with Tim Walton,
University of Florida Head Coach;
2x Women's College World Series Champions (2014, 2015);
5x SEC Tournament Champions;
8x SEC Regular Season Champions;
5x SEC Coach of the Year;
2019 NFCA Southeast Regional Coaching Staff of the Year;
2015 USA Softball Junior Women's National Team Assistant Coach;
over 800 career wins

In this video, two-time Women's College World Series champion coach Tim Walton lays the foundation of his championship organization. As he explains, championship level play is achieved by stressing the importance of defining culture and hiring an exceptional staff. You'll learn to do these things and more inside!

Role of the Coach

Coach Walton explains how to get organized and consistent as a coach. He believes that having an open door policy with players and treating your team as family is key to success.

You'll come to understand the various roles of the coach, including being a role model and example for your players. Walton also details how he creates an atmosphere that promotes conversation and establishes a clear line between friendship and work.

Supporting Cast

To create an elite program, your entire staff must be on the same page. Coach Walton covers how to collaborate with a strength and conditioning coach to have goals and understand what certain athletes can and cannot do. He also explains how to develop accountability by allowing individuals to have a certain job or responsibility. You'll learn to create a character checklist that is collaborative and has both objective and subjective elements.

In this presentation, Coach Walton covers the blueprint for developing a championship organization. He describes the importance of creating roles, defining culture, and the importance of a solid support system. This is a must-watch for any coach looking for guidance in building a great program.

62 minutes. 2022.

with Tim Walton,
University of Florida Head Coach;
2x Women's College World Series Champions (2014, 2015);
5x SEC Tournament Champions;
8x SEC Regular Season Champions;
5x SEC Coach of the Year;
2019 NFCA Southeast Regional Coaching Staff of the Year;
2015 USA Softball Junior Women's National Team Assistant Coach;
over 800 career wins

Whether you're a beginner coach or a veteran, you'll want to hear the advice passed along in this video by Florida Gators head softball coach Tim Walton! Coach Walton has built Florida into a perennial contender, and in his presentation, he covers the intricacies of the game from all angles. You'll learn everything softball coaches need to know: from on-field tactics, in-game strategy, coaching bases, as well as off-field duties.

Game Strategy

Coach Walton explains the intricacies of the game and its rules so that you can influence your program positively. You'll learn to have a plan and how to defend your players and beliefs as games are played. Walton covers when it is appropriate to be aggressive to umpires and when to use certain terms to get your point across.

As games are played, there are things you can do to put your team in a better position to win. Coach Walton teaches how to help hitters establish a routine and cater to their needs. He also covers developing a relationship with your pitchers and staff, as well as having a plan for pitchers to be ready to enter the game at certain times. Defensive alignment is another topic covered, and Walton discusses how to work on it at practice so your defense is sharp in the game.

Base coaches play a crucial role in close games. Coach Walton covers roles for 1st base coaches that could include picking signs or encouraging players. You'll also learn different positions at 1st and 3rd base that can help impact runners and win games by scoring more runs.

Off-Field Duties

In the off-field segment of this video, Walton covers communicating with your superiors and being transparent about any issues that might be happening within your program. It's important that coaches have their hand on the pulse of the program and communicate everything clearly with administrators. Coach Walton also makes it clear that if you want others to work hard, YOU have to work hard as well. You'll learn how players might perceive your program and how to communicate the climate of the program to your "stakeholders."

This presentation from Coach Walton is packed full of advice that has led to championship winning seasons. It covers many difficult issues involved with coaching, both on and off the field, that will help you make sure your program is as healthy as it can be.

64 minutes. 2022.

with Tim Walton,
University of Florida Head Coach;
2x Women's College World Series Champions (2014, 2015);
5x SEC Tournament Champions;
8x SEC Regular Season Champions;
5x SEC Coach of the Year;
2019 NFCA Southeast Regional Coaching Staff of the Year;
2015 USA Softball Junior Women's National Team Assistant Coach;
over 800 career wins

It's been said by many that "failing to prepare is preparing to fail." Checklists are used so things aren't forgotten - even experienced pilots and surgeons use them all the time. In this video, Florida's championship-winning head softball coach, Tim Walton, explains how he prepares for success at the highest level of college softball through the use of a checklist.

Using a Checklist

Coach Walton shares his annual checklist for the 2022 season to begin the video. His checklist is broken down by topic and includes baserunning, bunts, hitting, defense, team defense, protocol, and rules. Under each topic are the specific things that his team must work on during practices as they get ready for the season. You'll hear Walton discuss a few of these points and how he documents them as they are achieved. He also covers protocols for practice in order to promote efficiency and ensure a well-organized program.

Practice Plans

It's one thing to have a checklist, but another to use it. Coach Walton shows you detailed practice plans and explains them so you can see how the items listed in his checklist are incorporated into practice. In planning, Walton is mindful of his desire to "impact every player every day," even if it's just to say hi.

You'll also hear Coach Walton discuss the use of technology in his program. Today's players need to see what they are doing, not just hear it from a coach. A video, whether shown in a classroom setting or on an iPad out on the field, helps players see what successful execution looks like.

A fun way that Florida ends practices is with what Walton calls the "Finisher." This is an activity in which he pits one player against another, or a group of players. The activity is not only fun for athletes, it will help them get better at handling the inevitable pressure of a game.

Coach Walton lets you see how a top level Division I softball program operates from a planning and practice perspective in this outstanding video. Detailed planning, hard work, and a caring environment all come together to produce elite results. There is something inside for coaches at any level to learn!

56 minutes. 2022.

with Tim Walton,
University of Florida Head Coach;
2x Women's College World Series Champions (2014, 2015);
5x SEC Tournament Champions;
8x SEC Regular Season Champions;
5x SEC Coach of the Year;
2019 NFCA Southeast Regional Coaching Staff of the Year;
2015 USA Softball Junior Women's National Team Assistant Coach;
over 800 career wins

This video featuring Florida head coach Tim Walton brings you not only a series of hitting drills, but also coverage of the mental side of hitting and how to prepare athletes at practice and after games to improve their performance. You will learn how to better evaluate your players' strengths and weaknesses in the batter's box, plus how to help athletes self-evaluate.

Measuring Swing Effectiveness

Coach Walton starts by running you through the metrics he uses to determine how strong and quick his hitters are with their swings. Using these metrics, he can tailor hitting practices to each individual on his roster. This also allows players to chart their progress and work on any deficiencies.

Hitting Drills and Evaluation

Next, Walton shows 10 drills that his team uses to improve their hitting. These include tee, front toss, and hitting machine drills. You'll even get a few exercises that use hitting tools to improve mechanics.

To conclude the video, Coach Walton goes over evaluation cards that he uses with each of his players, as well as hitting circuits. These will keep hitting practice fresh and fun throughout the season and make sure athletes stay engaged.

If you're looking to improve your hitters both mentally and physically, you'll learn how to do just that in this video from Coach Walton. You will walk away knowing how to evaluate your hitters' strengths and weaknesses and with drills to improve athletes of any age.

57 minutes. 2022.

with Tim Walton,
University of Florida Head Coach;
2x Women's College World Series Champions (2014, 2015);
5x SEC Tournament Champions;
8x SEC Regular Season Champions;
5x SEC Coach of the Year;
2019 NFCA Southeast Regional Coaching Staff of the Year;
2015 USA Softball Junior Women's National Team Assistant Coach;
over 800 career wins

Coach Tim Walton provides a detailed roadmap of how coaches can structure the fundamental drills that build applicable skills for infielders and outfielders at any level. You will appreciate Coach Walton's adaptations to make drills ideal and practical for any team's softball practice.

If you have ever wondered if you're dedicating too much of your practices to fundamental skills, or if you've ever been concerned about allocating time to base skill execution, your worries will be put to rest by the plan laid out by Walton in this video.

Infield

Accurate and strong throws are the core of any defensive effort. The throwing section of Coach Walton's presentation provides a detailed pattern for an in-season throwing workout that blends the breadth of skills needed with repetition to build competence in your players. Additionally, you will get a preseason build up program to prepare for the transition from off-season to preseason practice.

Walton gives you more than 20 infield execution drills, progressing from his basic "Roller" set, to grounders and double play execution. Several specialty drills are shown that will give you excellent ideas for training both basic and advanced field-throw techniques in a compact and efficient manner.

Outfield

The outfield section of this video covers throwing and fungo drills that touch on all commonly occurring fielding situations. With Coach Walton's drills, your outfielders will have no problem moving right or left, backward or forward as they cover ground to take away balls hit at every trajectory.

Any coach looking for a well developed menu of drills, organized in a logical manner, will benefit from watching this video. Coach Walton does a great job of showing, in detail, how he structures his practices to improve the play of his infielders and outfielders.

71 minutes. 2022.

with Tim Walton,
University of Florida Head Coach;
2x Women's College World Series Champions (2014, 2015);
5x SEC Tournament Champions;
8x SEC Regular Season Champions;
5x SEC Coach of the Year;
2019 NFCA Southeast Regional Coaching Staff of the Year;
2015 USA Softball Junior Women's National Team Assistant Coach;
over 800 career wins

Tim Walton, championship winning head coach of the Florida Gators softball team, breaks down how his players defend the bunt, cut-offs, the slap game, as well as 1st and 3rd plays that usually cause chaos and lead to the opposing team scoring more runs. This video will show you exactly how Florida handles their small ball situations with a variety of defensive schemes.

Crafting Your Defense

Coach Walton begins with information on evaluating your team's strengths and weaknesses, as well as how to utilize a scouting report on your opponents. This will help you prepare more for upcoming games and understand how to better adjust your defensive schemes.

Defending Difficult Plays

As the video progresses, Walton breaks down how his defense handles bunt situations with a variety of coverages. You will learn how to defend versatile slappers as well as power hitters. This video covers plenty of bunt and steal coverages to help your team get more outs.

Coach Walton also gives a detailed breakdown on how his team takes cut-offs and how they work relays on balls hit to the outfield. Certain situations require different defensive rotations to get outs or keep runners out of scoring position.

Finally, Walton goes through how his team defends 1st and 3rd plays. Opposing offenses like to create chaos and confusion with their 1st and 3rd offense, but Coach Walton simplifies his defense so players feel more comfortable and can quickly formulate a defensive plan.

This video will give you a variety of coverages to help your team defend difficult plays. Coach Walton packs in plenty of schemes that will help you stop opponents in their tracks!

71 minutes. 2022.

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.

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.

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.

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

and Caitlin Lowe,
University of Arizona Assistant Coach;
member of the 2008 US Olympic Team (Silver Medal); 4x All American at Arizona, winner of the adidas Golden Shoe Award (for the nation's best base-stealer) as a senior; Arizona's all time leader in stolen bases and ranks second all time in career batting average (.446)

One of the fundamental issues softball coaches have is learning how to run a great practice. With this video, you'll gain a unique experience as you learn from one of the best coaches the game has to offer

Mike Candrea provides exclusive in-depth access to four days of practice with the University of Arizona softball team. Practice organization and fundamentals are discussed as the foundations of defining and building a quality team culture. Coach Candrea introduces you to the general practice structure he uses and the philosophies and techniques of the program that he integrates into every workout. You will also go behind the scenes and see how the team focuses its strength and conditioning program toward building softball players who are more complete athletes.

This all access video provides coaches and teams the knowledge of how to maximize game-like repetitions of all facets of the game in every practice drill. The coaches' open mics allow them to actively commentate on the drills, sprinkling in coaching tips along the way. You'll also get to hear them strategize through different situations.

Practice: Day 1

Individual infield and team defense play is the focus of the first practice, which gives players numerous reps and throws along with situational play. Each day, practice begins with an active warm-up that includes dynamic stretching and arm care to help maintain the health of the athletes. After throwing the position, players go through an extensive defensive warm-up. The infielders pair up and work glove drills such as picks, short hops and backhands while the outfielders pair up and work on long toss and footwork drills that are outfield-specific.

After glove work, players get together with the coaches and work on a ground ball progression for both fielding and throwing. Candrea rolls the players a variety of ground balls to simulate different game situations, such as underhand flips, glove feeds, and backhand feeds. The progression moves onto ground balls off the bat. Infielders man their positions to field and throw to different bases in a rapid succession, which provides many reps in a small amount of time.

Once the ground ball progression is over, Candrea puts a live game element into practice to work on bunt and bunt defense. This high-intensity drill prepares players both offensively and defensively for game situations. Set your players up to get more outs at second base on bunts to help eliminate big innings.

Practice ends with a live batting practice. Candrea puts players into groups of five . a runner at each base, a hitter, and an on-deck batter. The batters get three rounds of five pitches. Each round, batters work a different situation. The base runners work on their base running leads on each pitch and hit. There's minimal standing around and players are learning or reinforcing what they know on every pitch. The team ends practice with a conditioning session.

Practice: Day 2

This practice focuses on infield positional play, pitchers' fielding practice, outfield play, and throwing to bases with various team-controlled situational play. The practice builds on the individual work from day one and adds a more game-like progression.

Day two's practice begins in the weight room. Strength & Conditioning Coach Rob Harris, shows you a softball-specific workout used to develop strength and flexibility. He provides the benefits for each exercise and shows how to adapt each exercise to help with injured athletes.

Infield practice features infielders working on their footwork and glove work from rolled balls and ground balls off a fungo. A pitcher's fielding practice is included that allows pitchers to be the fifth infielder without sacrificing their pitching mechanics. You'll see how Candrea teaches throwing from every position in the outfield to every plausible location on the infield, creating players who are comfortable with playing every outfield position.

The team transitions into 21 Outs, which is a great game-like drill for putting the entire defensive workout together with active runners. Additionally, the team works on defending bunts, first and third situations, and rundowns.

Practice: Day 3

Day three features a full batting practice along with a bunting station, followed by pre-game infield and outfield, and then a live controlled scrimmage. Throughout the entire practice, some type of competition is built into every activity, which gives you a better understanding of what a motivated, competitive team scrimmage looks like.

Softball-specific activities begin with batting practice and you'll get a drill to help your hitters identify balls and strikes. Learn to be an active coach during batting practice with techniques like charting if hitters are hitting strikes and taking balls. You'll see how a Wildcat batting practice is divided into four groups working simultaneously to minimize down time and maximize repetitions.

After batting practice, Candrea shows you the pre-game infield/outfield routine he uses to get his team ready to play.

The bulk of this practice consists of an inter-squad scrimmage. The unique thing about Arizona's scrimmage is that the coaches predetermined the conditions by picking which hitters, runners, counts, and situations they wanted to see. This puts players into situations more challenging than game situations in order to make practice more difficult and stressful than the game. Candrea, while coaching third base, gives insight into how he coaches runners and hitters. You'll also hear Coach Iveson's interactions with the pitchers and catchers.

Practice: Day 4

The final practice begins with Coach Candrea talking about different aspect of coaching and preparing his team. He addresses topics like building progressions, developing culture in practice, and creating a season-long plan. The emphasis in practice is with outfield play. Individual positional work is shown, as well as making numerous types of throws to every base from each outfield position.

Practice begins with the positions split up, and while the infielders field rolled balls, the outfielders work on ball-in-glove and drop step footwork drills. Train catchers to cover bunts and make all types of throws while simultaneously training infielders to receive throws, including what happens on failed bunt and slap attempts. One unique part about the practice is all players work at a variety of positions, not just the one they primarily play.

Practice concludes with batting practice. You'll get an unobstructed view from the side of hitters, which provides you the chance to see how players may start their swings differently, but all of them get to the same contact spot.

Candrea's successful style of player development is on full display in this all access video. Watching this series of practices will allow you to gain insight on how one of the top coaches in the country runs his practices, and more importantly, gets the most out of his team. Use Candrea's drills in your practices to get your athletes performing to their potential!

649 minutes (6 DVDs) 2017.

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

THE ALL-TIME, #1 SELLING SOFTBALL BOOK!

This book fulfills a need of many softball coaches for a working manual to help them produce drills quickly for all aspects of the game. The goals of the book are twofold: First, to help coaches get the most from their athletes during practice through the use of specific drills; Secondly, to help coaches produce organized and time-efficient practices.
The book is now wire bound, which is designed to be rugged enough to be taken to practice each day and handy enough for you to have drills at your fingertips.

4th REPRINTING - 2005. 262 pages. ISBN 1-880138-00-X.

with Leslie Huntington,
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Head Coach;
National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame Class of 2021;
2008 NCAA Division III National Champions;
4x WIAC Coach of the Year;
2008 NFCA Coaching Staff of the Year;
former Simpson College Head Coach;
1997 and 1999 D-III National Champions at Simpson;
over 400 career wins

With advances in technology showing us more about hitting mechanics than ever before, major advances have been made in what and how many coaches teach. One hitting philosophy, dubbed the High-Level Pattern, or HLP, has emerged as a new and popular way of coaching the softball swing. In this video, Leslie Huntington and her assistant, Jeff West, explain the HLP technique, why they adapted their teaching to use it, and offer tools and drills they have found success with while instructing their hitters.

The High-Level Pattern Technique

Learn the mechanics that will help your hitters blast the ball with more power! Coaches West and Huntington take a deep dive into the mechanics that drive High-Level Patterns in hitters. They break down the specific mechanics of the lower body and upper body that come together to create a High-Level Pattern. You will learn the benefits of swinging with a High-Level Pattern, including better timing from an instantaneous swing, and more power!

HLP Tools and Drills

See the tools of the trade that Coach Huntington and Coach West have found helpful in training HLP hitters. On a tight budget? No problem. The coaches will show you how to use affordable, homemade materials as a substitute for some of the more expensive tools they use to train the High Level Pattern.

Next, you'll see how to train the HLP swing with nine innovative drills to help your players feel the difference between a HLP swing and less effective, less efficient swings. How can a PVC pipe or a hula hoop help make sense of the HLP swing? Coach Huntington shows you how to incorporate these tools and others into their drills to train their hitters in the efficient High Level Pattern.

This video from Coach Huntington explains the HLP swing mechanics, why it is her preferred method, and the tools and drills her program uses to train High-Level Patterns. Start teaching your hitters how to drive the ball with more power and hit more consistently today!

43 minutes. 2021.

Coaching the female athlete is a talent that Coach Gasso has perfected. An important start for any coach is to instill a work ethic within the team. In this excellent clinic-setting presentation, Coach Gasso discusses her keys to a winning program, which include no excuses, a leader (team captain), maturity, mental and physical health, team unity, proper discipline and open communication.
Gasso presents ideas on how to help you achieve these crucial links to coaching female athletes. Promoting your program is the job of a coach and adds to the image of the program. Other traits of a great coach that Gasso hits on include fairness, respect, variety, motivation, positive feedback, respecting players, be available, creative in practice, never give up, love your job and have fun, stay positive and be professional at all times. This information is applicable for coaches of any women's sport.

49 minutes. 2008.

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 video 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.

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

Getting ready for an upcoming season can be an exciting process for all softball players, but even more so for pitchers in particular. Pitchers must ensure that their workouts are tailored to prepare them for the upcoming season. This video from Myndie Berka will show you five workouts that will prepare your pitchers for battle on day one of the season.

Workout No. 1

Late-breaking movement will cause more swings and misses, and this workout will help your pitchers make their pitches dart out of the strike zone right as the batter takes their swing.

You'll see how to help your athletes visualize the strike zone and how they want their pitches to break. This will get them in the right mental state to execute their pitches to perfection. A pitcher who understands how to throw deceptively will frustrate an aggressive, free-swinging offense.

Workout No. 2

The second workout incorporates a little bit of everything: speed and strength development, target pitching, competition, and fielding. You'll see how to help pitchers improve their strength with distance pitching, which will allow them to light up the radar gun.

Reaction time is important for every pitcher since they could release the pitch and have the ball batted right back at them. Prepare your pitcher to knock down and field anything that comes back at them with Coach Berka's reaction drills.

Workout No. 3

Confuse opposing batters by making different pitches look the same. If a pitcher can tunnel pitches, they'll leave batters guessing until it's too late to make an accurate swing. Coach Berka shows exactly how to make batters helpless at the plate. You'll also learn how to add pressure to a workout to challenge your pitcher's mental toughness.

Workout No. 4

Gain insight into how your pitcher thinks in Berka's fourth workout. In the Sets drill, you'll discover how to get a sense of what your pitcher thinks they can do in various situations on the mound. Additionally, discover which pitches your pitchers have confidence in, and how they want to use their pitches to set up batters.

Workout No. 5

Prepare for game day by running through a pregame warm-up exactly like you would use to prepare for an actual game. Berka shows how to get the body and mind warmed up to compete. Once warm, pitchers will throw to simulated batters while a teammate charts. Charting helps pitchers learn pitch sequencing and the importance of getting ahead in the count.

Coach Berka shares five useful workouts, each designed to get a pitcher ready for game day in a different way. This video will show you exactly how to best prepare your athletes during the pre-season.

138 minutes. 2019.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Although pitchers often get most of the attention, the skill of catching is central to the success of any team. Give your catchers the attention they deserve!

Catchers have a wide variety of skills they must master to be successful, including receiving, blocking, and throwing out runners. In this video, Coach Stanton gives you drills to mold your athletes into complete catchers.

Coach Stanton includes 35 drills that isolate certain aspects of a complete catcher or serve as a progression into game-like situations. Her focus ranges from conditioning to blocking, and receiving to transferring. Drills progress from those performed by catchers only to drills and progressions that include all of the infield. All of these drills can be performed without having to spend big money on fancy gadgets, as everything can be done with basic equipment.

Warm-up and Receiving Drills

Get ready for practice or a game with 12 drills to physically prepare catchers and help get them mentally focused. Become a pitcher's best friend by mastering six receiving drills that will help any catcher get more called strikes. In one particular drill, "Receiving Off the Wall," the catchers stand facing a wall and have to react to the bounce of the ball off the wall and frame it. Limiting a catcher's reaction time and making them react quickly to the bounce will help make catching a pitch from 43 feet away seem easy!

Blocking Drills

Give your pitcher the confidence to throw a pitch in the dirt by mastering 13 blocking drills. These drills will help your catcher be explosive and quick to get down to the ground, while getting their body in the correct position to redirect the ball right in front of them to prevent runners from advancing.

Throwing Drills

From footwork to glove work, Stanton shows you how to throw out runners with ease. Catchers can improve how many runners they throw out by improving their release times. Stanton shares nine throwing drills, which incorporate everything from correct footwork to getting the ball out of the glove faster in the release.

Stanton not only provides you with the tools to build complete catchers, but also models how to coach athletes to hold themselves accountable and expect more of themself at practice. You will learn a variety of drills to improve catcher performance in all facets of the position and avoid utilizing them solely as ball flippers in practice.

80 minutes. 2017.

Important Traits for Every Player

Coach Candrea believes if you can not catch and throw or if you have issues with your vision, all the drills in the world will not make you a better softball player.

If you think your kids have good fundamentals in the field or at the plate but are struggling hitting or fielding, get their vision checked by a professional.  Many times kids have vision issues, but the parent and/or coach think it is related to their skill set.

If your player doesn’t have any vision issues then we can focus on ways to improve the player’s vision.  

Rarely does a player catch a ball in a stationary position.  Our players are always moving to receive a throw or to make a throw to the appropriate bag or relay person.  Coach Candrea believes in starting practice with short throws using a four corner’s drill.  The drill can be adapted to players of various ages and skill sets.

Organizing a Great Practice

Coach Candrea advises to never do a drill at practice that isn’t sport-specific to what you may see in a game environment.  This is a waste of the players (and coach’s) time!  Every drill should progress to more advanced drills using skills previously demonstrated.  

It's ok to be creative at practice and introduce drills that simulate game-like situations. Progress from drills to live hitting and fielding which is more reflective of the actual game.

While working on infielders or outfielders’ glove and footwork, don’t forget specific drills for the pitchers.  Coach Candrea gives an example of facing a pitcher that threw 70 mph.  The first game, the opposing pitcher struck out 18 of Coach Candrea’s batters.  Coach Candrea noticed the opposing pitcher had issues throwing overhanded to bases.  Therefore, the next time the two teams faced each other, Coach Candrea started bunting more.  The pitcher struggled throwing to bases and Coach Candrea’s team won the game.

Infielder’s Responsibilities

Coach Candrea advises that each infielder on every play is either fielding the ball, covering a base or backing up a throw.  

The first and third baseman is closer to home plate and thus must play lower to the ground because they have less time to react.  Learn how to field the ball with the glove fingers scratching the clay.  Learn how to rake through a softly hit ground ball to the players backhand.  

Coach Candrea emphasizes how to open up on the front side and hide the glove when making a short throw to a bag so the receiver can see the ball better.  Learn how the infielders communicate with each other and the outfielders.

Infielder Training

Learn how and when the shortstop and second baseman would charge a ground ball with a hop vs giving a step and learning how to read the speed and direction of the ball.

Coach Candrea demonstrates two techniques used by the shortstop in fielding a backhand.  The technique used depends on how hard the ball is hit.

Coach Candrea also shows how the first baseman gets to the bag with both feet then commits stretching to the throw with the glove hand.  Learn how to make tags at first base on errant throws that pull the first baseman off the bag.

Coach Candrea demonstrates how the middle infielders and the third baseman approach the bag on throws from the outfield and catcher.

Hitting Goals

Coach Candrea teaches how to achieve maximum force with minimal effort.  Learn how to be efficient.  Learn how the swing starts from the ground up and why the “squash the bug” approach that was once taught regularly should never be taught again.

Learn how to use the ground to generate force and not to spin on the right foot for a right handed batter.  Coach Candrea explains how the lower and upper body must be connected and work like gears to generate more bat speed.

Not only does Coach Candrea discuss staying connected in the swing, video clips he shares demonstrate how the gears work together.  Coach Candrea shares several video clips of successful softball and major league baseball players on their pre-pitch carrying through to the swing and extension.

Learn how to turn the bat sooner and keep the bat on plane longer to put more balls in play even if you are early, on time or late with the swing.  Learn what 90-degree angles are on how they impact how hard your players can hit the ball.

Character vs. Skills set

Coach Candrea’s dad advised him at an early age that if you cannot sleep because of issues with a kid in your program, then you need to release the kid from your program.  Coach Candrea explains in detail why he would rather have a kid with high character than a kid with a more impressive skill set.

Learn how to develop your program based on a culture built from the inside out implemented with the assistance of all players and how the coach must set the example on and off the field.

Coach Candrea discusses the pillars of a successful program and reflects on character, attitude and discipline.

Coaching Pitfalls

Coach Candrea does a fantastic job of explaining the fundamentals of the game, each player's responsibilities and how to organize a practice and instill values in your players setting the tone for a winning culture.  However, this video goes beyond coaching to challenge each coach to evaluate their individual happiness and work/life balance.  

Coach Candrea challenges each coach to examine where they are with their family life or lack thereof and see if they are driven by wins/losses or training young people for life lessons.  Coach Candrea discusses what motivated him as a young coach in junior college and what motivated him during his successful time at Arizona and the USA Head Olympic Coach.

This video will provide every coach with insights and lessons that will reinforce and reinvigorate your future stages as a coach and person!

226 minutes.  2023.

One of the most successful softball coaches of all time, Mike Candrea, shares how he effectively/efficiently structures his team practices to produce better results during the season! Coach Candrea's success is partially a direct result of being diligent in implementation of effective, well-thought-out practice plans. Candrea shares his recommended list of practice rules and explains the implications and importance of them in effective team building. He also recommends a checklist of drills (all demonstrated) to work on to add variety to your practices. If you want to learn to win and have a team that shows improvement as the season progresses ... it all starts with effective practice organization and planning. Coach Candrea's ideas are time- and team-tested and will help you improve your team by showing you how a Championship coach organizes practice.

72 minutes. 2003.

with John Tschida,
Saint Mary's University Head Coach;
was first at Saint Mary's from 1995 through 2000 where he won the first of three NCAA Championships;
University of St. Thomas Head Coach from 2000 through 2021;
member of the NFCA Hall of Fame (2016);
Over 990 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;

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 videos). 2009.

with John Tschida,
Saint Mary's University Head Coach;
was first at Saint Mary's from 1995 through 2000 where he won the first of three NCAA Championships;
University of St. Thomas Head Coach from 2000 through 2021;
member of the NFCA Hall of Fame (2016);
Over 990 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;

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.

with John Tschida,
Saint Mary's University Head Coach;
was first at Saint Mary's from 1995 through 2000 where he won the first of three NCAA Championships;
University of St. Thomas Head Coach from 2000 through 2021;
member of the NFCA Hall of Fame (2016);
Over 990 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;

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.

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.

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.

Everyone coaching softball needs to know this: What makes a good pitching coach? Coach Rick Dillinger believes you should always continue to learn.  Don’t be afraid to seek advice from experienced coaches.

What are some basic pitching drills and skills? Coach Dillinger is a big proponent of charting pitches at practice and during games.  Each pitcher is different, and Coach Dillinger has coached kids that hit their spots at practice but miss in a game on a certain pitch.  This is where the pitcher needs to know by changing where she lands on the power line may solve this issue.

Why is it important for your pitchers to throw at a consistent pace? Coach Dillinger explains what a metronome is and why his pitchers use it.  The goal of a hitter is timing and the goal of the pitcher is to disrupt the batter's timing.  

Why is the index, thumb and middle finger so important in pitching? Coach Dillinger explains how applying more or less pressure from these fingers can change the speed of the ball and the spin.  You can throw the same pitch but apply different amounts of pressure and change the velocity to disrupt timing.  The pitcher is trying to trick the batter’s eyes.

What can be learned from pitch calling design? Coach Dillinger explains how he used the offseason to study every pitch thrown by his pitchers from the prior season.  He learned the curve ball was hit harder than any other pitch.  If you want to be recruited and be effective, you must move the ball more up and down and not as much in and out.  Again, the goal is to trick the batter’s eyes.

Coach Dillinger discusses how the game has evolved and will continue to grow and evolve and explains “cybermetrics.”

What pitch appears to be the slowest for the hitter? Coach Dillinger explains how the outside fastball or curveball appears to be slower than a screw ball or fastball inside.  At 20’ feet from the batter each pitch should look the same to the batter.  Basically, each pitch appears to go through a tunnel.  Regardless of the pitch called, each pitch going through the tunnel should be side by side or one ball slightly ahead of the other ball.  Again, we are trying to create an optic illusion for the batter.

How to disrupt timing with a change up? Coach Dillinger shares a story while at Iowa and playing Northwestern.  Northwestern was hitting the ball extremely well and Coach Dillinger advised his pitcher they would only throw changeups the last two innings.  His pitcher was astonished but Coach Dillinger assured her they had this.

Every pitch the last two innings was a changeup either in, out, down or up and in.  Again, the index, thumb and middle fingers were used to change the speed of each pitch.  Coach Dillinger’s plan was successful.  Iowa didn’t surrender any runs in the last two innings and held on to win the game.

The topics covered in this video are applicable for coaches at every level of softball.

72 minutes.  2023.

with John Tschida,
Saint Mary's University Head Coach;
was first at Saint Mary's from 1995 through 2000 where he won the first of three NCAA Championships;
University of St. Thomas Head Coach from 2000 through 2021;
member of the NFCA Hall of Fame (2016);
Over 990 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;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

314 minutes (3 DVDs). 2012.

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

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.

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.

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.

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 skill that must be performed correctly for the pitcher to maximize her power and control. Because each movement in the pitching motion builds sequentially on the prior movement, any flaw or inefficiency can cause the pitcher to lose power, accuracy, or even result in injury.

Myndie Berka provides a great understanding of what the proper mechanics and key checkpoints in the pitching motion are by using slow motion video analysis software. She discusses correct pitching mechanics, then shows pitchers with inefficiencies and identifies 12 common flaws in the pitching motion. Coach Berka also offers 25 drills to help correct the flaws.

Correct Mechanics

For any motion, it's helpful to know what the correct mechanics look like in order to learn and successfully execute the movements. Coach Berka uses video to identify key checkpoints within the pitching motion from the set up, weight shift and load, and upper and lower body position at toe touch. She then works through the pull down phase into the release and finish position, again identifying key upper and lower body checkpoints. With each movement, Coach Berka explains why it's important to the overall pitching motion.

Lower Body Mistakes

Coach Berka identifies eight common pitching mistakes associated with lower body mechanics and four mistakes pitchers make with their upper body. Some of the mistakes covered include:

• The weight shift and load
• Drive foot problems
• Glove arm problems
• Balance problems
• Locking out the pitching arm
• Arms and legs not in sync
• Tight or unnatural follow through

For each mistake, Coach Berka shows the flaw on video, fully explains the issue by identifying what happens when pitchers haveeach flaw and how it hurts them, and then offers several drills to correct the issue.

Drills to Correct Pitching Flaws

After identifying particular flaws in the motion, Coach Berka introduces a variety of drills to help correct each of them. These drills are done using live pitchers and provide appropriate progressions and cues to help pitchers feel what an efficient motion should feel like.

For example, one of the mistakes is when pitchers lock out their pitching arm, which makes their arm circle and subsequently pitch slower. To remedy this flaw, Coach Berka offers a bottle drill, which involves a pitcher holding a water bottle and performing their arm circle. If the pitcher locks out her arm (the incorrect movement), the water will spill out of the bottle, while the correct movement causes no spillage.

Coach Berka's simplifies the pitching motion into key checkpoints and then shows what poor pitching mechanics look like. You'll also receive drills to correct common flaws, making this one of the best pitching videos on the market.

73 minutes. 2016.

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.

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.

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.

with Patrick Murphy,
University of Alabama Head Coach;
2012 Women's College World Series Champions;
5x SEC Coach of the Year ('06, '10, '12, '14, '19);
6x SEC regular season champs ('06, '10, '11, '12, '14, '19);
4x SEC Tournament champs ('03, '05, '10, '12);
NFCA National Coaching Staff of the Year (2012);
11x NFCA South Regional Coaching Staff of the Year;
over 1,100 career wins

Winning a championship doesn't just come down to physical skills. This video featuring Alabama head softball coach Patrick Murphy can help you develop the mental edge to instill a powerful offensive approach in the game of softball or baseball and give your team the best chance to win. You'll learn drills, philosophy, and tactics to get the most out of your players.

Hitting with Intent

Coach Murphy discusses ways to help hitters have a plan when they step up to the plate. From developing routines, to specific drills that work on different scenarios, this video has it all! Murphy breaks down his philosophy and discusses the following topics:

• Hitting with a 0-2 count vs a 2-0 count
• Splitting the plate into five sections and training hitters how to hit each location
• Developing pitch location recognition

Attitude and Approach

Coach Murphy provides pointers for how to instill competitiveness in the batter's box. He gives tips on what hitters should do and how they should look prior to stepping in the box. Throughout the video, Murphy recommends various books, articles and videos to help reinforce the crucial components to developing the complete player. The knowledge he shares will help you learn strategies to foster a winning attitude and mental approach to the game and to life.

Survive and Advance Drill

This video has over 10 individual and team drills that will help develop your players' mindsets and reinforce your team's philosophy. Get the whole team involved with the Survive and Advance Drill! There are 19 accomplishments the team has to complete. If the tasks aren't completed, the whole team has a consequence. This drill is great for teaching players how to perform under pressure and work together to accomplish something great! Some examples include:

• In two minutes or less, all infielders have to cleanly field a ground ball and complete a throw to first base and must go two times each
• All outfielders must complete throws to third base and to home plate

Coach Murphy unlocks the secret to his success by sharing tips and tools to get the most out of your players, especially at the plate. His wealth of knowledge and resources he shares will help coaches of all ages develop mentally tough, smart and aggressive players.

58 minutes. 2020.

With these offensive advantages in place – the real difference-maker in becoming a championship level softball program relies upon your team’s ability to play stifling, near-flawless defense on an out-by-out, inning-by-inning and game-by-game basis.

Marissa Young, the head softball coach at Duke University, has ‘hung her hat’ on emphasizing defense; her softball program’s consistent success comes as a byproduct of stressing defensive work every day in practice, while ensuring that all practices are structured in a manner that is both efficient and productive.

In this fantastic Open Practice coaching video, Coach Young shares an inside look at her blueprint for running a defensive-oriented softball practice that provides players with as many defensive repetitions as possible. Also, you’ll see how she has her team perform other critical skill-building drills throughout, all while successfully completing the pre-assigned goals the coaching staff has set for that day’s agenda.

Elements of a Perfect Practice

In this valuable and fascinating-to-watch Open Practice session that outlines a mid-season practice at Duke, this coaching video traces the ‘process’ that Coach Young uses to lay out and create this individual practice. 

To maximize the amount of work that needs to be completed within a limited timeframe, the Coach Young shows how she coordinates practice segments and designates specific assistant coaches to run each segment, while explaining her methodology for setting up goals to ensure they achieve an effective practice.  

Young also covers her approach to practice planning and shows how the coaching staff communicates the practice objectives to their players so that each athlete understands why they’re performing each task. This allows players to stay sharp and focused, allowing them to move between the elements of practice efficiently, while still receiving the maximum benefits of that day’s work.

Reinforcing the timing - that this is a mid-season practice - Coach Young shows how and why she has divided this particular day’s practice into three major segments: 

1) Infield/Outfield Work, 

2) Core Skill-Repetitions and 

3) Team Defense (this segment produces the bulk of the drills and hands-on coaching instruction).

The three practice segments are broken into brief training units that typically run 5- to 8-minutes in duration. In the initial skills-based segment of work, Young shows off a series of drills that cover critical skill executions that keep player’s skill-levels sharp as the season progresses. 

Coach Young emphasizes that all work performed in the skill-based segment of practice, features player repetitions that target ‘active, game-day skills,’ as opposed to ‘skill-development training’, which you wouldn’t typically schedule for a mid-season practice session.

Defensive Repetitions that Matter, Team-Development Drills

Moving into the next segment of practice, Coach Young highlights a progressive series of drills that simulates key defensive situations and features built-in, game-like pressure that stems from live baserunners trying to advance. There is even a live intrasquad competition to round out this segment.

Coach Young and her staff encourage each player to be aggressive and not afraid to make mistakes in segments of practice. As practice progresses, situational defensive strategies are incorporated into the mix. In the ‘Slap-Game Defense Drill,’ for example, the coach overseeing the drill will time each repetition, with the goal set at throwing the runner out in 2.75 seconds or less.

The infield and outfield personnel are then brought together for a team-development segment that incorporates baserunning, hitting and defensive work that includes an emphasis of throwing to the correct bases – with the goals of producing an out, while immediately looking to get another possible out.

Another team development drill segment features baserunners starting at home and subsequently rotated to each of the three bases to simulate different situations and rules the players must execute. The coach assigned to run this segment hits balls to all parts of the infield and outfield – forcing good defensive decision-making on these live-balls, timely cuts and hitting the proper relay person – all while stressing defensive communication among all defensive players. 

Likewise, baserunners are also encouraged to always look to take the next base during this drill (unless told to stop by a coach) and to keep the pressure on the defensive players through aggressive baserunning.

Coach Young culminates this day’s practice with a live intrasquad game with work that provides the practice with more realistic game-like situations. These situations can be manipulated and varied based on their next opponent and unique situations that may arise, while also adding the intensity, pressure and the feel of a live, mid-season game.

The Open Practice is wrapped up with a team meeting, where you get to watch Coach Young provide constructive criticism and praise to her softball athletes as warranted.

This video is a valuable, must-watch addition to any coach’s library of instructional coaching materials. It features drills and skill work that softball coaches at all levels can immediately incorporate into their own practices. 

Best of all, this Open Practice gives you a specialized, mid-season practice weapon that will keep your softball team sharp and executing at a high level!

90 minutes, 2023.

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.

Rich Wieligman and the OSU Cowgirl staff deliver a live look at how their practices are set up, executed, and completed on a daily basis.

Day 1:
Build passion into your players from the moment they step on the field! Coach Wieligman's practices begin with early bird work for the first 40 minutes of practice. The early bird work includes hitting fundamentals and pitching work. You will see competitive pitching drills you can use to keep your pitchers focused and avoid the doldrums of simply counting pitches. The competitive nature of these drills makes every pitch count just like a game.

The main practice focuses on infield/outfield play, bunt defense, steals, hitting rotations and pitcher's fielding practice. The practice centers on a game-like approach using baserunners, fielders, defense and offense multiple softball skills simultaneously.

Day 2:
In the early bird segment, Assistant Coach Clarisa Crowell runs the Cowgirl pitching staff through a bullpen session concentrating on fundamentals. You'll see how she interacts with each pitcher to develop a good snap on the drop ball and you'll see a competitive, situational pitching drill. While pitchers are in the bullpen, the other players work on tee drills.

Practice starts in a split mode - outfielders and infielders. Coach Wieligman takes one group into the batting cage where players rotate through front toss and machine drills fine tuning their hitting mechanics. Assistant Coach Tom Gray takes the other group onto the field to work on fielding fundamentals. Infielders work on short hops, footwork and glove to ball transfers; while outfielders work on playing the ball off the wall. Both groups come together in the field to work on cuts and relays, slap defense, rundowns and fly ball priority.

The Oklahoma State staff made it very apparent that every skill in softball needs to be focused on each day.

236 minutes (2 DVDs). 2012.

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

with Garland Shirley,
Clarke University Softball Coach;
2021 recipient (1st ever) of NFCA's Natasha Watley Scholarship for Social Change;
In his first 2 seasons, set Clarke's school record for win-total turnaround by improving his team's record by 26 wins;
Marshalltown Community College Head Coach from 2015 to 2018;
Coached 13 All-Region players in three seasons and produced the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) Offensive Player of the Year in 2017;
Ankeny Centennial High School (IA) - Head Coach from 2014 to 2018;
Van Meter Community High School (IS) Head Coach from 2009 to 2014 (Iowa's first-ever African-American High School Head Softball Coach);
compiled a 117-61 overall record, was named the 2012 District Coach of the Year and led the school to its first state tournament appearance in 2012

Softball coaches know that if you want to develop a good slap hitter you need to begin with great fundamentals and work your way up to more advanced concepts. Garland Shirley, the head coach at Clarke University, has created a loaded instructional video featuring all the essential fundamentals – ranging from how to teach the necessary basics, while offering up valuable coaching points and a series of excellent drills that teach the art of slap-hitting from footwork to hard slaps.  

Slap Fundamentals From Beginner To Advanced

Coach Shirley hits the ground running in this video, by showcasing a series of tee drills that develop your complete slappers – including bunting, soft slaps and hard slaps – all with a proven progression of tee work.

Through the instructions shown in the first half of this video, you'll receive key information that teaches slap hitters how to see the ball better and make better contact. The tee drills demonstrated in this video does both, all while also stressing proper footwork, hand-eye coordination and multiple types of slap hits. 

Directional Slapping, Adding Power To The Equation

Coach Shirley next guides viewers through the process of teaching your slappers how to hit directionally on cue, as well as how to develop power swings – utilizing an ingenious, side-step approach that allows hitters to swing-away, without giving away the fact that he or she is not slapping on that pitch.

At the conclusion of the video, viewers are shown long-tee drills to help develop slapping power while allowing your hitters to see where they are hitting. These drills give key repetitions for hitters to work on hit placement to designated areas on the field, such as the 5-6 hole, which is a slappers goal location to hit.

This is an essential video to own if you want to help your players to become better slap hitters. Garland Shirley teaches you how to get the most from your slappers – while utilizing a ground-up approach. The tee lessons demonstrated in this video helps any slapper, from the beginner to the advanced, to become more consistent, more accurate and dangerous at the plate. This video is also packed with great progression drills that apply to slappers of all ages and experience levels. 

59 minutes. 2022.

with Garland Shirley,
Clarke University Softball Coach;
2021 recipient (1st ever) of NFCA's Natasha Watley Scholarship for Social Change;
In his first 2 seasons, set Clarke's school record for win-total turnaround by improving his team's record by 26 wins;
Marshalltown Community College Head Coach from 2015 to 2018;
Coached 13 All-Region players in three seasons and produced the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) Offensive Player of the Year in 2017;
Ankeny Centennial High School (IA) - Head Coach from 2014 to 2018;
Van Meter Community High School (IS) Head Coach from 2009 to 2014 (Iowa's first-ever African-American High School Head Softball Coach);
compiled a 117-61 overall record, was named the 2012 District Coach of the Year and led the school to its first state tournament appearance in 2012

Garland Shirley has a well-earned reputation as a teaching coach. In this instructional video on hitting, the head softball coach at Clarke University goes through a complete training regimen for softball players to refine their approach to hitting.

Coach Shirley and his assistant coach bring you a variety of tee drills and strength drills to help your players develop into more powerful hitters. From hand eye coordination drills to power development drills with strength and conditioning – this detailed video contains essential information you'll need to transform your players into better hitters.

Proper Hitting Form, Tee Drills

The hitting instruction begins with a series of tee drills intended to stress proper hitting form and hand placement. You'll get Coach Shirley's entire progression of hitting tee work ranging from contact drills to follow through drills to helping power swings to drive the ball.

You'll also get a series of tee drills that include hitting aides and some common exercise equipment such as bands to help reinforce proper hitting form and hitting techniques. The drills Coach Shirley demonstrates a hitting practice program that builds from the ground up and develops line drive hitters that will produce more base hits with the power needed to generate more homeruns. 

Building Physical Strength Improves Hitting

Toward the end of the video Coach Shirley brings you a highly valuable series of 5 different strength-and-conditioning drills that improves softball hitting and uses medicine balls and thick resistance-bands. 

These strength drills will help any hitter improve their power resulting in harder hit balls. As an added bonus, Coach Shirley points out that physically stronger, more well-conditioned athletes will stay healthier in-season and be more powerful.

This is a must-see video for softball coaches who are on a mission to improve their team's overall hitting – both for average and with more power. Coach Shirley teaches you how to get the most from your hitters, using a ground-up approach to hitting more line drives and homeruns. 

The tee lessons demonstrated in this video help any level of hitter – from the beginner to the advanced player – all will become more consistent and more powerful. 

49 minutes. 2022.

• Coach Garland uses and demonstrates a systematic skill development sequence to develop the key initial skills of a slapper - the ability to bunt and execute the soft slap with emphasis on developing the eye-hand skill development from the "opposite side".
• Coach develops a ground up training sequence and process that gives a coach a proven progression from working on T drills to executing skills in a front toss format.
• The skills are demonstrated and the pattern of development illustrates flexible and alternate approaches to executing slapping skills and tailoring preferences and comfort with individual players as they develop on the left side.

This video covers the development of drills and drill progressions for the four core elements of left side hitting: bunting, soft slaps, hard slaps, and power slaps.  

Additionally Coach Garland illustrates a unique hitting mechanic, the slide step, that gives an advanced slapper another strategic tool to adapt to and fool opposing defenses!

The video follows three main instructional and drill development paths. 

The first is base level development of left side eye hand control and development of bunting capability with a 15 ground based drill working from static to dynamic footwork and bat to ball contact.

The second phase focuses on the alternative approaches and the feet and bat attack options for the soft slap through a sequence of roughly 10 drills that are adaptable to individual players preferences and comfort.

The third phase takes a similar approach to the development of power slapping hitting skills.  This section also develops the slide step mechanic initially introduced in the bunting section to offer an alternative power hitting option for the lefty hitter. 

The final phase discusses footwork options - from traditional techniques common a decade ago to more recently popular approaches.

If you are a coach looking to take a right handed hitter to the left side this video offers you a clear and organized step-by-step process to assist that player in making the transition and developing all 4 slapper skills.  

Each skill development equally applies to the natural lefty who desires to develop as a slap hitter, in addition to hitting away from the left side.

The training in this video can be applied to young players to make the initial transition to slapping  but offers excellent development drills to take older players to arming them with the full hitting tools of an advanced slapper.

Customer Comments: 5 Out of 5 Stars! 'Excellent video! Full range of players skills. everything in this video applies to any slapper regardless of their starting point as a righty or lefty!'

62 minutes. 2024.

• Slappers success is typically a product not only of hitting skills but the race between the hitter and defensive player to get to first.   Developing elite level speed is critical to getting on base safely.
• Slappers are typically not naturally powerful but need sufficient core and functional power to master the more advanced slapping skills of hard slaps power slaps that can beat the infield.
• Additionally quickness and speed on the base paths add an offensive threat.

The video covers the development of drills and drill progressions for the three core elements of functional athleticism specifically designed for the slapper:

• rotational core and lower half strength,  
• rotational balance and explosiveness, and 
• straight out running speed. 

The video follows five main instructional and drill development paths.  

The first is a series of  four progressive slapper specific strength drills designed to build rotational strength and reinforce proper mechanics

The second phase develops an extensive 12 drill sequence and pattern of med ball and footwork to build functional explosive movements fundamental to the slapping hitting patterns.   

Coach progresses to a third group of drills focusing on first step quickness and change of direction using hurdles and ladders.

The fourth phase is built around 10 core drill patterns using superbands to build a combination of first step quickness and speed development by strengthening the hip flexors.  All drills are relatively simple, but effective at targeting speed development.  

The final phase mixes sprinting drills with mini band work targeting flat out speed development.

If you are a coach looking for specifically tailored speed and explosiveness exercises and drills - specifically for slappers - this video is a great resource that can be applied with minimal equipment and in almost any training space.   

51 minutes.  2024

• Slappers success is typically a product not only of hitting skills but the race between the hitter and defensive player to get to first.   Developing elite level speed is critical to getting on base safely.
• Slappers are typically not naturally powerful but need sufficient core and functional power to master the more advanced slapping skills of hard slaps power slaps that can beat the infield.
• Additionally quickness and speed on the base paths add an offensive threat.

The video covers the development of drills and drill progressions for the three core elements of functional athleticism specifically designed for the slapper:

• rotational core and lower half strength,  
• rotational balance and explosiveness, and 
• straight out running speed. 

The video follows five main instructional and drill development paths.  

The first is a series of  four progressive slapper specific strength drills designed to build rotational strength and reinforce proper mechanics

The second phase develops an extensive 12 drill sequence and pattern of med ball and footwork to build functional explosive movements fundamental to the slapping hitting patterns.   

Coach progresses to a third group of drills focusing on first step quickness and change of direction using hurdles and ladders.

The fourth phase is built around 10 core drill patterns using superbands to build a combination of first step quickness and speed development by strengthening the hip flexors.  All drills are relatively simple, but effective at targeting speed development.  

The final phase mixes sprinting drills with mini band work targeting flat out speed development.

If you are a coach looking for specifically tailored speed and explosiveness exercises and drills - specifically for slappers - this video is a great resource that can be applied with minimal equipment and in almost any training space.   

51 minutes.  2024

• Coach Garland uses and demonstrates a systematic skill development sequence to develop the key initial skills of a slapper - the ability to bunt and execute the soft slap with emphasis on developing the eye-hand skill development from the "opposite side".
• Coach develops a ground up training sequence and process that gives a coach a proven progression from working on T drills to executing skills in a front toss format.
• The skills are demonstrated and the pattern of development illustrates flexible and alternate approaches to executing slapping skills and tailoring preferences and comfort with individual players as they develop on the left side.

This video covers the development of drills and drill progressions for the four core elements of left side hitting: bunting, soft slaps, hard slaps, and power slaps.  

Additionally Coach Garland illustrates a unique hitting mechanic, the slide step, that gives an advanced slapper another strategic tool to adapt to and fool opposing defenses!

The video follows three main instructional and drill development paths. 

The first is base level development of left side eye hand control and development of bunting capability with a 15 ground based drill working from static to dynamic footwork and bat to ball contact.

The second phase focuses on the alternative approaches and the feet and bat attack options for the soft slap through a sequence of roughly 10 drills that are adaptable to individual players preferences and comfort.

The third phase takes a similar approach to the development of power slapping hitting skills.  This section also develops the slide step mechanic initially introduced in the bunting section to offer an alternative power hitting option for the lefty hitter. 

The final phase discusses footwork options - from traditional techniques common a decade ago to more recently popular approaches.

If you are a coach looking to take a right handed hitter to the left side this video offers you a clear and organized step-by-step process to assist that player in making the transition and developing all 4 slapper skills.  

Each skill development equally applies to the natural lefty who desires to develop as a slap hitter, in addition to hitting away from the left side.

The training in this video can be applied to young players to make the initial transition to slapping  but offers excellent development drills to take older players to arming them with the full hitting tools of an advanced slapper.

Customer Comments: 5 Out of 5 Stars! 'Excellent video! Full range of players skills. everything in this video applies to any slapper regardless of their starting point as a righty or lefty!'

62 minutes. 2024.

with Garland Shirley,
Clarke University Softball Coach;
2021 recipient (1st ever) of NFCA's Natasha Watley Scholarship for Social Change;
In his first 2 seasons, set Clarke's school record for win-total turnaround by improving his team's record by 26 wins;
Marshalltown Community College Head Coach from 2015 to 2018;
Coached 13 All-Region players in three seasons and produced the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) Offensive Player of the Year in 2017;
Ankeny Centennial High School (IA) - Head Coach from 2014 to 2018;
Van Meter Community High School (IS) Head Coach from 2009 to 2014 (Iowa's first-ever African-American High School Head Softball Coach);
compiled a 117-61 overall record, was named the 2012 District Coach of the Year and led the school to its first state tournament appearance in 2012

Softball coaches know that if you want to develop a good slap hitter you need to begin with great fundamentals and work your way up to more advanced concepts. Garland Shirley, the head coach at Clarke University, has created a loaded instructional video featuring all the essential fundamentals – ranging from how to teach the necessary basics, while offering up valuable coaching points and a series of excellent drills that teach the art of slap-hitting from footwork to hard slaps.  

Slap Fundamentals From Beginner To Advanced

Coach Shirley hits the ground running in this video, by showcasing a series of tee drills that develop your complete slappers – including bunting, soft slaps and hard slaps – all with a proven progression of tee work.

Through the instructions shown in the first half of this video, you'll receive key information that teaches slap hitters how to see the ball better and make better contact. The tee drills demonstrated in this video does both, all while also stressing proper footwork, hand-eye coordination and multiple types of slap hits. 

Directional Slapping, Adding Power To The Equation

Coach Shirley next guides viewers through the process of teaching your slappers how to hit directionally on cue, as well as how to develop power swings – utilizing an ingenious, side-step approach that allows hitters to swing-away, without giving away the fact that he or she is not slapping on that pitch.

At the conclusion of the video, viewers are shown long-tee drills to help develop slapping power while allowing your hitters to see where they are hitting. These drills give key repetitions for hitters to work on hit placement to designated areas on the field, such as the 5-6 hole, which is a slappers goal location to hit.

This is an essential video to own if you want to help your players to become better slap hitters. Garland Shirley teaches you how to get the most from your slappers – while utilizing a ground-up approach. The tee lessons demonstrated in this video helps any slapper, from the beginner to the advanced, to become more consistent, more accurate and dangerous at the plate. This video is also packed with great progression drills that apply to slappers of all ages and experience levels. 

59 minutes. 2022.

with Caitlin Lowe,
University of Arizona Head 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