Florida pitcher Kelly Barnhill warms up using an “insect looking thing”. Are you missing out on using what the WCWS teams use?
While you might not have all the players the teams in OKC do, you can certainly give your players the same training – here’s how.
Sure, the best teams have the best players. But they also have innovative coaches that are always learning and improving.
A great example of that is Jen Rocha, pitching coach for the Florida Gators. Jen is very innovative in her desire to reach and teach her players, as well as improve her players through challenge.
The great Holly Rowe called the item in the picture to the right, “an insect looking thing”, yet we know them as pitch break rods. Their purpose is to create a blockade for the pitch (shown by the thick blue arrow) to either break around, or in the case of how Kelly Barnhill uses them with her riseball, to keep the ball out of the middle of the plate (red arrows). They bend when they’re hit to avoid deflecting the ball into the catcher.
- Get yours: We’ve created a pitching rods package that comes with 2 pitching rods (like Barnhill was using) as well as the 3-location base. This base gives you the option of placing the 2 rods in any of 3 different locations. You can get your own in our Pitch-Path Kit.
So, let’s look at the training aids used by these top college softball programs from the simple, to the common, to the deluxe:
PITCHERS:
- Breaking Pitch Practice Kit – Often called pitching strings, this kit includes everything you need to help your pitchers work on improving the movement of their rise and dropballs.
- 14 Inch Training Softball – This oversized ball challenges pitcher’s grip, finger pressure and release resulting in better pitch movement. What’s so unique about this 14 inch ball is it’s cover. The material makes it easier for the pitcher to maintain her grip, and simply touching it makes their fingers come alive.
- Zip Balls – By far the most-used training aid by college teams! It helps pitchers improve their spin and movement and for catchers to practice blocking.
- Rapsodo – Definitely the Cadillac of training aids! Rapsodo Pitching helps pitchers to learn everything about their spin amount, direction, spin efficiency and more.
- Foam Trainers – Improves your pitcher’s overall speed and the dropball movement.
- Power Pods – Helps pitchers improve their drive and push off the rubber, thus increasing their speed.
- Ball Coach by Pocket Radar – Accurate, easy-to-use and as small as a cell phone, this radar gun is all you need to track your pitcher’s speed.
- Jugs Backyard Bullpen Package – No catcher, no problem. This package comes with everything your pitcher needs to practice on your own including the net with individual pockets for each location in the strike zone, a radar gun & tripod, a read-out cube, a throw-down homeplate, a bag to carry it all and a dozen balls!
HITTERS:
- Rapsodo Hitting – The Cadillac of training aids for hitters. It helps your hitters to see their exit velocity, launch angle, exit direction, spin rate and spin axis.
- Hitting Disks – Practice timing & swing path as well as great for confined spaces and camps!
- Top of the Line Batting Tee – This T is incredibly durable, moves up to the top of the strike zone and will actually stay up! Best batting T out there!
- Ball Coach by Pocket Radar – Want your hitters to hit the ball farther, then they’ve got to hit it harder. Use this easy-to-use radar gun to track your hitter’s exit velocities.
- Zip Balls – Great for bunting. Helps your hitters really focus on the ball!!
- The Anywhere Ball – As the name says, you can hit these anywhere. Great for confined space hitting, pre-game warmups and indoors. They last longer than whiffle balls and perform much better! Also great for camps!
- Curve & Screwball Hitting Trainers – Super popular balls that help hitters hit curveball and screwball pitchers by tracking the actual pitch paths.
- Curve & Power Pods – Easy way to help your hitters feel the back-hip drive through the ball. Portable, lightweight and won’t break with metal cleats.
FIELDERS:
- Power Pods – Help your catchers with their backfoot thrust and increase their release times!
- Zip Balls – These incredible training aids are used by college teams across the country to improve their fielders tracking and fielding mechanics, and really help their glove to hand transfer for throwing!
