Everything Fastpitch - The Podcast

This Weeks Lineup: Warmup Segment: Listener Question: My daughter is 13 and plays on a 14U team. Her team will be moving up to 16U next year. Should she find a new 14U team or move up with her current team? (@9:32) Paige's Power Play (@14:43) The impact of the NIL and Transfer Portal putting the "I" in team. (@18:30) Olympics (@36:22) To improve your team let them see and witness th...

An unpracticed skill is getting up when a play forces us to the ground.  On offensive if we dive for a ball and catch it, obviously we need to get up quickly to make a play. If we miss it, we are suppose to be in a secondary position.  Get up and get there. If we are a base runner either diving back to a base or sliding into a base, we need to get up quickly in case there is a chance to advance. T...

This Weeks Lineup: Warmup Segment Listener Question: My daughter hits a lot of singles and has a good batting average, but does not hit with any power. (@13:21) Paige's Power Play (@22:08) Proper Hitting Preparation. The coaches discuss the 4 deep preparation of hitters getting ready for an at-bat.(@25:45) Player's attitudes and influences. We need to be aware of what influences our play...

We discuss the fact that many catchers are way too far back of the hitter. Move them up where they can perform better. The further back you are opens the door to making the pitcher, catcher and umpire have a harder time. When you are close, breaking balls are easier to catch. Low balls don't hit the ground. Umpires get a better read. And the pitcher has a tighter zone to throw into. Support t...

This Week's Lineup: Warmup Segment Listener Question: My daughter just played her last travel ball tournament forever.  I am really depressed about it. What can I do? (@11:24) Paige's Power Play (@:15:34) Part 2 of our interview with Justin McCleod. We cover the Transfer Portal,  NIL, etc. (@20:41) Wrap up of the end of the summer season. Make sure we are preparing ourselves to finish we...

We need to train and educate our players so they understand that the strategy choices we are making and to execute them accordingly instead of wondering why. Why distracts from executing. Support the show

This Weeks Lineup: Warmup Segment Listener Question: What to do about a rained out tournament? (@8:36) Paige's Power Play (@14:29) Discussion with Justin McCleod about the state of college softball (@18:35) National Organizations are taking over travel softball. (@45:01) Coaches you are going to be judged either way. (@54:15) Support the show

When games are being played back-to-back on the same field a lot of time is spent waiting on the team that just played to get out of the dugout and your team to get in. Why wait? Why not warmup? Support the show

This Weeks Lineup: Warmup Segment Listener Question: My daughter is 8. Is it time to spend some real money on a bat? (@9:37) Paige's PowerPlay (@13:17) Big Changes in the College Game (@15:37) Umpire Shortage is Real  (@39:21) Field time is valuable. Use your field time to do on the field stuff! (@44:32) Support the show

Sometimes we tell our players things that when looked at from all angles they don't make sense. For instance if we tell our pitchers to pitch down so that they get ground balls because we have a better chance of getting outs. Then we tell our hitters to hit it on the ground. If it is good for the pitcher how can it be good for hitters. There are many examples where we contradict ourselves and...

This weeks lineup: Warmup Segment Listener Question: Does it hurt my daughter's development by playing on a team with a great and dominant pitcher? (@7:25) Paige's Power Play (@14:25) Team Jumping (@19:55) Why are a lot of catchers good hitters (@33:49) Cutoffs and Relays and the nightmare that can occur if not done correctly. (@41:51) Support the show

Actively training players to actually get a ball into the hand to throw is not practiced enough. It is a skill that can be taught and make the difference in a game. Picking up a ball off the ground is too often mishandled by not getting a firm grip on the ball. Transferring the ball from the glove to the throwing hand needs to be efficient and in a method that minimizes losing control of the ball....

This weeks lineup: Tribute to Coach Bob Heck. Bob Heck was the first coach of fastpitch softball at any college in Georgia. He campaigned for high schools to change over to fastpitch. He established the sport at Georgia State University by backing the program with his own resources. Hall of Fame Coach Scott Whitlock joins  Coaches Tory and Don who have known him for many years. RIP Bob Heck Warmup...

Often during the course of a game,  a fielding play will take the defensive player to an awkward position related to the space between a base or another player. How often have we seen a play where the fielder throws the ball to another fielder when it would be quicker and simpler for them to just make the play. Or they make a throw that is difficult for the other fielder to handle. It all boils do...

This weeks lineup: Warmup Segment Listener Question. Would the path Odicci Alexander took to play college ball work for me? (@11:57) Paige's Power Play (@15:12) Interview with Joey Myers of the Hitting Performance Lab. If you have interest in the scientific aspects of body movements, this is a must listen. (@19:03) Lessons learned from the college season. (@50:10) Coaches we need to think of...

During a game the player is fielding, catching and hitting without a coach on the field telling them what to do or how to do it.  So the players need to understand the skills needed and why certain things work and some don't. If they don't really understand the skills they tend to act robotically. Between the white lines they are their own coach, so train them accordingly.  Support the s...

This weeks lineup: Warmup Segment Listener Question: My daughter seems like she has plateaued, is this normal? (@13:30) Paige's Power Play (@20:09) NCAA Tournament Thoughts (@24:10) Rethinking some defensive things (@37:44) Overcoaching of hitters in a game (@45:56) Support the show

Coaches Tory and Don  are joined by Hall of Fame Coach Scott Whitlock to discuss the retirement of Coach Candrea from the University of Arizona and Lu Harris-Champer from the University of Georgia. They also cover the retirement of Kennesaw State University's 30 year baseball coach Mike Sansing, which all three of them have had close connections to for years. They also touch on the College Wo...

Coach Tory and Coach Don discuss the issues with trying to please 2 coaches at the same time. When school ball and travel team games and practices overlap, what is a player to do? Each coach has the best interests of their team as a number one priority so the player either has to make a choice or do all that each one requires.  Support the show

Coach Tory gives his predictions for the College World Series. Support the show

This weeks lineup: Warmup Segment Listener Question: College teams play far less games in a day that travel teams. Does tha make sense? (@12:21) Paige's Power Play (@18:56) Observations from watching the CWS regionals and the transfer portal. (@21:39) How to handle schedules when you have a mix of players with completely different high school schedules. (@43:15) How should I approach an umpir...

Running incorrectly can hinder your players performance. It is difficult to track a moving ball if your eyes are bouncing around. Proper form makes it much easier to make the plays. Support the show

Coach Don and Tory discuss the Super Regionals that are being played starting on Friday the 28th Support the show

This week's lineup: Warmup Segment Listener question: What's a good time from home to first.? (@7:02) Paige's Power Play (@14:22) Part 2 of interview with Tristan Hildebrant of Anderson Bat Company (@17:36) The last game. Many players are playing their last game. Some thoughts. (@33:07) Better jump on the bases. (@40:24) Support the show

A discussion of pick-off plays. When are you ready to add them to your toolbox and what you have to understand to use them. Support the show