Stingers Main Page

Slap Hit Video

Proper Bunting Technique

Leadoff

Running Through 1st Base

Drop Step Catching Fly Balls

Tuesday May 4th Practice:

Outfield Backing Up Other Players, Situational Defense(Where To Go With The Ball), Stealing(Rocker Step), Sliding

Outfield Back Up

Check Out Defense Tab ___________________________________________________________________________

The Rocker Step-Proper Foot Placement To Steal

___________________________________________________________________________

Proper Sliding

1. Start slide about 8ft from bag.

2. Go into figure 4 slide(one leg out in front, other leg tucked underneath)

3. Hands up to avoid injuring fingures

4. If possible use tucked leg and bag to bounce yourself up on feet just incase you need to advance to next base on an overthrow.

Saturday May 8th Practice:Bunting, Fielding Bunts, Knowing What To Do With Ball, Checking Signs

Fielding The Bunt

________________________________________________________


6 Steps To Bunting

Fastpitch Softball Bunting - 6 steps to improve this key hitting skill
Bunting isn’t glamorous or exciting but doing it successfully can be the difference between winning or losing a close game. Like freethrows in basketball, bunting seems almost too simple and even boring to practice so it can become a lazy skill.

Fortunately for all of us there are some things we can do to help our bunters really concentrate on the simple details involved in a successful bunt – we’re talking Sacrifice Bunt. Before we look at some ways to add competition to bunting let’s first review the basics for a successful bunt:

    Fastpitch Softball Bunting Tips - Start at the Chin

  1. Start at the Chin – To avoid popping up the bunt have your bunters start their bats at the top of their strike zone – which is just about at their chin. Too many hitters start their bats around their waist so they have to move up and down for pitches and when they move up it’s much easier to bunt the bottom of the ball – which is what causes a pop up. You can see in picture 1 how the bat is up by this bunter’s chin which puts it at the top of the strike zone.




    2. Fastpitch Softball Bunting Tips - Start out Give in

  2. Start Out, Give In – This means that the bunter should start her hands OUT away from her body, as in picture 2, and then Give IN as the ball hits the bat in order to soften the contact and keep the bunt from being too hard and going right back to the pitcher. Like catching an egg, you don't want it to break so you cushion the blow.

  3. Move Down with the Knees – The bunter in picture 2 also shows you how a bunter should bend her knees in order to bunt a low pitch as opposed to reaching down with her arms for the ball. Your bunters should always try to keep the bat near their eyes and then move their knees down to the ball instead of moving their bat and keeping their body still in order to avoid popping the ball up or missing it completely.

  4. Stay Wide and Solid – Bunting involves absorbing the impact of the ball and in Fastpitch, that can be a lot of impact. So a bunter needs to keep her feet wide enough to keep her balance and stay solid no matter where the pitch is as a loss of balance is a great way to mess up a bunt.

  5. On the Ground & Fair – a bunter’s goal, at first, is simply to get the ball on the ground and in fair territory. Don’t get too fancy with beginning bunters on what side of the field they bunt to, just get them to bunt it on the ground and fair. As they get better then you can get more detailed and have them bunt to different locations on the infield based on the defensive coverage.

  6. Practice Under Pressure – Bunting in a game is all about pressure so practicing it in a relaxed and goof-around atmosphere in practice won’t go far in helping your players bunt better in the clutch! Adding pressure in bunting practice can pay huge dividends when it comes to creating great game bunters!

Drop Step Catching Fly Balls, Catchers Blocking Ball, Tossing Pass Ball To Hom Plate, Defense, Signs, Relay Drill

Drop Step Check Out Video!


Catcher Drills

Catcher is a very important Position In Our Level Of Softball. So here are some drills we will be working on through out the rest of our practices. Blocking the ball using slide steps, chest protector and shin gaurds. Keeping the ball in front of you will be key to stop stealing and to protect on dropped 3rd strikes. Work on slide steps dropping to knees and keeping the ball from getting passed you. If and when a ball get pass we need to work on getting to it as fast as possible in order to stop runners from advancing. Finally for now we want our catchers to work on good straight hard throws to 1st 2nd and 3rd base.

Defense

We need to know where to go with the ball and make better throws. More communication in the field will help.

Reading our Signs

Make sure to step out of batters box after every pitch as signs may change. Ask us to repeat sign if you feel you missed it. If you miss it again call timeout and ask coach. Batter gets sign 1st, runners 2nd. Runners make sure to watch for bunt sign and prepare to take off when bunt is laid down.

Relay Drill

This will be our new warm up drill. Work on turning to glove side after catching ball to make a quicker relay throw(right handers turn to your left, left handers will turn to their right.) Quick turns and good hard throws is key to this drill

Tuesday May 18th Practice

Stealing, covering 2nd on steal, catchers throwing down, fly balls, catchers getting to ball, hit and bunting

Stealing

Get a Rocker stance on bag(foot on side of bag with push off foot back). Check pitchers motion. As she gets ready to release ball push off and start running. Don't look for the ball. Slide if you need to, and listen to coaches. If ball is hit in the air coaches will tell you to get back. Also if a ball is hit watch 3rd base coach to see if you need to keep running.

Catcher's throw down to 2nd base on steal attempt

With runner on 1st get into a throwing crouch. By this we mean offset you feet to get you in a position to be ready to throw and don't crouch so low so you are able to bounce up to make throw. Come up hard and try to make a hard straight throw to the 1st base side of 2nd base. Don't worry about the ball making a hop. Make the throw even if you don't see shortstop covering. It is Shortstops job to get there for the throw now catcher's job to wait until she gets there. We will work on moving pitchers out of the way for the throw so you won't have to worry about pitchers being in the way.

May 22nd Practice

Sprinting To 1st on a walk/Pass Ball, Backing Up Pitchers On Throws, Reading Signs, Advancing To 2nd Base, Live Action

Walking

When you receive a walk hustle to 1st base and watch your coach for signs. Same with dropped 3rd strikes. Touch inside of base and run as straight as possible without taking a big arc to 2nd base. Keep an eye on 3rd base coach just incase we want you to continue to 3rd base.

Good throws and backing up Pitchers

Catchers and pitchers need to make good throws and catches. If ball gets pass the pitcher or hits ground it is a live ball. So SS and 2B will also need to back up any throws and be prepared to make a play if runners advance.

Signs

We have been putting a lot of importance on signs. These will help out greatly this year to try and get us an advantage. I will not list our signs on here incase enemy eyes wonder on to our page but please remember them and ask if you don't understand or feel you missed a sign.

Special Base Ruinning Notes

When you get a steal sign do not hesitate but please be listening to coaches incase of pop flies you may have to return to bag. Once pitcher releases ball run as fast as you can to next base. Do not stop in middle of your run unless you hear a coach tell you to get back. Also make sure to get good leads on the bases if you are not stealing. Keep eye on the ball and do not turn your back on pitcher. This is important because if pitcher drops the ball we want to be ready to run especially at 3rd base.

Only 3 practices left until 1st game! Let us know if there is something you want to go over more to help you understand

We will probably be going over a lot of defense in our next practice. Our offense looked good especially against live pitching. Girls who weren't able to make last practice we will explain some key points we covered on Saturday. Coach is going to try and get a practice game scheduled just to go over some of our basic skills. Hitting, fielding, running, and pitching/catching

Saturday May 29th Practice

Sliding, Backing up pitcher, fielding the bunt, live pitching, fielding, and hitting

Proper Sliding

1. Start slide about 8ft from bag.

2. Go into figure 4 slide(one leg out in front, other leg tucked underneath)

3. Hands up to avoid injuring fingures

4. If possible use tucked leg and bag to bounce yourself up on feet just incase you need to advance to next base on an overthrow.


Fielding The Bunt


Catcher Notes

With a runner on 3rd base do not throw ball to 2nd base on a steal or 1st base on a dropped 3rd strike unless coach tells you before hand!


Back Up Pitcher

Nice Job On Our Practice Game Ladies. Here are a few points we want to go over after watching you play Tuesday.

1-Always be watching and listening to your base coaches. Heading to a base on a hit or on base before a pitch. Check for signs and know the situation.

2-Outfield Defense remember to keeping running after the ball until someone gets to it. We went over backing up in outfield. Don't stop and think the other fielder is going to get the ball.

3-Infield Defense charge the ball on slow rollers. Don't wait until the ball comes to you go get it, also if ball is hit and someone else gets to it before you do go to your base or prepare to back up the play.

4-Catchers make sure you get throws to pitcher. Don't throw down to 1st base on a dropped 3rd strike or 2nd base on a steal if a runner is on 3rd base unless we tell you to go ahead.

5-Pitchers if bases are loaded and 2 outs on a dropped 3rd strike run up to home plate to receive a throw from catcher to get the out at home.

Our hitting and base running looks pretty solid. Remember to be patient on slower pitchers and step out of the box and check for signs at bat and on base

Remember to encourage your teammates. Do not get down on them. Always try to pick each other up and stay positive!

For our June 12th practice we went over:

1...Sliding(check out May 4th or May 29th Tab)

2...Covering bunt(check out May 8th or May 29th Tab)

3...Slap Hitting(check out slap hitting under video tab)

4...Bunting(check out May 8th Tab)

5...Directional Bunting which was new:

5A...When a runner is on 3rd we would like bunts to go down 1st base line. This is used to get ball away from runner side so they can score without a chance of a tag or running into ball.

5B...3rd Base Bunts are used to draw the 3rd basemen in to get runners from 1st and 2nd into scoring position. Draw the 3B in and hopefully no one is there to cover the bag.

5C...Normal Bunts are used to just give you a chance to break up some hitless streaks if we struggle at plate or if the defense is sleeping. We would like the slap bunts to get used more often in these cases.


You ladies are doing a great job. Don't get over confident but continue to believe you can handle anything that's thrown at you in the game. Lets keep up the good work!

Defensive Situations

Backing up and positioning on ball hit to left field

Backing up and positioning on ball hit to left center

Backing up and positioning on ball hit to right center

Backing up and positioning on ball hit to right field

Defense No Outs, Runner On First, Ball Hit to 3B

Defense No Outs, Runner On First, Ball Hit to SS

Defense No Outs, Runner On First, Ball Hit to 2B

Defense No Outs, Runner On First, Ball Hit to 1B