LSU Head Coach Beth Torina gives you the tools necessary to stifle opposing batters with two pitches that look enticing, but jump out of the strike zone with late breaking movement - the Drop Ball and the Rise Ball.

Coach Torina fully explains the mechanics of each pitch and demonstrates drills that coaches and athletes alike can use to perfect these pitches.

The Drop Ball
The drop ball is safe for young arms, because it has a similar spin to a fastball. It also keeps the ball in the ball park. The drop ball is great when you need a ground ball or to keep the ball in the infield.

Getting the drop ball to spin correctly is critical, since the spin dictates when and how the pitch will break. In this segment, you will learn three ways to release the drop: the peel, turnover, and half turn. These options will allow your pitchers to select the drop ball that works best for them.

To ensure success, the drop ball should break late, right as it approaches the hitter. To do this effectively, Torina introduces six drills to practice getting the correct spin on the pitch.

Your pitcher's forward body position is another essential part of what makes the drop ball move in a downward path. Coach Torina demonstrates five drills to help the pitcher achieve a slightly forward body position. She also offers four drills for practicing the whole pitch and working on break points. If the pitch breaks too early or too late, it will not be nearly as effective, as the batter will either recognize the pitch and/or hit it.

The Rise Ball
Keep opposing hitters off balance with a killer rise ball!

Coach Torina explains five spin drills your pitchers can use to get their rise ball to jump versus being just a high pitch.

Unlike the drop ball, the rise ball pitcher wants her body position to be slightly back. Coach Torina explains the correct technique and offers six drills to work on achieving optimal body position to throw the rise. In addition, she explains two more drills that can be used to work on getting the pitch to break at the proper time - right as it approaches the batter.

This video is an excellent resource for coaches and pitchers alike aiming to develop or improve two pitches that are crucial to any pitcher's or team's success.

48 minutes. 2013.

with Lin Casciato,
Softball Coach and Clinician (since 1989) at all levels of softball - club, high school and college;
coach for NW Fastpitch (2018 ASA Oregon State Championship);
several Casciato-coached athletes have gone on to play for college programs at all levels

Pitching is the name of the game, yet many youth coaches have limited experience with such a critical skill. In this video featuring long-time coach Lin Casciato, you'll learn the basic pitching movements, along with appropriate progressions, to feel confident in your ability to develop a strong foundation for your pitchers.

Progressions and Drills

Coach Casciato incorporates a teaching progression that helps beginning pitchers understand the necessity of repeatable actions in the pitching motion. Additionally, he offers an extensive list of drills that players can pick and choose from to get the repetitions they need during practice.

This video incorporates isolation drills and a progression that builds a synchronous approach for the upper and lower body. You'll get techniques for isolating the mechanics of the pitching motion, allowing players of all ages to "feel" when they are using the correct method and better focus on the individual elements of the pitching process.

Build Confidence and Understanding

Fast-pitch mechanics can be difficult to master for an inexperienced player. Casciato provides exercises that will take pitchers to a place of confidence and comfort within the pitching circle. He offers direct instruction and provides explanations that will help you and your players understand proper mechanics.

Coach Casciato does a great job of simplifying the pitching motion so that you can understand it and have your pitcher work through progressions to get the ball on line. Additionally, this video suggests a variety of drills that players can do at home in a small space to reinforce the motion, which can help them learn the motion without the stress of throwing a strike.

Develop better pitchers today!

80 minutes. 2018.

Featuring:

Mike Candrea - University of Arizona Head Coach
Patty Gasso - University of Oklahoma Head Coach
Lonni Alameda - Florida State University Head Coach
Kelly Inouye-Perez - UCLA Head Coach
Peter Turner - San Jose State University Head Coach
Beth Torina - LSU Head Coach
Margie Knight - Salisbury University Head Coach
Ehren Earleywine - former University of Missouri Head Coach
Randy Ward - Loyola Marymount University Assistant Coach
Jenny Cladding - French Softball Team Manager; former Florida Assistant Coach
Eugene Lenti - DePaul University Head Coach
George Wares - Central College Head Coach
Christina Sutcliffe - Northern Illinois University Head Coach
Craig Nicholson - former Arizona State University Head Coach
Megan Smith - University of Kansas Head Coach
Mike Stith - Team Mizuno Director of Player Development
Kyla Holas - University of Houston Head Coach
Linda Wells - former Arizona State University Head Softball Coach
Sandy Montgomery - SIU-Edwardsville Head Coach
Shonda Stanton - Indiana University Head Coach
Ricci Woodard - Texas State Head Coach

This video provides a resource for drills to improve all areas of infield play. You will be exposed to philosophies on maximizing player touches and how to safely warm-up arms for quality play.

21 of the most respected coaches in softball explain and demonstrate 45 different infield drills. You'll see drills for throwing, pre-pitch movement, proper fielding position, fielding various types of hits, completing double plays and covering bases.

Throwing

Infielders must be able to transfer and throw the ball quickly to get out the fastest runners. The average runner in college softball will run home to first in about three seconds, but slappers can get there as fast as 2.6 seconds. This video shows how to throw from different arm angles and throw on the run to get the ball to first base quickly.

Fielding

Players with good fundamentals make fewer mistakes. Perfect your players' fielding positions on ground balls to ensure they can make plays with the pressure on! In one particularly fun drill, the Fielding Footwork drill (`Stopping rolling balls with footwork'), 4x WCWS National Championhip coach Patty Gasso has her fielders use their footwork to stop balls!

Double Plays and Covering Bases

A defense can bail a pitcher out of a jam by getting two outs on one batted ball. You'll learn how to turn a double-play from any position on the field. Also, see how to teach your players the proper positioning for force outs and tags, pick-offs, and steals.

If you're looking for a one-stop solution to infield mechanics and drills, look no further!

150 minutes. 2018.

Featuring:

Tim Walton - University of Florida Head Coach
Patty Gasso - University of Oklahoma Head Coach
Eugene Lenti - DePaul University Head Coach
Mike Candrea - University of Arizona Head Coach
Caitlin Lowe - University of Arizona Assistant Coach
Alicia O'Brien - Central College Associate Head Coach
Margie Knight - Salisbury University Head Coach
Mike Stith - Team Mizuno Director of Player Development
Sandy Montgomery - SIU-Edwardsville Head Coach
Christina Sutcliffe - Northern Illinois University Head Coach
Peter Turner - San Jose State University Head Coach
Beth Torina - LSU Head Coach
Kelly Inouye-Perez - UCLA Head Coach
John Tschida - University of St. Thomas Head Coach
Katie Schroeder - former Arizona State University Assistant Coach
Kyla Holas - University of Houston Head Coach

16 of the top coaches in softball explain and demonstrate 35 outfield drills in this comprehensive video. You'll learn the skills and drills to build fundamentally sound outfielders so your team can make more outs and prevent extra-base hits. Throwing, drop steps, fielding fly balls and ground balls, fly ball communication, robbing balls at the fence, and diving catches are all covered!

Throwing

Outfielders must be able to throw the ball strongly and accurately to prevent opposing runners from taking extra bases or scoring runs. You'll learn how to get behind the ball and crow-hop into the throw or throw on the run to make a shorter, quicker throw.

Fielding Fly Balls and Ground Balls

Using a drop step to get a great angle on a ball hit over the head can be the difference between making a web gem catch or having the ball fall for a hit. You'll see skills and drills for catching balls hit deep, as well as how to run in to grab a shallow blooper. Outfielders who can move both forward and backward quickly to catch balls will be able to cover a lot of ground.

Diving and Fielding Balls at the Fence

Completing a diving catch is one of the most exciting plays an outfielder can make. You'll learn techniques and drills that remove the fear of diving and help your outfielders extend their range.

This video gives you outfield skills and drills from the best softball coaches in the country. A valuable addition to any softball coaching library!

135 minutes. 2018.

Featuring:

Boo Gillette - Purdue University Head Coach
Christina Sutcliffe - Northern Illinois University Head Coach
Diana Pepin - Eastern Connecticut State University Head Coach
John Tschida - University of St. Thomas Head Coach
Kelly Inouye-Perez - UCLA Head Coach
Linda Wells - former Arizona State University Head Softball Coach
Lindsay Leftwich - LSU Assistant Coach
Margie Knight - Salisbury University Head Coach
Mike Stith - Team Mizuno Director of Player Development
Shonda Stanton - Indiana University Head Coach
Stacey Iveson - University of Arizona Assistant Coach

The catching position is often overlooked in its importance for the development of a championship level softball program. Too many times the development of the position is sacrificed for someone who can just manage to not drop everything from the pitcher as they develop.

This video includes catching drills and techniques taught by 11 of the most accomplished coaches in softball! Included are catcher-specific warm-ups, throwing drills, framing and receiving techniques, blocking drills, bunting drills, passed ball drills, pop-up fielding work, and how to deal with plays at the plate.

Warm-Ups and Throwing

The opening section gives you drills to get your catcher warmed up properly so they can avoid injury and increase quickness.

The best catchers are able to control an opponent's running game. You'll get drills that will help your catcher throw out more would-be base stealers with a faster release and stronger throw.

Receiving

Receiving the pitch is arguably the most important thing a catcher does, as during the course of a game or season, they will execute this skill the most. Help your catcher become a pitcher's best friend by getting more borderline pitches called strikes by framing the ball correctly.

Blocking

Nothing gets by the best catchers. Learn how to smother a ball in the dirt and block it in front to prevent runners from advancing.

You'll see how to make your drills more exciting by incorporating competition! In the Goalie Drill, cones are set up to make a goal and the catcher must block balls between the cones to defend the cones.

Bunts, Passed Balls, and Pop Ups

In addition to receiving, blocking, and throwing, catchers must be able to retrieve passed balls/wild pitches, field bunts, catch pop ups, and hold their ground on a play at the plate. It's important to make sure your catchers have training in all areas of responsibility, so they can execute best when the game is on the line.

This video provides a comprehensive toolkit for developing a fastpitch catcher with instruction from some of the best coaches in the game. Turn your catcher into a defensive superstar today!

79 minutes. 2018.

with Bob Ligouri,
Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) Head Coach;
Iowa Girls Coaching Association (IGCA) Hall of Fame;
6x NJCAA World Series appearances;
over 900 career wins;
has coached 15 All-Americans; 2x State Champion High School coach and 2x State Champion Runner-up

Left handed hitters are an asset to any softball offense. These unique batters can confuse the opposition by deploying different tools within their arsenal to disarm any defense.

In this video, the IGCA Hall of Fame head coach Bob Ligouri (DMACC) takes you through the basics of the four tools that lefty hitters can use, as well as how to develop each of them using tee, tracking, and timing drills.

Basics and Progression

Learn the steps for success and the progression needed build an effective slap. Coach Ligouri explains the mechanics a slapper must master, starting from the ground up. Next, and most importantly, he shows a progression to teach a slapper those critical fundamentals. Ligouri also explains how you can help your slappers overcome the typical fear of being hit by the ball.

Four Tools

The most effective lefties can beat a defense in multiple ways - which makes them impossible to completely defend. If the defense is playing back, your lefty will have the tools to bunt or soft slap. The defense in their face can be beat as well - just hard slap or hit away.

No matter where the defense is playing, Coach Ligouri will show you a tool that will allow lefties to beat them.

Tee, Tracking, and Timing Drills

Ligouri gives you 10 drills you can implement right away to develop players on the left side.

In the Follow The Leader drill, two slappers compete for mastery of each of the four tools. The drill works much like HORSE in basketball, where one batter calls out a skill and must execute. The next batter must execute the called-for skill or else they receive a penalty. This drill gets your slappers working together and competing at the same time!

Player and Coach Perspectives

Finally, you'll hear what the most difficult things are about slapping from a player's perspective. Understand why some of Coach Ligouri's players started slapping, and hear the advice they'd give to younger players who might be thinking about becoming slappers. Additionally, Ligouri invites one of his assistants to explain the importance of tee work, and how slappers need to become run producers.

Coach Ligouri offers sage advice and methods to develop four tool lefty batters. He explains the basics and progression to develop all four tools, and offers 10 drills to help players master the fundamentals of slapping and hitting from the left side. This video shows you how to develop four tool lefties who distort, disrupt, and exploit opposing defenses!

69 minutes. 2018.

with Lin Casciato,
Softball Coach and Clinician (since 1989) at all levels of softball - club, high school and college;
coach for NW Fastpitch (2018 ASA Oregon State Championship);
several Casciato-coached athletes have gone on to play for college programs at all levels

Pitching is the name of the game, yet many youth coaches have limited experience with such a critical skill. In this video featuring long-time coach Lin Casciato, you'll learn the basic pitching movements, along with appropriate progressions, to feel confident in your ability to develop a strong foundation for your pitchers.

Progressions and Drills

Coach Casciato incorporates a teaching progression that helps beginning pitchers understand the necessity of repeatable actions in the pitching motion. Additionally, he offers an extensive list of drills that players can pick and choose from to get the repetitions they need during practice.

This video incorporates isolation drills and a progression that builds a synchronous approach for the upper and lower body. You'll get techniques for isolating the mechanics of the pitching motion, allowing players of all ages to "feel" when they are using the correct method and better focus on the individual elements of the pitching process.

Build Confidence and Understanding

Fast-pitch mechanics can be difficult to master for an inexperienced player. Casciato provides exercises that will take pitchers to a place of confidence and comfort within the pitching circle. He offers direct instruction and provides explanations that will help you and your players understand proper mechanics.

Coach Casciato does a great job of simplifying the pitching motion so that you can understand it and have your pitcher work through progressions to get the ball on line. Additionally, this video suggests a variety of drills that players can do at home in a small space to reinforce the motion, which can help them learn the motion without the stress of throwing a strike.

Develop better pitchers today!

80 minutes. 2018.

LSU Head Coach Beth Torina gives you the tools necessary to stifle opposing batters with two pitches that look enticing, but jump out of the strike zone with late breaking movement - the Drop Ball and the Rise Ball.

Coach Torina fully explains the mechanics of each pitch and demonstrates drills that coaches and athletes alike can use to perfect these pitches.

The Drop Ball
The drop ball is safe for young arms, because it has a similar spin to a fastball. It also keeps the ball in the ball park. The drop ball is great when you need a ground ball or to keep the ball in the infield.

Getting the drop ball to spin correctly is critical, since the spin dictates when and how the pitch will break. In this segment, you will learn three ways to release the drop: the peel, turnover, and half turn. These options will allow your pitchers to select the drop ball that works best for them.

To ensure success, the drop ball should break late, right as it approaches the hitter. To do this effectively, Torina introduces six drills to practice getting the correct spin on the pitch.

Your pitcher's forward body position is another essential part of what makes the drop ball move in a downward path. Coach Torina demonstrates five drills to help the pitcher achieve a slightly forward body position. She also offers four drills for practicing the whole pitch and working on break points. If the pitch breaks too early or too late, it will not be nearly as effective, as the batter will either recognize the pitch and/or hit it.

The Rise Ball
Keep opposing hitters off balance with a killer rise ball!

Coach Torina explains five spin drills your pitchers can use to get their rise ball to jump versus being just a high pitch.

Unlike the drop ball, the rise ball pitcher wants her body position to be slightly back. Coach Torina explains the correct technique and offers six drills to work on achieving optimal body position to throw the rise. In addition, she explains two more drills that can be used to work on getting the pitch to break at the proper time - right as it approaches the batter.

This video is an excellent resource for coaches and pitchers alike aiming to develop or improve two pitches that are crucial to any pitcher's or team's success.

48 minutes. 2013.

As Patty Gasso says and many coaches would agree, defense wins championships. In this DVD, Coach Gasso explores the aggressive defensive mindset, strategies, and drills that have helped her Oklahoma Sooners win two NCAA National Championships. She begins with bunt and slap defense, moves on to defending the steal, covers first and third situations, and touches on relays.

Bunt and slap defense
The defense can better prepare itself if it knows what to expect from the offense. Coach Gasso begins her presentation by explaining the different defensive approaches she uses with a runner at first base, a common bunting scenario. Coach Gasso explains how her team handles bunt defense, and has her defense demonstrate coverage. She also delves into defending against slappers and bunt coverage with multiple runners on base, situations that place pressure on the defense to execute.

Steal
With one or more runners on base, many offenses will choose to challenge the catcher by stealing to advance runners, rather than give the defense an out with a bunt. Coach Gasso shows how to neutralize the steal, using good communication between the fielders and different steal coverage. A steal attempt requires the defense to be quick and accurate, so knowing how to anticipate steals and position the defense accordingly is critical.

Double plays
Coach Gasso believes in an aggressive style of defense with fielders playing to get the lead out when runners are on base. This opens up the door for double plays. Coach Gasso and her team demonstrate turning double plays from all positions on the field. A defense that can convert a double play when there are runners on base has a better chance at getting out of the situation without giving up a run.

First and third situations
First and third situations put pressure on a defense to execute as players must make quick decisions and accurate throws. Even though first and third situations don't happen very often, Coach Gasso places special emphasis on them. If these situations aren't handled correctly, the offense can score without the batter ever touching the ball. She has six options for defensive plays that she runs against a first and third situation. Gasso has her defense demonstrate the plays, and offers advice on when to use each option.

Relays
A good relay will get the ball from the outfield to the infield quickly, preventing an offense from advancing and scoring. Coach Gasso's team demonstrates different ways to handle relays depending on where the ball is hit, and offers advice on how to set up the cut-offs.

Although offense is becoming a focal point of the game of softball, a good defense can help neutralize an opponent's powerful offense. If an opponent can't score on your team, they can't beat you. Coach Gasso shows you how to keep an opponent's offense at bay by creating an airtight defense. The results will show in the win column.

54 minutes. 2014.

with UCLA Assistant Coaches Lisa Fernandez,
UCLA Pitching Coach, 3x Olympic gold-medal winner; 3x Honda award winner for softball;
the first softball player ever to win the Honda-Broderick Cup (the top collegiate female athlete across all sports), 4x first-team All-American (at UCLA , 2 NCAA Championships); named the Pac-12 'Pitcher of the Century' and a member of the 30 player Pac-12 'All Century Team'

and Gina Vecchione (ASA Hall of Fame),2010 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) National Coaching Staff of the Year ;

Kelly Inouye-Perez, fresh off of UCLA's 2010 National Championship season, takes you inside the UCLA softball program as the Bruins prepare for the 2011 season. These practices will give you insight into how Inouye-Perez teaches and builds her players' fundamental skills using drills and drill progressions.

DISC 1
Three-time Olympic Gold Medalist Lisa Fernandez and Inouye-Perez walk you through a warm up progression used at UCLA to prepare pitchers for competition - physically and mentally. This progression will build fundamentals, increase speed and maximize power. The coaches finish with a pitching competition session. These competitions are designed to put the pitchers in game like situations to see which pitch they would use as well as being able to make the pitch

On the field, practice begins with a warm-up that consists of dynamic stretching and a thera-band workout. From there the team moves into:

DEFENSE DRILLS: Watch as the UCLA staff takes their team through Pre-Practice Fundamentals (PPF) drills that focus on defense. The PPF drills include a ground ball series and reaction drills that get players comfortable with moving their feet and getting their body in the correct position to field the ball.

BASERUNNING: Inouye-Perez incorporates defense, live hitters and base runners to create a game-like atmosphere. See how she coaches players to be aggressive and to read outfielders.

OUTFIELD: ASA Hall of Famer and former All-American Gina Vecchione takes her players through an outfield workout that includes throwing to bases, catching fly balls on the run, line drive work, and running through the catch on tag up situations. Vecchione also runs a number of breakdown drills including over the shoulder catches, drop steps, shoe string catches, and wall balls.

DISC 2:
Before practice begins, Coach Inouye-Perez gathers the team for a pre-practice meeting and allows you a look inside a typical team meeting. On the field, the practice focuses on:

INFIELD: Fernandez works with the infielders concentrating on arm slot and footwork using a four corner drill and a ground ball series.

CATCHERS: Inouye-Perez puts the catchers through a series of drills working on catching foul balls, passed balls, blocking drills and fielding the ball to make a tag at the plate. She is a big believer that a catcher's success is in their leg strength and she puts them through a bunt drill to work on their leg strength.

TEAM DEFENSE: The team works on infielders/outfielders fly ball communication as well as a live relay & cutoff drill and finishing with working on bunt defense and bunt offense.

HITTING DRILLS: The hitting segment of practice begins with Coach Fernandez discussing with you the hitting mechanics they are teaching at UCLA. Inouye-Perez then takes you through some hitting drills involving upper body and lower body movement. These drills begin with working off a tee and include front arm, back arm, two hands, and walk-though and progresses to a long tee drill, front toss with weighted balls, front toss with regular balls, and a flat hip drill.

Inouye-Perez then shares an on-field combination hitting drill which works the live hitters working on opposite field hitting while another hitter is working on a front toss series. They finish with two drills used in the batting cage and involve working on the mechanics of rhythm and timing of the swing.

This is your chance to look inside one of the most heralded softball programs in the nation! This DVD set provides all coaches the opportunity to see teaching methods, coaching philosophy and drills to improve a players fundamentals and create a championship mentality.

194 minutes (2 DVDs). 2011.

All Access videos are designed to allow viewers from all over the world to see how successful coaches run their practices in a "live" practice setting. All Access videos allow viewers to see the practices un-edited and in real-time. You will see how top coaches run their drills, interact with their team and staff, how they motivate their team, the cue words they use, the atmosphere of the practice and how practices are structured from day to day. Many coaches visit successful colleges and high schools to watch practice. But if you live out of state or out of the country, visiting another coach's practice can be costly. That's why we created the All Access Practice Series of videos -- to bring the practices to you!

with John Tschida,
University of St. Thomas Head Coach;
member of the NFCA Hall of Fame (2016);
Over 900 career wins; highest winning percentage in D-III softball history (.840 winning percentage);
3x national championship coach, first coach to win national title at two schools;
2x NFCA Division III National Coach of the Year; 12x MIAC Coach of the Year;
has now led St. Thomas to the NCAA Tournament each of the last 15 seasons

Develop a short, quick, efficient swing!

Step into the batter's box with three-time national championship coach, John Tschida, as he leads you through a comprehensive video library of all the drills needed to perfect the fundamentals and the mechanics required to drive the softball.

To open, Coach Tschida demonstrates, step-by-step, how to build a mechanically proper swing. He then leads you through 70 common mistakes players make in their swings and shows you how you can help them correct these faults. Tschida's covers the fundamentals, faults and corrections for the:

• Stance
• Loading Phase of the Swing
• Unloading Phase of the Swing
• Rotation Phase of the Swing
• Bat Lag Phase of the Swing
• Contact Phase of the Swing
• Extension Phase of the Swing
• And more.

From there, Tschida demonstrates over 110 hitting drills that you can use with your team to ensure they are using proper form. These drills cover the areas of rhythm and timing, load and trigger, linear stride, rotation, power and bat speed, elbow connection and contact, extension, bat control, and adjustments.

The fundamentals, drills and corrections shown in this video will help you develop more fundamentally sound hitters for your team.

265 minutes (2 DVDs). 2009.

featuring Mike Candrea,
University of Arizona Head Coach;
8x NCAA Champions, winningest coach in NCAA Division I Softball history (1500+ wins);
4x National Coach of the Year; named the Pac-12 Coach of the Century;
Distinguished member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Hall of Fame (1996);
2x US Olympic Softball Coach (Gold in '04, Silver in '08)

While all infielders must share certain fielding skills, each position requires a different skill set and mentality. Coach Candrea provides you with the essential background knowledge to make your infielders more efficient and more powerful.

Candrea dives into the intricacies of each position on the infield, while also addressing the basic fielding mechanics that all great infielders must master. You'll learn footwork, throwing techniques, base-covering tips, and other infield responsibilities to give your players the ultimate advantage.

Principles by Position

Most errors that occur in the game of softball happen in the infield. Coach Candrea provides an in-depth look for each infield position, by breaking down the necessary skills for third base, shortstop, second base, and first base. He provides specific tips to help each position player reach her full potential, covering:

• Throwing - Warm up and types of throws.
• Mentality - Fearless, athletic, creative.
• Mechanics - Glove work and basic infield footwork.
• Pop fly responsibilities.
• Cut-off responsibilities.
• Base coverage and tagging techniques.
• Double play footwork.
• Fielding bunts.
• Pre-pitch preparation.

Throwing Techniques

Teaching throwing mechanics is step one to having elite players. Coach Candrea describes how athletes at each infield position should throw the ball to maximize their power, strength, and decision-making. He demonstrates the "thumb flick" to describe the action used by the hands to get into a strong throwing position.

Footwork and Fielding

Candrea discusses how to field the ball at each base, utilizing "rake throughs," "get arounds" and "short hops" to get the ball in your players' gloves effectively and efficiently. These techniques lead to a higher fielding percentage and result in fewer errors and more outs.

A fielding drill Candrea shares will teach your infielders to choose the good hop by having them count the number of hops as the ground ball is being hit to them. The drill helps your players:

• Pick the short hop, not the long hop.
• Open up on the long hop.
• Make sure the glove is on the ground when the ball takes its last hop.
• Field the ball out in front of their nose.

Candrea provides philosophy on what type of athlete should play each position, as well as how they should line up. Also included is the strategy on when to play up or back, as well as multiple ways to cover a bag when receiving throws from both the infield and outfield. These points are often overlooked by young or inexperienced coaches and they can be the difference between a win and a loss.

If you want to know the ins and outs of infield play that oftentimes get overlooked and under-coached, you need this video from Coach Candrea!

55 minutes. 2017.

with Caitlin Lowe,
University of Arizona Assistant Coach;
member of the 2008 US Olympic Team (Silver Medal); 4x All-American (and only one of two players in Arizona history to be named 1st team All-America 4x at Arizona);
part of 2 NCAA Championship teams, winner of the adidas Golden Shoe Award (for the nation's best base-stealer);
Arizona's all time leader in stolen bases, 2nd all time in career batting average (.446), 4th in hits and triples and 7th in runs scored;
played for the USSSA Pride for 6 seasons, 3 National Pro Fastpitch titles, 2012 Player of The Year & USSSA Hall of Fame (2106)

Over the years, one thing the University of Arizona has been known for its speed. Former Wildcat great-turned-coach, Caitlin Lowe, shows us the mentality and skills that helped make her one of the best ever.

Lowe shows you what to look for at each base for base running, and then dives into slapping mechanics, types, and strategy.

Slapping Mechanics

Knowing where to stand in the box and having good footwork is important to minimize time to first base after hitting the ball. Coach Lowe shows you the footwork that will keep you on-line, but allow you to move quickly out of the batter's box. Learn the bat path and contact point that will keep your bat in the zone as long as possible to increase the chance of making contact with the pitch. Lowe also offers advice for how to get to first base faster - every slapper's ultimate goal!

Types of Slaps

Give your slappers the tools they need to make the defense wrong and improve your chances of getting on base. Lowe discusses and demonstrates the different "weapons" a slapper can utilize during an at-bat. The drag bunt, soft slap, chop slap and hard slap are all discussed, demonstrated and taught.

Lowe also shares what to look for in the defense to know when to use each type of slap. She also covers situational slapping and how you can use each type of slap strategically depending on where runners are on base

Base Running

Proper base running techniques are often overlooked and under-practiced. Smart, aggressive base runners are a commodity, and win you more games. Lowe shows how you can incorporate base running practice into your batting practice to get more done in a shorter amount of time

Base by base, Lowe shows you how to anticipate and react to the situation. As demonstrated by the Wildcat players, runners start at first base and react to the batted balls. Learn when to be aggressive and when to be a little more conservative at second base, and how to be aggressive with a down angle at third base, as well as the philosophy behind what type of leads to take at each base.

Use Coach Lowe's tactics to turn your offense into a nightmare on the base paths for the opposing team!

44 minutes. 2017

Join LSU Head Coach Beth Torina as she teaches and demonstrates the pitching mechanics and drills that have helped the Tigers rank among the nation's best in ERA on an annual basis.

Coach Torina's program starts at the ground level with the initial push to create forward motion and then moves into the stride, front side resistance, the arm circle and the wrist snap.

Initial Push and Forward Motion
With proper use of her legs, a pitcher will be more explosive in creating speed and drive toward the plate. And she will take stress off of her arm.

Are you creating timing issues and "hip hitting" with your coaching? Coach Torina breaks down the forward push and the mechanics of loading the legs and driving forward. You'll see six drills she uses to practice the load and drive.

Torina also talks about the forward motion and how to avoid "hip-hitting" with the arm circle. She shares the drills you need to perfect timing and to get your pitcher's arm in the slot so they can effectively execute their spins and pitches.

The Stride and Front Side Resistance
Improve your pitcher's power and control! Coach Torina offers three drills to perfect your pitcher's power line, stride length and improve explosiveness and accuracy.

You will also see three drills to develop front side resistance and learn how to troubleshoot pitchers who lean forward or backward. With optimal front side resistance, your pitchers will create more power from their stride, allowing them to throw harder.

Arm Circle and Wrist Snap
The pitcher's arm circle should be loose and relaxed to create fast circles and maximize whip. Coach Torina introduces six drills you can use to get great whip from the arm and wrist. The arm circle and wrist snap are essential for producing that final burst of speed on a pitch and for maximizing movement on your pitches.

From Bullpen to Live Game
How do you transfer practice fundamentals to a live game? Pitchers often struggle transferring what they practice into game situations. Torina offers ideas to make bullpen practice more game-like and competitive. She also offers ideas on how to teach your pitchers to make location adjustments and control the game.

It is easy to see why Beth Torina is one of the best pitching minds in the game. She offers an extensive knowledge of pitching mechanics, but also has a vast array of fun and innovative drills to practice and perfect these fundamentals.

53 minutes. 2013.

with John Tschida,
University of St. Thomas Head Coach;
member of the NFCA Hall of Fame (2016);
Over 900 career wins; highest winning percentage in D-III softball history (.840 winning percentage);
3x national championship coach, first coach to win national title at two schools;
2x NFCA Division III National Coach of the Year; 12x MIAC Coach of the Year;
has now led St. Thomas to the NCAA Tournament each of the last 15 seasons

Develop a short, quick, efficient swing!

Step into the batter's box with three-time national championship coach, John Tschida, as he leads you through a comprehensive video library of all the drills needed to perfect the fundamentals and the mechanics required to drive the softball.

To open, Coach Tschida demonstrates, step-by-step, how to build a mechanically proper swing. He then leads you through 70 common mistakes players make in their swings and shows you how you can help them correct these faults. Tschida's covers the fundamentals, faults and corrections for the:

• Stance
• Loading Phase of the Swing
• Unloading Phase of the Swing
• Rotation Phase of the Swing
• Bat Lag Phase of the Swing
• Contact Phase of the Swing
• Extension Phase of the Swing
• And more.

From there, Tschida demonstrates over 110 hitting drills that you can use with your team to ensure they are using proper form. These drills cover the areas of rhythm and timing, load and trigger, linear stride, rotation, power and bat speed, elbow connection and contact, extension, bat control, and adjustments.

The fundamentals, drills and corrections shown in this video will help you develop more fundamentally sound hitters for your team.

265 minutes (2 DVDs). 2009.

with John Tschida,
University of St. Thomas Head Coach;
member of the NFCA Hall of Fame (2016);
Over 900 career wins; highest winning percentage in D-III softball history (.840 winning percentage);
3x national championship coach, first coach to win national title at two schools;
2x NFCA Division III National Coach of the Year; 12x MIAC Coach of the Year;
has now led St. Thomas to the NCAA Tournament each of the last 15 seasons

Mold your team into a championship caliber defensive squad!

NCAA Division III All-Time winningest coach, John Tschida, leads you through over 50 drills that will emphasize proper fielding mechanics and technique to develop ready position, approach, soft hands, diving technique, flips, double plays and relay throws in your players' to get the most out of them defensively.

Coach Tschida starts by showing a proper ready position and how to react to the ball coming into play. These drills will show your fielders how to take the most efficient path to the ball and make the play.

Tschida moves into first step approach drills, developing good hands and diving drills. He emphasizes proper mechanics at all times and uses his players to demonstrate each of these techniques. Finally, Tschida takes you through double plays, relays and cuts, and tags.

Tschida's on-field demonstration of each drill allows you to see how to set-up and execute each drill. He also notes many common mistakes players make performing these drills and during game play, and shows you how you can correct them. This is the most comprehensive video library of drills on the market today that will help you to perfect your team's defensive fundamentals and the mechanics required to get the most of your players' abilities.

127 minutes. 2009.

with John Tschida,
University of St. Thomas Head Coach;
member of the NFCA Hall of Fame (2016);
Over 900 career wins; highest winning percentage in D-III softball history (.840 winning percentage);
3x national championship coach, first coach to win national title at two schools;
2x NFCA Division III National Coach of the Year; 12x MIAC Coach of the Year;
has now led St. Thomas to the NCAA Tournament each of the last 15 seasons

John Tschida and his staff welcome you to their indoor practice facility to show you how to get the most out of your practice time, practice space and out of your players - even during inclement weather. In this series you will see how Coach Tschida runs his practices - focusing on proper throwing fundamentals, fielding and position work, hitting, and bunting. Every aspect of the game is covered, and it's all indoors.

Disc 1:
Coach Tschida opens up his practice with a classroom session. See how he gets the team focused, explains the drills that will be used in practice, reviews sacrifice and drag bunts, and instructs his players on the proper techniques and strategies for each.

Once practice begins, the team executes a dynamic warm-up and goes through a throwing progression while working on several different types of throws. The team works on bunt defense, before splitting up into groups for position-specific drills. You'll see how Tschida maximizes the use of the facility through proven drill strategies. Finally, the team comes back together and works on several hitting drills.

Disc 2:
The team is split up into multiple stations where each group will work on a specific aspect of hitting. In the cage, hitters will see specific pitches in a live setting to learn to pick out what type of pitch is coming. Other stations feature tee drills focusing on high pitches, low pitches, slap hitting, and coach-pitch "soft toss." This format provides a lot of cuts, while keeping your players focused and working hard. At the end, Coach Tschida has a post-practice meeting in which he rewards the hard work of deserving players.

Moving onto the next practice, Coach Tschida opens up by talking about sports psychology concepts including visualization, routines, and confidence. In the gym, practice begins with a dynamic warm-up using medicine balls, which will help your athletes get stronger while they loosen up. Tschida's throwing build up gives players a chance to practice the throws they will make in a game. Finally, the team does some position work and fielding drills.

Disc 3:
Practice begins with infielders and outfielders working on different types of fly balls, while adding cuts and relays into the drill. Next, the infield works on defending bases loaded situations.

After a brief meeting, the team breaks up into hitting and pitching groups. The hitters work on dry swings and then the team moves into live batting practice with the pitchers throwing to batters. At various times throughout the live hitting, Coach Tschida will call out 'champion on the floor' and all activity will stop and focus on one player who must execute whatever skill they are working on.

Coach Tschida brings a unique style and attitude to coaching. His practices get the most out of his team, his time, and the practice space. This video provides great indoor practice ideas and drills that will help your team improve even when you can't be on your field.

314 minutes (3 DVDs). 2012.

All Access videos are designed to allow viewers from all over the world to see how successful coaches run their practices in a "live" practice setting. All Access videos allow viewers to see the practices un-edited and in real-time. You will see how top coaches run their drills, interact with their team and staff, how they motivate their team, the cue words they use, the atmosphere of the practice and how practices are structured from day to day. Many coaches visit successful colleges and high schools to watch practice. But if you live out of state or out of the country, visiting another coach's gym can be costly. That's why we created the All Access Practice Series of videos -- to bring the practices to you!

• Ehren Earleywine, Head Coach at University of Missouri
• Howard Dobson, Assistant Coach at Louisiana State University
• John Tschida, Head Coach at University of St. Thomas
• Christina Sutcliffe, Head Coach at Northern Illinois University
• George Wares,Head Coach at Central College
• Gordon Eakin, Head Coach at Brigham Young University
• Craig Nicholson, former head coach at Arizona State University
• Randy Schneider, former Associate Head Coach at University of Wisconsin
• Tim Walton, Head Coach at University of Florida
• Margie Knight, Head Coach at Salisbury University

Becoming a successful hitter takes time and dedication. Because the swing happens in a fraction of a second, it's often difficult for a hitter to feel and adjust certain critical parts of their swing.

Championship Productions has compiled the best hitting drills in its video library from 10 of the top hitting coaches. Each section provides a variety of drills that will help your hitters build championship-caliber swings.

Legs

Work on the proper linear drive and rotation to put your hitter's body in a strong position to deliver power into the softball. The lower body sets the tone for the swing and is critical for producing power. This section includes 12 drills to develop and improve a strong base and get the most leg drive out of your athletes.

Upper Body

Help your hitters become more consistent by developing a bat path that keeps their bat in the hitting zone longer. A proper bat path is determined by how the hitter moves her hands and arms. The coaches offer seven drills to isolate and develop the hands of the hitter, and 10 arm drills to put the hitter's upper body in the correct position.

Hand-Eye Coordination and Timing

As the phrase goes, you have to see the ball in order to hit it. Learn three drills to improve vision and seven drills to use that vision to teach the eyes to stay on the ball longer.

Full Swings

Finally, put it all together with 11 full swing drills. Develop balance throughout the swing and put your players in position to hit pitches to different locations.

From mechanics to timing, this video offers drills to work on every aspect of the swing and hitting a softball. You'll learn the art of hitting from 10 of the most successful hitting coaches in the game.

53 minutes. 2016.

Tim Walton invites you to three days of Florida softball practice. You get total, first-person access to Walton's approach, observing his style, the way he structures practice and the specific guidance he gives his players on mechanics, strategy and more. Everything from the players mental approach, to detailed pitching, fielding, hitting, and base running drills are covered. There is even footage of Florida's conditioning program before and after practices.

Disc 1:

• Coach the mechanics for hitting different pitches and pitches in specific locations
• Learn how to maximize players potential

Disc 1 includes full access to a team meeting in which Coach Walton discusses team strategies and addresses his expectations for individual players. The meeting includes a give-and-take between the players and Walton. From the team meeting, you move into the cages, where you can watch Walton run their hitting stations, passing on detailed coaching on mechanics, with a focus on hitting in specific situations and hitting specific pitches.

Disc 2:

• Learn how to correct minor pitching flaws and habits
• Coach pitching mechanics for specific pitches
• Learn the importance of base running and the attention to detail required to be successful on the base paths

Disc 2 focuses on pitching and catching workouts and baserunning. The pitchers and catchers incorporate multiple drills that focus on mechanics for every pitch, plus mixing pitches in a game-like fashion. At the end of the pitching workout, you will see a challenge that works on game situations and pressure situations. The second phase of the practice focuses heavily on baserunning. Coach Walton leads the players all the way around the diamond teaching the expectations on each base and covering the specific techniques, movements and situations.

Disc 3:

• Cover the intricacies of base running in all situations
• Set up a wide variety of fielding stations so each player is working on the skills they need, without standing around
• Utilize unique and productive work-station drills, which can be run by one coach to make the most of your resources

Learn how to advance on the bases with balls hit to the infield or outfield. The practice then moves into defensive circuit work, where the groups work on different drills simultaneously. Circuit work stations include Texas Leaguers (with a focus on communication), Drop Steps/Pop Flys, Dives, Throws on the Run, and more.

Disc 4:

• Coach the details of infield and outfield mechanics
• Learn how to get multiple pitchers and catchers all working simultaneously
• Make sure your team knows their responsibilities on cuts and relays

Coach Walton puts the team through Split Defense with outfielders working through a variety of drills, including the Sun Drill and ground balls on the glove-hand and backhand sides. At the same time, infielders are working ground balls to all positions, with the coach working around the diamond in rapid fashion while coaching mechanics and movement throughout. The team comes together to work on cuts and relays. Walton explains his system of coverages and backups for each player.

The pitchers and catchers work both lanes in the bullpen focusing on fastballs, counts, pitch outs, pickoffs, and intentional walks. Then it's back to the hitting cages with Walton coaching each hitter's individual style.

Disc 5:

• Learn how to break down a player's swing with one-on-one batting practice
• Learn how to field a variety of balls hit to the outfield
• See how to use different defensive plays based on the situation and the personnel on the field

Walton takes you through batting cage work, divided defensive practice, and situational defensive coverage. Walton starts hitters in the cages with a focus on points of contact. Walton next runs his outfielders through a new set of drills, while infielders also work on a new set of skills, including short-hops and grounders. The team then comes together to work on short game defense covering the bunt, slap and steal.

Disc 6:

• Run a productive, on-field batting practice
• Get your entire team working on defense in unison

Disc 6 gives you on-field BP, with the hitters working through the same pattern of hitting: hit and run, slap and run, move 'em, score 'em, and then hit and run again, with a runner on third. Walton has athletes running bases and working on fielding while the hitters work on situations.

678 minutes (6 DVDs). 2012.

All Access videos are designed to allow viewers from all over the world to see how successful coaches run their practices in a "live" practice setting. All Access videos allow viewers to see the practices un-edited and in real-time. You will see how top coaches run their drills, interact with their team and staff, how they motivate their team, the cue words they use, the atmosphere of the practice and how practices are structured from day to day. Many coaches visit successful colleges and high schools to watch practice. But if you live out of state or out of the country, visiting another coach's practice can be costly. That's why we created the All Access Practice - to bring the practices to you!

with Lonni Alameda,
Florida State University Head Coach;
2018 NCAA National Champions;2018 NFCA National Coaching Staff of the Year;
Back-to-Back-to-Back ACC Coach of the Year (2013-15);Back-to-Back ACC Champions (2014-15),
2014 Women's College World Series; three straight NCAA Super Regional appearances (2013-15)

Softball is often referred to as a game of adjustments, as making immediate in-game adjustments is necessary to beat the best of the best. One of the keys to success for elite coaches is that they are able to teach their pitchers how to troubleshoot and make adjustments on their own. This difficult task is explained beautifully in this video by Florida State's Lonni Alameda, who dives into how she teaches her pitchers to troubleshoot and make adjustments with pitches, spin, and mechanics.

Troubleshooting Pitches

Pitchers often struggle to throw consecutive pitches that move in opposite directions (curve-screw; rise-drop), but mastering this skill is critical to achieving success on the mound. You'll see how to teach your pitchers to "move on" after throwing one pitch in order to progress to the next pitch. Additionally, you will learn the drills Alameda uses with her pitchers to help them transition from one pitch to another, executing each pitch with excellence. Every pitch matters!

Troubleshooting Spin

A common pitching issue is that on any given day, a pitcher will have one or more pitches that don't work as well as they normally do. The question then becomes: what do you do as a coach when your pitcher's best pitch doesn't work on the day of an important game?

Alameda shows you how to help your pitchers troubleshoot and self-correct when the spin of their pitches isn't what it should be. In one fun `Riseball Feel Drill', Coach Alameda has her pitchers throw rise ball spins with a football to help them feel the correct release and spin they should be utilizing. Teaching your pitchers to feel the correct spin will help them recognize when their spin is off.

Troubleshooting Mechanical Issues

How do you fix a pitcher with an arm circle issue, or body position issue? Getting your pitchers to feel any mechanical issues or inefficiencies, and self-correct, allows them to to make adjustments on the fly. Coach Alameda takes you through drills for several common mechanical issues, including:

• Troubleshooting the arm circle
• Troubleshooting arm circle timing
• Troubleshooting arm speed
• Troubleshooting body positioning
• Troubleshooting snap timing
• Troubleshooting leg drive

This video from Lonni Alameda offers valuable advice, as well as over 20 drills in total, to help your pitchers learn to troubleshoot their own pitches and mechanics. One of the signs of a great coach is the ability to teach your players how to fix issues on their own, because when the game is on the line, they will be alone in the circle. Allow Coach Alameda to show you how to teach your pitchers the skills they need to become self-sufficient on the mound!

89 minutes. 2019.