All- Infield Drill to Handle Speed Teams
If you’re playing
that super-fast team and looking to speed up your infielders, I’ve got just the
drill for you.
Check out
a great way to help your infielders get faster without rushing.
Anybody who’s …
- Avoid the Danger of the Yesbots
In
today’s softball Yesbots are everywhere, and while they’re prevalent, they aren’t
helpful.
If your team is filled
with yesbots trouble could be looming.
We’re in
an era of coaches asking questions that they don’t …
- Pitching Solutions from a Bucket
Could
your pitchers stand to have more break or velocity on the ball? If so, you might be
surprised to discover what will help them get it.
Discover
a very powerful and simple way …
- 3 Leadership Lessons from a Football Championship
Whether you’re a college football fan or not doesn’t mean you can’t
learn these 3 great leadership lessons.
Within Clemson’s victory over Alabama are some
powerful lessons we can all benefit from.
College football …
- The Power of Practice
Practice makes perfect, doesn’t it? Make sure your practices have the greatest chance of improving your players.
For many, practice is just around the corner. Before you start, read this.
Softball season …
- 3 Ways to Make Your Resolutions Come True
Do you make New Year’s Resolutions? If so, make sure you’re doing these 3 things.
Most of the world
makes resolutions for the New Year and most of the world fails. Nail …
- For Pitching, or Any Skill, Get Simpler to Get Better
Because something is
difficult does that also make it complicated?
Many of us think that pitching must
be complicated because it’s hard to do. See why I disagree.
There’s no
question that pitching is difficult. …
- Knowledge Changes – Has Yours?
While we all still tell time, we don’t use sundials anymore. Discover why your knowledge must keep up.
Don’t get left behind in what you know now about softball!
There was a …
- Holiday Gifts for Your Favorite Softball Player or Team It’s the holiday season, the season of giving…but what do you get your favorite softball team or player? Don’t stress – we’ve got you covered!
We’ve packaged our most popular player …
- Fantastic Practice Plans – Ready to Use!
Are you struggling to make your practices more engaging, more effective and more organized?
If so, we’ve done the work for you!
No matter what level of softball you coach, you’ve still …
- Drastically Improve Your Pitchers Using a Tunnel True or false – pitchers don’t need more break on their pitches, they need their pitches to break later.
You might know the answer, but do you know how to practice …
- 5 Things Every Future-College Player Must Do Better While you’re trying to get your players noticed by college coaches, here’s 5 things they’ll wish you had taught them.
In addition to helping them get noticed, teach your players how …
- 4 Teammate Lessons from Alex Wilcox
As hundreds of teams do the wall sit in honor of Alex Wilcox, let her teach you how to be a great teammate!
If your team could stand to be better …
- Are Swing Mechanics Overrated?
Since Halloween is coming here’s my scary statement – I think we focus too much on mechanics.
Now read on and see if you agree with me.
When it comes to hitting, …
- 4 Frightening Powers of Change
Is there something you need to change, but you’re just too afraid? Join the club and find out why you should do it anyway.
It takes a lot to change, and …
- Bristow Returns to College Coaching
In the summer of huge coaching moves, Cindy Bristow, co-founder of Softball Excellence, will become the Pitching Coach for the University of California – Riverside, starting October 5th. “Family was …
- 3 Reasons for Pitching Blind Balls Hold on – before you think I’m suggesting that umpires are blind, or that pitchers should throw balls – read on and then decide.
If your pitcher’s ever struggle with their …
- A Simple Way to Dominate Those Scary Thoughts
Anxiety and fear are more common than ever in the minds of our players. Learn a simple technique for chasing away those demons.
Thoughts about failing are scary, and worse yet …
- When Is Too Many Pitches Too Many?
Pitchers have pitches as if they were badges of honor – as if the one with the most wins. That couldn’t be any farther from the truth.
Do your pitchers a …
- Is Your Strategy Aggressive at the Right Time? Where do you fall on the strategy meter? Whether you’re aggressive or not doesn’t matter as much as knowing when to take risks and when to play it safe.
There’s a …
- Is Your Team Culture Strong Enough to Win? It’s the start of a new softball season and hope is in the air. Is your team culture strong enough to win?
If you don’t want all your fall work to …
- The 2 Greatest Questions a Coach Can Ask
Want this year to be different and your players to come through in the clutch? Then you’ll want to memorize these 2 incredible questions!
Preparing our players is what we do …
- Hitters – Can You Handle the Red? While the swing is physical, being a good hitter over the course of a season is mental. The greatest question you can ask your hitters is – can they handle …
- Great Pitching Drill for the Backdoor Curve Your pitcher’s curveball is made even better when she can throw it “backdoor”. But learning to do so can be tough. Or can it?
Check out this terrific drill for teaching …
- The Answer to ALL Your Hitting Questions The Answer to ALL Your Hitting Questions
- My Favorite Movement Drill for Pitchers Check out the drill I like best to help pitchers improve their movement.
To increase movement pitchers must increase their finger pressure at release – check out how!
- Create Better Pitchers Without Throwing More Strikes Ever see hitters swing at pitches way out of the strike zone and wonder what is wrong with them?
If so, the reason lies in an X. Check out why.
We’ve …
- Take Control of Your Worry Instead of it Controlling You Worrying is very normal and yet harmful. Help your players gain control by replacing their worry.
Discover how to flip the script on your worrying and put yourself back in charge!
Let’s …
- Softball Players #2 in Clinical Depression Among Division I Athletes
Playing college softball seems to be every young player’s dream, and yet we’re faced with some alarming statistics. Discover why I think so many division I players have depression.
Over 30% …
- Improve Your Timing with this T Drill Learning how to swing is one thing but using that swing properly against an oncoming pitch is something totally different.
If you don’t have that expensive batting cage, you can …
- Failure Recovery Lessons from a WCWS Star If your players struggle mentally recovering from mistakes, then check out this championship level lesson.
Use this simple technique to help your players get past their mistakes and successfully move on. …
- Chase Away the Pitching Demons with this Off-On Pitching Drill If your pitchers throw great in practice and struggle in games this off-on drill will help.
The pitching rubber represents pressure to most pitchers – but not after using this simple …
- Don’t Be Left Behind – Use What the Best Use 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 …
- Are You Teaching the Whole Elephant? If you focus on mechanics and are still frustrated that your players can’t perform simple skills in games, I‘ve got a solution for you.
You might be surprised to learn that …
- Are Pitching Underhand and Overhand Any Different? We all know how important it is to have good pitching, but pitching is too complicated for most of us to teach it. Or is it?
You might be surprised to …
- 7 Ways to Win More Games Everybody wants to win more games, but not everybody has great pitching or power hitting. What if winning wasn’t based on that, but instead, on 7 key measurables.
Use my Team …
- Eliminate Your Fear of Mistakes – Just Be 1 Run Better
Being worried about how your team’s playing is normal this time of year – but not helpful. Learn how to switch your thinking and start playing better softball!
Free yourself up …
- 4 Keys for Your Next Mound Visit
Are you going out to the mound too early, or wondering what to say when you get there? Discover 4 keys for your next trip to the mound.
Learn how to …
- 3 Ways to Win the Close Ones Even with incredible pitching, tight games will come down to a single play resulting in the difference of a single run. Is your defense ready?
Check out 3 ways to improve …
- 3 Ways to Help Your Players Control Their Suck*
It’s tough to play when you know you suck, but players must learn to turn it around – and we can help them!
Hoping you never suck isn’t a good strategy. …
- The Pitching Chart the Champions Use Now’s your chance to use the same pitching chart used by the national champion Oklahoma Sooners!
While you might not have the pitchers that Oklahoma does, that doesn’t mean you can’t …
- 3 Slump Busting Drills
Breaking out of a slump is tough stuff. But now you can actually practice it – check out how.
Slumps are one of life’s great mysteries, because you can’t practice them…or …
- Don’t Add Another Monkey
How we think plays a HUGE role in how we play. Discover the role that monkeys play in our success.
Having monkey-thoughts can destroy your performance so make sure you know …
- Pitching – Lawnmower
If your pitcher throws a Peel Drop (Instead of a Rollover Drop) then have her think about starting a lawnmower with her hand as she releases the ball. This powerful …
- How Your Opponent’s Talent Determines Your Strategy When the time comes for you to play a more talented team, be sure you know the right strategy moves to make.
You might be surprised to learn that your strategy …
- A Long Machine Drill for Hitting the Changeup It’s one thing to know a changeup is coming, but quite another to have the patience to let the ball travel. Learn a great way to help your hitters practice …
- 4 Teamwork Lessons from Snow
Whether your Holidays were spent in the snow or not, there are some powerful teamwork lessons that snow can teach all of us!
Snow is never about the single little snow …
- 10 Tips for Starting Your Softball Season
If you’re anxious to start your softball season off strong, then check out my Top 10 Tips!
These quick tips will get you ready to make 2018 a success!
Lots of things …
- Catching – Throwing Footwork
When making a throw down to 2nd base, your catcher will probably need different footwork on an inside pitch than when she catches an outside pitch. Whenever a catcher receives …
- The Best Things I Learned This Year I love learning, so I learn a LOT of new stuff every year. Here’s my Best Of list for Things I’ve Learned in 2017!
As coaches, we’re in the improving business, …
- A Drill for Controlling the Flip Change To help your pitcher throw her flip change for a strike, make sure you know this very simple drill.
A change up thrown too high can spell big danger for a …
- 3 Keys for Coaching “Kids These Days”
It’s tough to relate to players that live in a whole different world. Or is it? How to relate to your players in 3 easy steps.
December through February are popular …
- Be an Adjustment Wizard
The wizarding world of Harry Potter has taught lots of kids the wonder of magic and the power of belief. See how Harry can help your players as well!
You might …
- Improve Your Pitches Using this 3 Plate Pitching Drill If you’d love your pitchers to have better movement, here’s a great drill to help make that happen.
All pitchers work on their snaps and spins and, yet all their pitches …
- Be a Better Hitter with One Simple Change
Hitting’s a difficult skill that’s as much mental as it is physical. If you’re looking for that “one thing” to help your hitters, this might be it.
Could your hitters stand …
- Championship Lessons from the Houston Astros
The Houston Astros just conquered the baseball world, winning the World Series. Learn 3 valuable lessons from their journey to becoming world champions.
Life wasn’t always so good for the Astros. …
- 3 Downsides to Focusing on Mechanics Even mentioning that mechanics might have a downside is risky, but before you click off, hear me out.
Mechanics aren’t bad, they just use a part of the brain that …
- Add More Power with 1 Simple Hitting Adjustment If you could make 1 simple adjustment to your hitters to give them more power would you do it?
Of course you would, so check out how …
If your players …
- Increase Your Pitcher’s Movement with this 3 Ball Drill Are you trying to help your pitchers get more movement and just can’t come up with anything? I’ve got the drill for you!
Use this challenging drill to improve your pitcher’s …
- Are Your Second Base Lead Offs Costing You Runs? Does your team struggle scoring once your runners reach second? If so, the answer might lie in your leadoffs.
Leading off from second base is different from first or third base, …
- Why Hitters MUST Drop Their Back Shoulder Almost every hitter I know has been told they shouldn’t drop their back shoulder. Read on to see why this is not only bad advice, but crucial for hitting strikes!
I’m …
- Are You a Helpful or Harmful Softball Parent? Every softball team has parents, but not all softball parents’ behaviors are helpful. Here’s a way for your parents to ensure their actions are helping their daughters.
There’s a fine line …
- 6 Preparation Lessons from Hurricane Irma
The impact of Hurricanes Irma and Harvey seem too big to comprehend and yet within these horrible storms lie some incredible lessons in preparation that can help all of us.
Whether …
- Prepare for Pitching Speeds with a Simple Hitting Drill Having good hitters is one thing, but having hitters that can successfully hit pitchers of all speeds is when you win ball games. Check out this simple drill for hitting …
- 5 Things that Must Happen BEFORE You Get Recruited
Recruiting is happening at younger and younger ages, and with that, come some very big consequences for the player and the college coach. If you’re trying to get recruited you …
- 2 Keys to Improve Your Slapper Learn two critical slapping keys that one of the best slapping coaches in the country recently shared with me.
Having slappers in your lineup can wreak havoc with the defense, but …
- My Top Takeaways from the Pitching Summit
Our recent Pitching Summit was a huge success, and while everyone couldn’t attend, here are my Pitching Summit Takeaways that will make all of your pitchers better.
Discover what I learned …
- My Top Takeaways from the Hitting Summit
Our first-ever Hitting Summit was a huge success, and while I know that everyone couldn’t be there, I want to share my Top Hitting Summit Takeaways to help your hitters …
- Bang the Bucket – Throwing Drill Do you feel like your team practices throwing all the time only to lose games because they can’t throw? Discover how this Bang the Bucket Drill will reinforce accuracy instead …
- Put Your Oxygen Mask on First
We’ve all been on airplanes and heard the flight attendant tell us that “in case of an emergency, an oxygen mask will drop down from the ceiling. Put your mask …
- How to Avoid Making the 4 Biggest Pitch Calling Mistakes
Having a pitcher with different pitches is one thing but understanding how to call them, which pitches to use and when to use them is completely different. Learn to avoid …
- Eliminate their Not-Thoughts With many of you playing in National Tournaments this week or next, the pressure on your players to perform really builds. How they talk to themselves can make all the …
- Your Hitters Only Have One Brain The idea of having more than 1 brain is ridiculous, but in fact, it’s what many of us ask our hitters to have on every swing and every time we …
- How to Get More Tag Outs Tagging runners out might seem like it has everything to do with the throw. But, you might be surprised to learn there’s a secret in how you make the tag.
There’s …
- Are You Recruiting Players that Fit Through Your Funnel? You’re in the busiest recruiting time of the year, out looking for kids that will be the future of your program. But are you making sure they’ll fit through your …
- Strengthen Your Middle Infield & Strengthen Your Team Except for your pitcher and catcher, your middle infield has the most influential impact on the outcome of your games. Could yours stand to get better? If so, then you’ll …
- How to Score Runs When Your Team Can’t Hit While we’d all love to have a lineup full of clutch, power-hitters, that isn’t always the case. Hitting can go on vacation, and when it does, you’ve still got to …
- 5 Ways an Animal Trainer Can Make You a Better Coach
It turns out that whether you’re training a seal, a dog or a softball player the methods are pretty much the same. Discover 5 ways an animal trainer can help …
- 1-2-3-4 Scrimmage
This modified scrimmage creates competition while challenging your players to rise to the occasion and get it done, now! Check out how.
Create a game-like situation that forces your players to …
- How the Knock-Off Drill Improves Pitching Control & Focus Watching your pitcher lose her control or focus is one of the most painful things that can happen as a coach. Help her practice both with this challenging and fun …
- Why Your Pitchers Should be Using Up-Backs Do your pitchers look terrific when they’re up-close warming up, only to struggle once they move back to the rubber? If so, then Up-Backs are just what your pitchers need.
Up-Backs …
- 3 Reasons to Post Your Lineup After Each Practice It’s game-time and you’re reading out today’s starting lineup…you dread it & your players hate it. Discover a better way that will improve your practices AND eliminate any shock and …
- Create Competitiveness by Counting Points in Practice Do you struggle making practice more game-like? Could your players get more competitive in practice? If so, then check out a great way to count points that will make your …
- 3 Coaching Lessons from the Chinese Bamboo Tree
The Chinese Bamboo Tree is a truly amazing plant that offers 3 coaching lessons that will definitely make you better!
The growth of this incredible plant resembles how our players develop …
- How a Trashcan Will Improve Your Defense Discover how the lowly trashcan will improve your defense, by helping to create throwing lanes.
From doubleplays to bunts, fielders have to make plays by throwing around runners. While this isn’t …
- Bunt Coverage – Are You Sure Who Goes Where?
Your players practice throwing and fielding properly, but when that bunt goes down, do they have a clue who goes where? Who covers 3rd when the runner’s fast – make …
- A Great Indoor & Outdoor Hitting Drill Whether you’re practicing indoors or outdoors, here’s a great hitting drill that will help your players hit the ball up the middle!
The setup for this drill is pretty simple, but …
- 4 Take-Aways from My Clinic with the Game’s Best
I speak at a lot of coaching clinics this time of year, which lets me listen to and learn from the best in the game. Discover 4 things I learned …
- How to Get 68 Great Drills
Are you looking for some great Drills for making your 2017 practices better? If so, then check out our 68 proven Drills!
We could all freshen up our practices with some …
- 3 Tips for Tackling 2017
Did you make your New Year’s resolutions? Over 140 million Americans do so you’re not alone. If you’re one of them, discover my 3 Tips for Tackling this New Year!
New …
- Advice for Handling Rumors
Players love to talk and unfortunately many will talk about other players or about friends they all know. As adults we know that rumors aren’t things we want to encourage …
- Confidence Cleats Getting players to believe in themselves can be tough, especially during a game. That’s why confidence cleats can really help.
It’s super challenging for players to keep that “one” key reminder, …
- 3 Ways Your Infielders Can Play Like the Pros If you watched the recent World Series, then you saw some of the best infielders in the world. Check out the 3 things ALL great infielders do that help make …
- Are All Those Reps Really Making You Better? Everybody knows to get good at anything, you’ve got to do it over and over again. Building muscle memory, right? But what if our muscles don’t actually have a memory? …
- 5 Tips for Helping Your Player Get Back to School Better
School is starting or getting ready to start in many parts of the country, and with it come changes for most players. As a parent or coach, keep your eyes …
- Are Your Practices Like a Bad Cell Area – One Big “Dead Zone”
Does your team resemble a bunch of zombies when practice starts? Do your early morning games resemble a complaining-convention? If so, then check out 4 ways to help jump start …
- Could You Coach in the WCWS?
If you’re a softball coach then this was the best weekend of the year – or at least one of them! The Women’s College World Series is the pinnacle of …
- 7 Keys to Winning the Super Regionals & WCWS This is an awesome time of the year with softball games on TV, tough matchups and possibly, your favorite team still hanging in there. Make sure you’re using my Team …
- 3 Tips for Young Catchers While catchers don’t seem to get a lot of coaching, they are HUGELY important to the outcome of a game. A great catcher helps make a great pitcher so discover …
- How Measuring Performance Improves Your Tryouts & Practices When I say “measuring performance” I’m talking about creating a method that gives players a clear idea of how they’re doing – before you hand out the lineup. Find out …
- Are YOU a Better Coach Than You Were Last Season?
Wow – what a question! It kind of hits you head on & yet it’s a question we usually ask ourselves about each of our players. But now it’s your …
- The 5 Greatest Things I Learned in 2015 Everybody has their own End-of-the-Year List and I’m no different. Discover the 5 Greatest Things I Learned in 2015!
I’m an obsessive learner so imagine my challenge at arriving at a …
- 5 Coaching Lessons from the NFCA Convention
I recently returned from the best softball gathering on the planet – the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) convention in Atlanta and it left me with 5 great take-a-ways I …
- Hitting – Batting Helmets
Lots of hitters now have face masks on their batting helmets. These face masks can often be bulky and heavy making it hard for hitters to see over the bars …
- Hitting – Hitting the Change Up
Teach your hitters to “spit” on the change up when they get it with less than 2 strikes. This means they’ll follow it with their eyes but won’t swing …
- Fielding – 1st Base
A 1st baseman will sometimes slightly miss tagging the 1st base bag with her foot when a throw is off the mark. Since an umpire’s angle on this play is …
- Catching – Catching
“Invite the pitch” is a great way to think about how a catcher should set up for a pitcher. Everything the catcher does from her body positioning to how she …
- Communication – Giving Signals
If your team seems to be missing your offensive signals on a regular basis (not just one player over and over) then try simplifying them. The easiest method to use, …
- Fielding – Fielding and Receiving
To help your players do a better job of fielding groundballs, receiving throws and making quicker throws have them practice keeping their eyebrows level at all times. Whenever your players …
- Coaching – Team Chemistry
To help your players keep from getting too mad or being too hard on themselves encourage them to allow themselves to get as mad as they get happy. Since most …
- 1st BASE Footwork
A 1st baseman will sometimes slightly miss tagging the 1st base bag with her foot when a throw is off the mark. Since an umpire’s angle on this play is …
- Fielding – Baserunning Metrics
Want a way to encourage your infielders to do the little things better? Try this – let them know that an average time for runners from home to 1st is …
- What are eClinics? About Softball Excellence Online Softball Clinics
- Coaching – Taking a Trip Out to the Circle
The next time you call time and take a trip out to the circle to talk to you pitcher don’t forget to have a plan before you go out there. …
- Stride: Improving your Throwing or Pitching Stride
Need some help firming up your players stride, either in their throwing or pitching? Then here’s a drill that works great. Have your player stand on a baseball mound and …
- WCWS Predictions With the 2010 Women’s College World Series starting this week in Oklahoma City, find out who I think will be successful!
- The Value of a Little Bit As we all welcome in 2010 – a new year and a new softball season – discover how improving a little bit at a time can really make …
- Why don’t I get the Newsletter? If your not getting the Softball Excellence Insider - Follow the instruction below so you won't miss out on exclusive reader deals, great softball tips, upcoming softball events and broadcasts, …
- 7 Levels of Excellence Find out what no other softball organization in the country has been able to do before now!
- The Power of Tradition - Great Lessons from Down Under Go along with me on another great trip to Australia that this time took me to Sydney, Melbourne and Darwin.
- Insider Tips to Make Watching Olympic Softball Even More Interesting Some great ideas and suggestions of how to watch the competition, who to look for, and how to make the most of the these games by learning from what …
- Softball Down Under Think you know what softball looks like Down Under? Check out the sights from Sydney along with top Aussie Girls & Boys softballers and see if you can tell any …
- Olympic Highlight - 4 Timers - Tanya Harding Learn about another very rare Olympic 4-timer with a drawer full of medals, a World Series ring, and on top of all that…she's a Mom!
- Olympic Highlight - 4 Timers Ever dream about being in the Olympics - Who hasn't? But do you know who the 4 timers are? Those amazing world-class softball players who will have played in all …
- 10 Things I Learned from the 2008 Women's College World Series Sharing with you the 10 key things that I learned from watching this year's Women's College World Series!
- Behind the Scenes of a TV Game Take a peak behind the scenes of a televised softball game and see what it's really like and what really goes on
- Pennsylvania On Board Pennsylvania ASA chooses Softball Excellence 7 Level Coaches Certification and Education Program for its Junior Olympic Coaches!
- Playing Nano eDrills on your TV Detailed instructions for watching all the Softball Excellence eDrills loaded on your Apple iPod Nano on the big screen
- Great Clinics in Portland, Anchorage & Indy Some recent coaching clinics in some wonderful places like Portland, Anchorage and Indianapolis were great successes!
- Softball in Iran Evolution in a country not known for softball
- Where’s Everybody Supposed to Go When they Bunt the Ball?? Bunt Defense - positions coverages
- 7 Lessons from the WCWS Things that may just help win you a championship!
