4 Softball Drills for Beginners: Youth Softball Drill Guide
Looking for some drills to hit the ground running this season? Use these 4 softball drills for beginners to learn the fundamentals of softball.
If you knew that baseball was America's favorite past time, you might not know that softball is almost as popular. Recent studies estimate that about 40 million Americans play a softball game each year!
Whether you are a new team coach or a proud parent, there are great softball drills that will help build all the necessary skills.
We have gathered a few of our favorite drills to help you get started. Keep reading to learn which drills can help your team get out of the dugout and into the game!
1. Home to First Base Drill
Many players have the tendency to lurch forward or to stop dead on first base instead of running past it. The good news is that this mistake is easy to correct.
To complete this drill, have the "batter" stand in the box and pretend to hit a ball on the coach's signal. As soon as they swing, they run full speed towards first base, run past it a few steps (making sure to touch the bag with their foot) circle around towards the first base dugout and come to a stop on the first base bag.
Line up the whole team to make this a relay drill!
2. Parachute Hitting Drill
Tie a plastic bag, a bat parachute, or even a bat weight to the end of the bat and swing away! Do not try to hit a ball like this, but practice swinging as if you were trying to hit a ball.
This drill teaches players to swing through the ball instead of stopping at the point of impact. Once mastered, this drill is excellent for developing a more powerful swing.
3. Grounding Drill
This drill's purpose is to help players pick up and throw a ball that hits the ground and rolls towards them.
The player should have a wide stance with bent knees with the bare hand placed on top of the glove forming a "V" with the wrists touching.
Hit a ball towards the ground in front of the player. Their goal will be to place the glove in front of themselves in the trajectory of the ball and, once the ball rolls into the glove, the bare hand snaps closed like a rat trap over the ball.
After that, the bare (throwing) hand pulls the ball out of the glove and proceeds to throw the ball to the baseman.
4. Best Softball Drills for Pitchers
One of the first things you should do is figure out what every player's strengths are and put the "aces in their places". Not everyone can play every position well and making sure your team has the right player in the right places can help the team dynamic function better.
After you identify your pitcher, have them run through a windmill pitching drill.
For this drill, start with the pitching motion without the ball. Once you have your form down, then add a ball.
The three main aspects to focus on during this style of pitching are your balance, the wrist snap, and the hip close.
Let's Play Ball!
Once you get your team together and you run a few of these softball drills, you will be ready to hit the field and start practicing!
Make sure you help build team rapport by doing something fun to bring everyone together. Have a team building party or make a unique pin for the team so everyone can represent their team when they are out of uniform too!
If you have questions about this article or if you would like a quote on your own custom team trading pins, contact us today!
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!
Home Run Softball History: A Brief History of Softball, How It Started and Why
Softball may not be as mainstream popular as football or baseball, but it is a respected sport in its own right. The sport has its own iconic players, memorable games, and storied history. The sport has been around since the late 1800s and has experienced several iterations since its creation.
And while the sport's popularity has waxed and waned over the years, it's expected to gain a boost this year and next. In 2020, Softball will return to the Olympics following a 12-year absence. In fact, softball is going to kick off the 2020 Tokyo games.
With the upcoming spotlight on the sport, it's the perfect time to revisit its history and origin story. Read on to learn more about the fascinating history of softball. Whether you're a longtime fan or a curious outsider, you're sure to find this interesting.
Why and How Softball First Came to Be
First, it's important to note that the games of softball and baseball are different, and softball wasn't created because of baseball. In fact, football is part of the story of softball's creation. Softball was first created on Thanksgiving of 1887, at Farragut Boat Club in Chicago, during a watch party for the Yale vs. Harvard football game.
Yale won the game, and the Yale alumni were so excited that one of them threw a balled-up boxing glove at a Harvard alumnus. The Harvard supporter swung at and hit the glove with a stick. That night the group created and played the first game of softball.
The Early History of Softball as a Legitimate Sport
One of the people at this first game was George Hancock, a reporter from the Chicago Board of Trade. Hancock created the first official rulebook for softball in 1889. Then in 1895, he organized the game outside a Minneapolis firehouse for firefighters to pass time and exercise while waiting for an alarm.
At the time, people called the game "kitten league ball," and then the shortened, "kitten ball." In 1922, the name became "diamond ball," but over the years it was also called "mush ball" and "pumpkin ball," before the name softball became official in 1930.
How Softball Came Into Its Own
The sport's organizers did advertise softball as an indoor game for baseball players in the offseason. But once softball gained more recognition and popularity, it became its own official sport. The first national amateur softball tournament took place in conjunction with the Chicago World Fair in 1933.
A reporter at the event established the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) soon after. The sport saw its biggest growth during World War II when American servicemen would play and teach the game to others. It continued to gain popularity, and today 113 countries belong to the International Softball Federation (ISF).
Learn More Softball Facts and Get Helpful Tips
If you're looking to read more about the history of the sport or anything softball related, you're in the right place. Browse our blog to read about when softball season starts, helpful tips for finding the right softball glove, and more.
Also be sure to check out our softball trading pins instagram page for specials and cool pinspiration. Interested in getting softball pins for your team? Get a free no obligation quote or call us at 888-574-6118
Softball and baseball are not the same thing. You've probably found yourself trying to explain that at one point or other. But did you know how to do it?
As a softball player or coach, you've likely been approached about the game. In order to defend your point that baseball isn't the same thing, you've got to have some info to back up your story.
The differences go beyond ball size. So prepare yourself for the next softball vs. baseball conversation by reading up on the differences.
Are you ready to rock your next conversation? Then keep reading!
Similarities between Baseball and Softball
First off, you shouldn't be arguing that baseball and softball are totally different, because they're not. It's important to note that there are some major similarities between the two sports.
The first of similarity is that both sports are played by males and females! Many people think that softball is only played by girls and women, but this isn't the case.
The games themselves are also similar. You have hitters, pitchers, basemen, and outfielders, and runners run around three bases trying to make it back to home plate. That's about where the similarities end, though.
The Balls
Softballs are different than baseballs in both size and makeup. Softballs are larger than and not as dense as baseballs. The coloring is also different.
The Bats
At youth levels, the bats used in softball and baseball are the same. Though a bat may be designated for one sport it can be used for either one. Once a player gets into more advanced play, though, softball and baseball-specific bats are used.
Pitching
In baseball, the pitcher throws the ball from an elevated mound with an overhand or side-armed motion. Softball pitches are thrown from an area that's level with the hitter and the ball is thrown underhand. In fast-pitch softball, the pitcher throws from a spot much closer to the hitter than in baseball.
Game Play
While players run around bases in both games, the distances are different. Baseball players have to run farther between bases. And, the home run fences are shorter, so the field is smaller, overall.
The game is shorter too, with softball only having seven innings as compared to baseball's nine.
If there's a tie at the end, more innings will be played in both games. But in softball, the offensive team gets to start the inning with a runner on second base.
Softball vs. Baseball: Comparable but Different
Softball and baseball are comparable, there's no denying it, but in the end, they are different sports. From the equipment used to the size of the field, a softball player would be out of place in a baseball game.
That softball vs. baseball conversation will probably turn up again. But now, thanks to your research, you'll be prepared because you know the difference.
Are you a softball coach? Click here for some awesome team-building activities.
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!