Product Description
Many softball teams showcase a big hitter or a power pitcher, but the backbone of any championship softball team is a solid defense. In Defensive Softball Drills, Coach Jacquie Joseph provides proven drills for establishing this winning edge. She presents drills for learning and mastering skills at each position and for developing players into a finely tuned defensive unit. Maximize your chances of success and shut out your opponents with Defensive Softball Drills. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

One of the better drill books available
There are many softball drill books on the market, and "Defensive Softball Drills" by Jacquie Joseph is definitely one of the better ones.The 66 defensive softball drills included cover the gamut from fundamentals, infielder drills, pitcher and catcher drills, outfield drills, as well as team drills.Every drill includes brief sections on purpose, procedure, key points, and appropriate variations on the drill, all of which provide excellent detail.Drill pages also include diagrams and/or pictures to further illustrate how to conduct the drill.

The drill finder included in the front of the book is detailed enough so that the reader can quickly determine the specific drill that meets his/her needs, differentiated by categories of "workable indoors", "small group drills", "partner drills", "conditioning", "many throws" and "minimal throws".The drills are varied enough so that different skill sets can be developed depending on player level.The number of drills, 66, seems less than other drill books, but covers every major skill without much overlap.

There is also a chapter on practice organization and season planning, which covers the basics on practice preps every coach should use.Included are several detailed sample practice plans that can be used as is or as a templates, and defensive checklists for pitchers, catchers, infielders and outfielders.

I give this book 4 stars because it covers only individual defensive and team drills.I would love to see Jacquie Joseph author an offensive drills book that is as complete and useful as this book. One error that I found was with drill #32 on page 87.It teaches the catcher to block the plate, which is illegal for ASA games, though for high school and college it is legal.Still, it is a very valuable part of my coaching library and I recommend it for all coaches.

Super Drill Book
Jacquie Joseph's Defensive Softball Drills is a compilation of some of the most basic skills necessary for development of a successful defensive player.The drills emphasize proper fundamentals and are adaptable to players of all skill levels.I use the drills in the book with my high school players as part of my defensive drill period, and our team is as solid defensively as any.

An axcellent place to start off your season
I coach girls 19u and used this book to set up my practices. I found the drills very good and helped to teach the girls ball control. I found that alot of the drills help shape the skills of the players. By the end of ourseason the girls were showing skills they themselves never knew they had. Ifeel this book made me an effective coach.

Excellent drills
Where do you go for softball fielding practice drills when you're a coach trying to teach certain skills?After looking at many sources, my vote is for this book.Dozens and dozens of great drills for every position.Thegirls on my 10U team loved the drills, had fun and learned a lot.

A great book of drills for softball and baseball
I bought this book to look for new and interesting drills for an 8 and under softball All-Star team and I was not dissapointed. This book is filled with great drills which are easy to apply to all ages. As you readand look at the drill illustrations you will repeatedly say "What agreat drill" Many drills in this book can be directly applied tobaseball. Everybody I have shown this book to wants one. ... Read more

Product Description

Looking for the ultimate softball “how-to” package to help you learn and master the essential skills? Softball Skills & Drills Book/DVD Package covers all the fundamentals to build strong individual players and winning teams.

Author Judi Garman has more than 30 years of experience, more than 1,100 victories, and a spot in the National Softball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. She has proven that she has what it takes to win consistently. Now, Garman shares her formula for developing the fundamentals by packing 170 drills, 142 photos, and 49 illustrations into Softball Skills & Drills. Learn how to perform and improve hitting, bunting, slap hitting, baserunning, fielding, throwing, pitching, and catching skills.

In the companion Softball Skills & Drills DVD, Garman covers every fundamental of the sport in full detail and accompanies the instruction with the best practice drills to master each technique and tactic. The DVD's three parts are Hitting and Baserunning, Pitching and Catching, and Fielding.

Players perform only as well as they practice. Use the Softball Skills & Drills Book/DVD Package and improve performance at the plate, on the base paths, on the mound, and in the field.

Human Kinetics DVDs are coded for universal playback and can be played in all regions of the world.

Product Description
Describes softball, the skills needed for it, and ways to compete. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
A comprehensive guide to coaching youth softball.Covers all aspects of organizing for the season. rules of play, individual softball techniques, basic strategies of softball, methods of effective coaching, sports medicine and training.Part of the Coaching Youth Sports Series written by the Youth Sports Institute of Michigan State University. ... Read more

Product Description

“Mastering these drills will arm your players with one of the biggest intangibles necessary to perform well--confidence.”
--Michele Smith

Two-time Olympic gold medalist and Hall of Fame pitcher Michele Smith throws one right down the middle with this big collection of more than 250 skill-building drills developed especially for coaches of fast-pitch recreation league, travel ball, and high school softball players, ages eight to eighteen.

Customer Reviews (4)

Excellent Softball Drills Resource for Youth Softball Coaches
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3G428EK8IP38S To all softball players, coaches and parents:

In this video review, I explained that I'm qualified to review this product and why I strongly believe that this book is a great resource for softball drills especially for youth softball coaches.

Reviewer's credentials:

- Experienced Softball Coach (over 20 years of softball coaching experience including the international and college levels)

- Experienced presenter / course conductor in the field of softball and coaching

- Master's Degree in Coaching Sciences

- Doctoral Studies in Coaching Expertise

Great resource for youth league and travel team coaches
As a league administrator, I'm always looking for great coaching
resources for the coaches in our league.I love this book because it's
a combination coaching and drills book.Many drills books out there
just have drills (with a smattering of ad hoc remarks on mechanics).
But this book is different.Every section of the book has a thorough
discussion of the required mechanics (hitting, pitching, defensive
footwork, infield defense, outfield defense, etc.), followed by a slew
of drills.The book contains a progression of drills for every level of
player (youth league level, as well as tons of "advanced variation"
drills for travel league and high school players).The book is very
organized, and therefore is a great resource for coaches to refer back
to on a regular basis.You can tell that Michele Smith is a stickler
for details because the photos and captions are very detail oriented and
helpful.All and all a fantastic resource!

Outstanding and Highly Recommended!
This book is a great reference for any coach of U10, U12, U14 and high school girls softball. The book is very organized and well written, and explains very clearly the fundamentals behind each drill.As expected, the pitching chapter is excellent.But the hitting and the defense chapters are also outstanding.There are lots of advanced level coaching tips throughout the book, including in each drill's "hints" section.Michele Smith is in alot of the photos personally demonstrating the mechanics and drills.The diagrams are good, and clutter free.

Excellent!
I have two daughters, an eighth grader who is really into softball, and a fourth grader who is just getting into the sport. I ran across this new drills book and highly recommend it. It's really organized, with goodpictures to go along with the drills. And it's great for both of my girls. I'm definitely going to tell their coaches about it. ... Read more

Product Description
Looking for the ultimate softball “how-to” book to help you learn and master the essential skills? Softball Skills & Drills covers all the essential fundamentals to build strong individual players and winning teams. Written by one of the winningest coaches in NCAA history, Softball Skills & Drills shows you how to perform and improve hitting, bunting, slap hitting, baserunning, fielding, throwing, pitching, and catching skills.

Author Judi Garman has more than 30 years of experience, more than 1,100 victories, and a spot in the National Softball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. She has proven that she has what it takes to win consistently. Now, Garman shares her formula for developing the fundamentals and winning through the 170 detailed drills in Softball Skills & Drills.

Softball Skills & Drills gives you more than just Xs and Os. This practical handbook is loaded with tips to speed players’ skill development. And check the back of the book for information on ordering the companion video series to see the techniques and drills in action. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

A little disappointed.
I was excited when I found this item on the human kinetics website.I could not order it from that website because of some issue with the credit card purchasing system there so I ordered it through Amazon.I recieved the DVD fairly quickly but was disappointed to find out that the Amazon offer did not include the book also which was part of the package from Human Kinetics.They were both the same price.

Neither a good skills book nor a good drills book
"Softball Skills & Drills" by Judi Garman tries to be both a skills book and a drills book, and as a result, does neither exceptionally well.The skills it covers (catching, throwing, infield, outfield, pitching, the catcher, team defense, hitting, bunting & slap hitting, and base running) are generally covered in every skills book and does not provide very many unique insights.The end of each chapter contains drills loosely organized into categories, but with no drill finder (as most every other drills book has), one has to hunt through every drill in every chapter to find one that may suit his/her needs.

Additionally, it tries to provide information for all levels of coaches, but not in a very logical progression.
There is little of value for the advanced coach, but there is too much advanced information to benefit the beginning coach.For example, just in Chapter 1 (Catching), the first subjects are "the glove", "catching throws", "basic fielding position", "moving to the ball", "catching ground balls" - decent information for the beginning coach.However, stuck right in the middle of the chapter is a section on "making desperation catches", covering such things as diving catches, sliding catches and running backhanded catches - information for an older player and/or advanced coach.Following that, a section on catching fly balls and pop flies (again back to basic stuff), and finally a section on "overcoming obstacles" like wind, sun, or fences - more advanced information.I wish I could say that Chapter 1 was the exception and that the rest of the book was organized more coherently, but it is not.

One other problem with "Softball Skills & Drills" is that a lot of the information is dated or, in my opinion, wrong.This is particularly the case within the base running chapter.First off, it offers the head-first slide into a base as a viable slide.Not only is a head-first slide the most dangerous way to slide, it is also touted as the fastest way to slide which is not the case, particularly when accounting for the time to get up and advance to the next base in the case of an overthrow.Plus, all the women in the pictures are in shorts and tube socks - no sliders, no long pants - which is unrealistic.

There is one section in The Catcher chapter that I did find somewhat informative, and that is the pitching chart on page 122.There is a lot of decent information there that a young catcher can use to learn to call her own game.Otherwise, I recommend passing on this book.

The One Softball Book You Must Own
If you only buy one softball drill book, let this be the one.The drills in this book run the gamut from basic drills for the beginner to advanced drills for the advanced travel ball player.If you are a beginning coach, the drills in this book will help you plan your practices to get the most instruction into a limited amount of time."Softball Skills and Drills" is a great little book that will stay fresh and relevant as your team grows and matures.Garman knows her stuff!

Great book on basic drills
This is a good book on the basic and advanced drills for girls learning softball. Highly suggest it.

Excellent resource for all levels of coaching
I have assistant coached my daughters' ASA teams for the past six years, and now I'm an assistant coach of my oldest daughter's jr. high team. I've pretty much learned along the way, picking up ideas and drills from the excellent coaches around me. But I just recently picked this book up and am excited about what I see. It's basic enough for the have-no-clue-but-want-to-learn coach, but there are so many drills here that even experienced coaches will pick up some new ideas. I especially like how the coach is fundamentally sound--the advice can therefore be trusted. I am going to be keeping this book nearby over these next seasons, and perhaps some of these drills will help the girls I coach to be even that much better. I am highly recommending this book for all of us who hope to gain just an inch of an advantage over those who rely merely on gut instinct. ... Read more

Product Description
An excellent resource on how hitting fundamentals, strategies, and mental factors should be addressed to maximize a hitter's performance at the plate. Covers the art and science of hitting, hitting fundamentals from bottom to top, common errors, making changes (training the hitter, drills, Q&A), the young hitter, the mind game, angle bunting off the pivot, teaching sprinting, baserunning (drills, Q&A), stealing bases, and sliding. Also covers offensive strategy. Includes nearly 100 clear photographs to make learning and implementing this information fast and easy. ... Read more

Product Description
Make sure you’re in the right place at the right time to make the right call. Based on National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) rules, Officiating Softball covers officiating procedures and responsibilities, plate and field umpire mechanics for both fast-pitch and slow-pitch softball, and rules application. You’ll learn what’s expected of you as an umpire, pre- and postgame duties, and equipment and safety regulations.

The book contains three chapters detailing basic umpiring positions and descriptions; plate umpire mechanics; field umpire mechanics; and one-, two-, and three-umpire systems. Also included are real-life cases that demonstrate correct rulings, point out common umpiring errors and how to avoid them, and challenge you to make the right call in game situations. Officiating Softball is not a rules book--it’s a practical resource on applying the rules and umpiring mechanics developed and approved by the NFHS.

Officiating Softball was written by the American Sport Education Program (ASEP) in cooperation with the NFHS. It serves as the text for the NFHS Officiating Softball Methods Online Course, offered through the NFHS Officials Education Program. ... Read more

Product Description
Covers the basics, throwing different pitches, mental preparation, physical preparation (including off-season workouts), drills, and much more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

pitching for beginners
I was getting a book to try to teach my daughter, 10, to pitch.This book was very helpful.It broke the whole process of pitching down into steps that were managable to learn.She had a positive experience with it.It also goes on to more difficult tasks after you master some of the most basic maneuvers.There are drills at the back to work specific parts of the pitch.I highly recommend this book. ... Read more

Product Description
Rarely in any sport are 28 top coaches assembled to share their principles, insights, strategies, methods, and experiences in a book. Fastpitch softball is an exception. Now you can learn from the best and take your players, team, and entire program to a higher level.

Find out how Mike Candrea develops productive hitters at Arizona, and follow the advice of Fresno State’s Margie Wright for competing in tournaments and playoffs. This landmark work covers all the bases, from recruiting players to attracting fans. Chapter after chapter, you can use this book as the game plan for building a winning program.

The all-star lineup of contributors includes:

• Dianne Baker

• Margo Jonker

• Carol Bruggeman

• Teresa Wilson

• Marge Willadsen

• JoAnne Graf

• Gayle Blevins

• Brian Kolze

• Yvette Girouard

• Denny Throneburg

• Bill Edwards

• Deb Pallozzi

• Betty Hoff

• Jacki Wright

• Mike Candrea

• Jay Miller

• Cheri K. Kempf

• Lori Sippel

• Linda Wells

• Margie Wright

• Jeff Janssen

• Rhonda Revelle

• Elaine Sortino

• Carol Hutchins

• Mona Stevens

• Rayla J. Allison

• Judi Garman

• Sharon J. Drysdale

The Softball Coaching Bible is filled with insights and expert advice to help you better understand the game and make the right decisions in key situations. Soak it up, enjoy the stories, and benefit from the wisdom of the sport’s finest mentors. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Softball Coaching Bible
Softball Coaching Bible along with softball skills and drills are two books that no coach should be without.

Bits and Pieces of Useful Info
Pros:
- Variety of topics covered including fund raising, recruiting, mental, and play aspects
- Advice from several sources
- A handful of good tables and info-graphics

Cons:
- In many cases, about 1/2 of each chapter consists of the given "expert" telling you why they are "great." I realize they are probably trying just trying to establish their value as an expert on the subject, but it's very annoying.
- Rather than properly developing ideas a coach can use for his or her own team, there are brief overviews of some ideas and other ideas are often repeated only with different wording in later chapters.
- I found the chapter on pitching especially horrible.

This book is called "The Softball Coaching Bible", and indeed, in the sense that The Bible is a collection of stories being retold with a greater purpose, this book holds true. However, if your intent for this book is as a manual, then I recommend you pass on it and check out some of the other books out there.

Great Advice From "The Greats!"
This book is a must for those coaches whom are just starting their coaching journey. You receive priceless advice from todays all time greats of the game. This is the WHOS WHO of todays softball coaching world. ... Read more

Product Description
A Slow-Pitch Summer is a candid, endearing, and often humorous memoir of a physician returning to his first softball season in forty years. Dr. Speroff takes the reader along his journey as he rekindles his lifelong love affair with the game .From choosing the perfect glove, to finding the "sweet" spot on the bat, to the camaradarie among his teammates on the 60-plus "Lime Popsicles, " this story celebrates a personal triumph over the aging process. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Senior softball reigns!
Dr. Speroff's journal of his first summer of slow-pitch senior softball is outstanding.I am personally in the midst of my "rookie" season as a younger senior in Florida.His descriptions of his teammates, the game, the equipment, & the "atmosphere" all ring true to what I am experiencing.The camaraderie is special, the good-natured ribbing is the same, & so is the "humbleizing" of missed catches, weak hits & the ever-looming risk of injury.
The color photos of players certainly enhance the story."I feel like a kid again" is the universal attitude here also.
Believe me, the game is much harder than it looks.So, for men in their 60's & 70's, the challenge is with every pitch, every hit, every grounder, every fly ball, to say nothing of running the bases speedily & safely.Who cares if no one is in the stands?The bonding with teammates is so uplifting & inspiring & the privilege of participating in senior sports is so energizing that we play senior softball almost year-round in Florida.My fantasy bumper sticker:"When you grow up, you too can play senior softball!" ... Read more

Product Description
A thorough study of the physical and mental mechanics that are necessary for hitters to develop a controlled explosion at the plate. Recommended by top college coaches and international softball leaders. Solid information about the big picture, bat selection and grip, stance, stride, vision, lower body explosion, upper body attack, mental mechanics, game situations, and strategy. ... Read more

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High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Wang Ying (Chinese: 王颖, born December 31, 1968) is a female Chinese softball player who competed in the 1996 Summer Olympics and in the 2000 Summer Olympics.In 1996 she won the silver medal as part of the Chinese team. She played all ten matches.In the 2000 Olympic softball competition she finished fourth with the Chinese team. She played all eight matches.Softball is a team game commonly played in the United States and other countries. It is a direct descendant of baseball although some key differences are that softballs are larger than baseballs and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand. Softball is played on a smaller diamond than in baseball; a softball field's average distances from home plate to the center, left and right field fences are 220, 200 and 200 feet respectively (the corresponding baseball field average distances are 410, 325 and 325 feet). Despite the game's name, the standard softball is not soft; in fact, it is just as hard as a baseball. ... Read more

Product Description
Throw faster, improve your technique, learn new pitches, lower your ERA, and experience the thrill of winning more often with The Softball Pitching Edge.

This book offers an in-depth look into the art and science of softball pitching that will help you develop elite-level fastpitch skills through drills and expert technical advice. As the owner and pitching instructor at Club K, author Cheri Kempf has been teaching and training thousands of fastpitch softball players since 1987 and is widely recognized as one of the best softball pitching coaches in the country.

The Softball Pitching Edge shows the correct way to deliver the ball from the rubber to the plate to maximize effectiveness and minimize the risk of injury. It’s the first book on fastpitch softball to dissect the pitching motion through pictures and drawings of the correct mechanics. It also explains how to master those mechanics so that you can throw with greater control and speed.

The text covers all the essentials: presentation, feet, legs, arms, posture, sequence, timing, consistency, location, and speed. You’ll find a breakdown of the fundamental mechanics, with details of common mistakes and plenty of drills to help develop the proper mechanics. You’ll also find specific instruction on developing a variety of pitches, including the drop, the change-up, the rise, the curve, and the screwball. And the special tips for coaches provide insight into the pitcher’s psyche, background, mental make-up, and motivation.

The Softball Pitching Edge presents the best information based on the most modern technology and resources available. Use this book to improve your technique and add new pitches to your arsenal for more strikeouts and greater success on the mound. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Simply the best Fastpitch Softball pitching reference, ever
"The Softball Pitching Edge" is simply the best Fastpitch softball pitching book, ever.The first four chapters ("Pre-Motion Presentation", "Feet and Legs", "Arms and Posture", and "Timing of the Motion") set the beginning pitcher (and her parents) on her way by detailing and developing sound mechanics.The rest of the book is a fantastic resource for the intermediate or advanced pitcher and any fastpitch softball coach, teaching the mechanics, grips and body position required for pitching the drop, the change-up, the rise, the curve, and the screwball.It concludes with a section titled "Five more Factors for Excellent Pitching" which cover the importance of the catcher, practice routines and game preparation, mental makeup, physical conditioning, and communication.In short, it covers anything that could possibly be required to instruct a Fastpitch softball pitcher.

There is so much that this book offers that it is difficult to narrow down exactly the one thing it does best.The chapters on mechanics go through every single part of the motion of a straight fastball pitch.Not only does it offer detailed explanations on the "why", but it also dispels common misconceptions about pitching.One example is why the adage "open the door, close the door" is the wrong approach for pitchers.I have heard "open the door, close the door" since I started coaching, but I am now convinced that the author is correct, and will incorporate this knowledge into my own teaching.

Each chapter has multiple drills that reinforce the correct mechanics discussed.Even more helpful are the "Catching Common Errors" sub-chapters, which help a coach diagnose problems and identify which drills will help correct those problems.There are also hundreds of detailed pictures so that the reader can see and understand each and every movement and grip.

This is also one of the few softball books I have seen that advocates the use of videoing practice.Better yet, this is the only softball book that I know of that shows you exactly how to conduct a video analysis of a pitcher.This book is worth every penny just for this information alone (pages 52 to 54).

Finally, it not only teaches the mechanics of pitching, but also how to pitch -- specifically how to locate pitches inside and outside the strike zone, where the catcher should be positioned, and the movement one can expect on various different pitches.This is invaluable information for pitchers, catchers, and coaches alike.

"The Softball Pitching Edge" is a must-buy if you are a Fastpitch softball coach at any level, a parent of a pitcher at any but the highest level, or a pitcher herself who wants to get better.

Very good book
My daughter is now a junior in high school and has been going to a pitching coach for 2 years (ie dad'd off the hook). But before that I must have invested $100 in videos and found them of little use. My experience was that pitching videos did little because they were too much in a short period of time. Teaching a kid to pitch must be done in small, bite size, pieces. This is exactly what Kempf's book does, with the chapter set up to do small things at a time ... combining to ultimatly build the pitcher. Cheri does nothing fancy or with gimicks ... just plain instruction. This book will not magically make your daughter a pitcher, but will provide the basic fundementals that with hard work, make her effective pitcher.

Easy, comprehensive breakdown for new and advanced pitchers!
We love this book. We borrowed it from the library twice before finally purchasing. Its the best step by step coaching book we've found. What impressed me the most is that Kempf stresses proper mechanics long before the pitcher ever hits the mound. It gives drills and corrections to help insure good mechanics and safety first. We highly recommend this book to any aspiring pitcher!

Softball Pitching Edge
This is an excellent resource for the serious softball pitcher. Everything in it is useful and well written. Mostly geared toward High Scool age pitchers, but all ages could benifit from it.

Best Fastpitch Pitching Resource Available
This is by far the best resource for learning the mechanics of windmill pitching.It's great for beginners and advanced pitchers. ... Read more

Product Description
Whether you coach your daughter's softball club or play with your friends after work, Softball: Fast- and Slow-Pitch will help you help your team make the most of its practice time. Including information on team warm-ups, position-specific drills, and equipment selection, this book covers the sport from the top of the first to the bottom of the seventh. "Mario and Gerry have parlayed their playing, coaching, and officiating knowledge into a very easy-to-read book for players of all ages. The combination of slow-pitch and fast-pitch techniques, usually as compatible as oil and water, makes this book truly unique. I recommend it to veterans and rookies alike." -- Frank Benjamin Sportscaster, Curt Gowdy Broadcasting"Ideal for coaches and players who want to learn the basic skills and techniques of the game." -- Don E. Porter Executive Director, Amateur Softball Association ... Read more

Product Description
This straightforward text is value-priced book and covers the rules, equipment, and strategies for fast and slow-pitch softball. Developed to assist players of any age or level, Softball: Slow and Fast Pitch will help students acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to play the game well. Instructors, coaches, and managers will appreciate this helpful reference for teaching the game. ... Read more