USSSA Pride Head Coach (National Pro Fastpitch League);
OC BatBusters Head Coach;
3x ASA National Championship Coach;
3x PGF Championship Coach;
2x USSSA World Championship Coach;
Founder of Team Mizuno and is the organization's Director of Player Development and College Recruitment;
Head Coach for Team Mizuno's 16U Travel Team
Mike Stith has had a tremendous success developing outfielders, no matter what the player's age. In this DVD, Coach Stith takes us behind the scenes of the outfield workout that has made his outfielders successful at all levels of softball. The typical Stith outfield practice opens with drop step drills, and progressively builds to balls hit to the outfielder.
Drop Step Drills
To track down a fly ball in the outfield, outfielders must get a good jump on the ball. They accomplish this by taking good drop steps. Coach Stith introduces three drills to practice and improve the drop step, as well as three other drills to improve tracking. Coach Stith explains each drill, and then has several of his players from all ages demonstrate.
Ground and Fly Balls
The quicker an outfielder gets to the ball, the quicker they can get the ball back into the infield and hold advancing runners. Coach Stith shows you his ground ball drill that will train your players to attack the ball aggressively. You'll also see a fly ball drill that helps them recognize the playing conditions and incorporates the drop step, which was practiced earlier.
Fence Drills
The emphasis in this drill is the footwork into the throw, after the ball is collected off the fence. The outfielders must not waste steps in throwing the ball back into the infield, because base runners may be advancing.
Position Drills
Finally, the outfielders take position in right, center, and left field to receive balls hit from home plate. The outfielders practice their throws to all the bases and home plate. It is important for the outfielders to quickly release the ball and make strong, accurate throws to the bases. Getting the ball in quickly will stop base runners from advancing and taking an extra base.
Let Coach Stith show you how to develop pride in your outfield and keep your outfielders pushing each other to be better.
68 minutes. 2013.