Fielding reaction time is something that we are continually working on during practices. Good reaction times takes focus and concentration which can b broken easily if the player is not paying attention. This softball fielding number drill is great for keeping the group on their toes and ready for anything. It can be done as a simple drill or made into a competition for the team.
Softball Fielding Number Drill
Take the fielders and line them up in a straight line. With plenty of space in between each one, line them up one behind the other away from the person hitting the ball. Number each player such that the first person is number one, second is number two, and so on.
To execute the drill, the coach hits a hard grounder and calls one of the numbers at the same time. That number must field it, while the others step out of the way. The person hitting the grounders randomly varies the numbers, so that each fielder has a chance to field a grounder and none can predict whose turn it is.
You can make this a concentration game by having more than one line. A miss is an error. You can have each team start with a number of points such as 5 and each time they miss the ball, they lose a point. When a team loses all of their points they are out of the game. For this one more than 2 teams are necessary. If you have a small group, you can give points for each time they field the ball correctly.
It is a great way to also teach accountability for being focused. If a team mate is not watching, their team mate can give them a reminder to focus. As in a game, not fielding the ball that they are supposed to field has a negative effect on the entire team.
