Softball Practice Drills

The following softball practice drills are a means of getting your softball game to the next level. By using these drills to improve your game, you will reach another level you thought you weren't able too before. The following drills should be covered in practice to ensure that you become as skilled a player as possible.

Drill 1 - All Out (Softball Catching)

Purpose: To practice going all out on the dive.

Procedure: A fielder faces a tosser 20 to 30 feet away. The first throw is over or to the side of the fielder's head. The fielder catches the ball and makes a good throw to the tosser. The fielder then runs hard toward the tosser, who flips a soft toss that the fielder must dive for to catch. The fielder goes to the end of the line to wait for her next turn.

Drill 2 - Three Points (Softball Pitching)

Purpose: To create competition and pressure for the pitcher when pitching to a catcher's targets.

Procedure: The catcher gives a target, and for advanced players she may call a pitch. If the pitcher hits the target, she gets one point. If she misses, she loses a point. When the pitcher reaches three points, the game is over. Add difficulty by requiring every fourth pitch to be a change-up.

Drill 3 - Random Ball Conditioning (Softball Catchers)

Purpose: To practice throws to bases and improve conditioning.

Procedure: Randomly place six to eight balls in front of home. From the squat position the catcher explodes and throws to a receiver at the base, hustles back into catching position, and continues until all of the balls have been thrown. Repeat the drill with the catcher throwing to a different base.

Drill 4 - Thunderstick (Softball Hitting)

Purpose: To learn to see the ball better at contact.

Procedure: Using a very narrow bat for hitting and bunting forces the batter to look intently at the ball at contact. To make to bats to use with baseball and golf-size Wiffles, cut broomsticks or doweling to bat size and tape the handles. Use the thunderstick to hit or bunt Wiffles off a soft toss.

Drill 5 - Slap and Run Around Cone (Softball Slap Hitting)

Purpose: To practice running toward the pitcher when slapping.

Procedure: The slapper hits off a pitcher or machine. Place a cone two steps in front of the batter's box in line with the pitcher. The slapper must run around the cone before heading toward first base. The cone prevents the slapper from turning too early toward first.