Objective: Helps train catchers to get the ball out of their glove quickly and make the throw.

Set Up
Draw a line between your feet in the catcher’s box or where you set up.
From the middle of that line, draw a line in the direction of each base.
You will either have a T (more like a + to second base) or a V (to first or third base).
Have someone throwing you pitches from the front.

Execution:
As the pitch comes in, hop on your T or your V in one quick motion, all while getting the ball out of the glove.
Try not to close your glove to catch the ball, unless the ball is way out of the strike zone. Instead, merely use your glove as a guide to bring the ball to your throwing hand.
When throwing to third base, go behind a batter. When throwing to first base, go in front of a batter. This will disguise your throw better and make it easier to see the base.
When throwing to second, always aim for 1-2 ft over top of the bag.
When throwing to first or third, lead the defensive player there, as most are later getting to those bags. Be willing to throw a “touchdown” to these players, don’t just aim over the bag.
You can use a runner or a stand-in batter whenever possible.

Bio -  Professional 2010: Named Worth Offensive Player of the Year in NPF and Co-Winner of Wilson Home Run Trophy … Named All-NPF Team catcher … Finished second in NPF in batting average (.316), tied for first in home runs (12) and first in RBIs (32) … FInished campaign with a .692 slugging percentage, 12 home runs, 32 RBIs and 42 hits in 133 at-bats.

2009: Was named to the All-NPF Team for a second consecutive season after hitting .308 on the season and driving in 22 runs…Walked just 12 times in 2009 after walking 31 times during the previous season…Finished t-5th in the league with her 22 RBIs and was one of only eight players throughout the league to hit above .300 for the season…She finished the year with a .308 average.

2008: Drafted by the Bandits with the 7th overall selection in the NPF College Senior Draft…Named to the All-NPF Team and was named the 2008 Nokona American Glove Rookie of the Year…Finished in the top six in the league in RBI’s (6th – 32), home runs (5th – 11) and batting average (6th – .311)…Was the Bandits team leader in on-base percentage and walks.

Marshall (2005-08)
One of the greatest players to ever play for Marshall…Finished her senior season (2008) as the Conference USA leader in slugging percentage, on-base percentage and walks…Ranked second in several other categories, including batting average and home runs with 17…Named first team Conference USA as a junior, as well as second team Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-American…Was the Conference USA Player of the Year in 2006, as well as the Triple Crown winner…Folden led C-USA in batting average, home runs and RBI’s…As a freshman, drove in 60 runs and had a .406 batting average to lead the Herd.

Find out more about Rachel, and the Chicago Bandits here.

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Objective: To improve a players agility, quickness, and throwing accuracy.

Description:
1- The player is in the center of the clock, facing 12 o’clock.

2- The coach will shout 2 instructions:
1st : the time on the clock where the player has to pick up the ball.
2nd : the base the player has to throw the ball to.

3- As soon as the coach has shouted the instruction the player sprint to the ball and make the throw to the appropriate base

4- The throw has to be chest height5- The drill is timed

Works On:
1 – Information processing: processing various information at once and reacting to them as quickly as possible

2 – Effective body positioning: positioning the body effectively and quickly to allow an accurate and powerful throw, depending on where the ball is at and where they have to throw it.

3 – Agility: quickness and accuracy of the correct footwork.

4 – Acting under pressure: being able to make the throws accurately and as quickly aspossible (timed challenge).

5 – Dealing with the fatigue: the drill requires the players to do 12 sprints, 12 squats, 12 throws. There will be a fatigue factor that will occur during the drill, despite that the players will need to keep being accurate with their throws.

Coaching Points:
1 – Your player should grab the ball with the bare hand on the ground (for quicknessand to avoid mistake: the player has the ball already in the throwing hand, no waste of time in the glove/throwing hand transfer, it also prevents the player dropping the ball).

2 – Your player should already be in the throwing position, side on to the base he/shehas been instructed to throw to (for quickness: as your player will already be in the right position to throw).

3 – Your players’ legs have to be bent and the weight should be on the back leg whengrabbing the ball on the ground (for power and accuracy: this will allow the player to push off and move his body weight forward).

4 – Your player should drop step if they have to throw the ball behind them e.g. if your players is facing 12 o’clock and you call out 6 o’clock, you want them to drop step rather than taking a long route to the marker. (for quickness and to be in the correct body position: the drop step allows the players to be in the right position as soon ashe/she has done his/her first step).

Progression:
1 – Change the throwing distance (whether you work with the infield or outfield, the type of throw you want to work on- short side arm or long infield throw).

2 – Change the positioning of the clock (e.g 12 o’clock becomes 2 o’clock) or change the positioning of the base (e.g 1 st base become home plates…) or change both, the positioning of the clock and the positioning of the bases (your players will have to adjust their thinking to the change, so it is not just repetition for the player).

3 – Change the distance of the numbers of the clock (e.g 12 o’clock positioned at 5 meters from the middle, 1 o’clock positioned at 5 meters from the middle, 2 o’clock positioned at 2 meters from the middle etc…). Your players will have to adjust their footwork.

4 – Change the throw – chest height throw or tag throw (e.g the coach can add the type of throw as the 3 rd instruction “12 o’clock/2 nd base/tag throw”.

These are just a few examples for this drill. Coaches, keep thinking of ways this drill can suit your team the best.

Celine Lassaigne’s Bio 

Education
University Of Sports, Nice, France – PE Teaching Degree, 2001
Concordia University, Seward, NE – Bachelor of Arts, Health and Human Performance, 2003
National Institute of Sports and Physical Education (INSEP) – Coaching Elite Athletes, 2008 Languages
Bilingual French/English.

Professional Coaching Experience
First assistant coach – Great Britain Womens National Softball Team (2008 to present)
Head coach – Comanches, Toulon, France (2008 to present) National Champions 2008, 2009, 2010
Head coach – French Under 22 State Team (2008 – 2009) National winners 2008, 2009
Pitching coach – Great Britain Junior National Softball Team (2008 – 2009)
First assistant coach – French Olympic Softball Centre (2006- 2007)

Professional Experience
Regional Softball Coach and Club Development Officer – BaseballSoftballUK (2008 – 2010)
Sports Trainer – Mairie de Nice (2005 – 2006)
Fitness Instructor – Club Med (2004)

Career Experience
Attended a week long session with Mike Candrea (University of Arizona and former Head Coach of Team USA)
Worked with Coach Taeko Utsuki, Head Coach of the Japanese National Team at the 2000 and 2004 Olympics on the2016 BackSoftball Campaign in London.

Professional/Player Career and Achievements
Player – French Womens National Softball Team (1995 – 2009)
Player – Nebraska Comets (2005) – Semi professional team
Player – Concordia, Nebraska
Honors – All Region and All American as a utility player in 2002 with the Concordia Bulldogs, USA
Honors – All Region as a utility player in 2003 with the Concordia Bulldogs, USA
MVP – Junior European Championships in 1996
Best pitcher – Womens European Championships in 2001
Played in two Olympic Qualifier Tournaments with the French National Team (1999 & 2003)
Player of the Year with the French National Team (1999)
Outstanding service award, Great Britain Fastpitch (2009)
Level 3 Softball Coaching Certification (Highest certification in Softball in the UK)
Level 2 Softball Coaching Certification – France. Only person to reach this qualification in France.
Certificate in Tutoring Sport (CTS)
Umpire Certification
Scorer Certification

To see Celine’s coaching website go to TheSoftballCompany.com.

The Fastpitch TV Website is sponsored by:

http://EliteFastpitch.com one of the largest, and most successful pitching schools in the USA, training Windmill Pitchers from eight and up.

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http://markwort.com Sporting goods for your sporting life.


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Objective: To get players to improve their skill for making various throws quickly and accurately, as well as making correct decision as to which throw is best for a specific situation.

Points Of Emphasis: Use least amount of time necessary to move a ball to a location accurately. Learn to throw from various body positions and arm slots, adjusting and compensating as needed. Step only when necessary. Learn to throw with body control instead of balance. Realize that throwing hard may take too much time, especially at short distances. Be prepared for bad throws, especially when thrower is in awkward position or hurried. Make a good catch when someone makes a bad throw. Catch every catchable ball.

Equipment Needed: Balls; throw down bases, cones, or objects to designate a location; stopwatch.

Preparation: Set up throw down bases or cones to establish mini-infields at 20 feet and 40 feet, on the main field, which has bases at 60 feet. Divide players into groups of four. If necessary, place five in some groups and let one alternate each time. Groups will compete in throwing and catching contest. Start by placing a player from Group 1 at home plate, 1B, 2B, and 3B on the 20-foot diamond.

Basic Drill: The catcher starts with the ball and throws it around the 20-foot diamond a designated number of times (suggest 3-5 to start), either HP-3B-2B-1B-HP or HP-1B-2B-3B-HP. After 3-5 times, the players must repeat the process the same number of times at 40 feet and at 60 feet. Entire circuit ends with force play at home plate. The group is timed and must complete the circuit without the ball hitting the ground. If ball hits the ground (may be very common, based on skills), the group loses its turn and the next group begins. The winner is the group that can get ball around entire circuit in least time without ball ever hitting the dirt.

Options: (1) Use a fifth player in each group as a pitcher. In original circuit, each time the ball arrives at home plate, the catcher must throw it to pitcher and have it returned so that that specific circuit is completed. (2) Add more distances, such as 80, 100, and 120, or use 30-foot differences and play 30-60-90. (3) Alter rules to allow ball to hit dirt if receiver catches it. This may slightly decrease emphasis on accurate throwing, but can increase emphasis on catching catchable balls. Consider having advanced players actually being required to throw balls that hop to place extra emphasis on fielding aspect of the drill. You may want fewer rounds conducted, depending on what you observe. (4) Alternate starting point for drill and/or rotate players after each trial, so the drill does not always start at the same place and players in a group do not always start at the same base. (5) Alternate direction of throws after each time around (e.g. HP-3B-2B-1B-HP-1B-2B-3B-HP could count as one circuit or two). (6) Change path of throws so it is not always base-to-base (e.g. HP-2B-3B-1B-HP or other such patterns).

Bio -  Bobby Simpson is the Founder/President of Getting Better Every Day, Inc., dba/Higher Ground; International softball clinician, with experience in Austria, Canada, Czech Republic, England, Germany, Greece, Holland, Italy, Scotland, Sweden, and U.S. Virgin Islands; Head Coach of British Women’s Fastpitch National Team (2001-2004), Gold Medal winner of 2004 Olympic Test Event in Greece; Former assistant coach for Dutch and Greek National Teams; Former pro (K.C. Royals Baseball Academy) and college (Florida State) baseball coach; Author of Improved Hitting For Girls Softball, plus author, instructor, or producer of more than 100 magazine articles (SOFTBALL Magazine Staff Contributing Editor), coaching manuals, and instructional DVD’s; former director of softball showcases at numerous colleges and tournament sites.

Visit Bobby Simpson’s web site at HigherGroundSoftball.com/.

The Fastpitch TV Website is sponsored by:

http://EliteFastpitch.com one of the largest, and most successful pitching schools in the USA, training Windmill Pitchers from eight and up.

http://SoftballJunk.com The best place online to buy softball equipment, and the original fastpitch softball store on the Internet.

http://markwort.com Sporting goods for your sporting life.


Feel free to email comments to Gary@Fastpitch.TV, or use our call in line 209-Softbal.


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