Successful Fastpitch softball coach equipment needs list

Softball, the great game players of all ages and skill levels enjoy playing. Many players start by playing T-ball, others 8-U machine and coach pitch, 10-U machine or live pitch leagues, where they continue moving up through the ranks. 12-U, 14-U, cub ball, high school, college, adult, semi pro, and professional leagues as players mature.

Equipment will vary a bit from one league to another to be sure. However, there is basic softball equipment; every softball team must have in their equipment bags and ball buckets recommended in this article. All rec and competitive softball teams need to run basic and advanced hitting, fielding and pitching drills at team practices and pre-game warm ups.

This kind of intense BP will make short work of inadequate softballs quickly deforming balls, breaking stitches and tearing covers off balls, making mush of substandard   softballs. Eliminating ball to bat feedback, which is extremely important to power hitter’s developing bat control that converts into ball crushing power.

The CHAMPRO FAST PITCH DURAHIDE 11 & 12-inch softballs do a good job without breaking the budget.  

Fastpitch Coaches commonly use hitting T drills to warm up batters before hitting in the cage, getting the sweet spot of the barrel of the bat on inside & outside pitches and power through the zone drills. The Tanner T easily breaks down and fits in the bottom of a ball bucket, and bat bag. Ball height easily adjusts for low strikes, high inside, down the middle of the plate and elbow height.

When working on positioning hands properly, inside hand palm down, and outside hand palm up with door knocking knuckles aligned. Whiffle balls work extremely well when space is limited and shagging hard hit balls isn’t a good option when hitting balls into the backstop at a ballpark, batting cage etc.

When a batter needs more balls to bat feedback, using the 8.2 and larger 120 atomic total control balls with the hitting T and soft toss drills will pay huge dividends, which will have power hitters crushing the ball.

Soft toss drills, are a great way for hitters work on keeping their eyes on the ball, follow through, and bat on ball contact. Hitting off the hitting T is a great way for batters develop bat control and hitting mechanics. Pitchers warming up with buckets of softballs doing flip, T, circle, and walk through drills are all things players do before the big game, and during team and individual workouts.

Many times the most challenging part of running these types of hitting, fielding, and pitching drills, having someone, or something, either catch or shag hundreds of hit and pitched softballs.

One option, ask those moms and dads that can both hit and catch a ball, willing to get involved and help where they can. Put their glove and ball hitting skills to good use by running infield ground ball and outfield fly ball drills. While others happily step up to the plate, catching for, and helping each pitcher work on pitching drills.

The option many successful fastpitch teams finds works best for their needs. Set up portable hitting nets as backstops, for hitting and pitching stations players rotate through during practice and pre-game warm up drills.

Easy to set up and use portable hitting nets like the Jugs instant screen and Bow net are also great for individual players use at home in the backyard, garage, and other small indoor and outdoor spaces run their own hitting and pitching practices.

The truth of the matter, during league play, and softball tournaments ballparks do have a limited number of batting cages, and areas where pitchers can safely warm up before and between games.

Successful softball teams have figured out, how to overcome these challenges by simply setting up portable nets as backstops. This provides pitchers a safe place to go through their warm up drills, hitters practice hitting T drills, and soft toss drills where time and space is limited.