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Softball

The popularity of softball is easily visible throughout the country; as soon as Summer rolls around, many Americans take to the fields and enjoy a little friendly competition. Each year, softball is played by nearly 15 million men and women, making it one of the more popular sports around. Its flexible rule structure allows for players of every skill level to pick up a bat and have a fun time.

Find softball leagues, tournaments, camps, and clinics. Improve your skills with tips, tricks, drills, and more.

Applying Occam’s Razor to Teaching Fastpitch Softball
October 29, 2018
The more you follow Occam’s Razor the more success your players will have and the more games you’ll win. Isn’t that really what it’s all about? At some point in your life outside of fastpitch softball you’ve probably heard the term “Occam’s Razor.” No, it’s not a brand of shaving utensil. Instead, it’s a way […]
Why the Short Leash May Not Be As Effective As You Think
October 22, 2018
Making mistakes is critical to the kind of growth that ultimately wins games – especially those in tense situations – as well as championships. First of all, for those of you who are wondering, yes. This is my dog Swayze. (I didn’t name him; he was a rescue and that was already his name.) He’s […]
Take Your Effort to Eleven
October 15, 2018
It’s very easy for players to slip into their comfort zone when they’re practicing or playing. Unfortunately, for many that comfort zone may be far less than they’re capable of achieving when pushed. The other day I was reading an article in the NFCA’s Fastpitch Delivery newspaper. It was written by Megan Brown, Ph.D., an assistant coach at […]
My Advice to Softball Parents: Lighten Up, Francis
September 30, 2018
The reality is, a softball player’s career is short, which means your time to enjoy watching your player(s) as a parent is short. It’s not life-or-death. It’s just a game. The reality is, a softball player’s career is short, which means your time to enjoy watching your player(s) as a parent is short. It’s not […]
The Importance of Consistency When Learning Fastpitch Skills
September 25, 2018
Instruction always works better when you apply it properly. In the early stages especially, that requires consistency. The once-funny and now just more generally creepy comedian and filmmaker Woody Allen has been quoted as saying “80% of success is just showing up” or something to that effect. While most times ol’ Woody isn’t the person […]
Don’t Take Everything You Hear or See at Face Value
September 13, 2018
Be a smart consumer. Make sure what you’re being taught, no matter who is teaching it, matches up with what great players do. Every week I receive an email that links to pieces of instructional videos for fastpitch softball. And almost every week I end up shaking my head at what I see in them […]
Turn, Turn, Turn? Not Anymore
August 29, 2018
If your mechanics are bad and you’re not performing, there’s little risk in making changes. Nowhere to go but up and all of that. It’s a pretty safe bet that “Turn, Turn, Turn” is the best-known songs by the 1960s folk-rock band The Byrds. It’s either that or “Mr. Tambourine Man,” but I personally think […]
Bring a Little Fun to Corrections By Playing HORSE
August 22, 2018
By the way, there was no prize for winning or avoiding getting HORSE, although there certainly could’ve been. The game simply appealed to her competitive nature and got her attention. Being a coach sometimes can feel like you’re stuck in the movie Groundhog Day. You offer a correction, the player makes it for a repetition or […]
The Importance of Being Coachable
August 15, 2018
The more open you are to new information that can help you, the more likely you are to reach your goals. A few days ago my friend Tim Boivin sent me this article about NBA star (and future Hall of Famer) Tim Duncan. The article quotes an open letter from Tony Parker, who explains that the San […]
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Beginner’s Guide to Calling Pitches
August 5, 2018
Start low and out. Most hitters don’t like that pitch and will let it go by for a free strike. “When in doubt, throw low and out.” This came up recently when the mom of one of my students asked me for a little help in learning how to call pitches for her daughter. Makayla […]
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