Curious about Environmental Training Design? Here’s a tremendous summary of it from current Red Sox MiLB Hitting Coach JP Fasone from the Driveline Baseball Podcast from Feb 1, 2025:

On-field success is the gift you give yourself for putting in the hard work.

#softball #fastpitch #softballtips #softballhitting #softballpitching #fastpitchtips #fastpitchhitting #fastpitchpitching #softballcoach #softballcoaching #fastpitchcoach #fastpitchcoaching

Did you know that the Softball Canada Long Term Athlete Development model recommends for players aged 15-21 that their IN-SEASON structure be 50% games and 50% training? Do any teams out there actually follow this? I’d guess that most every high level team’s in-season schedule is 80%+ games.

It’s funny when local coaches tell me that my facility is too small to run a practice in, and that can’t split their team up into small groups to make it work… and then players from that exact team sign up for small group training sessions with us.

Investing in a set of plyo balls is one of the best bangs for your buck any softball player can make. Not only for pitchers, but they’re also amazing for any kind of overhand throwing. They’re affordable and can be used when you have very little space available.

Pitchers, you need to throw on a Rapsodo with someone who understands the numbers and can explain it all to you. Don’t just trust your pitching coach’s eye. Being able to see what your pitches do (or don’t do) from a numbers standpoint is going to help you get outs when it counts.

Out of 308 NCAA D1 softball teams in 2024, a total of seven (7) hit more home runs than their total 2b + 3b. Here’s the list:

For the most part, playing games doesn’t make you a better softball player.

You get better by working hard at your training. Games are simply where you get to show off the work that you’ve been putting in at training.

While talking player development with a fellow coach recently, they asked me “Don’t you want to win though?”

I responded with “Don’t you want to set your players up for long term success at the next level both on and off the field?”

Do you as a coach ever just step back and watch the interactions, activities, and games that your players come up with when there’s unstructured time? You can learn a lot about what actually interests them and maybe a tip or two about how to better coach them.

Hit the ball hard, preferably in the air.

Hitting doubles, triples, and homeruns are massively undervalued in softball. Small ball is exciting, but extra base hits produce runs.

The first pitch of an at bat you should hunt for a pitch you can drive hard to the outfield. Anything else should be a take, and get smart with the next pitches.

First pitch you should shrink your strike zone to “your” pitch, and tee off if you get it.

What’s more important to you, games or innings played? For me, it’s innings played. More innings means more opportunities for players to get game experience. Two seven-inning games (14 total innings) is worth more than three four-inning games (12 total innings).

When your value proposition as a coach, team or organization is that you’re the winningest winners at winning, you’re a liar. Because guess what?

Only one team can be the best team in the world. So no matter how many games your youth softball team wins, there’s a team out there that can beat you.

Take a second to think of how many teams have won some sort of a tournament championship in 2025 already. Gold, silver, bronze pools of tournaments of all age groups. It's easily into the thousands, and we're just over a month in.

I often wonder just how much difference there is in a brand new 2025 bat, compared to a one from 3-4 years ago. We act as if there's 10-15 mph more exit velocity in new bats, but I'd guess it's probably only 1-3 mph.

Running a softball training facility is weird. I started out thinking I needed the biggest space, with the best equipment and all the latest and greatest technology.

Nowadays, I'm perfectly happy having a small facility, basic equipment, a bit of tech.