Just because it’s getting snowy outside doesn’t mean that you can’t work on your softball skills around the clock! Given the softball field’s smaller dimensions, the fielders must be focused, prepared, and trained for every situation — that way, you can react appropriately and make the play without much second thought. A moment of hesitation can lead to missed opportunities and runs scored for the opposing team, especially on hard hit balls in the gap. Basically, what we’re saying here is that it’s really tough to be a well-prepared outfielder in softball, but with a little effort, tips from CoachUp, and the drive to improve, you can cover the outfield intelligently and athletically in no time. Back in July, we wrote an article on our Training Center detailing how to go about improving your outfield skills — so here’s an excerpt from that:
Drill #1: This drill requires at least three people — one player should be hitting the ball from home plate, with another in center field and the third in an adjacent position, in right or left field. The hitter’s only job is to hit the ball somewhere in the middle of them. This forces the two outfielders to organize themselves and call for the ball. Practicing this drill will work on communication in the outfield — but don’t forget to vary your type of hits! Make sure to send the pair grounders, liners, pop-outs, and even some that go over their heads, so they can also practice some simple cut-off situations!
In that full article, which you can find right here, we outline two other great drills as well. For many outfielders, it may seem difficult to find ways to train and put yourself in game-like situations. However, a little creativity goes a far way towards improving your speed, reactions, communication, intuition, and overall ability. So, get out there, use our drills, and start preparing for spring tryouts before everybody else!
