Free Girls Softball Fastpitch Drills

Before beginning the free girls fastpitch softball drills, make sure your pitchers are adequately warmed-up to prevent injury. One good way of warming up the pitching arm is a quick game of 'Three Ball Game', which works the girls for their speed. Divide the pitchers into pairs where one player has one ball and the other has two. The player with two balls throws an easy, walk-in pitch to the other, who in turn pitches the ball in her hand back to player one. Because each pitcher always has a ball in her hand, this game will allow players to throw 50 or even 100 pitches in a short time.

After the warm-up game proceed direction to the first of the free girls fastpitch softball drills-the '8 ball drill'. Have your pitcher throw 8 balls into a net in rapid succession, concentration solely on snapping motion in her wrist. Next, she will throw 8 balls focusing on arm speed. After that comes 8 balls throw with the pitcher focused on her stride by creating a mark in the dirt for her first stride and then trying to beat it with each consecutive pitch. Lastly, have your pitcher throw 8 balls with both feet together windmill-style extending her arm fully, reaching above with each pitch.

For the next drill called the 'Long Shot', have the pitcher position herself just behind the pitcher's rubber with a bucket of balls. She will then pitch one of the balls towards the plate. If that throw crosses the plate, she moves back 5 feet, approximately equivalent to one large step. She continues moving back with each successful pitch over the plate until she can no longer arc her throw over the plate. This drill, which demands accuracy and power from those who practice it, can be done simply against a backstop or with a catcher to collect the balls in her own bucket.

The last series of the free girls softball fastpitch softball drills develop the girls' movement when pitching by having them throw different kinds of pitches and isolating the movements required for these specific techniques. For this drill, line-up all your pitchers a short distance from a catcher or coach. Have them toss the five balls first with the rotation for a peel drop pitch. Next, have them each throw five roll drop pitches, where their weight is distributed to the front foot entirely upon the pitch's release. Lastly, have them pitch five rise balls, where the weight shifts to the back foot.

After these pitches, have the girls move back 25 feet from the catcher, or 5 big steps. From this mark they will throw the same series of pitches at 50% of their speed, since the goal here is isolating movement not speed. Finally, have the pitchers stand at the pitcher's mound to throw the same series of pitches-peel drop, roll drop, and rise ball. From this distance the girls can also throw change-ups and fastballs, if desired.