16u beginner to softball training ideas/advice?

[hannah40133]

HI . I just failed a tryout for a 16u team . I'm having another tryout soon . I'm a beginner. Never played on a team in my life. I'm a little out of shape. I'm wanting to see if anyone on here knows anything I can do at home by myself to get better ? I have a rebounder and a target net set up . Does anyone have any drill to help with running or throwing ? On my other thread you can see my batting . I think its okay but I need to work on fielding and running . Please let me know any drills or workouts . (Push ups , sit ups , etc)

 

[livingontheroad]

Theres a few very specific things that are done in softball.
You need to see it, to copy it. you should be able to find videos on YouTube.

The very first is.....to field, and throw in infield, without standing up. You do not have time to stand up in infield. Keep the glove out in front, field the ball, and quickly throw it back without standing up. You may have to drop your knee on your throwing side to do that somewhat sometimes.

Every practice...every age.....begins with girls taking infield this way lined up and rotating for several times each. Fielding balls hit to them and throwing it back. This is the most basic softball move and drill. while you may be able to do that with the rebounder it's better if somebody hits the ball to you. Not hard. Starting off warm-ups usually start off about 15 feet 20 feet away hitting it lightly then they move back a little farther and hit the ball harder. But the keys are keep the glove out in front, stay down keep your butt down, throw the ball back quickly without standing up. The quicker the better, and that takes practice and time to develop that movement.

You also throw a certain way fielding in infield. you bring your arm straight back and then throw the ball. With your elbow bent about 90 degrees. You do not do a wind up like a baseball player and drop your arm and bring it around in a circle.... that is too slow. Keep glove out in front....field ball.....arm straight back....throw ball back. As soon as a girl lines up to do this everybody can see that they they're not a softball player when don't know how to do this most basic drill. My DD was there once at 13...

.they usually show you at tryouts the proper way to do things at least a good organization will. it may be worth going to organization tryouts even if you can't make a team just because they will put you through the drills and show you the right ways to do things...... a good coach isn't going to just let you get away with doing it wrong eithout correcting it... He needs you to do it right to evaluate you.

Every coach likes big girls, because they can hit the ball over the fence. They don't need speed if they can hit. And you really can't teach that, you can only get the most out of it. If you're coachable and have potential a good coach may give you a chance over better developed girls. Not all coaches are good coaches. most coaches are daddys and have a daughter playing and their focus is really their ego and their daughter. Many began coaching cause their daughter didn't have a team to play on so they made another one. But if you ask around you will find somebody that will help you, they may even let you practice with them and work out a few times with them to learn. Particularly in the fall. Don't be afraid to call some coaches. Particularly if you're a big girl. Everyone wants a big girl that can hit the ball. Everyone.

When my daughter first started trying out for softball she was 13... Had been playing boys baseball. On a mediocre boys team also. She actually was a pitcher, threw a baseball in the 70s . The first team she tried out for was just her and a couple of other girls at night...... The coach said he'd take her but didn't teach her any correct movements at the tryout just hit some balls to her. based on what he told me about cost and the amount of travel I never got back to him. Didn't have a good feel about it either.

The second team was similar...... But did not want her. It was a very competitive team and was coached by Daddy's. Still didn't teach her anything. Just a handful of girls at a tryout on Saturday morning

Went to another.....it was full fledged tryouts for a top organization in the region and country. (We had no idea about this at all, we thought we would just be playing like local teams....ha) First ball hit to her in warmup drill, they stopped and 18U player helping came over, taught her how to do it right. every time it was her turn to do something they focused on helping her to do it right. Their "tryout" was a two-day camp that taught everybody how to do everything all over again. She was picked up by them.

Good luck.