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Optimizing Your Pitching Staff: Comprehensive Workout for Improved Pitcher Performance

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0

with Marissa Young,
Duke University Head Coach;
2020-2021 ACC Champions;
over 100 wins through four seasons (2018-2021) at Duke;
former University of North Carolina Assistant Coach;
3x All-American as a player at the University of Michigan; named the 2002 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year and 2003 Big Ten Player of the Year

Functional warm-ups have become a focus, as coaches and players are learning to maximize reps while properly warming up without wasting time and energy. Using charts and data, Duke head coach Marissa Young walks you through an overview of the workouts used in her program that lead to better performance. She uses intervention strategies to ensure that each player receives proper workloads and volume to perform their very best during the season.

Key Components and Warm-Up

Coach Young begins by identifying the key components that are involved with her pitcher workouts. She covers volume management strategies, plus circuit work that her pitchers use on a regular basis.

Next, Young goes through her pitching staff's plyo warm-up. Within the warm-up, athletes will complete exercises such as a reverse overhead throw, scap activation, pivot drill and more as they aim to prime their bodies for the rest of the workout.

Comprehensive Workout

Once athletes are warmed up, it's time to get into the heart of the workout. Coach Young takes her pitchers through:

  • A plyo ball series
  • A med ball series
  • Various drills
  • Pitching-specific movements

All of these segments are aimed at improving performance come game day. Within each drill, Young targets different movements that promote mobility and strength, conditioning each athlete for different workloads.

This video will give you the perfect in-season and off-season routines to optimize workouts by targeting specific tasks that build proper mechanics while reducing injury. Coach Young's methods will help any coach or player looking to improve mechanics and incorporate pitching-specific conditioning.

44 minutes. 2021.


No Fly Zone: Essential Skills & Drills for Building a Great Outfield

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0

with Jessica Bracamonte,
Duke University Assistant Coach;
2021 ACC Tournament Champions;
former Central Michigan University Assistant Coach;
helped lead CMU to the 2017 MAC regular season title;
former Golden West College Assistant Coach;
played professionally with the Chicago Bandits (National Pro Fastpitch);
at Michigan State University, led the Big Ten in triples (4) as a senior

When the infield has a ball shoot through, the outfield is left to pick up the miss. However, when the outfield misses the ball, opposing base runners keep on running. That is why it's so important to have a great defensive outfield - because it can play a huge hand in preventing extra base hits and thus giving up fewer runs!

Duke's Jessica Bracamonte creates fully developed outfielders with the use of 11 drills with variations to enhance their speed, momentum, and knowledge of the game. In this video, she showcases those drills and gives you plenty of coaching tips to use when running them with your own team.

Drills to Build Great Outfielders

Coach Bracamonte breaks down the play of the outfield into three categories with daily drills to help players build speed awareness, angles, and confidence to make the catch. Bracamonte provides pointers and tips during each drill that will help players and coaches alike.

You will learn to create sprint awareness with drills like "Green, Yellow, and Red", Cone Drills, and "Line to Line" to allow players to feel the change in speed needed to make plays in the outfield. Coach Bracamonte uses cones to help her players understand the angles needed to be in proper position to field and throw. She also uses tennis balls to improve catching and ground ball work to help her athletes develop better concentration.

Making Elite Plays

One skill that sets apart elite outfielders from good outfielders is the ability to dive and slide to catch balls. Coach Bracamonte shares diving and sliding drills that will help your players learn to attack the ball with confidence. This includes hard-hit balls that most players would miss or never attempt to field aggressively. As a bonus, these drills have a secondary aim to help your athletes develop better communication skills.

Coach Bracamonte knows how to develop great outfielders and shares many of the drills she uses to accomplish this inside this video. She describes the importance of her drills and how to do each one properly so you can adopt them and craft your own defensive stars in the outfield!

48 minutes. 2021.

Marissa Young Softball 4-Pack

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0
SD-05880A:

with Marissa Young,
Duke University Head Coach;
2020-2021 ACC Champions;
over 100 wins through four seasons (2018-2021) at Duke;
former University of North Carolina Assistant Coach;
3x All-American as a player at the University of Michigan; named the 2002 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year and 2003 Big Ten Player of the Year

Duke University's Marissa Young passes along many of the methods that she's implemented in her own program to develop high-end pitching talent year after year. What you'll see in this video are what contributed to the success of Duke's pitchers en route to the 2021 ACC Tournament championship!

Assessment

Coach Young begins by explaining how she assesses the pitchers on her roster from a performance standpoint, as well as on an individual pitch standpoint. She details how to evaluate pitcher growth through charting and data collection. By tracking some key metrics, you'll gather useful information that will make sure your pitchers perform their best in big games and during specific times of the season. Additionally, you'll know when to manage the volume of your best hurlers so they don't get overworked.

Pressure Bullpen Workouts and Drills

Young has developed a comprehensive bullpen session that incorporates challenging drills in order to help pitchers become accountable when preparing for games. You'll get insights on the methods and goals for developing pitchers in the bullpen, plus tips for each drill.

Bullpen segments include:

  • Bike for strikes
  • Horse
  • Jump rope
  • 3-pitch sequence
  • B2B pitch
  • Climb the ladder
  • Opposites

This video from Coach Young offers fantastic advice on developing elite pitchers. It's a must-watch for pitchers and coaches who want to break away from the monotony of throwing the same pitch over and over. Young demonstrates the thought process in developing practice plans that incorporate both game management and pitching fundamentals.

53 minutes. 2021.



SD-05880B:

with Marissa Young,
Duke University Head Coach;
2020-2021 ACC Champions;
over 100 wins through four seasons (2018-2021) at Duke;
former University of North Carolina Assistant Coach;
3x All-American as a player at the University of Michigan; named the 2002 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year and 2003 Big Ten Player of the Year

The more speed and accuracy your pitchers have, the harder they will be to hit. In this video, Duke University's Marissa Young covers the key steps and drills that she uses in her own program to help her pitchers dial up faster, pinpoint pitches.

Keys to Speed & Accuracy

Coach Young starts off by running through the keys that she believes will lead to better speed and accuracy from within the circle, including spin, rhythm and timing. Then, she moves to the diamond to cover over 15 drills that are all aimed at maximizing the performance of your pitchers.

A progression is used to develop a proper arm swing that adapts to each individuals' style and rhythm. In combination with drills that engage the lower half, Coach Young incorporates a conditioning element that continually challenges her pitchers.

Bullpen

You'll learn various bullpen drills that eliminate old school snap drills and take a holistic approach to coaching movements. The design of the bullpen session creates feel and a natural progression that works from the ground up, while developing consistency and location. Young explains why she has moved away from focusing on snaps in favor of the belief that the focus should be on larger movements.

Within the bullpen session, Coach Young incorporates in-game management, asking pitchers to adjust their location and speed. Further, she places pitchers in situations where they are challenged to work without certain pitches, allowing pitchers to voice which pitches they are comfortable utizing for that situation.

Coach Young does a tremendous job organizing practice sessions that focus on data, movement patterns, and volume. This video will show you why she is a rising star in coaching and give you techniques and drills that will quickly improve the speed and accuracy of your pitching staff.

58 minutes. 2021.



SD-05880C:

with Marissa Young,
Duke University Head Coach;
2020-2021 ACC Champions;
over 100 wins through four seasons (2018-2021) at Duke;
former University of North Carolina Assistant Coach;
3x All-American as a player at the University of Michigan; named the 2002 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year and 2003 Big Ten Player of the Year

In this video, Duke 's Marissa Young delivers a package of modern drills that simulate game conditions for pitchers. Unlike 'old school' drills that simply put athletes through throw after throw, Coach Young's approach adds a game-like feel for every rep that will give you a better idea of how your pitchers will perform under pressure. Additionally, your pitchers will feel more comfortable when they need to execute!

Load Drills

Once she's covered her keys to building great pitchers, Young immediately dives into a variety of load drills to use with your pitchers. You'll get over 10 drills to work the load, including:

  • Glute bridges
  • Hinge drills
  • Box squats
  • Med ball throws
  • and more!

Establishing a great load is paramount when aiming to produce elite pitchers.

More Game-Like Drills

Next, Coach Young covers additional exercises that will help build your pitchers' arsenals. Drills like Airplanes, Frankenstein, Stop 'N' Go & Bungee Balance all touch on skills that your athletes will need in their personal progression. Incorporating these drills will lead to pitchers who can throw to multiple areas of the strike zone, utilize superb timing for consistency on every pitch and dominate the mental side of the game.

This video offers coaches a fresh take on how to train pitchers to be their best in today's game. Coach Young is a rising star in coaching and implementing her approach to training pitchers is sure to help your program improve swiftly!

37 minutes. 2021.



SD-05880D:

with Marissa Young,
Duke University Head Coach;
2020-2021 ACC Champions;
over 100 wins through four seasons (2018-2021) at Duke;
former University of North Carolina Assistant Coach;
3x All-American as a player at the University of Michigan; named the 2002 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year and 2003 Big Ten Player of the Year

Functional warm-ups have become a focus, as coaches and players are learning to maximize reps while properly warming up without wasting time and energy. Using charts and data, Duke head coach Marissa Young walks you through an overview of the workouts used in her program that lead to better performance. She uses intervention strategies to ensure that each player receives proper workloads and volume to perform their very best during the season.

Key Components and Warm-Up

Coach Young begins by identifying the key components that are involved with her pitcher workouts. She covers volume management strategies, plus circuit work that her pitchers use on a regular basis.

Next, Young goes through her pitching staff's plyo warm-up. Within the warm-up, athletes will complete exercises such as a reverse overhead throw, scap activation, pivot drill and more as they aim to prime their bodies for the rest of the workout.

Comprehensive Workout

Once athletes are warmed up, it's time to get into the heart of the workout. Coach Young takes her pitchers through:

  • A plyo ball series
  • A med ball series
  • Various drills
  • Pitching-specific movements

All of these segments are aimed at improving performance come game day. Within each drill, Young targets different movements that promote mobility and strength, conditioning each athlete for different workloads.

This video will give you the perfect in-season and off-season routines to optimize workouts by targeting specific tasks that build proper mechanics while reducing injury. Coach Young's methods will help any coach or player looking to improve mechanics and incorporate pitching-specific conditioning.

44 minutes. 2021.



Josh Bloomer Softball 4-Pack

0
0
SD-05881A:

with Josh Bloomer,
Duke University Assistant Coach;
2021 ACC Tournament Champions;
former Louisville Male High School (KY) Head Coach;
2019 National Fastpitch Coaches Association Champions (undefeated, 39-0);
2019 Kentucky State champions; 6x Regional Champions;
2019 USA Today National High School Coach of the Year finalist;
former Mercy Academy Head Coach;
2012 Kentucky State champions; 5x Regional champions

Balance, timing, and vision are so important to good hitting, yet many coaches often don't know how to teach hitters to improve in these critical areas. Josh Bloomer shares the daily hitting drills he uses with his team that contributed to the terrific success enjoyed by the Blue Devils in the 2021 season.

Coach Bloomer provides extensive commentary on each drill, including what each drill addresses, how to perform the drill correctly and things a hitter might do incorrectly when performing the drill, allowing you a complete understanding how to provide on-the-spot feedback for improvement. Multiple camera angles are used so you can see the hitter's movements from different angles and also see the results of the swings.

Key Drills and Techniques

Using a combination of familiar drills with new twists and several new and innovative drills, you will see what good balance looks like, how to maintain balance throughout the swing, and how to practice timing and vision.

In many of the drills, Bloomer creatively uses a variety of equipment to help simulate a specific feeling or a desired outcome. In the Pitch Recognition Drill, for example, hitters swing at a ball set on one of two tees, depending on which tee the tosser is throwing to from the other side of a screen separating the tosser and hitter. This is an excellent drill for vision, timing, and decision-making under duress. In the One Bat, One Swing Drill, hitters use a different bat for each swing and are forced to account for the varying length, weight, and barrel size of the bat from one swing to the next. These drills are not only useful and challenging, but the creativity and randomness add an element of fun.

In other drills, Coach Bloomer incorporates techniques such as having a tosser use a double toss or having hitters use verbal cues or start with their eyes closed, which help them slow down in the stride phase, time their load and stride better, and make quick decisions. In the Call Ball Drill, hitters call "ball" when the ball leaves the tosser's hand to help the hitters time the beginning of their forward movement with the release of the pitch. Hitters experience having to wait longer and move slower, which in turn, helps them realize that they have more time than they think they have. Bloomer offers two variations of this drill for more advanced hitters.

Coaching Tips

Throughout the video, Coach Bloomer also shares other nuggets of wisdom, such as suggesting that coaches ask hitters "How did that feel?" in an effort to get hitters to take that first step toward ownership of their swing. He also reminds coaches to give their hitters the chance to work through the drills, rather than expect perfection from the first rep.

This is a great collection of drills that fills in a gap left by other hitting videos, which tend to focus on the mechanics of the swing. Learning the importance of moving slowly forward, with good balance, good vision and good timing, is what will help coaches of all levels take their hitters to the next level.

63 minutes. 2021.



SD-05881B:

with Josh Bloomer,
Duke University Assistant Coach;
2021 ACC Tournament Champions;
former Louisville Male High School (KY) Head Coach;
2019 National Fastpitch Coaches Association Champions (undefeated, 39-0);
2019 Kentucky State champions; 6x Regional Champions;
2019 USA Today National High School Coach of the Year finalist;
former Mercy Academy Head Coach;
2012 Kentucky State champions; 5x Regional champions

Coaches often need to refill their repertoire of hitting drills to incorporate training specific to a modern hitting approach. In this video, Duke hitting coach Josh Bloomer takes you through a complete series of drills tailored to the High Level Pattern hitting philosophy. Any coach intent on helping players develop this skill set and philosophy will find the depth of drills inside a valuable resource. Coach Bloomer goes through a total of 16 individual drills that can be expanded based on the skill level and age group to include tee work, soft toss, and front toss.

Swing Development

The drills taught by Bloomer work on four elements of swing development: arm spacing and bat path, development of rhythm and timing around the unlocking of hip coil kinetic chain, mastering the behind the ball attack mode of the HLP swing, and developing the proper body position and posture to access power.

Constraint Drills

Of particular interest and unique to Coach Bloomer's approach are the Split Grip and Barrel Tilt drills, which focus on the unique elements of the HLP swing pattern.. These drills help players develop rearward rotation and initiate the bat path to opposite field that is unique to the HLP. They also illustrate spacing concepts that are often discussed and usually poorly clarified from other drill videos.

If you are adapting to and transitioning to HLP training, this video will be a great resource for your program's hitting development. While there are certainly some advanced skills shown and discussed by Coach Bloomer, he explains them in a way that will make sense to coaches and players of all levels.

59 minutes. 2021.



SD-05881C:

with Josh Bloomer,
Duke University Assistant Coach;
2021 ACC Tournament Champions;
former Louisville Male High School (KY) Head Coach;
2019 National Fastpitch Coaches Association Champions (undefeated, 39-0);
2019 Kentucky State champions; 6x Regional Champions;
2019 USA Today National High School Coach of the Year finalist;
former Mercy Academy Head Coach;
2012 Kentucky State champions; 5x Regional champions

Coaches are always in need of solid, unbiased reference material for training their athletes in the bio-mechanical skills unique to hitting. In this video, Duke's Josh Bloomer takes you through a complete series of drills that will aid any hitter in learning to use their body more effectively. Biomechanics and optimizing the ability of an athlete to move their bodies in an efficient manner to generate maximum power is a complex matter that requires full mastery of the specialized skills of physical therapy and strength &conditioning.

Movement Drills

Coach Bloomer provides drills that focus on essential elements of swing development:

  • Development of proper body position in the hitting stance
  • Decoupling and mastering independent rotational movement of the torso and lower half
  • Activation of the key power source in the glutes
  • Removal of slack from the hand path
  • Integrating movements and sequencing to master the "coil-based" kinetic chain

Throughout the video, the player demonstrators showcase proper mechanics and also illustrate common flaws and how they manifest in executing the drills.

Drill Adaptability

The drill sequences shown by Bloomer can be executed with minimal specialized equipment, and any that is required is simple, inexpensive, and DIY-able for the average coach. The body movement drills presented are not hitting drills, but instead focus on the underlying movements that allow successful execution of hitting drills.

Of particular interest and unique are the Scap Load, U-turn, and Med Ball Load and Throw drills. These three drills represent key check points of a High Level Pattern body movement - taking slack out of the upper body motion, activation of the swing from the pelvis/femur, and capturing the early load and carrying it through to toe touch before release. These drills will help players learn the "tensing the rubber band" body motion that HLP hitting is built around and tie together parts of other drills.

The training in this video is highly technical and may be a challenge for coaches who are not versed in biomechanical style training regimens. Because of this, it is generally geared towards higher level and older athletes. However, with simplification and a focus on a limited set of some of the less physically demanding movements, young players (and novice coaches) can find some benefit too!

64 minutes. 2021.



SD-05881D:

with Josh Bloomer,
Duke University Assistant Coach;
2021 ACC Tournament Champions;
former Louisville Male High School (KY) Head Coach;
2019 National Fastpitch Coaches Association Champions (undefeated, 39-0);
2019 Kentucky State champions; 6x Regional Champions;
2019 USA Today National High School Coach of the Year finalist;
former Mercy Academy Head Coach;
2012 Kentucky State champions; 5x Regional champions

In this video, Coach Josh Bloomer teaches you how to prepare your infield to handle a variety of balls that they could be hit throughout the course of a game. Since ground ball hops can be so unpredictable, Bloomer instructs his players how to make the read on the hop, field the hop, and make great throws in all situations - leading to more outs and less uncertainty.

Timing Drills

Coach Bloomer starts by teaching how to get your players moving and ready to field a ball with "pre pitch" timing drills. This is important for your players' ability to get to balls faster. A body in motion will get to a ball quicker then one that is not.

Fielding and Situational Play

As Bloomer progresses in the video, he teaches how he instructs his players to field various types of ground balls. You never know what type of ground ball you may get and what kinds of hops they may take. Coach Bloomer talks in detail on how to field a variety of hops with the most effective and efficient foot and glove work, and his players demonstrate those drills on the field.

Finally, Bloomer discusses situational play and how he instructs his players to move and position themselves in bunt defense, slap defense, and double play situations. This is valuable information for any coach as they learn how to adjust to the other team's hitters. These adjustments will lead to more outs and fewer runs given up.

If you are looking for a video that teaches infielders the most effective and efficient way to utilize their footwork and ground ball fielding skills, this is the video for you. Coach Bloomer goes over everything from "prep step" movement before the pitch, to how to field and throw a ball while on the run. This video features terrific infield fielding techniques you will want all of your players to learn!

63 minutes. 2021.



Jessica Bracamonte Softball 4-Pack

0
0
SD-05882A:

with Jessica Bracamonte,
Duke University Assistant Coach;
2021 ACC Tournament Champions;
former Central Michigan University Assistant Coach;
helped lead CMU to the 2017 MAC regular season title;
former Golden West College Assistant Coach;
played professionally with the Chicago Bandits (National Pro Fastpitch);
at Michigan State University, led the Big Ten in triples (4) as a senior

Instructing players to approach the plate with mental confidence is one of the most challenging skills a coach can face. In this video, Jessica Bracamonte backs up her teachings with tools that can easily be added to your daily practice sessions to help your players master the mental side of hitting.

Questions to Consider

Coach Bracamonte challenges coaches to think about the following questions that pertain to mental approach:

  • How many of your hitters have thought about `warming up your eyes' before hitting?
  • What do you do when your hitters face a rise ball pitcher and are losing the battle?
  • Do your players know how to reset their mind following a strikeout?
  • Do your practices include mental practice at the plate?

For athletes, having the confidence to step out of the batter's box to reset their mind is a challenging step to take when all eyes are on them. Coach Bracamonte will help you teach your players to take a few seconds between pitches to reset their time in the batter's box. Once you do this, watch as their confidence grows along with their performance at the plate!

Hitting Drills

The video includes eight hitting drills that are easily incorporated into practices. Every drill includes quality explanations and demonstrations. Your hitters will improve the eye-to-mind-to-swing connection of hitting, their ability to recognize and verbalize strikes, as well as how to hunt for certain pitches when facing a specific pitching opponent.

Coach Bracamonte shares her knowledge with an at-ease style. Her recommended techniques are demonstrated and explained thoroughly. With these techniques and practices incorporated into your program, be ready to accept the compliments from others as your players greatly advance their skills at the plate.

51 minutes. 2021.



SD-05882B:

with Jessica Bracamonte,
Duke University Assistant Coach;
2021 ACC Tournament Champions;
former Central Michigan University Assistant Coach;
helped lead CMU to the 2017 MAC regular season title;
former Golden West College Assistant Coach;
played professionally with the Chicago Bandits (National Pro Fastpitch);
at Michigan State University, led the Big Ten in triples (4) as a senior

Are you and your slappers seeking more accuracy and success at the plate? If so, then this video will cover all the fundamentals you need to turn your slappers into chaos-creating machines!

Coach Jessica Bracamonte presents more than 20 fundamental slapping drills that can be used at any age to drill your players' footwork, hips and shoulders while slapping. The key to a slapper's success is the ability to put the ball in play and make the defense rush. The drills in this video will teach your players to do just that!

Slapping-Specific Warm-Ups

Coach Bracamonte starts with a handful of drills that can be used with your slappers to warm them up properly and get their bodies used to the motion and movement they will need to slap properly. It's a two fold warm-up progression:

  • 1. The dynamic warm-up helps prevent injury
  • 2. The warm-up create muscle memory, making the process of slapping easier for the athlete

Drills to Refine Technique

As Bracamonte progresses through the video, she introduces a handful of drills that can be used both off the tee or from soft toss to reinforce proper slapping techniques. You'll see footwork drills to get your players through the box quicker and more accurately, hand drills to teach your players how to strike the ball for a desired effect, and location drills to explode out of the box to get down the line quicker.

Coach Bracamonte focuses on teaching players how to "hold the line" and keep their slap approach straight and consistent, which is an important technique to be able to reach the outside corner of the plate where most pitchers throw to slappers. A slapper's ability to soft slap or hard slap when the situation calls for it is what makes a dangerous slapper, and Bracamonte's fungo drill helps slappers create that ability.

If you are looking for a video that teaches your slappers how to be fundamentally sound from the ground up with their feet, hips, shoulders and hands, then look no further! Coach Bracamonte presents a variety of drills that range from warm-up form to exploding out of the box and are great for any level of slapper.

55 minutes. 2021.



SD-05882C:

with Jessica Bracamonte,
Duke University Assistant Coach;
2021 ACC Tournament Champions;
former Central Michigan University Assistant Coach;
helped lead CMU to the 2017 MAC regular season title;
former Golden West College Assistant Coach;
played professionally with the Chicago Bandits (National Pro Fastpitch);
at Michigan State University, led the Big Ten in triples (4) as a senior

Duke's Jessica Bracamonte showcases a slapping progression that works her slappers through walk-throughs to game situations using innovative methods. You'll learn to develop sound strategies that attack the defense and target each of your slappers' strengths at the plate.

Triple Threat Components

Coach Bracamonte uses a chalkboard session to identify what tools create a triple threat slapper. You will see how to teach players to read the defense, as well as what to do based on that initial read. All of Bracamonte's strategies are aimed at making sure the defense stays on edge and never knows what's coming from the slapper at the plate.

Drills

Next, Coach Bracamonte heads to the field to show a natural progression of drills aimed at producing elite slappers. She displays a variety of techniques and exercises, including:

  • Dry runs
  • Bunts
  • Soft slaps
  • Chop
  • Hard Slaps
  • Pitch recognition
  • Tool selection
  • and more!

Rise above other slappers by attacking the defense! Coach Bracamonte shows you how to identify the defense and become a dynamic player that is able to use different tools to find slapping success. This is an excellent video for the coach or athlete who is looking to take their slapping skills to the next level.

50 minutes. 2021.



SD-05882D:

with Jessica Bracamonte,
Duke University Assistant Coach;
2021 ACC Tournament Champions;
former Central Michigan University Assistant Coach;
helped lead CMU to the 2017 MAC regular season title;
former Golden West College Assistant Coach;
played professionally with the Chicago Bandits (National Pro Fastpitch);
at Michigan State University, led the Big Ten in triples (4) as a senior

When the infield has a ball shoot through, the outfield is left to pick up the miss. However, when the outfield misses the ball, opposing base runners keep on running. That is why it's so important to have a great defensive outfield - because it can play a huge hand in preventing extra base hits and thus giving up fewer runs!

Duke's Jessica Bracamonte creates fully developed outfielders with the use of 11 drills with variations to enhance their speed, momentum, and knowledge of the game. In this video, she showcases those drills and gives you plenty of coaching tips to use when running them with your own team.

Drills to Build Great Outfielders

Coach Bracamonte breaks down the play of the outfield into three categories with daily drills to help players build speed awareness, angles, and confidence to make the catch. Bracamonte provides pointers and tips during each drill that will help players and coaches alike.

You will learn to create sprint awareness with drills like "Green, Yellow, and Red", Cone Drills, and "Line to Line" to allow players to feel the change in speed needed to make plays in the outfield. Coach Bracamonte uses cones to help her players understand the angles needed to be in proper position to field and throw. She also uses tennis balls to improve catching and ground ball work to help her athletes develop better concentration.

Making Elite Plays

One skill that sets apart elite outfielders from good outfielders is the ability to dive and slide to catch balls. Coach Bracamonte shares diving and sliding drills that will help your players learn to attack the ball with confidence. This includes hard-hit balls that most players would miss or never attempt to field aggressively. As a bonus, these drills have a secondary aim to help your athletes develop better communication skills.

Coach Bracamonte knows how to develop great outfielders and shares many of the drills she uses to accomplish this inside this video. She describes the importance of her drills and how to do each one properly so you can adopt them and craft your own defensive stars in the outfield!

48 minutes. 2021.



Innovative Pitching Drills that Simulate Game Conditions

0
0

with Marissa Young,
Duke University Head Coach;
2020-2021 ACC Champions;
over 100 wins through four seasons (2018-2021) at Duke;
former University of North Carolina Assistant Coach;
3x All-American as a player at the University of Michigan; named the 2002 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year and 2003 Big Ten Player of the Year

In this video, Duke 's Marissa Young delivers a package of modern drills that simulate game conditions for pitchers. Unlike 'old school' drills that simply put athletes through throw after throw, Coach Young's approach adds a game-like feel for every rep that will give you a better idea of how your pitchers will perform under pressure. Additionally, your pitchers will feel more comfortable when they need to execute!

Load Drills

Once she's covered her keys to building great pitchers, Young immediately dives into a variety of load drills to use with your pitchers. You'll get over 10 drills to work the load, including:

  • Glute bridges
  • Hinge drills
  • Box squats
  • Med ball throws
  • and more!

Establishing a great load is paramount when aiming to produce elite pitchers.

More Game-Like Drills

Next, Coach Young covers additional exercises that will help build your pitchers' arsenals. Drills like Airplanes, Frankenstein, Stop 'N' Go & Bungee Balance all touch on skills that your athletes will need in their personal progression. Incorporating these drills will lead to pitchers who can throw to multiple areas of the strike zone, utilize superb timing for consistency on every pitch and dominate the mental side of the game.

This video offers coaches a fresh take on how to train pitchers to be their best in today's game. Coach Young is a rising star in coaching and implementing her approach to training pitchers is sure to help your program improve swiftly!

37 minutes. 2021.

Hitting with Constraints: Training Better Hitters

0
0

with Josh Bloomer,
Duke University Assistant Coach;
2021 ACC Tournament Champions;
former Louisville Male High School (KY) Head Coach;
2019 National Fastpitch Coaches Association Champions (undefeated, 39-0);
2019 Kentucky State champions; 6x Regional Champions;
2019 USA Today National High School Coach of the Year finalist;
former Mercy Academy Head Coach;
2012 Kentucky State champions; 5x Regional champions

Coaches often need to refill their repertoire of hitting drills to incorporate training specific to a modern hitting approach. In this video, Duke hitting coach Josh Bloomer takes you through a complete series of drills tailored to the High Level Pattern hitting philosophy. Any coach intent on helping players develop this skill set and philosophy will find the depth of drills inside a valuable resource. Coach Bloomer goes through a total of 16 individual drills that can be expanded based on the skill level and age group to include tee work, soft toss, and front toss.

Swing Development

The drills taught by Bloomer work on four elements of swing development: arm spacing and bat path, development of rhythm and timing around the unlocking of hip coil kinetic chain, mastering the behind the ball attack mode of the HLP swing, and developing the proper body position and posture to access power.

Constraint Drills

Of particular interest and unique to Coach Bloomer's approach are the Split Grip and Barrel Tilt drills, which focus on the unique elements of the HLP swing pattern.. These drills help players develop rearward rotation and initiate the bat path to opposite field that is unique to the HLP. They also illustrate spacing concepts that are often discussed and usually poorly clarified from other drill videos.

If you are adapting to and transitioning to HLP training, this video will be a great resource for your program's hitting development. While there are certainly some advanced skills shown and discussed by Coach Bloomer, he explains them in a way that will make sense to coaches and players of all levels.

59 minutes. 2021.

Hitting Dailies: Body Movement Drills for Hitters of All Ages

0
0

with Josh Bloomer,
Duke University Assistant Coach;
2021 ACC Tournament Champions;
former Louisville Male High School (KY) Head Coach;
2019 National Fastpitch Coaches Association Champions (undefeated, 39-0);
2019 Kentucky State champions; 6x Regional Champions;
2019 USA Today National High School Coach of the Year finalist;
former Mercy Academy Head Coach;
2012 Kentucky State champions; 5x Regional champions

Coaches are always in need of solid, unbiased reference material for training their athletes in the bio-mechanical skills unique to hitting. In this video, Duke's Josh Bloomer takes you through a complete series of drills that will aid any hitter in learning to use their body more effectively. Biomechanics and optimizing the ability of an athlete to move their bodies in an efficient manner to generate maximum power is a complex matter that requires full mastery of the specialized skills of physical therapy and strength &conditioning.

Movement Drills

Coach Bloomer provides drills that focus on essential elements of swing development:

  • Development of proper body position in the hitting stance
  • Decoupling and mastering independent rotational movement of the torso and lower half
  • Activation of the key power source in the glutes
  • Removal of slack from the hand path
  • Integrating movements and sequencing to master the "coil-based" kinetic chain

Throughout the video, the player demonstrators showcase proper mechanics and also illustrate common flaws and how they manifest in executing the drills.

Drill Adaptability

The drill sequences shown by Bloomer can be executed with minimal specialized equipment, and any that is required is simple, inexpensive, and DIY-able for the average coach. The body movement drills presented are not hitting drills, but instead focus on the underlying movements that allow successful execution of hitting drills.

Of particular interest and unique are the Scap Load, U-turn, and Med Ball Load and Throw drills. These three drills represent key check points of a High Level Pattern body movement - taking slack out of the upper body motion, activation of the swing from the pelvis/femur, and capturing the early load and carrying it through to toe touch before release. These drills will help players learn the "tensing the rubber band" body motion that HLP hitting is built around and tie together parts of other drills.

The training in this video is highly technical and may be a challenge for coaches who are not versed in biomechanical style training regimens. Because of this, it is generally geared towards higher level and older athletes. However, with simplification and a focus on a limited set of some of the less physically demanding movements, young players (and novice coaches) can find some benefit too!

64 minutes. 2021.


Elite Pitching: Increasing Speed & Improving Accuracy

0
0

with Marissa Young,
Duke University Head Coach;
2020-2021 ACC Champions;
over 100 wins through four seasons (2018-2021) at Duke;
former University of North Carolina Assistant Coach;
3x All-American as a player at the University of Michigan; named the 2002 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year and 2003 Big Ten Player of the Year

The more speed and accuracy your pitchers have, the harder they will be to hit. In this video, Duke University's Marissa Young covers the key steps and drills that she uses in her own program to help her pitchers dial up faster, pinpoint pitches.

Keys to Speed & Accuracy

Coach Young starts off by running through the keys that she believes will lead to better speed and accuracy from within the circle, including spin, rhythm and timing. Then, she moves to the diamond to cover over 15 drills that are all aimed at maximizing the performance of your pitchers.

A progression is used to develop a proper arm swing that adapts to each individuals' style and rhythm. In combination with drills that engage the lower half, Coach Young incorporates a conditioning element that continually challenges her pitchers.

Bullpen

You'll learn various bullpen drills that eliminate old school snap drills and take a holistic approach to coaching movements. The design of the bullpen session creates feel and a natural progression that works from the ground up, while developing consistency and location. Young explains why she has moved away from focusing on snaps in favor of the belief that the focus should be on larger movements.

Within the bullpen session, Coach Young incorporates in-game management, asking pitchers to adjust their location and speed. Further, she places pitchers in situations where they are challenged to work without certain pitches, allowing pitchers to voice which pitches they are comfortable utizing for that situation.

Coach Young does a tremendous job organizing practice sessions that focus on data, movement patterns, and volume. This video will show you why she is a rising star in coaching and give you techniques and drills that will quickly improve the speed and accuracy of your pitching staff.

58 minutes. 2021.

Developing Elite Level Pitching: Drills, Philosophies & Strategy

0
0

with Marissa Young,
Duke University Head Coach;
2020-2021 ACC Champions;
over 100 wins through four seasons (2018-2021) at Duke;
former University of North Carolina Assistant Coach;
3x All-American as a player at the University of Michigan; named the 2002 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year and 2003 Big Ten Player of the Year

Duke University's Marissa Young passes along many of the methods that she's implemented in her own program to develop high-end pitching talent year after year. What you'll see in this video are what contributed to the success of Duke's pitchers en route to the 2021 ACC Tournament championship!

Assessment

Coach Young begins by explaining how she assesses the pitchers on her roster from a performance standpoint, as well as on an individual pitch standpoint. She details how to evaluate pitcher growth through charting and data collection. By tracking some key metrics, you'll gather useful information that will make sure your pitchers perform their best in big games and during specific times of the season. Additionally, you'll know when to manage the volume of your best hurlers so they don't get overworked.

Pressure Bullpen Workouts and Drills

Young has developed a comprehensive bullpen session that incorporates challenging drills in order to help pitchers become accountable when preparing for games. You'll get insights on the methods and goals for developing pitchers in the bullpen, plus tips for each drill.

Bullpen segments include:

  • Bike for strikes
  • Horse
  • Jump rope
  • 3-pitch sequence
  • B2B pitch
  • Climb the ladder
  • Opposites

This video from Coach Young offers fantastic advice on developing elite pitchers. It's a must-watch for pitchers and coaches who want to break away from the monotony of throwing the same pitch over and over. Young demonstrates the thought process in developing practice plans that incorporate both game management and pitching fundamentals.

53 minutes. 2021.

Becoming a Triple Threat Slapper: Tools to Maximize Slapping Success

0
0

with Jessica Bracamonte,
Duke University Assistant Coach;
2021 ACC Tournament Champions;
former Central Michigan University Assistant Coach;
helped lead CMU to the 2017 MAC regular season title;
former Golden West College Assistant Coach;
played professionally with the Chicago Bandits (National Pro Fastpitch);
at Michigan State University, led the Big Ten in triples (4) as a senior

Duke's Jessica Bracamonte showcases a slapping progression that works her slappers through walk-throughs to game situations using innovative methods. You'll learn to develop sound strategies that attack the defense and target each of your slappers' strengths at the plate.

Triple Threat Components

Coach Bracamonte uses a chalkboard session to identify what tools create a triple threat slapper. You will see how to teach players to read the defense, as well as what to do based on that initial read. All of Bracamonte's strategies are aimed at making sure the defense stays on edge and never knows what's coming from the slapper at the plate.

Drills

Next, Coach Bracamonte heads to the field to show a natural progression of drills aimed at producing elite slappers. She displays a variety of techniques and exercises, including:

  • Dry runs
  • Bunts
  • Soft slaps
  • Chop
  • Hard Slaps
  • Pitch recognition
  • Tool selection
  • and more!

Rise above other slappers by attacking the defense! Coach Bracamonte shows you how to identify the defense and become a dynamic player that is able to use different tools to find slapping success. This is an excellent video for the coach or athlete who is looking to take their slapping skills to the next level.

50 minutes. 2021.

Airtight Defense: Building a Great Infield

0
0

with Josh Bloomer,
Duke University Assistant Coach;
2021 ACC Tournament Champions;
former Louisville Male High School (KY) Head Coach;
2019 National Fastpitch Coaches Association Champions (undefeated, 39-0);
2019 Kentucky State champions; 6x Regional Champions;
2019 USA Today National High School Coach of the Year finalist;
former Mercy Academy Head Coach;
2012 Kentucky State champions; 5x Regional champions

In this video, Coach Josh Bloomer teaches you how to prepare your infield to handle a variety of balls that they could be hit throughout the course of a game. Since ground ball hops can be so unpredictable, Bloomer instructs his players how to make the read on the hop, field the hop, and make great throws in all situations - leading to more outs and less uncertainty.

Timing Drills

Coach Bloomer starts by teaching how to get your players moving and ready to field a ball with "pre pitch" timing drills. This is important for your players' ability to get to balls faster. A body in motion will get to a ball quicker then one that is not.

Fielding and Situational Play

As Bloomer progresses in the video, he teaches how he instructs his players to field various types of ground balls. You never know what type of ground ball you may get and what kinds of hops they may take. Coach Bloomer talks in detail on how to field a variety of hops with the most effective and efficient foot and glove work, and his players demonstrate those drills on the field.

Finally, Bloomer discusses situational play and how he instructs his players to move and position themselves in bunt defense, slap defense, and double play situations. This is valuable information for any coach as they learn how to adjust to the other team's hitters. These adjustments will lead to more outs and fewer runs given up.

If you are looking for a video that teaches infielders the most effective and efficient way to utilize their footwork and ground ball fielding skills, this is the video for you. Coach Bloomer goes over everything from "prep step" movement before the pitch, to how to field and throw a ball while on the run. This video features terrific infield fielding techniques you will want all of your players to learn!

63 minutes. 2021.

25 Drills to Develop Your Hitters' Balance, Timing & Vision

0
0

with Josh Bloomer,
Duke University Assistant Coach;
2021 ACC Tournament Champions;
former Louisville Male High School (KY) Head Coach;
2019 National Fastpitch Coaches Association Champions (undefeated, 39-0);
2019 Kentucky State champions; 6x Regional Champions;
2019 USA Today National High School Coach of the Year finalist;
former Mercy Academy Head Coach;
2012 Kentucky State champions; 5x Regional champions

Balance, timing, and vision are so important to good hitting, yet many coaches often don't know how to teach hitters to improve in these critical areas. Josh Bloomer shares the daily hitting drills he uses with his team that contributed to the terrific success enjoyed by the Blue Devils in the 2021 season.

Coach Bloomer provides extensive commentary on each drill, including what each drill addresses, how to perform the drill correctly and things a hitter might do incorrectly when performing the drill, allowing you a complete understanding how to provide on-the-spot feedback for improvement. Multiple camera angles are used so you can see the hitter's movements from different angles and also see the results of the swings.

Key Drills and Techniques

Using a combination of familiar drills with new twists and several new and innovative drills, you will see what good balance looks like, how to maintain balance throughout the swing, and how to practice timing and vision.

In many of the drills, Bloomer creatively uses a variety of equipment to help simulate a specific feeling or a desired outcome. In the Pitch Recognition Drill, for example, hitters swing at a ball set on one of two tees, depending on which tee the tosser is throwing to from the other side of a screen separating the tosser and hitter. This is an excellent drill for vision, timing, and decision-making under duress. In the One Bat, One Swing Drill, hitters use a different bat for each swing and are forced to account for the varying length, weight, and barrel size of the bat from one swing to the next. These drills are not only useful and challenging, but the creativity and randomness add an element of fun.

In other drills, Coach Bloomer incorporates techniques such as having a tosser use a double toss or having hitters use verbal cues or start with their eyes closed, which help them slow down in the stride phase, time their load and stride better, and make quick decisions. In the Call Ball Drill, hitters call "ball" when the ball leaves the tosser's hand to help the hitters time the beginning of their forward movement with the release of the pitch. Hitters experience having to wait longer and move slower, which in turn, helps them realize that they have more time than they think they have. Bloomer offers two variations of this drill for more advanced hitters.

Coaching Tips

Throughout the video, Coach Bloomer also shares other nuggets of wisdom, such as suggesting that coaches ask hitters "How did that feel?" in an effort to get hitters to take that first step toward ownership of their swing. He also reminds coaches to give their hitters the chance to work through the drills, rather than expect perfection from the first rep.

This is a great collection of drills that fills in a gap left by other hitting videos, which tend to focus on the mechanics of the swing. Learning the importance of moving slowly forward, with good balance, good vision and good timing, is what will help coaches of all levels take their hitters to the next level.

63 minutes. 2021.

Tim Walton Softball Coaches Academy Bundle

0
0
SD-05961A:

with Tim Walton,
University of Florida Head Coach;
2x Women's College World Series Champions (2014, 2015);
5x SEC Tournament Champions;
8x SEC Regular Season Champions;
5x SEC Coach of the Year;
2019 NFCA Southeast Regional Coaching Staff of the Year;
2015 USA Softball Junior Women's National Team Assistant Coach;
over 800 career wins

In this video, two-time Women's College World Series champion coach Tim Walton lays the foundation of his championship organization. As he explains, championship level play is achieved by stressing the importance of defining culture and hiring an exceptional staff. You'll learn to do these things and more inside!

Role of the Coach

Coach Walton explains how to get organized and consistent as a coach. He believes that having an open door policy with players and treating your team as family is key to success.

You'll come to understand the various roles of the coach, including being a role model and example for your players. Walton also details how he creates an atmosphere that promotes conversation and establishes a clear line between friendship and work.

Supporting Cast

To create an elite program, your entire staff must be on the same page. Coach Walton covers how to collaborate with a strength and conditioning coach to have goals and understand what certain athletes can and cannot do. He also explains how to develop accountability by allowing individuals to have a certain job or responsibility. You'll learn to create a character checklist that is collaborative and has both objective and subjective elements.

In this presentation, Coach Walton covers the blueprint for developing a championship organization. He describes the importance of creating roles, defining culture, and the importance of a solid support system. This is a must-watch for any coach looking for guidance in building a great program.

62 minutes. 2022.



SD-05961B:

with Tim Walton,
University of Florida Head Coach;
2x Women's College World Series Champions (2014, 2015);
5x SEC Tournament Champions;
8x SEC Regular Season Champions;
5x SEC Coach of the Year;
2019 NFCA Southeast Regional Coaching Staff of the Year;
2015 USA Softball Junior Women's National Team Assistant Coach;
over 800 career wins

Whether you're a beginner coach or a veteran, you'll want to hear the advice passed along in this video by Florida Gators head softball coach Tim Walton! Coach Walton has built Florida into a perennial contender, and in his presentation, he covers the intricacies of the game from all angles. You'll learn everything softball coaches need to know: from on-field tactics, in-game strategy, coaching bases, as well as off-field duties.

Game Strategy

Coach Walton explains the intricacies of the game and its rules so that you can influence your program positively. You'll learn to have a plan and how to defend your players and beliefs as games are played. Walton covers when it is appropriate to be aggressive to umpires and when to use certain terms to get your point across.

As games are played, there are things you can do to put your team in a better position to win. Coach Walton teaches how to help hitters establish a routine and cater to their needs. He also covers developing a relationship with your pitchers and staff, as well as having a plan for pitchers to be ready to enter the game at certain times. Defensive alignment is another topic covered, and Walton discusses how to work on it at practice so your defense is sharp in the game.

Base coaches play a crucial role in close games. Coach Walton covers roles for 1st base coaches that could include picking signs or encouraging players. You'll also learn different positions at 1st and 3rd base that can help impact runners and win games by scoring more runs.

Off-Field Duties

In the off-field segment of this video, Walton covers communicating with your superiors and being transparent about any issues that might be happening within your program. It's important that coaches have their hand on the pulse of the program and communicate everything clearly with administrators. Coach Walton also makes it clear that if you want others to work hard, YOU have to work hard as well. You'll learn how players might perceive your program and how to communicate the climate of the program to your "stakeholders."

This presentation from Coach Walton is packed full of advice that has led to championship winning seasons. It covers many difficult issues involved with coaching, both on and off the field, that will help you make sure your program is as healthy as it can be.

64 minutes. 2022.



SD-05961C:

with Tim Walton,
University of Florida Head Coach;
2x Women's College World Series Champions (2014, 2015);
5x SEC Tournament Champions;
8x SEC Regular Season Champions;
5x SEC Coach of the Year;
2019 NFCA Southeast Regional Coaching Staff of the Year;
2015 USA Softball Junior Women's National Team Assistant Coach;
over 800 career wins

It's been said by many that "failing to prepare is preparing to fail." Checklists are used so things aren't forgotten - even experienced pilots and surgeons use them all the time. In this video, Florida's championship-winning head softball coach, Tim Walton, explains how he prepares for success at the highest level of college softball through the use of a checklist.

Using a Checklist

Coach Walton shares his annual checklist for the 2022 season to begin the video. His checklist is broken down by topic and includes baserunning, bunts, hitting, defense, team defense, protocol, and rules. Under each topic are the specific things that his team must work on during practices as they get ready for the season. You'll hear Walton discuss a few of these points and how he documents them as they are achieved. He also covers protocols for practice in order to promote efficiency and ensure a well-organized program.

Practice Plans

It's one thing to have a checklist, but another to use it. Coach Walton shows you detailed practice plans and explains them so you can see how the items listed in his checklist are incorporated into practice. In planning, Walton is mindful of his desire to "impact every player every day," even if it's just to say hi.

You'll also hear Coach Walton discuss the use of technology in his program. Today's players need to see what they are doing, not just hear it from a coach. A video, whether shown in a classroom setting or on an iPad out on the field, helps players see what successful execution looks like.

A fun way that Florida ends practices is with what Walton calls the "Finisher." This is an activity in which he pits one player against another, or a group of players. The activity is not only fun for athletes, it will help them get better at handling the inevitable pressure of a game.

Coach Walton lets you see how a top level Division I softball program operates from a planning and practice perspective in this outstanding video. Detailed planning, hard work, and a caring environment all come together to produce elite results. There is something inside for coaches at any level to learn!

56 minutes. 2022.



SD-05961D:

with Tim Walton,
University of Florida Head Coach;
2x Women's College World Series Champions (2014, 2015);
5x SEC Tournament Champions;
8x SEC Regular Season Champions;
5x SEC Coach of the Year;
2019 NFCA Southeast Regional Coaching Staff of the Year;
2015 USA Softball Junior Women's National Team Assistant Coach;
over 800 career wins

This video featuring Florida head coach Tim Walton brings you not only a series of hitting drills, but also coverage of the mental side of hitting and how to prepare athletes at practice and after games to improve their performance. You will learn how to better evaluate your players' strengths and weaknesses in the batter's box, plus how to help athletes self-evaluate.

Measuring Swing Effectiveness

Coach Walton starts by running you through the metrics he uses to determine how strong and quick his hitters are with their swings. Using these metrics, he can tailor hitting practices to each individual on his roster. This also allows players to chart their progress and work on any deficiencies.

Hitting Drills and Evaluation

Next, Walton shows 10 drills that his team uses to improve their hitting. These include tee, front toss, and hitting machine drills. You'll even get a few exercises that use hitting tools to improve mechanics.

To conclude the video, Coach Walton goes over evaluation cards that he uses with each of his players, as well as hitting circuits. These will keep hitting practice fresh and fun throughout the season and make sure athletes stay engaged.

If you're looking to improve your hitters both mentally and physically, you'll learn how to do just that in this video from Coach Walton. You will walk away knowing how to evaluate your hitters' strengths and weaknesses and with drills to improve athletes of any age.

57 minutes. 2022.



SD-05961E:

with Tim Walton,
University of Florida Head Coach;
2x Women's College World Series Champions (2014, 2015);
5x SEC Tournament Champions;
8x SEC Regular Season Champions;
5x SEC Coach of the Year;
2019 NFCA Southeast Regional Coaching Staff of the Year;
2015 USA Softball Junior Women's National Team Assistant Coach;
over 800 career wins

Coach Tim Walton provides a detailed roadmap of how coaches can structure the fundamental drills that build applicable skills for infielders and outfielders at any level. You will appreciate Coach Walton's adaptations to make drills ideal and practical for any team's softball practice.

If you have ever wondered if you're dedicating too much of your practices to fundamental skills, or if you've ever been concerned about allocating time to base skill execution, your worries will be put to rest by the plan laid out by Walton in this video.

Infield

Accurate and strong throws are the core of any defensive effort. The throwing section of Coach Walton's presentation provides a detailed pattern for an in-season throwing workout that blends the breadth of skills needed with repetition to build competence in your players. Additionally, you will get a preseason build up program to prepare for the transition from off-season to preseason practice.

Walton gives you more than 20 infield execution drills, progressing from his basic "Roller" set, to grounders and double play execution. Several specialty drills are shown that will give you excellent ideas for training both basic and advanced field-throw techniques in a compact and efficient manner.

Outfield

The outfield section of this video covers throwing and fungo drills that touch on all commonly occurring fielding situations. With Coach Walton's drills, your outfielders will have no problem moving right or left, backward or forward as they cover ground to take away balls hit at every trajectory.

Any coach looking for a well developed menu of drills, organized in a logical manner, will benefit from watching this video. Coach Walton does a great job of showing, in detail, how he structures his practices to improve the play of his infielders and outfielders.

71 minutes. 2022.



SD-05961F:

with Tim Walton,
University of Florida Head Coach;
2x Women's College World Series Champions (2014, 2015);
5x SEC Tournament Champions;
8x SEC Regular Season Champions;
5x SEC Coach of the Year;
2019 NFCA Southeast Regional Coaching Staff of the Year;
2015 USA Softball Junior Women's National Team Assistant Coach;
over 800 career wins

Tim Walton, championship winning head coach of the Florida Gators softball team, breaks down how his players defend the bunt, cut-offs, the slap game, as well as 1st and 3rd plays that usually cause chaos and lead to the opposing team scoring more runs. This video will show you exactly how Florida handles their small ball situations with a variety of defensive schemes.

Crafting Your Defense

Coach Walton begins with information on evaluating your team's strengths and weaknesses, as well as how to utilize a scouting report on your opponents. This will help you prepare more for upcoming games and understand how to better adjust your defensive schemes.

Defending Difficult Plays

As the video progresses, Walton breaks down how his defense handles bunt situations with a variety of coverages. You will learn how to defend versatile slappers as well as power hitters. This video covers plenty of bunt and steal coverages to help your team get more outs.

Coach Walton also gives a detailed breakdown on how his team takes cut-offs and how they work relays on balls hit to the outfield. Certain situations require different defensive rotations to get outs or keep runners out of scoring position.

Finally, Walton goes through how his team defends 1st and 3rd plays. Opposing offenses like to create chaos and confusion with their 1st and 3rd offense, but Coach Walton simplifies his defense so players feel more comfortable and can quickly formulate a defensive plan.

This video will give you a variety of coverages to help your team defend difficult plays. Coach Walton packs in plenty of schemes that will help you stop opponents in their tracks!

71 minutes. 2022.



Tim Walton Softball Coaches Academy: Practice Checklist Before Your First Game

0
0

with Tim Walton,
University of Florida Head Coach;
2x Women's College World Series Champions (2014, 2015);
5x SEC Tournament Champions;
8x SEC Regular Season Champions;
5x SEC Coach of the Year;
2019 NFCA Southeast Regional Coaching Staff of the Year;
2015 USA Softball Junior Women's National Team Assistant Coach;
over 800 career wins

It's been said by many that "failing to prepare is preparing to fail." Checklists are used so things aren't forgotten - even experienced pilots and surgeons use them all the time. In this video, Florida's championship-winning head softball coach, Tim Walton, explains how he prepares for success at the highest level of college softball through the use of a checklist.

Using a Checklist

Coach Walton shares his annual checklist for the 2022 season to begin the video. His checklist is broken down by topic and includes baserunning, bunts, hitting, defense, team defense, protocol, and rules. Under each topic are the specific things that his team must work on during practices as they get ready for the season. You'll hear Walton discuss a few of these points and how he documents them as they are achieved. He also covers protocols for practice in order to promote efficiency and ensure a well-organized program.

Practice Plans

It's one thing to have a checklist, but another to use it. Coach Walton shows you detailed practice plans and explains them so you can see how the items listed in his checklist are incorporated into practice. In planning, Walton is mindful of his desire to "impact every player every day," even if it's just to say hi.

You'll also hear Coach Walton discuss the use of technology in his program. Today's players need to see what they are doing, not just hear it from a coach. A video, whether shown in a classroom setting or on an iPad out on the field, helps players see what successful execution looks like.

A fun way that Florida ends practices is with what Walton calls the "Finisher." This is an activity in which he pits one player against another, or a group of players. The activity is not only fun for athletes, it will help them get better at handling the inevitable pressure of a game.

Coach Walton lets you see how a top level Division I softball program operates from a planning and practice perspective in this outstanding video. Detailed planning, hard work, and a caring environment all come together to produce elite results. There is something inside for coaches at any level to learn!

56 minutes. 2022.


Tim Walton Softball Coaches Academy: Infield & Outfield Skills & Drills

0
0

with Tim Walton,
University of Florida Head Coach;
2x Women's College World Series Champions (2014, 2015);
5x SEC Tournament Champions;
8x SEC Regular Season Champions;
5x SEC Coach of the Year;
2019 NFCA Southeast Regional Coaching Staff of the Year;
2015 USA Softball Junior Women's National Team Assistant Coach;
over 800 career wins

Coach Tim Walton provides a detailed roadmap of how coaches can structure the fundamental drills that build applicable skills for infielders and outfielders at any level. You will appreciate Coach Walton's adaptations to make drills ideal and practical for any team's softball practice.

If you have ever wondered if you're dedicating too much of your practices to fundamental skills, or if you've ever been concerned about allocating time to base skill execution, your worries will be put to rest by the plan laid out by Walton in this video.

Infield

Accurate and strong throws are the core of any defensive effort. The throwing section of Coach Walton's presentation provides a detailed pattern for an in-season throwing workout that blends the breadth of skills needed with repetition to build competence in your players. Additionally, you will get a preseason build up program to prepare for the transition from off-season to preseason practice.

Walton gives you more than 20 infield execution drills, progressing from his basic "Roller" set, to grounders and double play execution. Several specialty drills are shown that will give you excellent ideas for training both basic and advanced field-throw techniques in a compact and efficient manner.

Outfield

The outfield section of this video covers throwing and fungo drills that touch on all commonly occurring fielding situations. With Coach Walton's drills, your outfielders will have no problem moving right or left, backward or forward as they cover ground to take away balls hit at every trajectory.

Any coach looking for a well developed menu of drills, organized in a logical manner, will benefit from watching this video. Coach Walton does a great job of showing, in detail, how he structures his practices to improve the play of his infielders and outfielders.

71 minutes. 2022.

Tim Walton Softball Coaches Academy: Hitting & Team Offensive Drills

0
0

with Tim Walton,
University of Florida Head Coach;
2x Women's College World Series Champions (2014, 2015);
5x SEC Tournament Champions;
8x SEC Regular Season Champions;
5x SEC Coach of the Year;
2019 NFCA Southeast Regional Coaching Staff of the Year;
2015 USA Softball Junior Women's National Team Assistant Coach;
over 800 career wins

This video featuring Florida head coach Tim Walton brings you not only a series of hitting drills, but also coverage of the mental side of hitting and how to prepare athletes at practice and after games to improve their performance. You will learn how to better evaluate your players' strengths and weaknesses in the batter's box, plus how to help athletes self-evaluate.

Measuring Swing Effectiveness

Coach Walton starts by running you through the metrics he uses to determine how strong and quick his hitters are with their swings. Using these metrics, he can tailor hitting practices to each individual on his roster. This also allows players to chart their progress and work on any deficiencies.

Hitting Drills and Evaluation

Next, Walton shows 10 drills that his team uses to improve their hitting. These include tee, front toss, and hitting machine drills. You'll even get a few exercises that use hitting tools to improve mechanics.

To conclude the video, Coach Walton goes over evaluation cards that he uses with each of his players, as well as hitting circuits. These will keep hitting practice fresh and fun throughout the season and make sure athletes stay engaged.

If you're looking to improve your hitters both mentally and physically, you'll learn how to do just that in this video from Coach Walton. You will walk away knowing how to evaluate your hitters' strengths and weaknesses and with drills to improve athletes of any age.

57 minutes. 2022.

Tim Walton Softball Coaches Academy: Everything Coaches Need to Know On & Off the Field

0
0

with Tim Walton,
University of Florida Head Coach;
2x Women's College World Series Champions (2014, 2015);
5x SEC Tournament Champions;
8x SEC Regular Season Champions;
5x SEC Coach of the Year;
2019 NFCA Southeast Regional Coaching Staff of the Year;
2015 USA Softball Junior Women's National Team Assistant Coach;
over 800 career wins

Whether you're a beginner coach or a veteran, you'll want to hear the advice passed along in this video by Florida Gators head softball coach Tim Walton! Coach Walton has built Florida into a perennial contender, and in his presentation, he covers the intricacies of the game from all angles. You'll learn everything softball coaches need to know: from on-field tactics, in-game strategy, coaching bases, as well as off-field duties.

Game Strategy

Coach Walton explains the intricacies of the game and its rules so that you can influence your program positively. You'll learn to have a plan and how to defend your players and beliefs as games are played. Walton covers when it is appropriate to be aggressive to umpires and when to use certain terms to get your point across.

As games are played, there are things you can do to put your team in a better position to win. Coach Walton teaches how to help hitters establish a routine and cater to their needs. He also covers developing a relationship with your pitchers and staff, as well as having a plan for pitchers to be ready to enter the game at certain times. Defensive alignment is another topic covered, and Walton discusses how to work on it at practice so your defense is sharp in the game.

Base coaches play a crucial role in close games. Coach Walton covers roles for 1st base coaches that could include picking signs or encouraging players. You'll also learn different positions at 1st and 3rd base that can help impact runners and win games by scoring more runs.

Off-Field Duties

In the off-field segment of this video, Walton covers communicating with your superiors and being transparent about any issues that might be happening within your program. It's important that coaches have their hand on the pulse of the program and communicate everything clearly with administrators. Coach Walton also makes it clear that if you want others to work hard, YOU have to work hard as well. You'll learn how players might perceive your program and how to communicate the climate of the program to your "stakeholders."

This presentation from Coach Walton is packed full of advice that has led to championship winning seasons. It covers many difficult issues involved with coaching, both on and off the field, that will help you make sure your program is as healthy as it can be.

64 minutes. 2022.

Tim Walton Softball Coaches Academy: Defensive Strategies to Win Championships

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0

with Tim Walton,
University of Florida Head Coach;
2x Women's College World Series Champions (2014, 2015);
5x SEC Tournament Champions;
8x SEC Regular Season Champions;
5x SEC Coach of the Year;
2019 NFCA Southeast Regional Coaching Staff of the Year;
2015 USA Softball Junior Women's National Team Assistant Coach;
over 800 career wins

Tim Walton, championship winning head coach of the Florida Gators softball team, breaks down how his players defend the bunt, cut-offs, the slap game, as well as 1st and 3rd plays that usually cause chaos and lead to the opposing team scoring more runs. This video will show you exactly how Florida handles their small ball situations with a variety of defensive schemes.

Crafting Your Defense

Coach Walton begins with information on evaluating your team's strengths and weaknesses, as well as how to utilize a scouting report on your opponents. This will help you prepare more for upcoming games and understand how to better adjust your defensive schemes.

Defending Difficult Plays

As the video progresses, Walton breaks down how his defense handles bunt situations with a variety of coverages. You will learn how to defend versatile slappers as well as power hitters. This video covers plenty of bunt and steal coverages to help your team get more outs.

Coach Walton also gives a detailed breakdown on how his team takes cut-offs and how they work relays on balls hit to the outfield. Certain situations require different defensive rotations to get outs or keep runners out of scoring position.

Finally, Walton goes through how his team defends 1st and 3rd plays. Opposing offenses like to create chaos and confusion with their 1st and 3rd offense, but Coach Walton simplifies his defense so players feel more comfortable and can quickly formulate a defensive plan.

This video will give you a variety of coverages to help your team defend difficult plays. Coach Walton packs in plenty of schemes that will help you stop opponents in their tracks!

71 minutes. 2022.

Tim Walton Softball Coaches Academy: Creating a Championship Culture

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0

with Tim Walton,
University of Florida Head Coach;
2x Women's College World Series Champions (2014, 2015);
5x SEC Tournament Champions;
8x SEC Regular Season Champions;
5x SEC Coach of the Year;
2019 NFCA Southeast Regional Coaching Staff of the Year;
2015 USA Softball Junior Women's National Team Assistant Coach;
over 800 career wins

In this video, two-time Women's College World Series champion coach Tim Walton lays the foundation of his championship organization. As he explains, championship level play is achieved by stressing the importance of defining culture and hiring an exceptional staff. You'll learn to do these things and more inside!

Role of the Coach

Coach Walton explains how to get organized and consistent as a coach. He believes that having an open door policy with players and treating your team as family is key to success.

You'll come to understand the various roles of the coach, including being a role model and example for your players. Walton also details how he creates an atmosphere that promotes conversation and establishes a clear line between friendship and work.

Supporting Cast

To create an elite program, your entire staff must be on the same page. Coach Walton covers how to collaborate with a strength and conditioning coach to have goals and understand what certain athletes can and cannot do. He also explains how to develop accountability by allowing individuals to have a certain job or responsibility. You'll learn to create a character checklist that is collaborative and has both objective and subjective elements.

In this presentation, Coach Walton covers the blueprint for developing a championship organization. He describes the importance of creating roles, defining culture, and the importance of a solid support system. This is a must-watch for any coach looking for guidance in building a great program.

62 minutes. 2022.

Garland Shirley: The Complete Guide to Teaching Slap Hitting- From Bunting to Blasting The Ball & More!

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0

with Garland Shirley,
Clarke University Softball Coach;
2021 recipient (1st ever) of NFCA's Natasha Watley Scholarship for Social Change;
In his first 2 seasons, set Clarke's school record for win-total turnaround by improving his team's record by 26 wins;
Marshalltown Community College Head Coach from 2015 to 2018;
Coached 13 All-Region players in three seasons and produced the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) Offensive Player of the Year in 2017;
Ankeny Centennial High School (IA) - Head Coach from 2014 to 2018;
Van Meter Community High School (IS) Head Coach from 2009 to 2014 (Iowa's first-ever African-American High School Head Softball Coach);
compiled a 117-61 overall record, was named the 2012 District Coach of the Year and led the school to its first state tournament appearance in 2012

Softball coaches know that if you want to develop a good slap hitter you need to begin with great fundamentals and work your way up to more advanced concepts. Garland Shirley, the head coach at Clarke University, has created a loaded instructional video featuring all the essential fundamentals – ranging from how to teach the necessary basics, while offering up valuable coaching points and a series of excellent drills that teach the art of slap-hitting from footwork to hard slaps.  

Slap Fundamentals From Beginner To Advanced

Coach Shirley hits the ground running in this video, by showcasing a series of tee drills that develop your complete slappers – including bunting, soft slaps and hard slaps – all with a proven progression of tee work.

Through the instructions shown in the first half of this video, you'll receive key information that teaches slap hitters how to see the ball better and make better contact. The tee drills demonstrated in this video does both, all while also stressing proper footwork, hand-eye coordination and multiple types of slap hits. 

Directional Slapping, Adding Power To The Equation

Coach Shirley next guides viewers through the process of teaching your slappers how to hit directionally on cue, as well as how to develop power swings – utilizing an ingenious, side-step approach that allows hitters to swing-away, without giving away the fact that he or she is not slapping on that pitch.

At the conclusion of the video, viewers are shown long-tee drills to help develop slapping power while allowing your hitters to see where they are hitting. These drills give key repetitions for hitters to work on hit placement to designated areas on the field, such as the 5-6 hole, which is a slappers goal location to hit.

This is an essential video to own if you want to help your players to become better slap hitters. Garland Shirley teaches you how to get the most from your slappers – while utilizing a ground-up approach. The tee lessons demonstrated in this video helps any slapper, from the beginner to the advanced, to become more consistent, more accurate and dangerous at the plate. This video is also packed with great progression drills that apply to slappers of all ages and experience levels. 

59 minutes. 2022.

Garland Shirley: All Things Hitting - Line Drives, Tee Drills, Plate Drills & Developing Raw Power

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0

with Garland Shirley,
Clarke University Softball Coach;
2021 recipient (1st ever) of NFCA's Natasha Watley Scholarship for Social Change;
In his first 2 seasons, set Clarke's school record for win-total turnaround by improving his team's record by 26 wins;
Marshalltown Community College Head Coach from 2015 to 2018;
Coached 13 All-Region players in three seasons and produced the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) Offensive Player of the Year in 2017;
Ankeny Centennial High School (IA) - Head Coach from 2014 to 2018;
Van Meter Community High School (IS) Head Coach from 2009 to 2014 (Iowa's first-ever African-American High School Head Softball Coach);
compiled a 117-61 overall record, was named the 2012 District Coach of the Year and led the school to its first state tournament appearance in 2012

Garland Shirley has a well-earned reputation as a teaching coach. In this instructional video on hitting, the head softball coach at Clarke University goes through a complete training regimen for softball players to refine their approach to hitting.

Coach Shirley and his assistant coach bring you a variety of tee drills and strength drills to help your players develop into more powerful hitters. From hand eye coordination drills to power development drills with strength and conditioning – this detailed video contains essential information you'll need to transform your players into better hitters.

Proper Hitting Form, Tee Drills

The hitting instruction begins with a series of tee drills intended to stress proper hitting form and hand placement. You'll get Coach Shirley's entire progression of hitting tee work ranging from contact drills to follow through drills to helping power swings to drive the ball.

You'll also get a series of tee drills that include hitting aides and some common exercise equipment such as bands to help reinforce proper hitting form and hitting techniques. The drills Coach Shirley demonstrates a hitting practice program that builds from the ground up and develops line drive hitters that will produce more base hits with the power needed to generate more homeruns. 

Building Physical Strength Improves Hitting

Toward the end of the video Coach Shirley brings you a highly valuable series of 5 different strength-and-conditioning drills that improves softball hitting and uses medicine balls and thick resistance-bands. 

These strength drills will help any hitter improve their power resulting in harder hit balls. As an added bonus, Coach Shirley points out that physically stronger, more well-conditioned athletes will stay healthier in-season and be more powerful.

This is a must-see video for softball coaches who are on a mission to improve their team's overall hitting – both for average and with more power. Coach Shirley teaches you how to get the most from your hitters, using a ground-up approach to hitting more line drives and homeruns. 

The tee lessons demonstrated in this video help any level of hitter – from the beginner to the advanced player – all will become more consistent and more powerful. 

49 minutes. 2022.


Garland Shirley's Hitting 2-Pack

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0
SD-05974A:

with Garland Shirley,
Clarke University Softball Coach;
2021 recipient (1st ever) of NFCA's Natasha Watley Scholarship for Social Change;
In his first 2 seasons, set Clarke's school record for win-total turnaround by improving his team's record by 26 wins;
Marshalltown Community College Head Coach from 2015 to 2018;
Coached 13 All-Region players in three seasons and produced the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) Offensive Player of the Year in 2017;
Ankeny Centennial High School (IA) - Head Coach from 2014 to 2018;
Van Meter Community High School (IS) Head Coach from 2009 to 2014 (Iowa's first-ever African-American High School Head Softball Coach);
compiled a 117-61 overall record, was named the 2012 District Coach of the Year and led the school to its first state tournament appearance in 2012

Softball coaches know that if you want to develop a good slap hitter you need to begin with great fundamentals and work your way up to more advanced concepts. Garland Shirley, the head coach at Clarke University, has created a loaded instructional video featuring all the essential fundamentals – ranging from how to teach the necessary basics, while offering up valuable coaching points and a series of excellent drills that teach the art of slap-hitting from footwork to hard slaps.  

Slap Fundamentals From Beginner To Advanced

Coach Shirley hits the ground running in this video, by showcasing a series of tee drills that develop your complete slappers – including bunting, soft slaps and hard slaps – all with a proven progression of tee work.

Through the instructions shown in the first half of this video, you'll receive key information that teaches slap hitters how to see the ball better and make better contact. The tee drills demonstrated in this video does both, all while also stressing proper footwork, hand-eye coordination and multiple types of slap hits. 

Directional Slapping, Adding Power To The Equation

Coach Shirley next guides viewers through the process of teaching your slappers how to hit directionally on cue, as well as how to develop power swings – utilizing an ingenious, side-step approach that allows hitters to swing-away, without giving away the fact that he or she is not slapping on that pitch.

At the conclusion of the video, viewers are shown long-tee drills to help develop slapping power while allowing your hitters to see where they are hitting. These drills give key repetitions for hitters to work on hit placement to designated areas on the field, such as the 5-6 hole, which is a slappers goal location to hit.

This is an essential video to own if you want to help your players to become better slap hitters. Garland Shirley teaches you how to get the most from your slappers – while utilizing a ground-up approach. The tee lessons demonstrated in this video helps any slapper, from the beginner to the advanced, to become more consistent, more accurate and dangerous at the plate. This video is also packed with great progression drills that apply to slappers of all ages and experience levels. 

59 minutes. 2022.



SD-05974B:

with Garland Shirley,
Clarke University Softball Coach;
2021 recipient (1st ever) of NFCA's Natasha Watley Scholarship for Social Change;
In his first 2 seasons, set Clarke's school record for win-total turnaround by improving his team's record by 26 wins;
Marshalltown Community College Head Coach from 2015 to 2018;
Coached 13 All-Region players in three seasons and produced the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) Offensive Player of the Year in 2017;
Ankeny Centennial High School (IA) - Head Coach from 2014 to 2018;
Van Meter Community High School (IS) Head Coach from 2009 to 2014 (Iowa's first-ever African-American High School Head Softball Coach);
compiled a 117-61 overall record, was named the 2012 District Coach of the Year and led the school to its first state tournament appearance in 2012

Garland Shirley has a well-earned reputation as a teaching coach. In this instructional video on hitting, the head softball coach at Clarke University goes through a complete training regimen for softball players to refine their approach to hitting.

Coach Shirley and his assistant coach bring you a variety of tee drills and strength drills to help your players develop into more powerful hitters. From hand eye coordination drills to power development drills with strength and conditioning – this detailed video contains essential information you'll need to transform your players into better hitters.

Proper Hitting Form, Tee Drills

The hitting instruction begins with a series of tee drills intended to stress proper hitting form and hand placement. You'll get Coach Shirley's entire progression of hitting tee work ranging from contact drills to follow through drills to helping power swings to drive the ball.

You'll also get a series of tee drills that include hitting aides and some common exercise equipment such as bands to help reinforce proper hitting form and hitting techniques. The drills Coach Shirley demonstrates a hitting practice program that builds from the ground up and develops line drive hitters that will produce more base hits with the power needed to generate more homeruns. 

Building Physical Strength Improves Hitting

Toward the end of the video Coach Shirley brings you a highly valuable series of 5 different strength-and-conditioning drills that improves softball hitting and uses medicine balls and thick resistance-bands. 

These strength drills will help any hitter improve their power resulting in harder hit balls. As an added bonus, Coach Shirley points out that physically stronger, more well-conditioned athletes will stay healthier in-season and be more powerful.

This is a must-see video for softball coaches who are on a mission to improve their team's overall hitting – both for average and with more power. Coach Shirley teaches you how to get the most from your hitters, using a ground-up approach to hitting more line drives and homeruns. 

The tee lessons demonstrated in this video help any level of hitter – from the beginner to the advanced player – all will become more consistent and more powerful. 

49 minutes. 2022.



Softball Pitching Excellence: Innovative Coaching Strategies to Master 'Pitching In the Zone'

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0
with Paige Cassady,
Texas Tech Pitching Coach;
Liberty University Associate Head Softball Coach from 2018 to 2022;
2018 NFCA National Assistant Coach of the Year;
2018 NFCA Mid-Atlantic Regional Coaching Staff of the Year;
Liberty University Assistant Softball Coach (Pitching) from 2013 to 2018;
Has coached 4 different pitchers to all-conference honors;
In 2018, Cassady's Liberty pitching staff posted a 2.04 ERA and 19 shutouts, including a 0.97 ERA over the final 23 games of the season;
In 2017 season, Cassady's Liberty pitching staff went 44 innings without giving up a single run, tossing six straight shutouts;
In 2016, Cassady's Lady Flames pitchers set a program single-season record with 377 strikeouts;
was Lipscomb University Pitching Coach in 2013;
was a Louisiana Monroe Graduate Assistant from 2011 to 2012;
Powerline Fastpitch Pitching Instructor, 2005 to present;
played collegiately (pitcher) at Florida International

In this highly informative softball coaching instructional video on pitching, Cassady explains why softball pitchers won’t really need a screw ball or a curve ball if they know the true ins and outs of working ‘in the zone.’ 

Rather than depending on a larger 5-pitch arsenal, Cassady demonstrates how and why a 3-pitch attack will actually be more effective in the long run.

Cassady also explains why softball pitchers should focus on in the zone and the potentially dangerous consequences and pitfalls of living outside the zone -- especially for young pitchers.

More Strikeouts, Overcoming Factors Beyond A Pitcher’s Control
In this detailed breakdown of becoming a better softball pitcher, Coach Cassady provides valuable knowledge and details that impact a pitcher’s control and performance. Cassady outlines the intangible factors that lead to a pitcher’s in-game frustration, including: the inconsistency of the strike zone for different umpires, the varying height of different hitters and where the hitter sets up in the box. 

Cassady covers the importance of strikeouts for softball pitchers and points out the ancillary benefits of increased strikeouts – both in how a strikeout can demoralize an opponent mentally and that it doesn't give them an opportunity to advance runners.

Showcasing a drill called ‘Small Plate vs Big Plate,’ Cassady shows viewers techniques and strategies for teaching softball pitchers’ how to adapt to different strike zones from game to game or even within a game.

Consistency, Preparation Breeds Confidence

Cassady dives deep to provide teaching techniques to help you train your softball pitchers to trust and control their primary pitches – pointing out that mutually beneficial, perpetual effect that control has on confidence and how confidence breeds consistency in performance.

Devoting time to creating game-like challenges in practice and workouts, Cassady covers a complete practice routing for preparing pitchers for game day.Cassady has created an instructional video that provides coaches with the necessary teaching tools for refining a softball pitcher’s approach to the game and includes tangible tactics that will improve in-game results.

53 minutes. 2022.

Softball Pitching Excellence: Improving Work Capacity & Preventing Injuries

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0
with Paige Cassady,
Texas Tech Pitching Coach;
Liberty University Associate Head Softball Coach from 2018 to 2022;
2018 NFCA National Assistant Coach of the Year;
2018 NFCA Mid-Atlantic Regional Coaching Staff of the Year;
Liberty University Assistant Softball Coach (Pitching) from 2013 to 2018;
Has coached 4 different pitchers to all-conference honors;
In 2018, Cassady's Liberty pitching staff posted a 2.04 ERA and 19 shutouts, including a 0.97 ERA over the final 23 games of the season;
In 2017 season, Cassady's Liberty pitching staff went 44 innings without giving up a single run, tossing six straight shutouts;
In 2016, Cassady's Lady Flames pitchers set a program single-season record with 377 strikeouts;
was Lipscomb University Pitching Coach in 2013;
was a Louisiana Monroe Graduate Assistant from 2011 to 2012;
Powerline Fastpitch Pitching Instructor, 2005 to present;
played collegiately (pitcher) at Florida International

Do your pitchers tire easily? Is fatigue an issue on your staff? Do your pitchers lose velocity in the middle of the game? Are your pitchers prone to injury? Do you know how to increase your pitcher’s work capacity – which is defined as the duration of strength and power?

Liberty University’s Paige Cassady, the 2018 NFCA National Assistant Coach of the Year, has extensively studied these questions with her own pitchers over the years and was motivated to develop a comprehensive plan that both simultaneously improves performance and prevents injuries.

In this detailed instructional video, Cassady shares the details of her injury prevention plan and offers an approach that coaches can immediately implement in their own program.

Injury Prevention, Improved Performance – Through Strength & Conditioning

Injuries typically manifest themselves when your pitcher becomes fatigued and overthrows. Cassady provides a detailed plan and approach where the goal is not only to prevent injuries, but to also train your pitchers by using methods that allow them to become stronger and more powerful – which will increase and maintain pitch speed, location and spin for as long as possible.

The dual goal of Cassady’s training program is to develop and improve pitchers to become more effective and efficient, while utilizing a daily routine that will reduce fatigue, injuries and increase work capacity.

Drills To Improve Work Capacity

Covering the critical components and essential details of her program, Cassady showcases some of her favorite softball pitching drills. Viewers will see examples of multiple drills that reinforce a pitcher’s mechanics, which improve performance while preventing injuries.

In addition, Cassady pulls back the curtain and unveils innovating teaching and training tactics such as: workouts that utilize a balance beam to help emphasize core stabilization, balance and force (in forward movement), the proper use of the softball pitcher’s foot box so that the toes face the plate and unsure hips and core are square to the plate (which increases) force and how to use starting blocks to teach a pitcher’s brain proper ‘pitch initiation’ – which helps the body create explosive forward motion.

This is a tremendously valuable instructional video for softball coaches at all levels. Cassady not only provides classroom instruction on how to increase work capacity to reduce injuries, but also utilizes highly effective still photos that clearly demonstrate examples of how pitchers are maximizing their potential while delivering a pitch.

56 minutes. 2022.

Paige Cassady's Pitching 2-Pack

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0
SD-06014A: with Paige Cassady,
Texas Tech Pitching Coach;
Liberty University Associate Head Softball Coach from 2018 to 2022;
2018 NFCA National Assistant Coach of the Year;
2018 NFCA Mid-Atlantic Regional Coaching Staff of the Year;
Liberty University Assistant Softball Coach (Pitching) from 2013 to 2018;
Has coached 4 different pitchers to all-conference honors;
In 2018, Cassady's Liberty pitching staff posted a 2.04 ERA and 19 shutouts, including a 0.97 ERA over the final 23 games of the season;
In 2017 season, Cassady's Liberty pitching staff went 44 innings without giving up a single run, tossing six straight shutouts;
In 2016, Cassady's Lady Flames pitchers set a program single-season record with 377 strikeouts;
was Lipscomb University Pitching Coach in 2013;
was a Louisiana Monroe Graduate Assistant from 2011 to 2012;
Powerline Fastpitch Pitching Instructor, 2005 to present;
played collegiately (pitcher) at Florida International

In this highly informative softball coaching instructional video on pitching, Cassady explains why softball pitchers won’t really need a screw ball or a curve ball if they know the true ins and outs of working ‘in the zone.’ 

Rather than depending on a larger 5-pitch arsenal, Cassady demonstrates how and why a 3-pitch attack will actually be more effective in the long run.

Cassady also explains why softball pitchers should focus on in the zone and the potentially dangerous consequences and pitfalls of living outside the zone -- especially for young pitchers.

More Strikeouts, Overcoming Factors Beyond A Pitcher’s Control
In this detailed breakdown of becoming a better softball pitcher, Coach Cassady provides valuable knowledge and details that impact a pitcher’s control and performance. Cassady outlines the intangible factors that lead to a pitcher’s in-game frustration, including: the inconsistency of the strike zone for different umpires, the varying height of different hitters and where the hitter sets up in the box. 

Cassady covers the importance of strikeouts for softball pitchers and points out the ancillary benefits of increased strikeouts – both in how a strikeout can demoralize an opponent mentally and that it doesn't give them an opportunity to advance runners.

Showcasing a drill called ‘Small Plate vs Big Plate,’ Cassady shows viewers techniques and strategies for teaching softball pitchers’ how to adapt to different strike zones from game to game or even within a game.

Consistency, Preparation Breeds Confidence

Cassady dives deep to provide teaching techniques to help you train your softball pitchers to trust and control their primary pitches – pointing out that mutually beneficial, perpetual effect that control has on confidence and how confidence breeds consistency in performance.

Devoting time to creating game-like challenges in practice and workouts, Cassady covers a complete practice routing for preparing pitchers for game day.Cassady has created an instructional video that provides coaches with the necessary teaching tools for refining a softball pitcher’s approach to the game and includes tangible tactics that will improve in-game results.

53 minutes. 2022.



SD-06014B: with Paige Cassady,
Texas Tech Pitching Coach;
Liberty University Associate Head Softball Coach from 2018 to 2022;
2018 NFCA National Assistant Coach of the Year;
2018 NFCA Mid-Atlantic Regional Coaching Staff of the Year;
Liberty University Assistant Softball Coach (Pitching) from 2013 to 2018;
Has coached 4 different pitchers to all-conference honors;
In 2018, Cassady's Liberty pitching staff posted a 2.04 ERA and 19 shutouts, including a 0.97 ERA over the final 23 games of the season;
In 2017 season, Cassady's Liberty pitching staff went 44 innings without giving up a single run, tossing six straight shutouts;
In 2016, Cassady's Lady Flames pitchers set a program single-season record with 377 strikeouts;
was Lipscomb University Pitching Coach in 2013;
was a Louisiana Monroe Graduate Assistant from 2011 to 2012;
Powerline Fastpitch Pitching Instructor, 2005 to present;
played collegiately (pitcher) at Florida International

Do your pitchers tire easily? Is fatigue an issue on your staff? Do your pitchers lose velocity in the middle of the game? Are your pitchers prone to injury? Do you know how to increase your pitcher’s work capacity – which is defined as the duration of strength and power?

Liberty University’s Paige Cassady, the 2018 NFCA National Assistant Coach of the Year, has extensively studied these questions with her own pitchers over the years and was motivated to develop a comprehensive plan that both simultaneously improves performance and prevents injuries.

In this detailed instructional video, Cassady shares the details of her injury prevention plan and offers an approach that coaches can immediately implement in their own program.

Injury Prevention, Improved Performance – Through Strength & Conditioning

Injuries typically manifest themselves when your pitcher becomes fatigued and overthrows. Cassady provides a detailed plan and approach where the goal is not only to prevent injuries, but to also train your pitchers by using methods that allow them to become stronger and more powerful – which will increase and maintain pitch speed, location and spin for as long as possible.

The dual goal of Cassady’s training program is to develop and improve pitchers to become more effective and efficient, while utilizing a daily routine that will reduce fatigue, injuries and increase work capacity.

Drills To Improve Work Capacity

Covering the critical components and essential details of her program, Cassady showcases some of her favorite softball pitching drills. Viewers will see examples of multiple drills that reinforce a pitcher’s mechanics, which improve performance while preventing injuries.

In addition, Cassady pulls back the curtain and unveils innovating teaching and training tactics such as: workouts that utilize a balance beam to help emphasize core stabilization, balance and force (in forward movement), the proper use of the softball pitcher’s foot box so that the toes face the plate and unsure hips and core are square to the plate (which increases) force and how to use starting blocks to teach a pitcher’s brain proper ‘pitch initiation’ – which helps the body create explosive forward motion.

This is a tremendously valuable instructional video for softball coaches at all levels. Cassady not only provides classroom instruction on how to increase work capacity to reduce injuries, but also utilizes highly effective still photos that clearly demonstrate examples of how pitchers are maximizing their potential while delivering a pitch.

56 minutes. 2022.



Success In Softball: Indoor Defensive Practice Drills That Simulate Game-Like Pressure Situations

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0
with Bob Ligouri, Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) Head Coach;
Iowa Girls Coaching Association (IGCA) Hall of Fame;
2022 NJCAA Region XI Coach of the Year (3x recipient);
8x NJCAA World Series appearances (in 9 years);
over 1,100 career wins;
8 Consecutive NJCAA Top Ten Nationally-ranked teams);
2x State Champions and 2x State Champion Runner-up as a High School coach (Dowling Catholic HS);

Softball coaches are always looking for new practice sessions and drills that recreate the game-like pressure of must-perform situations – scenarios that simulate challenging in-game situations that can make or break a tightly contested game.

Bob Ligouri utilizes his years of successful softball coaching experience and Iowa Girls Coaching Association (IGCA) Hall-of-Fame-level expertise, to share his methodology for building practice segments and structuring softball drills that recreate the pressure of key in-game situations. Best of all, Ligouri’s explanations and drills are presented in a way that makes them flexible and easy to replicate with whatever in-game situation feels most important to your team.PLUS … Not only do viewers receive over 2 hours of highly valuable softball coaching information and drills that will immediately insert new life to your softball practices – but as a SPECIAL BONUS – they also receive an extra 40-minute Bob Ligouri segment called ‘Practice Competition To Improve Situational Softball Hitting.’ 

All of this softball coaching information, providing viewers with almost 3 HOURS of valuable softball-coaching content, jam-packed into one fully-loaded instructional video!

Pressure In Practice – Builds Player Resilience

Ligouri has created a wide-ranging series of pressure drills that he uses in his daily practices that are designed to build resilience in his players. These drills are explained and demonstrated through a variety of LIVE practice situations, including: 

  • Pitching to win the most-critical counts and in-game situations.
  • Catcher drills for developing key skills behind the plate that reflect the pressure situations of a game.
  • Infield and outfield situational defensive drills that cover many of the critical challenging situations that can make or break a game.
  • Throwing drills and sequences that mimic live-game scenarios.
  • Building a defensive mindset in players that is critical during win-lose situations.

Practice Segments, Drills & How To Build-In Pressure 

The pitching drills segment: works through a series of 5 softball pitching drills, including some variants that place pitchers in different high-pressure, in-game situations. The drill scenarios shown in this segment are very different than the traditional bullpen routines used to train pitchers. These drills can serve as a guide and template for developing your own unique drill sets tailored to your pitching staff.

The catcher drills segment: offers demonstrations of challenge drills for softball catchers that focus on blocking and contain an excellent drill set for the steal and bunt-throws a catcher must execute during game play.

The infield drills segment: showcases 5 excellent drills for softball infielders and demonstrates how coaches can add in and build-up increasing levels of pressure to infielders by incorporating base runners and a variety of throw sets.

The outfield drills segment: follows a skill-based set of 6 proven outfield drills that work through a variety of key outfield skills and throws – based on executing in certain high-pressure, game-like situations, including: core fielding practices, throws to the cutoff and throws home.

To round things out, Coach Ligouri shows how he combines each of these drill segments together and creates an active ‘pressure throwing session,’ that is designed to work on and build-up player confidence – as they execute rapid, repeated throws at full game speed.

Special Bonus Segment: ‘Practice Competition To Improve Situational Softball Hitting’ showcasing a live action, team vs team competition where the goal is to ‘win’ the given situation.  

This highly valuable instructional softball coaching video provides a myriad of ideas for taking time-tested, proven softball drills that provide daily work to improve position skills and team skills – while giving them new life – by adding-in heavy pressure, in-game scenarios and a variety of situational factors that simulate a real game during your practice.

Observing Coach Liguori’s ‘pressure drills segments’ in his practices makes this a must-watch video for softball coaches of all levels!

135 minutes. 2022.

Open Practice: Duke Softball with Marissa Young

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0
with Marissa Young, Duke University Head Softball Coach;
first NCAA Super Regional appearance in 2022;
2020-2021 ACC Champions;
first NCAA Regional appearance with a national seed (No. 13) in 2021;
Over 100 wins through four seasons (2018-2021) at Duke;
Former University of North Carolina Assistant Coach;
3x All-American as a player at the University of Michigan;
Named the 2002 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year and 2003 Big Ten Player of the Year

In today’s world of competitive softball, the offense and hitters maintain a tremendous advantage. Softball athletes today are bigger, stronger and faster than ever before, while also possessing the ability to play small ball, in addition to ‘going yard.’ Innovations in softball training equipment are also primarily designed to benefit hitters.

With these offensive advantages in place – the real difference-maker in becoming a championship level softball program relies upon your team’s ability to play stifling, near-flawless defense on an out-by-out, inning-by-inning and game-by-game basis.

Marissa Young, the head softball coach at Duke University, has ‘hung her hat’ on emphasizing defense; her softball program’s consistent success comes as a byproduct of stressing defensive work every day in practice, while ensuring that all practices are structured in a manner that is both efficient and productive.

In this fantastic Open Practice coaching video, Coach Young shares an inside look at her blueprint for running a defensive-oriented softball practice that provides players with as many defensive repetitions as possible. Also, you’ll see how she has her team perform other critical skill-building drills throughout, all while successfully completing the pre-assigned goals the coaching staff has set for that day’s agenda.

Elements of a Perfect Practice

In this valuable and fascinating-to-watch Open Practice session that outlines a mid-season practice at Duke, this coaching video traces the ‘process’ that Coach Young uses to lay out and create this individual practice. 

To maximize the amount of work that needs to be completed within a limited timeframe, the Coach Young shows how she coordinates practice segments and designates specific assistant coaches to run each segment, while explaining her methodology for setting up goals to ensure they achieve an effective practice.  

Young also covers her approach to practice planning and shows how the coaching staff communicates the practice objectives to their players so that each athlete understands why they’re performing each task. This allows players to stay sharp and focused, allowing them to move between the elements of practice efficiently, while still receiving the maximum benefits of that day’s work.

Reinforcing the timing - that this is a mid-season practice - Coach Young shows how and why she has divided this particular day’s practice into three major segments: 

1) Infield/Outfield Work, 

2) Core Skill-Repetitions and 

3) Team Defense (this segment produces the bulk of the drills and hands-on coaching instruction).

The three practice segments are broken into brief training units that typically run 5- to 8-minutes in duration. In the initial skills-based segment of work, Young shows off a series of drills that cover critical skill executions that keep player’s skill-levels sharp as the season progresses. 

Coach Young emphasizes that all work performed in the skill-based segment of practice, features player repetitions that target ‘active, game-day skills,’ as opposed to ‘skill-development training’, which you wouldn’t typically schedule for a mid-season practice session.

Defensive Repetitions that Matter, Team-Development Drills

Moving into the next segment of practice, Coach Young highlights a progressive series of drills that simulates key defensive situations and features built-in, game-like pressure that stems from live baserunners trying to advance. There is even a live intrasquad competition to round out this segment.

Coach Young and her staff encourage each player to be aggressive and not afraid to make mistakes in segments of practice. As practice progresses, situational defensive strategies are incorporated into the mix. In the ‘Slap-Game Defense Drill,’ for example, the coach overseeing the drill will time each repetition, with the goal set at throwing the runner out in 2.75 seconds or less.

The infield and outfield personnel are then brought together for a team-development segment that incorporates baserunning, hitting and defensive work that includes an emphasis of throwing to the correct bases – with the goals of producing an out, while immediately looking to get another possible out.

Another team development drill segment features baserunners starting at home and subsequently rotated to each of the three bases to simulate different situations and rules the players must execute. The coach assigned to run this segment hits balls to all parts of the infield and outfield – forcing good defensive decision-making on these live-balls, timely cuts and hitting the proper relay person – all while stressing defensive communication among all defensive players. 

Likewise, baserunners are also encouraged to always look to take the next base during this drill (unless told to stop by a coach) and to keep the pressure on the defensive players through aggressive baserunning.

Coach Young culminates this day’s practice with a live intrasquad game with work that provides the practice with more realistic game-like situations. These situations can be manipulated and varied based on their next opponent and unique situations that may arise, while also adding the intensity, pressure and the feel of a live, mid-season game.

The Open Practice is wrapped up with a team meeting, where you get to watch Coach Young provide constructive criticism and praise to her softball athletes as warranted.

This video is a valuable, must-watch addition to any coach’s library of instructional coaching materials. It features drills and skill work that softball coaches at all levels can immediately incorporate into their own practices. 

Best of all, this Open Practice gives you a specialized, mid-season practice weapon that will keep your softball team sharp and executing at a high level!

90 minutes, 2023.

Rick Dillinger: Set Them Up to Sit Them Down: Pitch Design and Development

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with Rick Dillinger,
University of Iowa Assistant Coach from 2019 to 2022;
42 years as an Iowa high school softball coach (Adel-DeSoto-Minburn, North Polk & Danville);
3x State (IA) High School Softball Championships;
13x Conference Champion;
1,165-551 record as a softball coach;
2004 National Softball Coach of the Year;
7x Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union (IGHSAU) Softball Coach of the Year;
Upper Iowa University Hall of Fame;
IGCA Hall of Fame

This is a video full of coaching gems and insight that is remarkable in its breadth and insight. 

Everyone coaching softball needs to know this: What makes a good pitching coach? Coach Rick Dillinger believes you should always continue to learn.  Don’t be afraid to seek advice from experienced coaches.

What are some basic pitching drills and skills? Coach Dillinger is a big proponent of charting pitches at practice and during games.  Each pitcher is different, and Coach Dillinger has coached kids that hit their spots at practice but miss in a game on a certain pitch.  This is where the pitcher needs to know by changing where she lands on the power line may solve this issue.

Why is it important for your pitchers to throw at a consistent pace? Coach Dillinger explains what a metronome is and why his pitchers use it.  The goal of a hitter is timing and the goal of the pitcher is to disrupt the batter's timing.  

Why is the index, thumb and middle finger so important in pitching? Coach Dillinger explains how applying more or less pressure from these fingers can change the speed of the ball and the spin.  You can throw the same pitch but apply different amounts of pressure and change the velocity to disrupt timing.  The pitcher is trying to trick the batter’s eyes.

What can be learned from pitch calling design? Coach Dillinger explains how he used the offseason to study every pitch thrown by his pitchers from the prior season.  He learned the curve ball was hit harder than any other pitch.  If you want to be recruited and be effective, you must move the ball more up and down and not as much in and out.  Again, the goal is to trick the batter’s eyes.

Coach Dillinger discusses how the game has evolved and will continue to grow and evolve and explains “cybermetrics.”

What pitch appears to be the slowest for the hitter? Coach Dillinger explains how the outside fastball or curveball appears to be slower than a screw ball or fastball inside.  At 20’ feet from the batter each pitch should look the same to the batter.  Basically, each pitch appears to go through a tunnel.  Regardless of the pitch called, each pitch going through the tunnel should be side by side or one ball slightly ahead of the other ball.  Again, we are trying to create an optic illusion for the batter.

How to disrupt timing with a change up? Coach Dillinger shares a story while at Iowa and playing Northwestern.  Northwestern was hitting the ball extremely well and Coach Dillinger advised his pitcher they would only throw changeups the last two innings.  His pitcher was astonished but Coach Dillinger assured her they had this.

Every pitch the last two innings was a changeup either in, out, down or up and in.  Again, the index, thumb and middle fingers were used to change the speed of each pitch.  Coach Dillinger’s plan was successful.  Iowa didn’t surrender any runs in the last two innings and held on to win the game.

The topics covered in this video are applicable for coaches at every level of softball.

72 minutes.  2023.


Mike Candrea's Ultimate Coaching Clinic - Practice Planning, Infield & Hitting

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featuring Mike Candrea,
University of Arizona Head Coach from 1986 through 2021;
8x Women's College World Series Champions;
winningest coach in NCAA Division I Softball history (1,674 wins);
4x Speedline/NFCA National Coach of the Year;
3x National Coach of the Year;
11x Pac-12/10 Regular Season Champions;
12x Pac-12 Coach of the Year;
named the Pac-12 Coach of the Century;
Distinguished member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Hall of Fame (1996);
2017 USA National Softball Hall of Fame;
2009 Arizona Softball Foundation Hall of Fame;
Central Arizona Head Coach from 1981 to 1985;
2x US Olympic Softball Coach (Gold in '04, Silver in '08)

This coaching clinic featuring Hall of Fame Coach Mike Candrea has been called ‘the most complete video I ever have seen’; you will soon learn why as Candrea addresses a wide variety of topics covering the gamut of skills, passion, organization, coaching focus, balance and more. 

Important Traits for Every Player

Coach Candrea believes if you can not catch and throw or if you have issues with your vision, all the drills in the world will not make you a better softball player.

If you think your kids have good fundamentals in the field or at the plate but are struggling hitting or fielding, get their vision checked by a professional.  Many times kids have vision issues, but the parent and/or coach think it is related to their skill set.

If your player doesn’t have any vision issues then we can focus on ways to improve the player’s vision.  

Rarely does a player catch a ball in a stationary position.  Our players are always moving to receive a throw or to make a throw to the appropriate bag or relay person.  Coach Candrea believes in starting practice with short throws using a four corner’s drill.  The drill can be adapted to players of various ages and skill sets.

Organizing a Great Practice

Coach Candrea advises to never do a drill at practice that isn’t sport-specific to what you may see in a game environment.  This is a waste of the players (and coach’s) time!  Every drill should progress to more advanced drills using skills previously demonstrated.  

It's ok to be creative at practice and introduce drills that simulate game-like situations. Progress from drills to live hitting and fielding which is more reflective of the actual game.

While working on infielders or outfielders’ glove and footwork, don’t forget specific drills for the pitchers.  Coach Candrea gives an example of facing a pitcher that threw 70 mph.  The first game, the opposing pitcher struck out 18 of Coach Candrea’s batters.  Coach Candrea noticed the opposing pitcher had issues throwing overhanded to bases.  Therefore, the next time the two teams faced each other, Coach Candrea started bunting more.  The pitcher struggled throwing to bases and Coach Candrea’s team won the game.

Infielder’s Responsibilities

Coach Candrea advises that each infielder on every play is either fielding the ball, covering a base or backing up a throw.  

The first and third baseman is closer to home plate and thus must play lower to the ground because they have less time to react.  Learn how to field the ball with the glove fingers scratching the clay.  Learn how to rake through a softly hit ground ball to the players backhand.  

Coach Candrea emphasizes how to open up on the front side and hide the glove when making a short throw to a bag so the receiver can see the ball better.  Learn how the infielders communicate with each other and the outfielders.

Infielder Training

Learn how and when the shortstop and second baseman would charge a ground ball with a hop vs giving a step and learning how to read the speed and direction of the ball.

Coach Candrea demonstrates two techniques used by the shortstop in fielding a backhand.  The technique used depends on how hard the ball is hit.

Coach Candrea also shows how the first baseman gets to the bag with both feet then commits stretching to the throw with the glove hand.  Learn how to make tags at first base on errant throws that pull the first baseman off the bag.

Coach Candrea demonstrates how the middle infielders and the third baseman approach the bag on throws from the outfield and catcher.

Hitting Goals

Coach Candrea teaches how to achieve maximum force with minimal effort.  Learn how to be efficient.  Learn how the swing starts from the ground up and why the “squash the bug” approach that was once taught regularly should never be taught again.

Learn how to use the ground to generate force and not to spin on the right foot for a right handed batter.  Coach Candrea explains how the lower and upper body must be connected and work like gears to generate more bat speed.

Not only does Coach Candrea discuss staying connected in the swing, video clips he shares demonstrate how the gears work together.  Coach Candrea shares several video clips of successful softball and major league baseball players on their pre-pitch carrying through to the swing and extension.

Learn how to turn the bat sooner and keep the bat on plane longer to put more balls in play even if you are early, on time or late with the swing.  Learn what 90-degree angles are on how they impact how hard your players can hit the ball.

Character vs. Skills set

Coach Candrea’s dad advised him at an early age that if you cannot sleep because of issues with a kid in your program, then you need to release the kid from your program.  Coach Candrea explains in detail why he would rather have a kid with high character than a kid with a more impressive skill set.

Learn how to develop your program based on a culture built from the inside out implemented with the assistance of all players and how the coach must set the example on and off the field.

Coach Candrea discusses the pillars of a successful program and reflects on character, attitude and discipline.

Coaching Pitfalls

Coach Candrea does a fantastic job of explaining the fundamentals of the game, each player's responsibilities and how to organize a practice and instill values in your players setting the tone for a winning culture.  However, this video goes beyond coaching to challenge each coach to evaluate their individual happiness and work/life balance.  

Coach Candrea challenges each coach to examine where they are with their family life or lack thereof and see if they are driven by wins/losses or training young people for life lessons.  Coach Candrea discusses what motivated him as a young coach in junior college and what motivated him during his successful time at Arizona and the USA Head Olympic Coach.

This video will provide every coach with insights and lessons that will reinforce and reinvigorate your future stages as a coach and person!

226 minutes.  2023.





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