Fastpitch Softball Drills – Third-Base Drill

Purpose: To develop the softball throwing accuracy and strength to make the throw from third base to first base

Procedure:Equipment required is four softballs, gloves, time taken 6 to 10 minutes. Divide the players into three groups and station them at home plate, third base, and first base. Each player should have a glove. Each group forms a line behind its base. The first person in the line is the first to field the ball. The players behind the fielders are backups. The coach hits a ground ball to the first person in line at third base. The fielder at third base throws it to the fielder at first base. The fielder at first base throws it to the fielder at home plate. After the first person at third base fields the ball and throws to first base, he moves to the end of the line and becomes a backup as the second person in line rotates forward and becomes the fielder. This rotation occurs at each base. After each player goes through the line two or three times, the coach yells "Rotate." Each group moves clockwise to the next base; the third-base fielders move to first base, and the first-base fielders move to home plate. This is a good softball warm-up drill to use at the beginning of practice. It emphasizes throwing to first base from third base, which is one of the longest and most difficult throws for youth softball players.