice robbing home runs over the fence. In one particular Fly Ball Ladder Work drill, the outfielders must use quick feet to step through an agility ladder, then sprint out and gather themselves as they round a cone and catch a fly ball. This helps teach outfielders to get behind the ball, which will help them avoid drifting and allow them to make a stronger and more accurate throw.

Great outfielders make the game look easy because of their pre-pitch preparation and anticipation skills - they always seem to be in the right spot at the right time.

From throwing out a runner rounding third and heading home to robbing a home run over the fence, Coach Lowe shows you the skills and drills that help great outfielders make difficult tasks look easy!

71 minutes. 2017

Putting Pressure on the Defense: Slap Hitting & Base Running

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with Caitlin Lowe,
University of Arizona Assistant Coach;
member of the 2008 US Olympic Team (Silver Medal); 4x All-American (and only one of two players in Arizona history to be named 1st team All-America 4x at Arizona);
part of 2 NCAA Championship teams, winner of the adidas Golden Shoe Award (for the nation's best base-stealer);
Arizona's all time leader in stolen bases, 2nd all time in career batting average (.446), 4th in hits and triples and 7th in runs scored;
played for the USSSA Pride for 6 seasons, 3 National Pro Fastpitch titles, 2012 Player of The Year & USSSA Hall of Fame (2106)

Over the years, one thing the University of Arizona has been known for its speed. Former Wildcat great-turned-coach, Caitlin Lowe, shows us the mentality and skills that helped make her one of the best ever.

Lowe shows you what to look for at each base for base running, and then dives into slapping mechanics, types, and strategy.

Slapping Mechanics

Knowing where to stand in the box and having good footwork is important to minimize time to first base after hitting the ball. Coach Lowe shows you the footwork that will keep you on-line, but allow you to move quickly out of the batter's box. Learn the bat path and contact point that will keep your bat in the zone as long as possible to increase the chance of making contact with the pitch. Lowe also offers advice for how to get to first base faster - every slapper's ultimate goal!

Types of Slaps

Give your slappers the tools they need to make the defense wrong and improve your chances of getting on base. Lowe discusses and demonstrates the different "weapons" a slapper can utilize during an at-bat. The drag bunt, soft slap, chop slap and hard slap are all discussed, demonstrated and taught.

Lowe also shares what to look for in the defense to know when to use each type of slap. She also covers situational slapping and how you can use each type of slap strategically depending on where runners are on base

Base Running

Proper base running techniques are often overlooked and under-practiced. Smart, aggressive base runners are a commodity, and win you more games. Lowe shows how you can incorporate base running practice into your batting practice to get more done in a shorter amount of time

Base by base, Lowe shows you how to anticipate and react to the situation. As demonstrated by the Wildcat players, runners start at first base and react to the batted balls. Learn when to be aggressive and when to be a little more conservative at second base, and how to be aggressive with a down angle at third base, as well as the philosophy behind what type of leads to take at each base.

Use Coach Lowe's tactics to turn your offense into a nightmare on the base paths for the opposing team!

44 minutes. 2017

Frozen Ropes Hitting Skills and Drill Series

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SD-05327A:

with Tony Abbatine,
Founder, Frozen Ropes;
2018 USA Softball National Team Coaching Staff - overseeing the mental and visual skills;
Has worked with the New York Mets, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Colorado Rockies, and the Los Angeles Dodgers as a player development department consultant;
Adjunct College Professor, Sports Psychology, St. Thomas Aquinas College;
author of numerous articles on player development featured in: Sports Illustrated, ESPN, USA Today, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Baseball America and various television media.

Build an elite level swing by keeping things simple! Efficient swings have few holes for opposing pitchers to exploit. Tony Abbatine offers a clear progression of hitting drills to develop top-tier baseball or softball hitters.

Coach Abbatine provides several drills important to developing consistency while minimizing over-coaching and over-complicating hitting. This drill series does a great job of isolating various swing flaws, helping players understand the best fixes available while maintaining a commitment to the full process of hitting.

Utilizing Drills

While drills can be an important part of practice and development, coaches have to understand how to use them effectively to truly help the player develop to their maximum ability. Coach Abbatine presents a quick overview of his hitting style, and then goes in-depth about how he uses drills to teach these principles. Each drill that Abbatine shares has purpose, and every one builds on the drill before to give players the greatest chance at development.

In addition to offering a proven teaching style, Abbatine also shares details of how to best evaluate hitters. These techniques are critical for evaluation in the recruitment process and in player development.

Barrel Control Drills

The core of Coach Abbatine's hitting philosophy is getting the barrel to the ball. He introduces a three-drill progression he uses to help teach barrel control - an essential element of hitting. The Punch, Rifle, and Sword drills each take the swing one step further until the hitter is taking almost a full swing, focusing on controlling the barrel.

Hitting Drills

Coach Abbatine opens his library of hitting drills to the viewer. While his drills address all aspects of the swing, most of them help the hitter to keep things simple. Using this resource, learn how to develop a complete hitter that is dangerous even against the most effective pitching. You'll see:

  • Selfie drills that allow hitters to work individually, warm up, and develop coordination.
  • Body Control drills to help hitters develop consistency in their mechanics from stride, to launch point, to finish.
  • Hand position drills that help hitters develop an appropriate launching point and barrel control.

Abbatine provides an informative resource for developing hitters that is simple and educational. This video is great for both novice and professional coaches, as well as any player seeking improvement in their hitting!

56 minutes. 2018.



SD-05327B:

with Tony Abbatine,
Founder, Frozen Ropes;
2018 USA Softball National Team Coaching Staff - overseeing the mental and visual skills;
Has worked with the New York Mets, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Colorado Rockies, and the Los Angeles Dodgers as a player development department consultant;
Adjunct College Professor, Sports Psychology, St. Thomas Aquinas College;
author of numerous articles on player development featured in: Sports Illustrated, ESPN, USA Today, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Baseball America and various television media.

The first and possibly the most important part of hitting success is the visual ability of the batter. The visual component of hitting involves so much more than 'see the ball, hit the ball.'

Tony Abbatine explains the mechanics and strategies to put your players' eyes in a better position to see the ball. Through 10 drills, he shows you how to improve athletes' ability to see pitches, pitch rotations, and pitch locations to become the best performer possible in the batter's box.

Visual Mechanics and Strategies

Learn the mechanics and strategies that will allow your players to see the ball earlier, longer and clearer. For example, you will learn how to relax the eyes to pick up on more visual cues that the opponent's pitcher gives out. Coach Abbatine suggests a few physical mechanics that may be making it more difficult to see, and gives easy-to-remember cues to put your eyes in the best position to see.

Visual Drill Work

Limited space and resources? Coach Abbatine teaches three easy-to-use visual drills that can be done anywhere. Learn to catch without moving the head, and allow the eyes to do the work with No Look drills that force hand-eye coordination to advance. J-line drills force hitters to recognize and actively train the eyes and brain to react quickly to pitches.

Visual Cage Work

Combine vision work and hitting for the ultimate visual benefit. Coach Abbatine introduces seven drills that incorporate the skill of hitting while the focus stays on the eyes and seeing the ball better. Make a foundational drill that you already do, like hitting off the tee, more realistic and effective! Abbatine also shows some variations of flips and tosses that will give them more of a visual component.

A perfect mechanical swing is almost worthless if you don't have good visual skills. Coach Abbatine gives you the visual strategies and drills to help players see better without having to visit the optometrist!

70 minutes. 2018.



SD-05327C:

with Tony Abbatine,
Founder, Frozen Ropes;
2018 USA Softball National Team Coaching Staff - overseeing the mental and visual skills;
Has worked with the New York Mets, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Colorado Rockies, and the Los Angeles Dodgers as a player development department consultant;
Adjunct College Professor, Sports Psychology, St. Thomas Aquinas College;
author of numerous articles on player development featured in: Sports Illustrated, ESPN, USA Today, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Baseball America and various television media.

At the higher levels of baseball and softball, physical skills don't separate the good from the great players; it's the player's mental skills that are usually the greatest differentiator. Most coaches don't spend enough time on mental skills, often because they don't understand the mental game or how to teach mental game.

Tony Abbatine, who is also a professor of sport psychology, guides you through the understanding of mental dominance. He provides proven techniques for reducing stress and anxiety and also shares what Hall of Fame-level players do mentally to create the best chance to perform.

Weapons of Mental Dominance

Coach Abbatine introduces you to the nine "Weapons of Mental Dominance" that help players identify their personal readiness for success. These techniques are the building blocks of a routine that allows players to perform at their best, even in the most pressure-packed situations. He provides specific approaches to improve players in the areas of controlled breathing, mental imagery, positive self-talk, and goal setting. These are all techniques that coaches know are important, and this video provides easy cues and teaching points that will benefits players and coaches of all experience levels.

Abbatine also gives details regarding the negative thoughts that can prevent players from achieving their full level of success. He gives tips for time-tested techniques that rid the mind of those harmful thoughts, as well as approaches for replacing them with mental skills that increase the opportunity to dominate.

Additionally, you'll get vehicles for goal setting, performance analysis, and techniques for self-coaching that will allow players to feel fully prepared and sufficiently confident to let the body perform at the highest level. There is a clear relationship of how a strong mind and controlled emotions can produce the best physical performance!

Dealing with Pressure

Where does pressure come from? Coach Abbatine answers that question, and many others, as he explains how to re-frame pressure. When you understand that humans create the 'three evil sisters' you will start to understand how we can get rid of them too.

Team Physics

Team physics is a phrase to describe team chemistry. Coach Abbatine turns the idea of physics around on the coaches, saying that they must model what they want out of their athletes. Learn the attributes of successful coaches, and how you can better lead your athletes.

Baseball and softball are often defined as being 80-90% mental; taking advantage of these proven performance techniques from Coach Abbatine is an absolute must!

69 minutes. 2018.



Spin It to Win It: Developing Late Break on the Rise, Curve and Drop Ball

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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

Superior spin is the secret weapon of dominant pitchers. Blazing speed is an effective weapon for an inning or two, but late-breaking movement pitches can keep batters guessing for a full seven innings.

Too often, developing pitchers believe that once they have the grip, movement is automatic. Myndie Berka covers the rise, curve and the peel and turnover drop balls to give your pitchers what they need to get maximum spin on every throw.

She begins with variations of grips for each spin and ends with drills to help pitchers learn where pitches should be breaking. Coach Berka uses her own students to demonstrate each drill and includes feedback as they move through the progressions. This feedback will help you learn what to look for in your pitchers as you introduce them to the different pitches.

You will also learn when a pitcher is ready to progress from one stage to the next, appropriate cues to use so pitchers will know what the pitch should feel like and look like, different ways to challenge a pitcher to master a pitch. You will learn what are some fixes for some common problems that pitchers have when learning a pitch and what drills work when a pitcher is struggling with a particular spin.

Rise Ball

The rise ball is the ultimate strikeout pitch. Coach Berka explains the grip and snap necessary to develop late-breaking movement on the rise ball, and offers two drills for rise ball spins. She also explains eight spin stations with spin trainers to help the pitcher feel coming underneath the ball, which will create the backwards spin that makes the rise ball jump.

Curve Ball

Throwing the curve is similar to the grip and snap of the rise ball, except the pitcher snaps around the ball to give it the sideways spin that makes the pitch dance away from the hitter's bat. Coach Berka explains how to put proper spin on the curve ball and uses a spin progression with Frisbees to demonstrate. This is a fun drill that teaches pitchers the snap move of the wrist, while providing them with immediate feedback as to how successful they are. Coach Berka also offers five spin stations to help pitchers get the feel of proper spin.

Drop Ball

The drop ball is a great pitch to have in a pitcher's arsenal as it produces a lot of ground ball outs and is not frequently hit for home runs. The drop can be thrown two different ways, and Coach Berka explains each while having her pitchers demonstrates a four-step drill progression for learning and perfecting the wrist snap.

Body Position and the Full Pitch

Once the grip and snap is mastered, the goal is to put the body in the correct position to help the pitch spin. Coach Berka has her pitchers demonstrate three body position drills, which are different for each of the three movement pitches. She also offers a drill for each of the three pitches to help your pitchers execute late-breaking movement, and one light flight drill that can be used with any pitch.

Coach Berka breaks down the grips, wrist snaps, and body positions required to throw the rise ball, curve ball, and drop ball. You'll get 24 total drills which will help your pitchers feel the correct movement and execution of each pitch.

73 minutes. 2016.


25 Essential Hitting Drills for Softball

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with Howard Dobson, LSU Assistant Coach;
2016 USA Women's Softball National Team Assistant Coach;
Assistant Coach for the 2014 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.

Pitching Mechanics: Drills to Build the Foundation

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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

Pitching is a complex motion made up of several small movements of the upper and lower body, sequentially executed with proper rhythm and timing. Bad habits are hard to break, so it's important to teach younger players the correct mechanics and build a solid foundation from the get-go.

Pitching coach Myndie Berka explains the correct mechanics of pitching, and offers 13 drills to help reinforce proper pitching technique.

Upper Body and Grips

Every pitch begins with a grip and is crucial to great spin and control. Learn how to throw the basic fastball with two different grips, including the 2-seam grip, which can be easier for younger pitchers with smaller hands. Learn the correct mechanics of the wrist snap and create looseness with the arm circle, which causes whip and leads to speed. Coach Berka also offers a variety of drills using grips that help reinforce and create great spin. Additionally, you'll see drills featuring three training aides (such as spinners, socks etc.) to develop consistency and efficiency.

Lower Body Mechanics and Drills

Isolate the lower body and learn how to properly setup on the mound as Coach Berka teaches how a pitcher should create leg drive by loading the legs, shifting weight, and aggressively striding out towards the plate. Most of these drills don't even involve a ball, which helps the player focus on leg drive and reinforces great technique.

The Wind Up

After isolating the lower body, Coach Berka adds in the wind-up. In order for a pitcher to be successful, a fast and tight arm circle is necessary. Coach Berka offers three different wind up options with variations within each one to help pitchers generate power at the beginning of their motion. This is also where the pitcher begins to combine upper body and lower body movement to learn proper sequencing. Drills are added to help pitchers understand different checkpoints throughout the pitch, proper glove side mechanics, as well as drills for balance.

Full Motion Drills

Coach Berka introduces seven drills she uses with her pitchers to practice pitching fundamentals, in addition to reacting to balls hit back at them. No catcher? No problem! Learn how to improve pitching by throwing self-pitches, where the pitchers flip the ball to themselves. This will help your pitchers improve glove mechanics, as well as practice upper body timing.

You will hear Coach Berka give positive feedback to her players on what corrections to make and why they are important. She also includes different challenges and competitions for pitchers that will help them stay focused and begin to develop their competitive drive.

It is often said that the mark of a great teacher is breaking down complex material and making it easy to understand. By that measure, Coach Berka is a great teacher. She takes the complex pitching motion and breaks it down to the basics and makes it easy for anyone to digest, understand, and teach to others.

74 minutes. 2016.

Developing Championship Hitting

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featuring Mike Candrea,
University of Arizona Head Coach;
8x NCAA Champions, winningest coach in NCAA Division I Softball history (1500+ wins);
4x National Coach of the Year; named the Pac-12 Coach of the Century;
Distinguished member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Hall of Fame (1996);
2x US Olympic Softball Coach (Gold in '04, Silver in '08)

If you want to be the best, study the best! Mike Candrea has been a successful hitting coach for more than three decades, and he shows you how he's done it in this video! Candrea opens up about his hitting philosophies, the mechanics of the swing and all of the required elements for hitters to develop, nine of his favorite drills that will help any hitter achieve a consistent and successful swing, and how his teachings have changed over the years.

Three Measures of the Swing

How do you know if a swing is successful? Coach Candrea begins by identifying three measures of the swing: force, the hitting zone, and efficiency.

  • Force has three factors and he explains how your "gears," bat speed, and square contact put together create the force needed to hit the ball well.
  • He demonstrates how a short hitting zone can occur and why it's important to get the bat to the correct position to have it in the hitting zone for the longest amount of time.
  • There's little time to swing the bat, so being efficient in your swing is critical. Candrea demonstrates a common error of "bat rap" and how to correct it.

Simplifying the swing by focusing on the major categories instead of the minute details increases confidence, which will increase consistency.

Candrea acknowledges that players have many different stances. He identifies three things to look for: an athletic stance, plate coverage, and a rhythm. He explains each of these areas and also shares what to look for in the front knee and how it should move back and in toward the pitch. He demonstrates what this looks like, and, what happens when it isn't done correctly.

Lower Body Mechanics

Candrea offers three drills to put the lower body in the correct position to drive the ball and how to get into the front side longer to hit off-speed pitches more effectively.

Upper Body Mechanics and Connection

Candrea offers three drills to help any batter release the bat head to and through contact. In one drill, he shows how to use a rubber mallet to train the correct hand path. The key to an effortless swing is connection, adding the forces from the lower body and upper body together at the right time. Candrea shares his favorite connection drill, as well as an independent hands drill.

The video concludes with Coach Candrea's 9 Absolutes of Hitting and 10 Characteristics of Successful Hitters; these represent decades of experience working with and developing some of softball's greatest hitters. These will help you to recognize natural talent, develop missing elements, and produce better hitters for your team!

This video is essential for anyone who is coaching softball at any level. Coach Candrea uses common terms while demonstrating what to look for as a coach and what to do as a player to be a successful hitter. Mike Candrea offers something for everyone!

60 minutes. 2017.

The Softball Pitching Factory

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SD-02348A: 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'

Coach Nancy Evans has been successful at every level of her playing and coaching career, as she developed into the top college pitcher as a two-time All-American and has the all-time NCAA best winning percentage (.938), currently plays professional softball and coaches at one of the premiere college softball programs in the US. Through her experience and instruction, Coach Evans has gained a comprehensive knowledge in every aspect of becoming a complete pitcher and shares in this video the step-by-step progression to develop and succeed as a windmill pitcher. Using one-on-one player-coach demonstration, Evans breaks down every step in the pitching process from choosing the best grip to the full pitch and fielding position. Coach Evans moves through a progression of drills to develop the correct mechanics in every stage of the pitch and strongly emphasizes mastering skills through relentless repetition and consistent practice routines in route to better accuracy, correct spin, and pitch speed. This step by step progression of the basics and fundamentals of windmill pitching can be applied and practiced at any level from beginner to advanced, and is essential to learning how to pitch the correct way!

77 minutes. 2005.

SD-02348B: 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'

When thrown effectively, the "ruthless" rise ball is a great strikeout pitch and a fun pitch to throw. Nancy Evans shows you how to throw the rise ball that catapulted her to the top of the records books in Division I collegiate softball. Evans demonstrates for you how, when, and why you should throw the rise ball. She includes grips, body mechanics, the release, and the follow-through. Full speed demonstrations show you the full pitching motion and how the pitch moves for all three variations of rise ball: the high, medium, and low rise. Coach Evans demonstrates her favorite drills that will give your rise ball speed and accuracy. When done correctly the rise ball is one of the best strikeout pitches you can throw.

48 minutes. 2005.



SD-02348C: 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'

Nancy Evans provides valuable troubleshooting advice for 15 of softball's most common pitching errors. Coach Evans demonstrates practical tips and drills to correct flawed pitching motions that hamper a pitcher's speed, accuracy, and throwing motion. She includes general pitching corrections for pitches that are too high, too low, too far inside or outside, as well as mechanics and spins for the screwball, curveball, change-up, rise ball, and drop ball. These are the skills Coach Evans perfected during her playing days making her the all-time NCAA leader in winning percentage (.938) and helped her, as a coach, guide the 2004 Wildcat pitching staff to a 1.03 team ERA! Every coach and pitcher should watch this to make sure you are getting the maximum potential out of every pitch.

65 minutes. 2005.



SD-02348D: 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'

One of the most frequently asked questions from softball pitchers is, "How can I increase my speed?" Coach Nancy Evans addresses this question by teaching and demonstrating the key catalysts, components, drills, mechanics, and principles that will increase your pitch velocity. Evans knows what it takes to become a dominant pitcher. She is the all-time NCAA leader in winning percentage (.938) and was an integral part of three NCAA championships as a starting pitcher. By sharing the key components that both contribute to and inhibit pitch speed, Coach Evans will help you to maximize your velocity on the mound. In addition, she discusses how your physical makeup and training program can influence pitch velocity and how to set realistic goals to strive for at various stages of development. Leg drive, wrist snap, arm strength, proper mechanics--Coach Evans includes everything you need to throw as fast as you can

48 minutes. 2005.



SD-02348E: 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'

The three most common pitches thrown in softball are the fastball, rise ball, and an off speed pitch. Often, the only difference between a good pitcher and a great pitcher is an effective breaking ball. This informative DVD features two effective breaking balls: the screwball and the curveball. Nancy Evans teaches and demonstrates how, why, and when to throw the curveball and screwball. Coach Evans builds each pitch from the ground up. She includes grips, body movements, the releases, and the follow-through for both pitches. With the help of on-field demonstrators, Evans shows you each pitch in slow motion from three different angles and teaches drills that you can use to improve and develop your breaking pitches. These drills will help you practice your pitching motion and will give you instant feedback as to whether you are throwing the pitch correctly. Evans shows both pitches at full speed so you can see the finished product.

65 minutes. 2005.



SD-02348F: 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'

The "challenging" change up is a great pitch to throw to keep opposing hitters guessing and off-balance. Nancy Evans presents the most comprehensive session available on DVD on how to effectively throw and utilize an effective change up. She demonstrates grips, mechanics, the release, and follow-through for seven variations of the change. Evans not only shows you how to throw the change, but discusses when to use it in a game to maximize its effectiveness. She provides progressive drills that help teach the pitch one step at a time and will improve your motion. Using full speed demonstrations, Coach Evans shows exactly how the pitch should be thrown and gives tips on proper placement. She includes a look at common errors pitchers make when throwing the change and how to correct those errors. When disguised and thrown correctly, the change up is a very effective pitch and a great compliment to the fastball and rise ball.

43 minutes. 2005.



SD-02348G: 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.

SD-02348H: 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'

If you want to become a dominant softball pitcher, you need to have three pitches you feel confident throwing in any situation. An effective drop ball is a "must have" pitch for your arsenal and with the insight and instruction provided, you will learn how to master the "deadly" drop ball pitch! Coach Evans provides teaching and demonstrations of the techniques, drills, and skills for throwing this tremendous pitch. In addition, she highlights a number of game-time situations where this pitch is most effective. Every step of the way she provides easy to understand instruction on techniques such as grip variations, mechanics, footwork, and release. She also provides a five-step drill progression to give you instant feedback on how you are progressing with the pitch. Having trouble learning the drop ball? Want to give your drop ball some extra pop? Coach Evans troubleshoots your drop ball by revealing common errors and how to correct them. The Deadly Drop Ball provides all the tools you will need to have your drop ball falling off the table.

38 minutes. 2005.



SD-02348I: 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'

Why is it that two athletes of similar physical caliber often perform differently in the same situation? The answer is mental toughness. The mental toughness aspect of athletics is one of the most important, yet one of the most often overlooked. Arizona's Nancy Evans, 1998 Honda Award Winner and National Softball Player of the Year, shows you how to develop the mental toughness necessary to be a winner on the mound! With a degree in psychology (U of AZ) and the pedigree of a national champion softball pitcher and now coach, Evans combines her knowledge of the human mind with her on-field experiences to demystify the secrets of performing well under pressure, revealing nine areas that will help you maximize your mental toughness on the mound and help you excel under pressure. Excellent!

68 minutes. 2005.

Building a Championship Pitcher

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

53 minutes. 2013.

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