3. Fundamentals, Skills & Strategies

Both throwing and fielding are essential skills in softball. You will learn about the general throwing mechanics, warm-up drills, throwing games/drills, general fielding mechanics, fielding warm-up drill, fielding to throwing position drill, other fielding drills, and infield play.

General Throwing Mechanics

Grip– a softball has four, lateral, somewhat-straight seams.  With your throwing hand, take three fingers (excluding thumb and pinky) and place them across one of the lateral seams.

Throw– the overhand throw is the following sequence of steps:

1. Square up shoulders with target
2. Open throwing-hand- foot to a perpendicular position to other foot simultaneously with next step
3. Hands break apart and thumb of throwing hand travels to thigh
4. Thumb of throwing hand travels in backward arc up to the sky and balls is facing directly behind the thrower
5. Simultaneously with previous step, thrower is stepping with non-throwing hand foot to target and pointing with elbow or glove to target
6. Weight should be loaded up on the inside of back hip/foot
7. Simultaneously pull front side in while rotating hips with arms fixed in “L” position
8. Snap wrist towards target, release ball and follow through with arm across the body

Throwing Cues:

• Break apart
• Thumb to thigh, ball to sky
• Rotate
• Snap and Follow through

Throwing Warm-up Drills

Snap drill – isolate upper body by putting throwing hand -knee on ground, facing target, get in snap position with glove under elbow (elbow shoulder height)
Progressive Variation– this drill can also be backed up to thirty feet and incorporate: break apart, thumb thigh, rotate, snap, and follow through on cue by direct command.   This helps students that are at a beginner level to understand what the upper body mechanics are without confusing it with the lower half of the body mechanics.
Command throwing – a leader of the squad calls out cues while throwers are about 40 feet apart.   Throwers do mechanics in sync with cue calling. (Hands together, break apart, thumb to thigh up to sky, rotate, snap, follow through).
Free-style throwing – no cues, allow them to throw at 6o feet apart at their own pace.
Rapid throwing – with partners throwing and receiving as quickly as possible, having them catch and count as many successful throws/catches they make without an error.
Long throwing – have one partner back up at least 90 feet apart or more, progressively backing up in increments, until the ball starts to bounce).   After throwing at least ten balls back and forth, having the partner come back closer in increments until at starting range.

Throwing Games/Drills

Star drill – set up one to two fields depending on number of people. Place people in all infield positions except for pitcher.   Have the first person in line at the short stop position throw to the first person in the first base line.   The first baseman throws it to the first person in the third base line. Then, the third baseman throws it to the first person in the second base position. The second baseman then throws it to the first person in the catcher line, and the catcher throws it to the next person in line for the short stop position.   The drill starts over. People rotate within the same line. The object would be to make it through a complete rotation of everyone having a turn without a bad throw.   You might have to start small with a goal being to make it through the first person in each line without making a mistake.
>Variations – You can count how many throws are made verbally as a group before there is a mistake.   Then, the goal would be to beat that number the next round. Do the drill as mentioned above but after you throw it to the next position, then rotate to the line you threw it to- rather than rotate in the same line.   This will become more of a conditioning/throwing drill.

Four Corners – Again, depending on the number of people involved in the drill, set up a field or two.   Distribute players equally to all bases.   Begin the drill with the ball at home plate with the first person in line.   Have them throw to the first person in line at first base.   The first base person catches the ball with shoulders square to home plate, then opens up glove side to pivot around to throw to second base.   The player at second base, standing square with first base, opens glove-side and pivots around to throw to third base.   The person at third base, standing square with second base, opens glove side and pivots around to throw to home.   The next catcher steps up and squares up with third base.   The catcher receives the ball, fake tags a ghost runner coming home opens up glove side and pivots to make the throw to the next person in line at first.   The drill can continue until all have participated or that a mistake happens.   An extra ball can be placed in each corner to throw in at the bag where ball gets loose to keep things moving quickly.
>Variation – Once things get moving, and mistakes are minimal, start a ball in opposite corner as other ball and have two balls going at one time.   This is for more advanced players and communication is vital.   If a mistake is made, a signal must be made to make the drill dead.
>Another variation – have people call out the name of the person throwing the ball to them, and have each corner fake a tag before opening glove side and pivoting.

Throw and Go – this drill is set up the same as “Four Corners” but instead of rotating within your line or rotating lines as a whole group, once you throw to the next line- you go to the end of that line.   Hence, throw and go.   Throw and individually rotate to the next line causes a player to work on throwing and conditioning at the same time.   It creates more chaos and pressure to make a mistake.

Three Person Relay – Divide your players into groups of three.   Have each group separate into a straight line equal distance apart from one another starting at the right foul line. Have a ball behind the first person in each team sitting on the ground about five feet from them.   Yell “Go” and the first person turns around, finds the ball and throws the next person in their line, the second person opens glove side and throws it to the third person in their line.   The third person throw it back to the second person, the second person turns glove-side and throws it the first person to finish the drill.   The first group to finish sits quickly to determine the winner of the race.   If a mistake is made in any part of the drill, whether it is throwing, receiving or not turning glove side, the team must immediately throw it to the first person on the foul line and begin the relay again.
>Variation – you can have more than three people in a group or you can have their objective be whoever completes 5 relays first.
>Another variation – This is for advanced players and incorporates conditioning: have each group start as a team on the foul line, when you say “Go”, have them learn how to separate themselves equally with the fastest runner going after the ball that is located over 150 feet away.   Make sure they when having to run as fast as they can, communicate, line up and throw under pressure.   The first one to complete the relay wins.   The other teams have to do 5 push- ups.   *Try to separate your speed equally among your teams.

Beat the Ball – Divide your players up into teams of 7 players.   One team will be on offense and one team will begin on defense.   The defensive players will need to fill all infield positions, even pitcher and catcher positions.   The extra players can fill in the outfield to back up throws and rotate into the infield.   The offensive players will line up with a runner beginning at first base.   The game begins with the ball being pitched to the catcher, at that time the runner begins running around the bases.   The catcher throws to the first baseman, and the first baseman has to touch the base with his/her foot and throw to second base.   The object is for the runner to reach home before the ball gets around the bases to home plate.   If the defensive team gets the ball home first, they get an out.   If the runner reaches home first, then the offensive team scores a point.   After three outs, the teams switch roles.   The game ends when you have played a complete game of seven innings or the first team to score ten points.
>Variation – 21 Beat Ball- Play the drill above but the game ends with the team that scores 21 bases first.   Play with 9 or 10 players filling all positions.   Have runners start at first with each base reached by runner counting as a point. Runners can run continuously until the ball reaches the bag in front of the runner and is tagged by foot by a defensive player with the ball. Offensive team hits live balls to defensive team.   Teams switch roles when the defensive team gets three outs or all players on the offensive team has hit one time.

General Fielding Mechanics

• Stagger your feet move than shoulder width apart with your glove foot leading the throwing hand foot.
• If a diagonal line was made from the top of each foot to meet at a point, the point is where you would want to field a ground ball.   Many people call this “fielding at the top of your triangle.”
• When fielding the ball, you want to have your hands like an alligator head (glove on bottom and throwing hand on top).
• After fielding, the player must immediately bring both hands with ball to the shoulder while switching your feet in the air. This puts the fielder in a throwing position with front shoulder pointing at the target and provides a quick transition to throwing hand.
• When pivoting to throwing position, weight must be shifted to inside the back foot to provide strength for throwing.   The players must throw to target and follow through by decreasing the distance between throwing position and target.

Fielding Cues:

• Down
• Glove
• Field
• Shoulder
• Throw

Fielding Warm-up Drill

Typically, a fielder will warm up his/her skills at a short distance prior to receiving practice ground balls. Infield players should partner up. The thrower and fielder should distance themselves about 6 feet apart. The thrower should kneel on their throwing knee and lift up their throwing arm, positioning their hand facing their partner with the ball up and elbow tucked by their side. The thrower should throw short hops to the fielder where the ball hits the ground at a point right above where the top of the fielder’s receiving triangle (if feet are bottom vertices of the triangle and extended glove arm stretches to top vertex)is located.

Warm up skills by performing one set of ten of the following:

• Middle-feet are in standard ground ball staggered position.  Glove begins at the top of fielding “triangle” and fields balls that are received in the centered position of the fielder’s stance.
• Forehand-glove elbow is positioned inside of non-throwing knee, which is staggered up compared to throwing foot. This fielding position is used when receiving a ground ball that is moving outside of a centered position to the glove side.
• Backhand-glove starts outside of throwing-foot with pocket of glove facing out towards thrower. Feet are pivoted from center position to feet facing direction of line of ball coming. This position used when ball is moving outside of centered position to throwing side.

Fielding to Throwing Position Drill

Set up drill just like the previous middle drill except, after fielding ball, “pop feet” to an open throwing position. Make sure that throwing hand and glove gets to throwing shoulder as fast as possible. (Variation- rolling ball with a partner from side to side and practice fielding and “popping” to this position.)

Other Fielding Drills

Progression drill: Ground balls, Rake-through, Short-hops, Third to Second, Third to First with communication factor, and Slow-rollers. See Mike Candrea’s video HERE.

Infield Play

Factors that affect positioning of the infield positions:

• Type of pitch (speed and spin)
• Type of hitter (pull hitter, opposite field hitter, or a spray hitter)
• Ability of position players nearby
• Arm strength
• Agility
• Texture and condition of the field
• Coverage of base responsibilities
• Situation in the game

Throwing the Ball on the Infield:

• Infielders should have a smaller glove than outfielders.   It is important that they do not have to “fish” the ball out of their glove.   A great infielder has a mix of quickness, getting the ball out of the glove, and a quick release throwing.
• The thumb and group of fingers should grip the ball as soon as the ball enters the glove.   As the fielder brings the ball and glove to the shoulder, he/she should be able to get a proper grip on the ball.
• An infielder should have a consistent and appropriate grip.   An improper grip can lead to throwing errors.   The three fingers (excluding thumb and pinkie) should be placed across the seams with the ball out on the finger tips.   The tighter and closer the grip, the less flexibility to get a quick release.
• It is important that an infielder has “quick feet” that efficiently prepares a fielder to throw.   When throwing, the length of the stride and degree of bend in the upper body directly impacts the throws height and velocity.
• As the infielder is preparing to throw, he/she must focus on the target of the throw and not the runner.   The hand with the ball pulls straight up to the shoulder, and the follow through should be emphasized to make sure the elbow isn’t dropped while throwing.   The thrower must feel as though the ball is being released out In front of the body.