While most people think that softball developed long after baseball as a female-centric spin-off, that's actually not quite true.
Instead, the sport first came into play in 1887, when some college students in Chicago started playing a game of "baseball" using a broom handle and a balled up glove. They quickly developed a set of rules, and the rest is history!
For as long as anyone can remember, the history of softball has also included a history of fun chants and cheers to getting players rooting for their team, engaging with fans or distracting their opponents.
If you're ready to boost your team spirit, read on to learn a few fun softball cheers you need to know.
1. Hit it
While there are plenty of fun, lengthy cheers out there, you can't go wrong with a short and simple chant to get your players cheering on their teammates. This one is easy to remember and a fun way to encourage the player at bat.
Hit it hard, hit it level
Hit it hard, hit it level
Then run like the devil!
2. Dynamite
If you're looking for a longer cheer with plenty of opportunity for joining in with stomps and claps, you can't go wrong with dynamite. You'll need one player to yell the beginning of each line, while the rest of your team chimes in with the second half, written in parenthesis below.
Our team is what? (Dynamite)
Our team is what? (Dynamite)
(Our team is tick, tick, tick, BAM Dynamite!)
Your team is what? (Dynamite)
Your team is what? (Dynamite)
(Your team is tick, tick, tick, tick PSSSSHHHH, yeah right!)
3. See that Batter?
Showcase your pride in every woman on your team with this fun cheer:
See that batter at that plate?
She's the best in all the state!
She's got the spirit, she's got pride
Ha, ha, ha she's on our side!
4. Spirit
If you want to encourage your fans to play along, this cheer is certain to get them moving:
Show your spirit in the stands
Show your spirit in the stands
Sit down and take a rest
Now you know that we're the best!
5. Who we are
Everyone loves a good sing-along cheer. For this one, one player will sing a line and the rest of the team will then echo it.
Everywhere we go
People want to know,
Who we are
So we tell them
We are (team name)
The mighty, mighty (team name)
6. That's the Way
As you might have guessed, this chant is sung to the rhythm of "That's the Way" by KC and the Sunshine Band. It's perfect for shouting after a great hit or when the other team's pitcher throws a ball.
That's the way, uh huh uh huh
We like it, uh huh uh huh
That's the way, uh huh uh huh
We like it, uh huh uh huh
7. Redhot
Finally, a cheer to remind everyone just how awesome your team really is:
Our team is what?
Red hot!
Our team is R-E-D, with a little bit of H-O-T
Oh baby, R-E-D-H-O-T
Redhot! Redhot! Redhot!
Softball Cheers and Other Team Pride Boosters
Any of these softball cheers and chants can be a great way to get your players engaged and rooting for one another! But cheers aren't the only way to boost your team pride.
Softball trading pins are a fun way to reward your team after a great season or to allow your players to showcase their love of their team wherever they go! You can even trade pins with other teams to build a collection you'll be able to look back on long after the season ends.
Get your free quote today to start designing and producing your very own softball team pin!
In 2017 there were approximately 9.59 million softball players in the United States. Whether it's your first or your 100th game, it's normal to get nervous before a big game.
No matter what, your team's got your back. Get pumped up and ready to win before your next game with these 10 inspirational softball quotes.
1. Take it one pitch at a time. Take it one day at a time
Life gets overwhelming when we have to juggle work life, social life, and personal life. When you're on the field, it's your chance to take a deep breath and slow life down.
Take it one pitch at a time and one day at a time.
2. Four bases, three strikes, two teams, one winner. It's not just a game, but a way of life. Softball, this is my destiny
For many people, softball is more than a sport. Your team becomes your family and the game becomes a passion and possibly even your destiny.
3. Progress always involves risk... you can't steal second without taking your foot off first
It's always scary taking a chance or risk and most of the time it's worth it. The first step in finding out is literally taking the first step.
4. Don't let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.
There's always a possibility that you won't play your best game or you'll make a mistake. But, you'll never know and you'll never learn if you don't play.
5. Passion creates work ethic. Work ethic creates possibilities. Possibilities create happiness
Having passion is so important, especially when it comes to working. Having both is bound to create happiness.
6. It's not whether you get knocked down; it's whether you get back up. - Vince Lombardi
Just as you learn in life, you are going to get knocked down once or twice. It's not about what knocks you down - it's about getting back up.
7. Softball gives girls a chance to show the boys how it's really done.
Girls have grown up with the precedent that boys are strong and can do anything better, but softball gives girls the opportunity to prove them otherwise.
8. The will to win is important, but the will to prepare is vital. - Joe Paterno
As important as winning is, you can't win without preparing first. Failing to prepare is guaranteeing to lose.
9. When I step into batter's box, the fans, the noise, the cheers, they all disappear. For that moment, the world is just a battle between me and the pitcher. And more than anything, I want to win. - Mary W.
Find what makes you happy, what gives you hope, and what gives you passion and stick with it. The drive to win is a wonderful attribute to carry with you.
10. Play every softball game like it is your last! - W. Bindels
One day you'll walk off the field and never walk back on. Until that day comes, play like it is your last.
Inspirational Softball Quotes
Playing softball gives girls the drive, passion, and life lessons no other sport can. Cherish the days you're on the field with your team that became a family and remember that win or lose, it's about the game.
For more things on softball and trading pins, check out our website. Have questions? Feel free to contact us!
Coaching softball is much like coaching any other sport: practice makes perfect.
When it comes specifically to softball, most practices revolve around repetition. You put the team together, go over some fundamentals, then split into infield and outfield groups. Then, your players work on specific drills you want to see done.
Of course, things are never that simple. If you're a new coach, you'll also need to make sure your players don't develop any bad habits.
Here are 5 softball coaching tips to get you started.
1. Catching With Two Hands
In theory, catching the ball with one hand seems easier than doing it with both hands. In practice, it's anything but.
See, softball is a game where almost every catch should be done with both hands. Fly balls and throws from other players are particularly critical.
How do you ensure your players follow this rule? It's all about building muscle memory. One simple drill involves throwing short fly balls at your pitchers and having them pause a bit after every catch.
2. Watching the Runner
In softball, the opposing runners are always a threat. If you take your eyes off them -- even for a second -- they will punish you. Your players should always be aware of where they are and where they'll likely move after a hit.
Your pitchers will often need extra help in this regard. As soon as they receive the ball, they should glance back at the runner. If they do it right, they'll be able to prevent the delayed steal.
3. Talking on the Field
As you may know, a softball game should never be a quiet affair.
For starters, your players must learn to talk to each other. This allows them to pass on information, preventing potential errors on the field. Plus, the very act of talking encourages synergy within the team.
Want to make sure your players understand their position and responsibilities? Run some situational plays during practice. That way, your players will be more inclined to communicate among themselves.
4. Going Full Speed
During a softball practice, players shouldn't walk around. Once they leave the dugout, they should run to their positions. They can also hustle to rotate hitting stations, shag balls, and change positions.
This isn't an easy habit to get rid of. If your players are walking in practice, they'll also walk in the game. To have them stand out on the field, keep reminding them to run everywhere.
5. Knowing Your Pitchers
All pitchers are different, but most of them have one thing in common: they can forget to back up plays.
Now, softball coaching is about ensuring your players know where to go. With pitchers, it helps to remind them that their job isn't over after hitting the ball.
For example, let's say that there was a ball hit and the play is now at third base. In this situation, the pitcher must be prepared to back up the throw. Not backing up could lead to an overthrow, costing your team the run.
More on Coaching Softball
These five tips should help you become a better coach, but don't forget the basic fundamentals. Have your players work on catching, throwing, and pitching in every practice. If they do it long enough, their muscle memory will take over.
Want to know more about coaching softball? Take a look at our blog!
12 Softball Quotes to Pump Up Your Team
Does your softball team need a kick in the motivation? Share these softball quotes with them to pump them up!
There are many reasons why we're drawn to sports. Whether we're watching them or playing them, they teach us about the value of teamwork, motivation, and dedication.
They also inspire us to push our hardest and give 110%, even if we'd rather sit on the sidelines for a second. Arguably nowhere is this truer than in softball, where players leave it all on the field in hopes for a win. If your team members need a little motivation to play their hardest, you've come to the right spot. Today, we're taking a look at 12 softball quotes designed to inspire and encourage your players to perform.
Ready to get started? Let's go!
1. A Quote for Everyone
Do you have some players who are just starting out and learning the basics of softball? If so, ease their mind with this quote that explains we all have to start somewhere.
"In softball, it's not how good you are. It's how good you want to be." -- Author Unknown
2. One for Softball Enthusiasts
If you have players who eat, sleep and breathe the sport, show them this one to remind them there are others out there who call softball their life.
"Bruised, bloody, broken, all for this sport. I'll never hold back. I play it, love it and live it. Softball, my sport, my love, my life." -- Author Unknown
3. For the Little Girl Players
Show this next quote to all the little girls on your team, to remind them they can be anything they want to be, and softball can help them get there.
"Little girls now have a chance to look up and see women playing soccer, basketball, softball and now hockey, and know they can win a gold medal, too." -- Angela Ruggiero, American former ice hockey defenseman
4. A Classic from a Classic
One of the most well-loved and famous ballplayers of all time, the Great Bambino had a few words of wisdom for anyone planning to join the game. This quote is especially appropriate for any first-timers worried about stepping up to the mound.
"Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game." -- Babe Ruth
5. To Encourage a Team Spirit
Are you dealing with players who are more interested in achieving a personal best record than helping their teammates to victory? Here is a quote to remind them that softball is, and always has been, a team sport.
"Play for the name on the front of your jersey, not the name on the back." -- Author Unknown
6. For the New Coach
If you're a new coach, you might find yourself wondering how to motivate every player on your team to use his or her unique gifts and abilities. This quote speaks to the fact that everyone has potential, and you can help them discover it.
"Discover your gifts and let them shine! Softball is amazing that way as a sport. Everyone on the field has a slightly different ability that makes them perfect for their position." -- Jennie Finch, All-American, Olympian softball pitcher and first baseman
7. To Inspire Focus and Determination
There comes a time where even the most dedicated softball player can start to feel a little burnt out, especially when the season is going full-throttle and practices are intense. Remind your players to keep going and keep their eyes on the ball with this one.
"I am now, and will always be me. But when it comes time to step out onto that field, me gets a little more dedicated, a little more serious, and nobody stands in my way." -- Caitlin Sumpter, Catcher, Kansas
8. To Shut Down Any Naysayers
Have you dealt with any pushback from fans who'd rather watch a baseball game than a softball one? If so, quickly and kindly remind them that this important game is just as intense and entertaining, if not more so!
"If it were easy, they'd call it baseball." -- Author Unknown
9. To Remind Players Softball Can Take Them Places
Regardless of how young or old your players are, it's always helpful to remind them that any time you play a sport, you're helping to develop your character. You could also be setting yourself up for some pretty impressive next steps, like a career in the sport or a college scholarship to pursue it.
"Besides music, I was all school, school, school. And softball. I played the game since I was four, and I wanted to go to the Olympics for softball. I got a full scholarship through softball." -- Dawn Richard, American singer-songwriter
10. Right Before the Big Game
Your team has practiced all season for this one. They're prepared to give it their all, but they need just a little push to help them overcome their nerves. This quote will remind them that the competition might be fierce, but they are fiercer.
"We're going to step on the field knowing that every team we're going against is going to push their game to that whole new level. We've just got to be ready to step up with them." -- Crystl Bustos, Third Base, Olympian, Team USA
11. Encouraging a Fair Outlook
We all want to say something when an umpire's call doesn't go in our favor. Yet, part of softball is accepting those decisions and letting them shape you, not knock you down.
"In sport, part of the game is accepting the umpire's call, no matter how hard that might be. Sometimes the calls go your way, and sometimes they don't." - Dr. Dot Richardson, American physician, softball coach and former international player
12. A Quote to End All Practices On
The above quotes are meant to inspire your team to greatness, but perhaps no quote sums up the love of the game quite like this simple sentiment.
"It doesn't sparkle but I guard this diamond with my life." -- Author Unknown
Need More Than Softball Quotes?
Are you a softball coach looking to amp up your team spirit and give players and fans alike something to cheer about? Softball quotes are a great place to start, but you might need a little more than an inspirational saying to get you there. If so, we're here to help.
Our custom softball trading pins are the ideal way to represent your team and encourage your fan base. Contact us today and we'll start creating the perfect order. They're sure to be a home run at your next game!