Softball Practice Drills for High School + College Players

July 16, 2024

8 min read

The most effective softball practice drills serve multiple purposes. When performed correctly and consistently, drills can help softball players find their strengths, overcome their weaknesses, and improve their focus on and off the field.

If you’re determined to put more power behind your hits for home runs, want to add more zip to your pitch, or need improvement behind the plate, follow these tips from Coach Sher Mueller to excel on the softball field.

Softball Hitting Drill

Your batting cage time impacts how you play the game on the field. Batters must know about timing, body control, and – most importantly – follow-through. At each bat, players need to stay focused, alert, and ready for just about anything a pitcher will deliver.

Watch the video below to see Coach Sher’s softball hitting drill for power that strengthens your extension and connection.

For Best Hitting Results:

Pull on your softball batting gloves, grab your softball bat, and keep as many softballs as you need close by
Have a batting tee set up or find a coach, trainer, or teammate to assist you in live practice
Set up a second tee a full bat extension length away of the hitting tee to help you keep your hands close to your body
On the hit, stay connected long and push through the full extension and hip rotation
Drive straight up the middle to create backspin for further ball travel

Softball Pitching Drill

When the pitcher starts dealing from the mound, you can see the fear in each batter’s eyes. The best pitches a pitcher throws come from methodical practice designed to strengthen your pitching arm and develop your sense of timing. Therefore, performing effective pitching drills will lead to more versatile, efficient, and speedy hurls needed to deliver an all-around powerful performance.

This Pitching “K” Drill from Coach Sher can be used as a training aid to help take your pitches to the next level.

For Best Softball Pitching Results:

Gear up! Pull on your softball glove for pitchers
Begin in a solid start position with a steady, stable throwing posture
Lift your back heel and ground in your front toe to increase hip rotation
Hold your shoulders nice and solid as you turn
Pull down your bent throwing elbow to increase the speed, then whip down while releasing the ball

Softball Catching Drill

Playing catcher in softball is one of the most difficult positions to play in any sport. Softball catchers require sharp hand-eye coordination, superior body control, durability from accidental bat contact, and powerful legs to secure the ball, whether inside or outside of the strike zone.

Coach Sher offers some of her best tips to improve your sway mechanics, hip mobility, and building up your leg strength to keep opponents from stealing bases or coming home.

For Best Softball Catching Drill Results:

Always wear softball protective gear to prevent injuries as you practice
Get training aids such as tennis balls for easy visibility or a live pitcher to toss to you
Grab a resistance band and wrap it above your shin guards
Squat down into a balanced catching position
Step and sway between your outside pitch and inside pitch while catching

Head Out to the Field

Try adding these softball practice drills to your current training routine along with some additional softball training aids to keep your practice sessions varied and effective for dominance on the diamond.

Academy Sports + Outdoors offers high-quality softball accessories to help you perform your best from practice to game day.

Find all your softball gear from the top brands online and in-store at Academy.