Softball Tips for Beginners | Start the Sport with Right Way

When you are in a team playing softball, you have space to learn continuously. Actually, learning never ends, from the beginning till the end. So, softball tips for beginners will be a great addition to keep improving the games for newcomers.

By the way, you might be the top player on your team, yet you can learn and get tips from professionals. As a youth baseball coach, I also work with softball kids. 

As a beginner, you have to go through precise plans and development for hitting, baserunning, pitching, and fielding.

Today I will talk about some random things, like giving tips for improvements in playing softball, practice suggestions, and so on. So, no more ado. Let’s get to the point. 

Common Softball Tips for Beginners

Before starting in specialized sections like batting, pitching, and fielding, a softball beginner, should get some tips. Here are some tips that might help you to start the game perfectly. 

Don’t Forget to Warm Up

Warm-up should be the first and regular companion of an athlete. Whatever you are going to start- hitting, pitching, or fielding, make sure to do some relevant warm-ups first. A warm-up helps to remove stress from your body. 

You can do jogging, hand moving, push up, some running, stretching muscles, etc., as a warm-up. Also, can throw some random balls as well. 

Choose the Right Equipment

Softball and baseball are games of equipment. Without the right and efficient equipment, it would be good for nothing actually. So, make sure you choose the right equipment.

Ensure the quality of the equipment, whatever you pick, like softball bats, gloves, catcher gear, and others. After the quality, the size of the bat, glove, and catcher’s gear is the most important. 

They will not fit you without the right size and give you hassles while playing. 

Break in the Equipment Before Using

If you choose high-quality leather gloves and metal bats, you have gone through breaking in the process. Leather gloves and composite bats will take you some time for breaking in. 

By the way, aluminum bats are normally ready-to-game. No issues with them, so the synthetic gloves. 

Choose the Right Cleats

Whether metal molded or turf shoes, make sure you pick high-quality pairs. Quality is extremely important when it comes to cleats. You have to wear the cleats for a day, and it needs to give you comfort.

Uncomfortable cleats will be literally painful- they can hurt your ankles. So, give your ankles and arches good support for running. 

You May Also Like: 5 Best Cleats For Pitchers in 2022 | Take your Game to the Next Level

Improve Your Mechanics

Whatever you are doing, you must hold solid mechanics to master the game. Whether it is pitching, fielding, or batting, improve your mechanics with the help of professionals and your coach. 

Your coach will be your best teacher, though. 

Pay Attention- Never be Tired of It

Never stop paying attention wherever you are. Whether it could be on the plate, pitching mound, or on the baseball field, never be tired of paying attention to your target. 

In pitching and hitting, there is no chance to avoid giving attention, you know. But, when you are in certain fielding positions or bases, you might have some issues of distraction. But remember, distraction will entirely put you down. 

So, be attentive and careful of every moment of the game. 

Make A Preplan for the Game

Planning is the most important step in achieving goals. Have some preplans that you intend to impose and apply to the game before you start playing it.

However, everything will not be happening as per your plan. In this case, consider putting the sudden decision-making on your plan. Actually, you have to make a lot of quick decisions in the game. 

Be Responsible for What You to Be

Do your duty what is assigned to you with sincerity. Don’t overlook and be irresponsible anyhow. Try to give your best. When you fail, admit your mistakes. Admitting mistakes is not wrong. It will enhance your cling to the team. 

If you find yourself in a chaotic scenario, it is best not to let your teammates or coach know about it. Maintain mental dominance for the sake of your success. Please accept your mistakes.

When you are placed on the bench or moved to the eighth position, try not to let your frustration show. It’s possible that this will occur as a result of your lack of responsibility. Make a comeback with much more power.

Keep a Positive Attitude in Any Situation

You can find yourself in the middle of a chaotic situation during games or outside of it, regardless of whether it has anything to do with sports or not. Maintain a positive attitude toward yourself. Attitude is important in every situation.

Being frustrated after an out, having a hit by the batter, or missing any fielding shouldn’t be the reason to disappoint you and make you surrender to the environment. It’s not good at all.

Keep your personality strong, whatever happens. Making errors in sports, even in your life, is a normal phenomenon. You have to cope with them and overcome them. 

You will lose the game, no matter what. You will win after the next game and will be back with your potential. 

Always Look for Better

You are all good doesn’t mean there is no scope to improve. Trust me, you are always in a race. So, each and every moment you go through has the chance to improve. Try to be better in every aspect of team play.

Be a good player, and teammate, an attentive trainee to your coach, make strong friendships with others, listen to others, and don’t deny them. You have room to do better on and off-field. Don’t miss the chance to be better. 

Softball Hitting Tips for Beginners

If you are truly ready to take part in softball with basic knowledge, you have to go through precise planning. By the way, softball hitting is one of the most crucial parts of the game. You must master the skill for better results, as the offensive team depends on the runs of the batters. 

Here are some pointers that will help you become an expert hitter by showing you some effective tactics. Always keep in mind that the coach will take you out of the game if you are unable to provide the anticipated results.

Ensure the Right Grip

The foremost aspect of holding a softball bat is how you grip it. You have to hold the ball loosely initially. Don’t impose any pressure at the beginning. 

Keep the left hand as the top hand(for the right-hand batters, and vice versa), and the right hand as the bottom. Keep both hands straight in line. Your right hand will support your top hand to create energy while you are swinging. 

No knuckles on the handle; keep your hands and wrists flexible. As a batter, you might have a little choke toward the bottom of the handle. It’s some time for better control. But keeping the hands near the knob will create more power. 

Power up your holding along with the swing when the ball comes. 

Position Your Hands Beside Your Body

Keep your hands on the bat and keep your front hand in front of your body at all times. Keep both elbows down, and maintain a distance of three to four inches between them and the torso. You have the option of keeping your hands in a straight position or moving them back and forth continuously.

This back-and-forth is known as power position or power alley. 

Swing and Hand-Eye Coordination

Fix your hand-eye coordination. Fix the leg’s position so that the ball comes straight to you. Keep your eye on the ball. Don’t move them anywhere when you take your batting stance. Make sure your hands are coped up with your eyes. 

Don’t be tempted. Allow your hands to move when your eyes give the signal to your brain. 

When it’s time the ball almost reaches, you should start to move your back knee and rotate your hips. Keep the hips parallel to the ground. 

Keep your eyes and head still. Power up you’re gripping. Don’t allow your bat’s bottom part to go under your hands’ level. Use your front shoulder to track the ball when the pitcher throws it. 

Don’t extend your hands too early or too late. Keep the momentum perfect, and swing your bat with the momentum you started since the pitcher has thrown the ball. Swing the bat and hit it!

Some Extra Tips

As a youth coach or parent, make sure the following tips are followed by your softball beginner kids. 

• Run and touch bases when practicing. As a batter, you must also be a good baserunner. Run, run, and run. 
• There are several drills you should go through as well-
  • Practice with smaller balls and bats in the practice session. Use golf balls or something like this. 
  • Use several colored balls as well. It will help to enhance the batter’s attention.
  • Practice batting with two balls. Throw the ball upper and downside to the kids and command them to hit one of them immediately. 

See Also: Are Pitching Machines Good For Batting Practice?

Softball Pitching Tips for Beginners

Being a beginner is always a little hectic and challenging. But, you know, no one could be an expert without being a beginner. 

However, in my opinion, pitching is a little easier than hitting. By the way, as a beginner softball pitcher, parent, or coach, here are some basic tips to improve pitching. 

Set Your Goal First

After years, you have seen softball on TV; you are now ready to begin your softball journey being a pitcher. Pitching is one of the topmost skills in both softball, and baseball. 

To start your journey, you have to first set your pitching goal. The goal must include how to pitch, and how to improve continuously. There are three most effective and basic goals to set for the betterment of pitching-

• Understanding the pitching mechanics
• Controlling the ball, and
• How to master the speed.

By the way, you have to watch how professionals grip the ball. Also, work on your hand movement so that it copes up the entire process of pitching. Develop your body posture. The posture will help to enhance the goal journey. 

Practice and Practice

Practice is the backbone of sports or any other physical work. I always say this to my trainee youngsters in my coaching ground. Make sure you are always in practice. Always means regular. 

If you have already been accepted into a softball coaching facility, you should make it a point to attend each and every practice and drilling session on a consistent basis. You should also choose your pitching target before beginning practice.

For instance, you should progressively increase the number of pitches that you throw. For example, during the first week, you should make 100 pitches.

In the next week, bring it up to 200, then 300, and finally 400. Your endurance with throwing will improve as a result of the weekly increase in the number of pitches you throw.

Additional Read: How To Practice Pitching Alone For Baseball?

The Grip on Ball

You should start your pitching journey with the most common type of pitching. The most common type of pitching in either baseball or softball is the fastball. Though the pitching stance and pitching in baseball and softball are entirely different.  

There are two types of fastball-two seam fastballs and four-seam fastballs. 

Two-Seam Fastball: Unlike the two fastballs of the base, the grip of a softball two-seam fastball is a little different. Find the horseshoe of the ball, and put your middle finger on it. The index and pinky fingers will be on two sides of the middle finger. 

It will create a twelve-o-clock to six-o-clock spin on the ball. 

Four-Seam Fastball: Locate the letter “C” on the ball. Place the tips of your fingers on the C. Extend your thumb so that it forms a line with your middle finger and hold it there. Position yourself in the pinky-finger-finger rat resting position. The ring finger will have no effect whatsoever on the amount of pressure applied.

You can get a firm hold on the ball by placing the pads of your fingers on it. The curl is the most important factor to consider when attempting to get spin from a four-seam ball. Make a very slight curl with the fingers so that they are not completely attached to the ball.

Get the Right Stance on The Pitching Mound

Pitching mound is the place where you will take your pitching stance to pitch the ball to the hitter. A good stance will help you to control your movement and throw the best pitch. 

Stand slightly staggered, don’t keep your feet straight like your shoulders. Keep your front foot(the foot on the side of your throwing hand) on the pitching rubber just before you start your pitching. Keep the back foot 6 inches backward from the rubber. 

Drill for Softball Pitching

Practice makes a man perfect, is an old saying. You know this is true for all events, including pitching, hitting, and fielding. Without practice a lot, you can’t improve your stance, throwing, and other forms of pitching. 

By the way, admit yourself in pitching drills. Some regular drills with your team will help you to enhance your skill and body movement for pitching. Here are some drill suggestions for a beginner. 

Wall Drill: It’s very easy. Just stand in front of a wall by keeping 10 feet distance. Throw some pitches. After some pitches, back away 5 feet and repeat the throwing. Keep throwing until you reach 40 feet. 

Half Circle: throw the ball to your partner or coach by moving your throwing arm half-circle. After 10 throws, go back to the line and the player behind you will do so. 

Full Circle: This drill is the extended part of the half-circle drill. Entirely rotate your arm. Do this ten times. And then go to the back of the line. 

Make it Snappy Drill: The pitcher will stand away 10 feet from his/her partner. Now, the pitcher will grab the ball with his/her pitching hand and will make a snap to the partner with the help of the finger and the wrist. The pitcher will not let the elbow pass the torso. 

After 10 throws, the pitcher will go behind the line, and the next pitcher will come to do so. 

To the Zone: The pitcher will throw the pitches to the strike zone. The goal of the drill is to enhance the accuracy of throwing. Do it ten times and go back to the line. 

Enhance Communication With the Players

As a team sport, it’s important to improve communication with the other players of the team. Especially as a pitcher, you have to enhance your communication with the catcher. Because a pitcher’s play must be recognized by the catcher. 

Don’t Stop the Improvement

When you realize you are improving your pitching, keep it up. Whether you practice at your home backyard or field with your team and coach, don’t stop improving. Keep continuing the practice to entirely master the pitching. 

Softball Fielding Tips for Beginners

Fielding is another important aspect of softball to make sure the prevention of getting runs by the offensive team. Here are some tips to improve your fielding so that you can properly master it. 

Use Your Glove in the Right Way

Due to the fact that it is the primary element of fielding, it is essential to ensure that the softball glove is held correctly. Maintain the open position of the glove by holding it. When the glove is open, greater space is available to capture the ball effortlessly. If your glove is only partly closed, you run the danger of falling asleep on the ball and being touched by the ball outside.

Play Catch When You Get Time

As fielding means catching the ball efficiently, play catch when you get time. You can use a lighter tennis ball for constant catching. You can toss the ball to the sky and catch them. Aside from this, do catching practice with a partner. 

You should wait for your partner to toss the ball to you. Your partner will begin by throwing the ball in a gentle manner at first. You will be able to catch them as he gradually increases the force with which he throws them at you.

Use Both Hands for Fielding a Grounder

The grounder is one of the crucial balls for fielding. You have to use your two hands to field a ground ball. Before fielding the ground ball, take your stance. 

• The fielder has to be lower for his/her ground ball fielding stance
• Make a V-shaped angle of your body by lowering it
• Keep the gloved hand on the ground
• Keep another hand up the gloved hand and make it like a crocodile mouth. It’s the most popular stance
• Try to grab the ball after it gets a single bonus in front of you. Don’t allow the ball for multiple bounces or hops. It can cause a bad hop. As a result, you can miss the ball
• Don’t keep your glove hand up from the ground. It will create a chance for the ball to go under your legs
• Don’t rush to throw the ball. Do the transfer naturally from one hand to the other hand. Throw the ball to the baserunner at full speed.

Be Calm When Catching a Flying Ball

Catching a flying ball is sometimes challenging. As a beginner, it could be more challenging for you. So, don’t hurry when catching a fly ball.

• Judge the place where the ball is going to land
• Run to the landing area
• Keep your eyes on the ball, and measure its speed
• Avoid going through the landing zone. You will have no choice except to retreat. Because of this, there’s a chance you’ll drop the ball
• Be sure that you are by yourself before attempting to catch the ball. Maintain contact with the other teammate so that you may avoid running into any other players
• Make sure your glove is open and facing upward. Maintain the position of the wrist above the elbow
• You will be able to make a flawless catch of the ball if you position yourself slightly to the side and behind it.

Softball Throwing Tips

There is more independence in throwing than pitching in softball. As a result, you can produce more power in throwing than pitching. Here are some tips to enhance and accurately your throwing in softball as a beginner. 

Positioning Yourself

It is important to stand in a balanced position. An imbalanced position will create a hassle for throwing fast and accurately. 

When you stand in your balanced position, all your power back you. As a result, the throwing creates the ultimate power. It also pushes the ball to the target accurately. 

Don’t be Hurry

Many players want to throw the ball as soon as they catch it. It’s a good practice, though. But quick trough and shorts are not the same. Don’t be in a hurry when you catch the ball. Take your time and throw the ball. 

Otherwise, you can’t control your throwing. 

Find Your Target

Before throwing, find the target first. Keep your eyes on the target, and balance your hand-eye coordination. 

Some Additional Tips

• Grip the ball with a four-seam grip which will produce more power
• Work on your foot position
• Practice regularly. Try to throw 100 balls daily 
• Use a wall to throw the ball continuously. Take your position 20 feet back. Gradually step back from the wall and practice with the farthest distance. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the easiest position in softball?

The easiest position in softball is the right field. The right field is in such a position where the young players hit less. Also, right-handed batters do not have that much power to create powerful hits to the right field. 

More specially, softball fielders create less power to the right field hitting as 80% of the players are right-handed hitters who love to hit to the left field. 

What are the 5 skills in playing softball?

The basic five skills in softball are-

• Hitting
• Pitching
• Fielding
• Throwing
• Baserunning

What is the hardest position to play in softball?

The hardest position, most probably in softball, is the shortstop. There are many responsibilities in this position, including catching and fast-throwing. The players must be fast enough and agile to master the position. 

To know more about positions in softball and baseball, you may check out the guide on Positions on the Baseball Field. 

Wrap Up

When you are just about to start or have just started your softball, precise softball tips for beginners from professionals will help you a lot. You should move in a precise manner and gradually master the game. 

Also, hard work is the key to success. Don’t be irregular in practice. Also, keep the focus on your target. Mentally be strong and improve your quick decision ability. 

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