Softball Throwing Drills – Three-Man Relay

Purpose: To develop a quick relay from outfielder to midfielder. This is a good drill to add to your softball fielding tips.

Procedure: You will need one softball for each team. Divide the team into groups of three. Each group spreads out in a straight line with 15 to 25 yards between each player, depending on the age or skill level of the participants. Place one ball approximately five yards behind the first player in line. On the "go" command, the first player runs, picks up the ball, turns, and throws to the middle player.The middle player catches the ball, turns, and throws to the third player. The third player, after catching the ball, throws it back to the middle player, who then turns and throws the ball back to the first player. The first team to return the ball to the first player receives one point. The first team to reach seven points wins.

This game is similar to the bucket relay. In the three-man relay, the player in the middle receives most of the throws; therefore, it is imperative to rotate players after each round. As the infielder did in the previous drill, the middle player must turn to the glove side when throwing the ball. However this drill emphasizes getting rid of the ball quickly. Therefore, coaches should remind players to catch the ball cleanly before attempting to throw it.