Purpose: To locate a targe and use proper body alignment, helping a player with softball throwing mechanics.

Procedure: The thrower stands in the middle of a square or in the middle of the diamond. When using the diamond, receivers should use correct positions at the bases. The coach throws or rolls a ball to the thrower and calls a position number where the throw is to be made. The receiver returns the throw quickly and accurately to the catcher so that the drill can continue. Go as fast as players' skills will allow.

Purpose: Allows softball catchers to practice making throws to a player covering home after recovering passed balls or wild pitches.

Procedure: The catcher assumes a squat position. Another catcher or pitcher faces home plate and throws wild pitches that the catcher lets go by. The thrower then covers home to receive the return throw from the catcher. The drill can also be started by dropping the ball against the backstop.

Purpose: A drill for softball catchers which focuses on quick hands and good reflexes (assets catcher really benefit from having.) This softball drill helps build up these assets so that catchers can make the plays that make the catching position so much fun, such as tagging out runners at home plate and calling out assignments for other infielders.

Procedure: The catcher, wearing her full gear, takes her normal position behind home plate. The three helpers, who can be teammates, assistant coaches, or parents, stand in a horizontal line in front of the catcher about 25 feet away with buckets in front of them. The first player in line throws a ball to the catcher, who catches it and quickly rolls it off to the side. As soon as the ball leaves her glove, the next helper throws a ball to the catcher. The drill continues in rapid succession.

Purpose: This drill teach young children how to throw a softball and more specefically how to execute double plays which provides a real boost for a defense – and slashes the workload for the pitcher. The responsibility of starting double plays often falls on the shortstop's lap, which is why she should be the most sure-handed fielder. The double-play throws drills works well for honing those all-important double-play skills.

Purpose: This drill for fastpitch softball defense is done to have the catcher work on pickoff throws to first off pitched balls. The second baseman works on timing as she takes the pickoff at first.

Procedure: A pitcher pitches to the catcher with the second baseman in the normal starting position for a pickoff (several steps deeper while shading toward first). The second baseman breaks on the pitch in time to be at first base to receive the catcher's throw.

Purpose: A softball drill for the fastpitch softball defense which puts game-like pressure on the infielder or the outfielder.

Procedure: Set up for any of the defensive drills in this directory. An additional player waits off to the side of the drill. When a fielder makes a throwing or fielding error, she leaves the drill and the player who is waiting replaces her. Every time an error is made the fielder steps out and the waiting player steps in.

Purpose: A drill for the fastpitch softball defense, in particular the infielders, which lets them field an assortment of ground balls and to field with different footwork positions. To throw to different bases and to condition.

Procedure: There are players at first and third, a ball in the pitching circle, and a player catching with a fungo hitter at the plate. One player works through all of the plays that follow

1. A ground ball is hit to the third baseman who throws it to first base.

2. The player runs and picks up the ball in the circle and throws to first base.

3. The player then loops around second base toward the shortstop position and is hit a ground ball, which she throws to first base.

Purpose: This drill is meant to improve your team's fastpitch softball defense by tagging out baserunners.

Procedure: Play on a field appropriate for the age group, with players at second base, third base, shortstop, and right field for the defensive team. A runner is on second base, and another runner wait in foul territory to alternate with that runner (each running every other play), making up the offensive team. Each play starts with the runner on second. A coach alternates hits between fly balls to the right fielder and grounds balls to second base and shortstop (no hits to third, as the runner wouldn't attempt to advance in such a situation). The runner attempts to advance to third on all hits – she tags up on the fly ball and runs on contact for the ground balls. The defense tries to get the runner out at third base. Award one point to the defense if the runner is tagged out. After six play, rotate the two baserunners with the two defenders.

Purpose: This drill dealing with softball hitting is to execute various offensive strategies and practice reading signals on offense; to execute various defensive strategies on defense.

Description: Play 4v10 or 4v9 on a field appropriate for the age group, with an entire defensive team set up in the field. One of the offensive players will be the hitter on each play, and the other players will be baserunners or waiting in the on-deck area to hit, depending on the play. A coach stands in the box at third base. To begin, call out a game situation and place a runner or runners on the bases accordingly (for example, one out, runner on first). The defense should position themselves based on the situation and what they think the batter will attempt to do (in this example, bunt); the third base coach gives the batter (and baserunners) the signal for the offensive play, and the batter gets three pitches to execute it. The offense gets two points if the hitter and baserunner execute the play correctly, one point if the hitter makes the correct play but the defense gets a baserunner out, and zero points if the hitter can't execute the correct play in three pitches. Switch teams after each player on the offensive team had two at-bats.

Purpose: To improve the outfielders' softball skills catching abilities by giving them practice at catching line drives and fly balls that tail away while in a dead sprint.

Procedure: Players line up in the center field gap and the coach stands with a bucket of balls on the foul line. Coach yells "Go" and a player sprints across the outfield toward second base, watching for the ball at all times. Coach then throws a variety of flys, grounders, and line drives just within the reach of the player. Upon catching the ball, the player tosses the ball back to the coach and starts a new line in front of second base. The next player in line takes off on command. Each player should get six to eight repetitions of the balls in each direction.