Introduction
It's that time of the year again!! It's softball season! But are you stuck in a slump? A bit off your game? If you follow a few of these tips, you will be back in the game like never before!
Regaining your Speed
One completely foolproof trick to getting back in the game with your speed is doing a lot of sprints in between the length of the correct length of the bases, time yourself, and try to improve every time you do it. If your time continues to improve, you will regain speed. But this does take time and effort. You need to make sure that you are running correctly as well. If you do not run the right way, such as using your arms and taking long, fast strides, you will not be able to run fast enough for your true potential. But when you use these techniques, not only will you run fast, but you will run fast the correct way. These are a few ways to get faster.
Hitting Again
Practice on your own throwing a ball in the air and keeping your eye on the ball throughout your entire swing. Also, make sure you don't bend your arms during your swing. You need to keep you arms straight when the bat makes contact with the softball. If you do not keep your arms straight, not only will the ball not go in the right direction, but you also will not be able to use all your strength. When you straighten your arms, you will be able to use more strength, and control the direction of where the ball is going. Also, you need to use good hand-eye coordination. You need to swing directly on the ball, and make sure you are not swinging at a bad pitch. Here are a few tips to re-learn how to bat after the off-season.
Catching the Ball
If the ball is too hard to catch, practice catching on your own. Also, make sure you squeeze the ball when you catch it. If you are uncomfortable catching the ball with the mitt on your hand, keep practicing. And make sure that your mitt is the correct size for your hand, and where your position is on the field. An outfielder should not have the same mitt as a catcher, because it may be a bit harder to catch something such as a pop fly. If you play in more than one position, I would suggest getting a mitt for the position you play the most. But most importantly, if you are a right handed, don't get a lefty mitt! You should get a mitt for your non dominate hand, and have your dominant hand free to throw. And I would suggest breaking into your mitt before a game so that you get used to it, and getting it more comfortable on your hand. These are a few tips to get back in your defensive game.