These Softball Position Specific Drill is great for encouraging self direction and having the team work on their own on the things that they need the most work on in their positions.
Put these drills on 5×8 index cards and laminate them, to water proof them. Some days at practice we hand them out to players who play each position. They work on these drills for about 15-20 minutes with the other players who play that position. These Position cards enable a coach to concentrate on helping one or two positions, as the players should not require a lot of supervision. When you have different level teams in your club, have the senior teams work with the junior teams and the beginner teams. Have the senior teams run the activities.
Softball Position Specific Drill
You can modify them for any level of ball. On some cards, one position may need to be coordinated with another position for part of their card.
First Base:
- The Stretch for The Ball
- Tag out for runner off the bag
- Scoop
- Back hand ground balls (short hops)
- Tag on dive back
- Pick off by catcher (footwork to get back to bag)
- Bunt coverage
Second Base:
- Tag out at the base
- Three pivots to 2nd (double play feed)
- Double play from SS at bag
- Back hand ground balls
- Pop ups between infield and outfield
- Cut off play steal with runner on 1st and 3rd
- Diving to catch ground balls
Shortstop:
- Back hand ground balls
- Slap tag at 2nd
- Feed to 2nd on double play
- Pop ups between infield and outfield
- Ground balls in hole, pivot and throw
- Diving to catch ground ball
- Cut off play on steal runners on 1st and 3rd
Third Base:
- Bail out and cover 3rd from in close coverage
- Tag outs at bag
- Back hand ground ball on the line
- Ground ball to your left in front of SS
- Bunt pick up and throw 1st, 2nd, 3rd
- Diving to catch a ground ball
- Foul pop ups near the fence/dugout
Catcher:
- Framing strikes
- Scoop dirt pitches
- Block and tag at plate
- Wild pitches
- Pop outs in front of plate
- Pop outs near backstop
- Bad pitch inside & outside
- Steal throw mechanics at 2nd and 3rd base
- Pickoff throws runners on 1st and 3rd
Pitcher:
- Fielding ground balls to your left and right
- Mechanics of bunt coverage and throws
- Pop Ups
- Wild pitch coverage at the plate
- Pointing up to the side of a pop up to the catcher
- Covering first base on ground ball
- Backing up third and home plate on throws from the outfield
- Work with catchers on intentional walks
Outfield:
- Side to side range
- Up and back range
- One down on ground ball
- Crow hopping
- Backing each other up
- Hard grounders in the gaps
- Coordination between infield, outfield, on short fly ball
- Diving to catch a ball
- Diving to cut off a ball going to the gap