Throwing

1. Nose, Toes, arm → throw at target

   1. Make sure the girls understand that they need to be pointing at their target and their momentum must go toward where they want the ball to go

      1. catcher should never see throwers letters.

2. Correct form for throwing:

   1. Player should end up bent at waist with arm across body

   2. Release ball with snapping wrist toward target and bent at waist. Make sure player follows all the way threw toward the ground after releasing ball.

   3. As player brings arm over shoulder glove hand drops but momentum is forward.

   4. make sure player is bringing their arm over their shoulder and not out wide.

      1. A good way to make sure is have player stand next to a fence and throw. If they hit fence their not keeping arm tight and over shoulder.

   5. As player brings ball over shoulder, arm stays at 90 degree angle, ball hand turns toward target and steps at target, weight begins to shift to front leg.

   6. player should be sideways so catch can not see their numbers.

   7. throwing arm extended back bent 90 degrees at elbow with ball hand facing out/away from player **you should look like the hulk*

      1. weight should be on back foot at this point

   8. glove arm and foot pointed at target

   9. step with throwing foot, which should be turned sideways

   10. Start with you glove hand shoulder and head pointed at the target. Knees should be bent and slightly apart. **this is very important because most children want to have their chest facing their target. The person catching should never see your letters. **

Catching

1. two hands

   1. making sure the girl uses her throwing hand to cover the front of her glove.

2. Drills

   1. Clock Drill

      1. put glove above head arm extended

      2. have the girls move it in a clockwise direction until they reach 6 o’clock position and come back

      3. do same with counter clock wise.

      4. This focuses on the correct way to hold glove when catching

      5. emphasize ball above waist caught with glove pointed up, while below waist glove pointed down.

   2. Lay player down on ground

      1. drop ball straight down and have catch with both hands

      2. USE soft balls

   3. Knee drill

      1. have player on knee

      2. underhand ball to right then left side in rapid succession

         1. Can start slow then speed up.

      3. Make sure using two hands

      4. once caught drop ball and keep going

​Fielding 

1. Technique

   1. make a triangle - knees bent and should with apart. Glove in center of body. Throwing hand above glove

      1. throwing hand above glove protects players face and makes for a quick turn around to throw.

      2. Glove should be at 45 degree angle and between your legs

   2. Always go down before you go up

2. Drills

   1. Scarecrow drill

      1. have players field an imaginary ball with two hands

      2. quickly jump to right or left throwing position

      3. hold that position so coach can check to make sure your in proper fielding position

   2. Triangles

      1. This drill is done with partners. One player gets in her fielding stance and draws a triangle in the dirt so that its base lies along her toes and the tip is pointed at her partner, underneath her extended glove.

      2. The fielder’s partner should throw grounders and short hops.

      3. The fielder will field each ball, gather it into her stomach and make an accurate toss back. After 20 balls, the partners may switch.

Hitting 

1. Proper stands and how to hold bat

   1. knees shoulder-with apart

   2. weight on back leg, knees bent

   3. bat by ears and tilted slightly toward pitcher

   4. once batter swings make sure their back hand had fingers facing ceiling or up

      • helps prevent dropping of hands

   5. when the player makes contact their back arm should be bent at elbow and their arms should make a roof shape

      1. palm should be up

   6. Drills

      1. Wall drill to work on form

         • back foot against wall. Wide stance

         • load bat, step with front foot, and back foot rotates so heal is facing wall but not touching it, and knee bends

         • hips turn/rotate but arms do not move

         • batter does not swing just does motion

      2. Whip drill

         • have player get into proper stance

         • back elbow swings from shoulder down, like a whip motion

         • Expand to include back hip swinging in and knee turned in at same time moving elbow down

         • the girls back shoulder, elbow and knee should remain parallel to the plate

      3. hit off T – make sure T is set up where player would actually contact ball

         • don’t use T has a home plate

         • player should be hitting a line drive off T

         • focus on correct hitting every time

         • Backwards drill

           • • set up like your back is to the pitcher

             • swing so you turn your hits completely so ball goes to where pitcher would be

           • drill used to get you to turn your hips.