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Daily Defensive Skill Perfections

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with Margie Knight,
Salisbury University Head Coach; 2014 NCAA D-III runners-up;
17x Capital Athletic Conference Champions (in 18 years as head coach);
11x Capital Athletic Conference Coach of the Year; over 675 career wins

With time and space usually limited, most coaches struggle to organize an efficient practice. In this instructional presentation, Coach Margie Knight shares a routine for the beginning of practice that takes only 20 minutes, but prepares players for hundreds of game situations.

Coach Knight explains her skill perfections and philosophy on how to best utilize these drills in practice and better prepare the team for game time. These exercises are self-directed, which enables players to practice and develop leadership abilities. Her teams do skill perfection drills for the first 20 minutes of every team practice. Each position player, as well as pitchers, get numerous touches of the ball, both in a partner setting with the ball tossed and in a multi-positional setting with coaches hitting fungos.

Coach Knight's team demonstrates all of the skill perfection while she explains the key coaching points of each drill. Skill perfections, which are shown for every position on the field cover partner drills for routine grounders, backhands, short and long hops with tags, feeds and flips, fence balls, outfield diving, sun balls, catching framing and blocking. In addition, she provides drills that require multiple positions to work together such as double play feeds and turns, rundowns, bunt defense work and passed ball plays. You'll learn how to prepare your team for every play imaginable.

Coach Knight shows you how to accomplish more in less time!

67 minutes. 2015.


Defensive Shell Drills for Organizing Your Practices

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with Margie Knight,
Salisbury University Head Coach; 2014 NCAA D-III runners-up;
17x Capital Athletic Conference Champions (in 18 years as head coach);
11x Capital Athletic Conference Coach of the Year; over 675 career wins

It's difficult to design a team practice where each defensive position is involved and efficiently working on position-specific situations and drills. Learn from Coach Margie Knight the defensive shells that keep an entire team involved while practicing multiple defensive situations. In this presentation, Coach Knight explains the set-up for 10 different defensive shells that allow each player to practice numerous position-specific situations.

Coach Knight shares her insight on how to best utilize practice drills and get the most out of her defensive shells. These shells are ideal for teams with fewer coaches, as players can participate and manage the drills on their own. Coach Knight shows how to get players involved in running each shell to keep practice moving.

These shells cover many defensive situations from the routine ground or fly ball to rundowns to passed balls and involve numerous players working together to practice almost any defensive situation. For example, one shell involves the battery and right side of the infield working together on pickoffs at first base while the left side of the infield and the outfielders simultaneously practice ground balls to the outfield and throwing the ball in to the appropriate base. Every player on the field is involved!

It is often said that pitching and defense win championships. If that's true, Coach Knight's defensive shells will help build an airtight defense that will lead to championships. Plan your practice with these shell drills in mind and become a winner!

71 minutes. 2015.

Hitting Drills That Work

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with Margie Knight,
Salisbury University Head Coach; 2014 NCAA D-III runners-up;
17x Capital Athletic Conference Champions (in 18 years as head coach);
11x Capital Athletic Conference Coach of the Year; over 675 career wins

Running an efficient batting practice can be challenging. Legendary softball coach Margie Knight lays out a blueprint for getting the most out of your time with your team. Coach Knight outlines how to run practice using hitting stations that will keep all your players involved.

Coach Knight begins by highlighting some key points of her philosophy on hitting and practice. She discusses how to better prepare players with game-like drills. In addition, Coach Knight discusses the benefits of using a daily goal or theme to keep players focused on the drills.

Coach Knight shares 13 of her favorite hitting drills, organized into hitting stations. She details the set-up required for each station as well as instructions for how to perform each drill correctly, and then runs the drill in a practice setting. These drills cover everything from hitting change-ups to timing to laying down the perfect bunt. In one drill, Coach Knight explains her team's two-strike approach to at-bats, and shows the viewer how to get the hitter to attack any ball close to the strike zone.

Let Coach Knight show you the hitting stations and drills that will produce hitters who strike fear into the opposing pitchers.

52 minutes. 2015.

Margie Knight's Defensive Practice Drills Set

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SD-04771A: with Margie Knight,
Salisbury University Head Coach; 2014 NCAA D-III runners-up;
17x Capital Athletic Conference Champions (in 18 years as head coach);
11x Capital Athletic Conference Coach of the Year; over 675 career wins

With time and space usually limited, most coaches struggle to organize an efficient practice. In this instructional presentation, Coach Margie Knight shares a routine for the beginning of practice that takes only 20 minutes, but prepares players for hundreds of game situations.

Coach Knight explains her skill perfections and philosophy on how to best utilize these drills in practice and better prepare the team for game time. These exercises are self-directed, which enables players to practice and develop leadership abilities. Her teams do skill perfection drills for the first 20 minutes of every team practice. Each position player, as well as pitchers, get numerous touches of the ball, both in a partner setting with the ball tossed and in a multi-positional setting with coaches hitting fungos.

Coach Knight's team demonstrates all of the skill perfection while she explains the key coaching points of each drill. Skill perfections, which are shown for every position on the field cover partner drills for routine grounders, backhands, short and long hops with tags, feeds and flips, fence balls, outfield diving, sun balls, catching framing and blocking. In addition, she provides drills that require multiple positions to work together such as double play feeds and turns, rundowns, bunt defense work and passed ball plays. You'll learn how to prepare your team for every play imaginable.

Coach Knight shows you how to accomplish more in less time!

67 minutes. 2015.



SD-04771B: with Margie Knight,
Salisbury University Head Coach; 2014 NCAA D-III runners-up;
17x Capital Athletic Conference Champions (in 18 years as head coach);
11x Capital Athletic Conference Coach of the Year; over 675 career wins

It's difficult to design a team practice where each defensive position is involved and efficiently working on position-specific situations and drills. Learn from Coach Margie Knight the defensive shells that keep an entire team involved while practicing multiple defensive situations. In this presentation, Coach Knight explains the set-up for 10 different defensive shells that allow each player to practice numerous position-specific situations.

Coach Knight shares her insight on how to best utilize practice drills and get the most out of her defensive shells. These shells are ideal for teams with fewer coaches, as players can participate and manage the drills on their own. Coach Knight shows how to get players involved in running each shell to keep practice moving.

These shells cover many defensive situations from the routine ground or fly ball to rundowns to passed balls and involve numerous players working together to practice almost any defensive situation. For example, one shell involves the battery and right side of the infield working together on pickoffs at first base while the left side of the infield and the outfielders simultaneously practice ground balls to the outfield and throwing the ball in to the appropriate base. Every player on the field is involved!

It is often said that pitching and defense win championships. If that's true, Coach Knight's defensive shells will help build an airtight defense that will lead to championships. Plan your practice with these shell drills in mind and become a winner!

71 minutes. 2015.



30 Proven Drills for Increasing Offensive Production

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featuring George Wares, Central College Head Coach,
over 1,000 Career wins - most winning coach in NCAA Division III softball history;
distinguished member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Hall of Fame (2007); 4x National Championship Coach

and Alicia O'Brien, Central College Associate Head Coach

There are many components to a successful and productive offense. A batter must have numerous weapons in her arsenal in order to be successful. In this presentation, Coach George Wares, the most winning coach in NCAA Division III softball history, shows you how to create a productive offense that will put pressure on defenses and score more runs! Coach Wares shares over 30 of his favorite drills to develop hitters and slappers.

Tee Drills and Soft Toss Drills
Tee work is a building block of Coach Wares' offensive approach. Using live demonstrations, he explains six tee drills that allow hitters to focus more on their mechanics. Hitters progress to five soft toss drills that emphasize contact point. Throughout the drills, Coach Wares offers important points of emphasis for the hitter and the coach.

Cage and Live Hitting Drills
Teach your hitters to put pressure on opposing pitchers by only swinging at strikes. Coach Wares shares five cage drills he uses with batters to help develop strike zone discipline and work on pitches of different speeds. Finally, hitters progress into live hitting situations where the batter is competing with the pitcher to get a hit. Coach Wares uses these opportunities to check his batters' mindsets. You'll see how he helps his players learn to deal with failure by checking in with them and asking about their mindset after they experience a failure.

Bunt Drills
One key to having a productive offense is possessing many weapons. Bunting is one of those important weapons for advancing runners without pressuring the batter to get a hit. Coach Wares explains six bunting drills, which his players demonstrate, that will help your hitter get the bunt down when the game is on the line.

Slap Hitting Drills
Slappers will always put pressure on an opposing defense because they must play quicker. Learn how to further develop a slapper or convert a right-handed hitter into a slapper with Coach Wares' seven drills for slapping. Coach Wares also shows you how to help your slappers develop confidence on the left side by teaching them to hit away.

Coaches at all levels will find drills in this presentation that will help them make their practices more interesting and productive.

73 minutes. 2015.

22 Proven Drills for Infielders and Outfielders

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with George Wares, Central College Head Coach,
over 1,000 Career wins - most winning coach in NCAA Division III softball history;
distinguished member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Hall of Fame (2007); 4x National Championship Coach

and Alicia O'Brien, Central College Associate Head Coach

Opposing offenses are faster than ever, applying constant pressure on defenses to play fast and not make any mistakes. To do this, a coach must develop fundamentally sound infielders and outfielders. In this presentation, four-time National Championship Coach George Wares shows how to meet that objective using 22 proven drills.

Outfield Drills
Coach Wares shares 12 drills to help outfielders' throwing, footwork, reaction and tracking skills. Coaches who struggle to find drills for indoor outfield work will especially benefit from this section. Use Coach Wares' three throwing drills, created specifically for outfielders, to teach players how to throw correctly with a long arm circle, so they'll have stronger arms and fewer injuries. Coach Wares also has his players demonstrate a few tennis ball drills that help outfielders perfect their fundamentals. Many of Coach Wares' outfield drills have a conditioning component, which gets players in top playing shape and force them to execute when they are tired.

Infield Drills
Make games easier by making practice tougher with Coach Wares' 10 drills for infielders. Coach Wares offers coaching advice and drills for practicing infielders' pre-pitch movement, soft hands, quick transfer and release, allowing your athletes to "play quicker." Many of Coach Wares' drills also give players a chance to work on certain mental skills like focus and concentration, while putting players in competitive situations.

Improve pitching performance and hold opposing offenses at bay with drills and strategies for an error-free defense from one of the game's best coaches.

71 minutes. 2015.

Competitive Team Drills for Softball

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with George Wares, Central College Head Coach,
over 1,000 Career wins - most winning coach in NCAA Division III softball history;
distinguished member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Hall of Fame (2007); 4x National Championship Coach

It's hard for players to show competitiveness in a game if they don't first have it with their team in practice. Learn how to make games feel easier by making your practice more difficult! Coach George Wares, the most winning coach in Division III softball history, shares 20 drills that will put your players in competitive situations and inspire competition among the team.

Indoor Drills
Don't let the weather hold your team back from competitive greatness! Coach Wares begins indoors with his team, demonstrating eight drills designed to foster competition that can be used during indoor practices. These competitive drills focus on various skills such as throwing and rundowns, fielding and bunting. Although these drills are done indoors, they are easily converted into outdoor drills, giving coaches even more options.

Team Building Drills
Coach Wares introduces two team-building drills that require players to work together in competitive situations. Throughout these drills, Coach Wares emphasizes the importance of winning and taking pride in winning. On the opposite end of the spectrum, when players are not up to the task, they must experience finishing last ,which helps foster their desire to win. Teach your players how to compete together!

Outdoor Drills
Practice moves outdoors where Coach Wares runs 10 drills specifically for outdoor use. These drills cover defense, base running, communication and conditioning. Most importantly, the drills put players in positions where they can either execute and be successful or fail. Softball is often called a game of failure ...teach your players how to handle failure! During the conditioning drills, athletes must battle adversity and learn how to complete the drill when they are tired.

Coach Wares gives a detailed, intense presentation that will develop the mental and physical toughness of your team.

101 minutes. 2015.

Training the Battery Through the Legs and Core

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with Christina Sutcliffe,
Northern Illinois University Head Coach;
back-to-back MAC Tournament runners-up (2013-14)

With explosive offenses becoming a softball staple, pitchers must be stronger than ever to shut down opposing hitters. Christina Sutcliffe gives you 25 drills for training your pitchers and catchers. Coach Sutcliffe shows you how to teach pitchers to use their legs and compete better, and then moves on to the catchers, focusing on framing, throwing and blocking.

Pitching
The pitching motion starts from the ground up, so Coach Sutcliffe starts her work by focusing on pitcher's legs. Coach Sutcliffe shares 10 drills that emphasize the role of the legs in the pitching motion. These drill focus on developing leg strength, staying balanced and being explosive through the pitch.

Coach Sutcliffe introduces five game-like drills that simulate the competitive pressures pitchers face on game day. These drills not only incorporate competition, they also help teach the strategy of pitching and where to throw certain pitches based on counts.

Catching
Give your pitchers the confidence to throw any pitch in their arsenal by training your catchers to receive or block (if necessary) any pitch. Catchers can help the pitchers get more called strikes by framing pitches that are close to the strike zone. Coach Sutcliffe offers three drills to help catchers make close pitches look better to the umpire. You'll also see four drills to help your catchers develop leg strength and block pitches in the dirt.

Help your catcher who doesn't have a strong arm - or make your strong-armed catcher even better - by practicing quick transitions to each base. Coach Sutcliffe explains some of the mechanics catchers need to master when throwing the ball to different bases. She explains and demonstrates three throwing drills that will help your catchers throw out runners on bunts, pick offs and steals.

Coach Sutcliffe shows you how to get the most out of your battery by having your pitchers and catchers work together and build their game from the ground up.

74 minutes. 2015.


55 Drills for Building Hitters from the Ground Up

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with Christina Sutcliffe,
Northern Illinois University Head Coach;
back-to-back MAC Tournament runners-up (2013-14)

Discover 55 drills you can use to develop powerful hitters from the ground up. Starting with the legs, Christina Sutcliffe covers the key components of the swing including hand path and extension before offering advice and drills for slappers.

Legs
Since the swing starts from the ground, Coach Sutcliffe works from the ground up when training her hitters. Using stationary and active leg drills, you'll see how she trains her hitters to generate power from their legs.

Learn how to help your players get more out of their legs with 10 drills designed to improve players' weight shift and leg drive.

Hand Path
Extra movement in the swing decreases consistency so one goal of any good hitter is to have a swing that is short to the ball. This requires an efficient hand path. Coach Sutcliffe introduces 12 drills to help your hitters get their hands to the ball efficiently and with no extra movement.

Extension
Once the hitter makes contact with the ball, the next task is to extend through the pitch. Good extension helps hitters keep their bat in the zone longer, making them more consistent and powerful.

In this video, you will learn about the power lines for each pitch and where extension should happen for inside, outside and middle pitches. In addition to learning about these concepts, you will see demonstrations of 10 drills you can use to develop and improve extension.

Visual Training
Discover 12 drills to help hitters see the ball better and develop concentration skills by training them to focus on the incoming pitch.

Competitive Drills
To help you keep practice fresh and exciting, Coach Sutcliffe shares six hitting games that will challenge your team by pitting them against each other. When your players compete in practice they are prepared for the competitive pressures they will experience on game day.

Slapping
Key pieces to any successful line-up are the table setters, those versatile players who can get on base to set the table for the big hitters to drive them in. Coach Sutcliffe introduces six drills that she uses to train her slappers how to become more explosive out of the batter's box and quicker to first base. She also shows how many of the drills she uses with her hitters can be converted for use with slappers.

Packed with 55 drills, this presentation is sure to give even the most experienced hitting coaches more than a few new ideas.

89 minutes. 2015.

25 Defensive Team Drills for Infield and Outfield

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with Christina Sutcliffe,
Northern Illinois University Head Coach;
back-to-back MAC Tournament runners-up (2013-14)

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.

Learning to Hit for Power & Average

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with Jessica Jones,
SIU-Edwardsville Associate Head Coach;
2015 Ohio Valley Conference Champions;
played for Purdue University (four-year starter, team captain, All Big Ten player)

Most batters want to hit the ball for both average and power. However, it is difficult to do both because power hitters tend to be more inconsistent, while high-average hitters tend to sacrifice power to maintain their consistency. Jessica Jones explains the mechanics, approach, and drills to build a hitter that's the complete package. Everything from the load, to the bat path and the swing path are described, and drills are demonstrated to help you get the most out of your hitters.

During this video, Jones does a great job of explaining the purpose of each drill and what the hitter should feel and focus on as they complete the drills. Each drill helps hitters get a feel for a certain component of the swing - without segmenting the swing. All of the drills are full-body drills that isolate either the hand path or load and rhythm part of the swing.

Swing Mechanics

One of the first keys to hitting is having a fundamentally sound swing. Coach Jones offers drills to help batters eliminate flaws in their swing. She starts with the lower body and explains the proper rhythm and timing of the load. In the load phase, drills such as Heel to Toe, Flamingo 3 Touch, the Samurai and the Skater Stevens simplify the use of the load. Each of these drills emphasize the use of the hands and legs loading as well as getting rhythm and timing down.

Coach Jones moves on to show how a direct bat path will bring the hitter's hands forward to the ball in the correct manner, which sets the bat up to stay in contact with the ball longer. Drills include the progressive Swing Drill, Quick Hands Drill, the Sweet Spot Bat Drill, and Reverse Top Hand. All these tee drills help batters become more successful at using their load while using an efficient bat path.

Hitting for Average

Hitters who are consistent must demonstrate good swing fundamentals and excellent pitch selection. Coach Jones introduces five drills to help hitters become more consistent. The focus is on driving "hittable" pitches. This is achieved by understanding what the batter's strengths are, pitches she can hit, and being more consistent at the plate. Jones moves to one-hand drills while staying to contact, extension and full swings.

In one particular visual drill, tennis balls are tossed to the hitter, and they must verbally identify something written on the ball. This visual drill will help the hitter track the ball better, which will in turn aid them in better pitch selection.

Hitting for Power

Coach Jones shares 10 drills aimed at increasing a hitter's bat speed, hand speed, and leg drive, which will help your hitter be more explosive and drive the ball.

Jones' walk-throughs help your hitters develop timing and rhythm along with power. Weighted balls strengthen the wrist and aid hitters in driving through the pitch. You'll see the double tee drill, which helps with extension, and the pump drill, which helps hitters keep rhythm while powering through the ball. Front tosses of varying speeds help batters develop timing off the pitcher, and self- tosses teach hitters where to contact the ball with power.

Getting on base and driving in runs is what leads to more victories. This video has many drills - a comprehensive list of tee and soft toss drills -that focus on improving batting averages and increasing power and will improve your hitters at all levels!

56 minutes. 2017.

Hitting Drills for Consistent Contact

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with Randy Ward,
Loyola Marymount University Assistant Coach;
in 2016, the Lions led the nation in doubles (106) and doubles per game (2.00)

One of the reasons that hitting is so difficult is because it's a complex, multifaceted skill. Batters must have not only a fundamentally-sound swing, but also good timing, bat control, and eye tracking skills to hit a fast-moving ball consistently.

In this video, Randy Ward introduces you to the basic hitting mechanics and provides 16 diverse drills to build your team's batting skills. Coach Ward walks you through his hitting program, which gives hitters a specific purpose for every swing. You'll see:

  • Hitting Philosophy
  • Critical Points of Emphasis, and
  • How Coaching Points Evolve Throughout the Year
  • Mechanics

    Coach Ward explains the optimal body position at several key check points during the swing. Learn how the relationship between the bat angle to shoulder, combined with the relationship between the front elbow on contact and bat path can improve a hitter's consistency and overall effectiveness. He explains how to hit pitches that are low in the zone by tilting the shoulders and not dropping the hands, which keeps the hitter in a stronger position as they approach contact.

    Timing Drills

    Hitting is all about timing, and the goal of most pitchers is to upset the hitter's timing. In one particular `ABC Drill' for timing, the players start singing the ABCs to themselves and stop when they make contact with the pitch. This drill helps reinforce timing and reminds batters of their internal clock.

    Bat Control and Bat Path Drills

    Learn the drills that will lead to improved bat control and an optimal bat path. A good bat path will help keep the bat in the zone longer, increasing the hitter's chance of making solid contact with the ball. Bat control will help the hitter be more consistent to contact and help them steer the ball where it needs to go.

    Create a Hitting Plan

    Discover how to break the year into segments to develop hitters who make consistent contact on the ball. Use different points of emphasis in different times of the year to ensure that players understand and can execute the hitting plan:

    • Arrival from summer break: Small group and individual work.
    • Team practice in fall: Working on a plan for the season with emphasis on speed and location of pitches.
    • Back from winter break: Understand strengths and weaknesses, challenging the player through drills that force adjustments needed to be able to succeed at the plate.
    • This video will help your hitters improve their fundamentals while teaching them to make solid contact more consistently. Coach Ward shows how giving your hitters a clearly defined purpose in every aspect of the hitting program can foster buy-in for a consistent team approach. The program is focused on empowering young hitters with the tools to self-diagnose and correct flaws on their own so they can become complete hitters!

      96 minutes. 2017

The Blueprint for an Aggressive Hitter: Mechanics and Drills

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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

Becoming a great hitter isn't an easy task. In addition to having solid swing fundamentals, good hitters need to have great timing and a plan for which pitches they want to hit. Shonda Stanton teaches you how to build a fundamentally-sound swing by using specific, yet simplified swing cues, progressions, and drills. She also addresses ways to help a hitter practice rhythm and timing of the pitch as well as drills to work on mental approach and situational hitting.

Coach Stanton builds from the ground up, stressing a few important aspects of hitting while keeping the batter comfortable while in the box. Her drill progression allows for players to develop an effective swing and then, more importantly, a great ability to execute at game speed.

Swing Mechanics

Make hitting a little easier to understand for your athletes. Coach Stanton uses a simplified approach to teach the mechanics of the swing by breaking it down into manageable parts, including:

  • Stance
  • Rhythm
  • Negative move
  • Stride
  • Contact
  • Finish

Learn the key points for each part of the swing and what to look for in each segment. She also discusses problematic areas of the swing and potential causes and cures.

Progression Drills

Coach Stanton demonstrates 16 drills that progressively increase in difficulty, building into the ultimate challenge of live hitting. Learn how to warm-up properly and prepare the body to swing ferociously with six bat calisthenics. Coach Stanton accentuates the phases of the swing while implementing a series of drills that build hitters from their foundations, including:

  • No ball drills
  • Still ball drills
  • Tossed ball drills

  • Timing & Approach Drills
  • Timing is one of the most difficult aspects of hitting. Coach Stanton offers six drills designed to emphasize different aspects of timing. You'll get four approach drills that work on bat control and pitch identification. There are also drills that force a batter to make decisions on which pitches to look for and how to hit them. The Spray Drill helps the batter learn bat control and place balls where they want them to go, while also learning to take pitches they might not be able to handle.

    Finally, batting practice ends with live situational hitting drills where the hitters must execute in five common situations:

    • Hit and run
    • Hit behind the runner going first to third base
    • Score the runner from second base
    • Runner at third base, sacrifice fly
    • Runner at third base, score them anyway

    Get your players hitting more strategically to drive in more runs with this great video from Coach Stanton!

    66 minutes. 2017.

    Small Ball: Tips and Training

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    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

    Learn from the master of small ball herself, Shonda Stanton. Speed can be a game changer in softball games, as fast batters apply pressure to the defense. Coach Stanton opens up her playbook to introduce ways that will allow your team's offense to overpower your opponent. From bunting and slapping mechanics, to small ball for right-handed batters, Coach Stanton covers everything you need to know about playing small ball for big results.

    Bunt and Slap Mechanics

    Coach Stanton runs through the mechanics of bunting and slapping from the left side, and shows you the footwork that will get your slappers out of the box and down the line faster. It's vital for coaches to have a solid understanding of bunting technique. Coach Stanton breaks down the sacrifice bunt, bunt for hit, split bunt and the two-hand drag so that your team will understand not only when to use them, but the proper form as well.

    It's nearly impossible to defend against a great slapper. This video will help you teach your slappers how to be most effective with the power slap, soft slap, regular slap and bouncers. Coach Stanton also teaches how to hit in motion and swing away. When your slappers become a triple threat, they'll become the most dangerous players on the field.

    Small Ball for Right Handers

    Lefties aren't the only ones who get to have fun with small ball - right-handers can join in too! Teach your right-handed hitters how to lay down a bunt, slap the ball, or bunt for a base hit to make them harder for defenses to defend.

    Small Ball Drills

    Coach Stanton believes in teaching in progressions, starting a drill out small and gradually building up in difficulty. Learn five bunt progression drills and five slap progression drills that take your lefties from a basic, stationary position and build to them running full speed through the box. In the One Glove Drill, batters wear their fielding glove on their back arm and catch the ball with their glove instead of a bat to practice bunting the ball. Push your lefties to become triple threats with two hitting away drills.

    It's essential for players to work on fundamentals in batting practice, but they need to perform under pressure in practice before they can be successful in a game. Coach Stanton introduces you to several mini games that your team can play to prepare them for the stress of the game.

    Defense vs Small Ball

    Great teams know how to play small ball and they know how to find weaknesses in the defense. At the same time Coach Stanton teaches your offense, she will show your defense how to counter. When your defense is prepared, there are minimal holes for the offense to exploit.

    Any coach who wants multidimensional athletes climbing into the batter's box will benefit from Coach Stanton's approach. There's a logical progression of teaching combined with effective skill development drills that are sure to make a positive impact on your team. Open up the options in your offense by using these small ball tricks to generate big results!

    66 minutes. 2017.

    Shonda Stanton's Drills and Strategies for Offense 3-Pack

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    SD-05155A:

    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

    Becoming a great hitter isn't an easy task. In addition to having solid swing fundamentals, good hitters need to have great timing and a plan for which pitches they want to hit. Shonda Stanton teaches you how to build a fundamentally-sound swing by using specific, yet simplified swing cues, progressions, and drills. She also addresses ways to help a hitter practice rhythm and timing of the pitch as well as drills to work on mental approach and situational hitting.

    Coach Stanton builds from the ground up, stressing a few important aspects of hitting while keeping the batter comfortable while in the box. Her drill progression allows for players to develop an effective swing and then, more importantly, a great ability to execute at game speed.

    Swing Mechanics

    Make hitting a little easier to understand for your athletes. Coach Stanton uses a simplified approach to teach the mechanics of the swing by breaking it down into manageable parts, including:

    • Stance
    • Rhythm
    • Negative move
    • Stride
    • Contact
    • Finish

    Learn the key points for each part of the swing and what to look for in each segment. She also discusses problematic areas of the swing and potential causes and cures.

    Progression Drills

    Coach Stanton demonstrates 16 drills that progressively increase in difficulty, building into the ultimate challenge of live hitting. Learn how to warm-up properly and prepare the body to swing ferociously with six bat calisthenics. Coach Stanton accentuates the phases of the swing while implementing a series of drills that build hitters from their foundations, including:

    • No ball drills
    • Still ball drills
    • Tossed ball drills

  • Timing & Approach Drills
  • Timing is one of the most difficult aspects of hitting. Coach Stanton offers six drills designed to emphasize different aspects of timing. You'll get four approach drills that work on bat control and pitch identification. There are also drills that force a batter to make decisions on which pitches to look for and how to hit them. The Spray Drill helps the batter learn bat control and place balls where they want them to go, while also learning to take pitches they might not be able to handle.

    Finally, batting practice ends with live situational hitting drills where the hitters must execute in five common situations:

    • Hit and run
    • Hit behind the runner going first to third base
    • Score the runner from second base
    • Runner at third base, sacrifice fly
    • Runner at third base, score them anyway

    Get your players hitting more strategically to drive in more runs with this great video from Coach Stanton!

    66 minutes. 2017.



    SD-05155B:

    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

    Learn from the master of small ball herself, Shonda Stanton. Speed can be a game changer in softball games, as fast batters apply pressure to the defense. Coach Stanton opens up her playbook to introduce ways that will allow your team's offense to overpower your opponent. From bunting and slapping mechanics, to small ball for right-handed batters, Coach Stanton covers everything you need to know about playing small ball for big results.

    Bunt and Slap Mechanics

    Coach Stanton runs through the mechanics of bunting and slapping from the left side, and shows you the footwork that will get your slappers out of the box and down the line faster. It's vital for coaches to have a solid understanding of bunting technique. Coach Stanton breaks down the sacrifice bunt, bunt for hit, split bunt and the two-hand drag so that your team will understand not only when to use them, but the proper form as well.

    It's nearly impossible to defend against a great slapper. This video will help you teach your slappers how to be most effective with the power slap, soft slap, regular slap and bouncers. Coach Stanton also teaches how to hit in motion and swing away. When your slappers become a triple threat, they'll become the most dangerous players on the field.

    Small Ball for Right Handers

    Lefties aren't the only ones who get to have fun with small ball - right-handers can join in too! Teach your right-handed hitters how to lay down a bunt, slap the ball, or bunt for a base hit to make them harder for defenses to defend.

    Small Ball Drills

    Coach Stanton believes in teaching in progressions, starting a drill out small and gradually building up in difficulty. Learn five bunt progression drills and five slap progression drills that take your lefties from a basic, stationary position and build to them running full speed through the box. In the One Glove Drill, batters wear their fielding glove on their back arm and catch the ball with their glove instead of a bat to practice bunting the ball. Push your lefties to become triple threats with two hitting away drills.

    It's essential for players to work on fundamentals in batting practice, but they need to perform under pressure in practice before they can be successful in a game. Coach Stanton introduces you to several mini games that your team can play to prepare them for the stress of the game.

    Defense vs Small Ball

    Great teams know how to play small ball and they know how to find weaknesses in the defense. At the same time Coach Stanton teaches your offense, she will show your defense how to counter. When your defense is prepared, there are minimal holes for the offense to exploit.

    Any coach who wants multidimensional athletes climbing into the batter's box will benefit from Coach Stanton's approach. There's a logical progression of teaching combined with effective skill development drills that are sure to make a positive impact on your team. Open up the options in your offense by using these small ball tricks to generate big results!

    66 minutes. 2017.



    SD-05155C:

    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

    The offensive and defensive options of the first and third situation in softball present one of the most complex and nuanced situational decision-making environments for both players and coaches. Strong teams know how to handle the first and third situation on both offense and defense. With this video, you'll learn how to incorporate each phase of the first and third into a practice setting.

    Shonda Stanton details many base running options at both first and third base, the purpose of each option and when a coach would want to use each option to put pressure on the defense and create run scoring opportunities. She also discusses defensive options to shut down aggressive teams' first and third opportunities, including essential rundown principles.

    First and Third Base Options and Commands

    The more runners you put in scoring position, the more runs you'll score. Coach Stanton defines four different options for safely getting a runner to second base, and explains ways to pressure the defense into making mistakes. She also expands on the benefits of each option and when teams would best use each of them.

    The defense will implement many plays to prevent the runner from scoring and to get runners out. Coach Stanton covers six options at third base, including commands that a coach would use based on how the defense is trying to execute its strategy. She thoroughly explains when and why you would use each particular strategy.

    Coach Stanton shows you how to prepare your runners to make their own decisions about when to go. Teaching your athletes to read and react on the base paths makes them more unpredictable, putting even more pressure on the defense.

    Defensive Strategies for First and Third Situations

    All too often, defenses give up second base to keep a runner from scoring, or they give up the run to get an out. Coach Stanton breaks down your defensive opportunities, allowing you to determine the defensive set up that suits your team best. She gives you a glimpse of the 12 different defenses employed by Marshall University and shows drills to train your players. Your defense will be prepared for anything your opponent throws at you.

    Simplify the Rundown

    Effective execution of the rundown is essential to to first and third defense. Not only is it important to get the out, but the defense needs to be able to hold the runner or get the second out. Coach Stanton explains the run down from when to throw, when and where to run, how to communicate, how to place tags, and how to finish the play. These are demonstrated with simple drills and appropriate cues.

    Coaching First and Third

    One of the most important players in the first and third situation is the coach, but many don't focus on the correct responsibilities. Your job is to keep your runners safe, and Coach Stanton shows you how. With these tools, you will be able to identify pick-off plays and keep your runners safe from the dreaded out.

    Coach Stanton gives you an efficient and effective practice plan that provides athletes confidence in both offensive and defensive first and third base scenarios.

    66 minutes. 2017.




    First and Third Offensive & Defensive Strategies

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    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

    The offensive and defensive options of the first and third situation in softball present one of the most complex and nuanced situational decision-making environments for both players and coaches. Strong teams know how to handle the first and third situation on both offense and defense. With this video, you'll learn how to incorporate each phase of the first and third into a practice setting.

    Shonda Stanton details many base running options at both first and third base, the purpose of each option and when a coach would want to use each option to put pressure on the defense and create run scoring opportunities. She also discusses defensive options to shut down aggressive teams' first and third opportunities, including essential rundown principles.

    First and Third Base Options and Commands

    The more runners you put in scoring position, the more runs you'll score. Coach Stanton defines four different options for safely getting a runner to second base, and explains ways to pressure the defense into making mistakes. She also expands on the benefits of each option and when teams would best use each of them.

    The defense will implement many plays to prevent the runner from scoring and to get runners out. Coach Stanton covers six options at third base, including commands that a coach would use based on how the defense is trying to execute its strategy. She thoroughly explains when and why you would use each particular strategy.

    Coach Stanton shows you how to prepare your runners to make their own decisions about when to go. Teaching your athletes to read and react on the base paths makes them more unpredictable, putting even more pressure on the defense.

    Defensive Strategies for First and Third Situations

    All too often, defenses give up second base to keep a runner from scoring, or they give up the run to get an out. Coach Stanton breaks down your defensive opportunities, allowing you to determine the defensive set up that suits your team best. She gives you a glimpse of the 12 different defenses employed by Marshall University and shows drills to train your players. Your defense will be prepared for anything your opponent throws at you.

    Simplify the Rundown

    Effective execution of the rundown is essential to to first and third defense. Not only is it important to get the out, but the defense needs to be able to hold the runner or get the second out. Coach Stanton explains the run down from when to throw, when and where to run, how to communicate, how to place tags, and how to finish the play. These are demonstrated with simple drills and appropriate cues.

    Coaching First and Third

    One of the most important players in the first and third situation is the coach, but many don't focus on the correct responsibilities. Your job is to keep your runners safe, and Coach Stanton shows you how. With these tools, you will be able to identify pick-off plays and keep your runners safe from the dreaded out.

    Coach Stanton gives you an efficient and effective practice plan that provides athletes confidence in both offensive and defensive first and third base scenarios.

    66 minutes. 2017.

    All Access Softball Practice with Mike Candrea

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    featuring Mike Candrea,
    University of Arizona Head Coach;
    8x NCAA Champions, winningest coach in NCAA Division I Softball history (1500+ wins);
    4x National Coach of the Year; named the Pac-12 Coach of the Century;
    Distinguished member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Hall of Fame (1996);
    '04, '08 US Olympic Softball Coach (Gold in '04, Silver in '08)

    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!

    Indoor Skills and Drills for Better Infield Defense

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    with Randy Ward,
    Loyola Marymount University Assistant Coach;
    in 2016, the Lions led the nation in doubles (106) and doubles per game (2.00)

    Small practice space? Doesn't matter! Randy Ward shows how you how to run a complete defensive workout for your infielders, all within the confines of a smaller indoor space.

    Coach Ward provides a walk through and demonstration of fielding, throwing, and receiving progressions that are designed to build a solid foundation in defensive mechanics. He presents over 30 drills designed to reinforce best practices in order to improve the quickness and overall success rate of infielders.

    Simplify Throwing Mechanics

    Coach Ward implements a 3-step throwing technique to establish the proper positions of the glove, hand, elbow, feet and fingers in the throwing motion. This will help you and your players easily find and correct throwing flaws while decreasing errant throws.

    Throws and Flips

    To be able to throw out a runner, fielders have to have as many tools as possible. Coach Ward walks you through the basic checkpoints of throwing from all levels and angles, as well as the best situations to use each one. Throws include:

    • Routine throw - For most infield throwing situations
    • Dart throw - For throwing in rundown situations
    • "Tilt" throws - Ideal for quick release on low bounce balls
    • Underhand flips - Focus on receipt of the ball, quick transfer, clearing the glove behind the body and exposing the ball to the receiver during the throw.Glove flips - Can be the fastest delivery of the ball depending on the scenario, by eliminating a ball transfer while delivering the ball.

    Receiving a Throw

    Footwork and glove position are paramount to recording an out. Learn how jab steps, shuffle steps, and body spins help to position the feet and lower body in a way that maximizes the use of the legs and throwing mechanics to field and deliver the ball quickly.

    Ward demonstrates the unique characteristics of receiving throws in force plays versus tag play situations. You'll learn three ways to get outs on a force play at the base, including how to pick a throw that bounces short of the base and the best way to transfer into a throwing position. He also explains when and how standard tags and swipe tags should be applied based on the throw.

    Increase your chances of achieving the elusive double play. Ward demonstrates how to improve footwork around the bases when receiving the ball from different angles, as well as decreasing transfer time by ensuring the feed is in the right place at the right time.

    Fielding Any Type of Ground Ball

    Players need to understand how to not only field a ground ball, but how to do it quickly and in the best position to throw the runner out. Ward breaks down each situation and provides you with a step-by-step solution for any circumstances you may encounter. Because softball is not a game of perfection, he also shows your fielders how to recover from bad hops and booted balls to make the out in poor conditions.

    Additionally, ard shows you a pre-pitch routine to get your players prepared to move in any direction with the most range as the batter makes contact with the ball. They'll get to the ball faster and create more outs.

    Drills to Maximize Practice Time

    In practice, time is of the essence. Coach Ward introduces drills that allow you to focus on fundamentals of both the thrower and receiver and increase the effectiveness of your practice. The Mini 4 Corners Drill allows you to involve four players at a time and teach them throwing and receiving all different throws.

    Coach Ward shows you how to make the most of your space and time spent with your infielders. These drills are perfect for those cold or rainy days when going outside to practice on a field isn't an option.

    100 minutes. 2017.

    Developing Championship Catchers

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    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;
    coached some of Arizona's most decorated pitchers and catchers, including: Becky Lemke, Jennie Finch, Nancy Evans, Carrie Dolan, Leah Braatz and Lindsey Collins

    Your catcher is the most important person on the field. Avoiding a passed ball, catching a runner stealing a base, or framing a good pitch for a strike are all skills that require drilling catcher technique. Stacy Iveson explains the University of Arizona's philosophy to catching and then takes you inside a UA practice to demonstrate more than 15 drills focusing on leg strength, throwing, framing, and blocking used throughout the season.

    There are three major phases of this video. The early part of the video focuses on ways to get warmed up and to improve foot speed and leg strength. The bulk of the video centers on the multitude of drills that can be used to help catchers become more natural and athletic within the game of softball. These 19 drills are sure to improve the strength, speed and consistency of all catchers. Finally, Iveson breaks down many of the situational activities that all catchers need to understand, including retrieving wild pitches or passed balls, tag plays at the plate, and more.

    Attributes of a Great Catcher

    In addition to the physical tools necessary to be a successful catcher, they must be a leader on the field and demonstrate great mental toughness. Iveson explains the mental and physical skills that all great catchers share. Not only must catchers frame pitches, but they may be called on to block pitches in the dirt, receive throws at the plate, field bunts, retrieve balls at the backstop, and throw out potential base stealers.

    Drills

    Learn many of the drills and skill development techniques used by the Arizona coaches to make catchers perform at a world-class level. Catchers are often overlooked in practices because of the specialized activities of the position. At Arizona, position-specific activities from other positions are incorporated into the catcher development plan:

    • Daily throwing with the outfielders to develop arm strength in a gradual way
    • Taking ground balls like infielders would to improve their ability to receive throws from the outfield.

    Iveson offers 22 drills, plus a 5-step throwing progression, to help build the physical skills required to be a top-notch catcher. You'll see drills for:

    • Building leg strength and quickness needed to execute defensive throws and block errant pitches.
    • Working on arm speed, release time and arm strength - all critical to improving defense and giving the catcher a better chance to throw out runners.
    • Reinforcing position body and hands to properly "frame" a pitch to get more called strikes.
    • Improving throwing from one knee after a passed ball to make a good throw to home plate to get runner out and keep the pitcher in a safe position.
    • Blocking technique and practical training sets for passed balls that can be used on a daily basis.
    • Fielding short hops with both the backhand and forehand to practice receiving a less-than-perfect throw at the plate, which reduces passed balls and improves defense on plays at home plate.
    • And much more!

    In the Mirror Drill, catchers must mimic each other's movements while blocking, working on reaction and quickness. Conditioning has never been as fun as when two catchers try to out-do the other while working their legs and core muscles. In less than 2 minutes, your catchers will have finished a grueling blocking series and have had fun competing with their partner.

    Coach Iveson explains what it takes to be a great catcher, and gives you the drills to take your catchers to the next level!

    43 minutes. 2017.

    Developing Championship Pitchers

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    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;
    coached some of Arizona's most decorated pitchers and catchers, including: Becky Lemke, Jennie Finch, Nancy Evans, Carrie Dolan, Leah Braatz and Lindsey Collins

    Looking for a complete pitching program from one of the top programs in the nation? Stacy Iveson has developed several of the most dominant pitchers in college softball at the University of Arizona. In this video, she shows how to maximize the development and success of your pitching staff year-round. Discover concepts and practice plans that allow you to divide your pitching program into phases. You'll learn how to train to maximize your pitchers' development individually, and as part of a staff.

    Seasonal Plans

    Depending on whether you're in the off-season, preseason, or in-season, you'll want to prepare your pitchers differently. Iveson explains when and how you should work to improve your pitchers' strength, stamina and speed, and how to maintain those attributes throughout the season. Each skill required is covered in drill routines that can be incorporated into daily or 2-3 practices per week to work the pitching staff through the nine month cycle of off-season through in-season training.

    Coach Iveson shares the Wildcat blueprint for the three-stage training of pitchers. Her coaching plan covers:

    • Off-season workouts focusing on building a base of physical and mental skills. Pitchers will build a rapport and communication with the catchers and rest of the defense. Pitchers are developed physically through strength training to build stamina and velocity.
    • Pre-season workouts to shift the focus to live situations. Pitchers are challenged with pre-determined counts and batters standing in to work on specific outcomes. You'll also see how scrimmages are used as an opportunity to practice in-game adjustments.
    • In-season training that centers on the involvement of the pitchers in the overall team defense. Pitching staffs are integrated into the fielding drills and are prepared for their roles in the weekly game plan.

    Bullpens

    See how to run a live bullpen session with Coach Iveson and several of Arizona's pitchers. Iveson opens the doors to two of her bullpen workouts, where each pitcher has a specific focus and works on a different drill. This session highlights drills for developing accuracy and improving velocity and stamina. PFP (Pitcher Fielding Practice) is showcased as the cornerstone for integrating your pitchers into the overall defense. Iveson also offers ideas about how to transfer the success attained in the bullpen onto the field during games.

    Coach Iveson also explores philosophies behind managing the physical and mental aspects of pitchers. Pitching comes with a tremendous amount of physical and mental stress, so being able to help the pitcher and the team manage it is critical to the team's success.

    Help prepare your pitchers to peak when it matters most by altering workouts based on what phase of the season you're in. Learn the approach and drills that have led to consistent success on the pitcher's mound at Arizona!

    66 minutes. 2017.

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