with Leslie Huntington,
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Head Coach;
National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame Class of 2021;
2008 NCAA Division III National Champions;
4x WIAC Coach of the Year;
2008 NFCA Coaching Staff of the Year;
former Simpson College Head Coach;
1997 and 1999 D-III National Champions at Simpson;
over 400 career wins
Once players and teams progress to a higher level of play, fundamentals can become neglected, which can cause the team to backslide. Championship teams know that attention to the details, or the fundamentals of any skill, are what separates the 'good' from the 'elite'. Coach Leslie Huntington shows how to take your defensive skills to the elite level by paying attention to the details in this informative video.
Throwing and Partner Drills
Throwing is one of the most basic skills in the game of softball, but can also be one of the most overlooked. You will learn a four drill throwing progression that will help you:
- Prevent injuries
- Keep arms fresh
- Improve mechanics
- Throw harder
- Reduce throwing errors
Next, Coach Huntington shows how to partner up your players so they can work on first step reactions and fielding different type of hops. In the Medium Hop Drill, players have the option of fielding the ball as either a short hop or a long hop, but must adjust their footwork to pick the hop.
Pitching Machine Drills
The pitching machine isn't just for hitting! Huntington shows how to re-purpose a staple in offensive practice for defensive drills. The machine shoots the ball at a fairly consistent speed and location, allowing fielders to practice almost identical plays. This allows fielders to get the repetitions they need to improve defensive skills, like catching throws for relays and catching the ball with your weight already loaded on your back leg to transition into the throw quicker.
Triangle Drills
Communication is key to defensive success, along with player safety. Coach Huntington introduces you to triangle drills, and explain several variations, all of which feature multiple players communicating with each other to catch a fly ball. Fielders will improve their conditioning while working on communication, as well as reading the angles of a fly ball and executing a catch.
Coach Huntington introduces you to over 20 drills to help your defenders perfect their fundamentals. This video will show you how a focus on the defensive fundamentals can help a good team make the next step in their development.
73 minutes. 2021.