Leslie Huntington Softball Series

with Leslie Huntington,
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Head Coach;
2008 NCAA Division III National Champions;
4x WIAC Coach of the Year;
2008 NFCA Coaching Staff of the Year;
former Simpson College Head Coach;
1997 and 1999 D-III National Champions at Simpson;
over 400 career wins

and Jeff West,
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Assistant Coach;
2018 Ade & Margaret Olson Coaching Award

Advances in technology have helped advance the game of softball, illuminating more efficient and effective ways to swing the bat. In this video, coaches Jeff West and Leslie Huntington will introduce you to the mechanics of a high level hitting pattern and the advantages of converting to this kind of swing. They also provide 12 drills that they use to help develop a high level pattern, which will allow your hitters to swing with better timing and more natural power.

High Level Hitting Pattern

Learn all about the high level hitting pattern and how to teach it. Coaches West and Huntington will show you how to create a swing that is instantaneous so that the pitcher cannot control your hitter's timing. You'll learn how to coil the back hip correctly and create upper body tension to produce an almost effortless, violent swing. Your hitters will be swinging with better timing and more power in no time!

Tools and Drills

Coach West introduces four hitting tools to use during drill work that will help you learn and perfect a high level swing. By using tools that reinforce good mechanics, your players will need less instruction and coaching because the hitting tools will help them feel the correct movements themselves.

Teach your hitters the high level swing pattern using drills to reinforce coaching points. In one of Coach West's drills, the 90 Degree Drill, the hitter stands at the tee facing the pitcher, 90 degrees to the tee and plate. The hitter must over-exaggerate coiling into the back hip, and lean back slightly to start the swing. This drill allows hitters to feel their lower half working correctly.

Coach West and Coach Huntington explain the mechanics and advantages of a high level swing. In addition, they offer 12 drills that will help your hitters learn to swing with better timing and more power. This video will revolutionize the way you teach your players to swing the bat!

76 minutes. 2020.

with Leslie Huntington,
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Head Coach;
2008 NCAA Division III National Champions;
4x WIAC Coach of the Year;
2008 NFCA Coaching Staff of the Year;
former Simpson College Head Coach;
1997 and 1999 D-III National Champions at Simpson;
over 400 career wins

and Robin Baker,
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Assistant Coach;
former Wartburg College Head Coach (Softball and Volleyball)

Indoor softball practice presents unique problems in training infielders. While much of the game can be replicated indoors, practicing fielding without a field can leave many coaches and infielders frustrated.

Efficiency, balance, movement with your feet and a consistent glove-to-hand exchange are all key factors in developing fielder skills. In this video, Wisconsin-Eau Claire assistant coach Robin Baker will show you how to get the most of out your indoor fielding practice, and how to use an indoor venue as an advantage!

Fielding Drills

Use indoor practices to your advantage by having your fielders throw balls to themselves off the wall, making practice more efficient. Your fielders will take ownership of their own fielding development, and continue to improve whether or not they have the help of another fielder. Incorporate more people by having your infielders pair up and tackle rolled ball and short hop drills with partners.

Receiving and Transfer Drills

Good infielders know how to catch and get rid of the ball quickly to prevent opposing baserunners from advancing. The quicker they can get rid of the ball, the more likely they are to get runners out. Challenge your fielders' transfers, turns, and relay throws by having them catch and throw balls shot from a machine to simulate longer throws.

Communication

Eliminate communication mistakes with Coach Baker's communication drills. In one drill called Blind Partner, two fielders lay flat on the ground, facing away from a tosser, and must react to a ball thrown high in the air. The better the reaction and communication, the better your infielders will do in catching the ball and conquering the drill.

Throwing

Infielders must be able to make a variety of throws, from different arm slots, to be successful. Help your fielders practice the difficult skill of throwing on the run with a simple progression. Coach Baker also introduces a rapid fire drill to help players get their body in position to throw before the ball gets to them. Being prepared, and in a good position to throw, will make your athletes' transfers and releases faster, helping them throw out more runners.

Coach Baker offers several innovative drills that you will be able to take to your practices today, whether indoors or outdoors!

40 minutes. 2020.

with Leslie Huntington,
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Head Coach;
2008 NCAA Division III National Champions;
4x WIAC Coach of the Year;
2008 NFCA Coaching Staff of the Year;
former Simpson College Head Coach;
1997 and 1999 D-III National Champions at Simpson;
over 400 career wins

Pitching in softball is one of the most specialized skills required across all sports. Coach Leslie Huntington covers the basics of how to help a developing pitcher in this video. By mastering fastball mechanics, throwing an effective change up and learning the basics of a spin pitch, your pitchers will have the tools they need to succeed.

Fastball Mechanics

All other pitches are thrown using fastball body mechanics, so it's an important foundational step to master the fastball. Huntington teaches about the power line and how to get into a good attack position to generate more power. By learning how to use legs properly and aggressively, your pitchers will be able to throw the ball harder.

Change Up

You will learn what Coach Huntington calls a "suitcase" or "duffle bag" change up. She explains how to use your legs forcefully to help sell your change up and make it deceptive. When you learn this pitch and break it out during a game, batters will never know what's coming!

Spin Pitches

Huntington offers six tools to help a young pitcher learn proper spin and develop spin pitches. You'll see how to generate spin and improve that spin through repetition to make every pitch break more.

In all, this video offers 12 tools and drills that will help you develop a fundamentally sound pitcher. From fastballs to spin pitches, Coach Huntington shows everything you need to know to help improve the pitchers in your program!

69 minutes. 2020.

with Leslie Huntington,
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Head Coach;
2008 NCAA Division III National Champions;
4x WIAC Coach of the Year;
2008 NFCA Coaching Staff of the Year;
former Simpson College Head Coach;
1997 and 1999 D-III National Champions at Simpson;
over 400 career wins

Next to pitching, catching is probably the most specialized position required in softball. Catchers must perform a variety of skills and be the defensive backbone on the field.

In this video, 2008 NCAA D-III national champion coach Leslie Huntington will show you 17 drills that will work on your catcher's mobility, receiving ability, and ability to transfer the ball quicker on throws.

Mobility

Help your catcher become more mobile with seven exercises aimed at improving hip and lower body mobility. Increased mobility will help keep your catchers healthy while improving their catching skills. A catcher with increased mobility will be able to get into better receiving positions, particularly on low pitches, and can be quicker to block a ball in the dirt.

Receiving

Pocket awareness is crucial to all great catchers so they can control their glove action when receiving. Receiving has been shown to be the most important skill a catcher can possess. Help your catchers fine-tune this critical skill with eight drills to receive the ball in the most advantageous position to get the umpire to call a strike.

Transfers

There are many ways catchers can improve their pop times without focusing on improving arm strength. The most common way catchers lose time on throw-downs is on their transfer. A clean and quick exchange of the ball from the glove to the bare hand is often the difference between safe and out for a catcher trying to throw out a runner. Coach Huntington offers two drills to help your catchers make seamless transfers.

Coach Huntington provides numerous drills to get your catchers ready for game day. These exercises will help your catchers become more mobile, get more called strikes, and get rid of the ball faster.

49 minutes. 2020.

with Leslie Huntington,
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Head Coach;
2008 NCAA Division III National Champions;
4x WIAC Coach of the Year;
2008 NFCA Coaching Staff of the Year;
former Simpson College Head Coach;
1997 and 1999 D-III National Champions at Simpson;
over 400 career wins

Most softball coaches will agree that the game requires as much or more mental toughness as it does physical toughness. However, coaches tend to devote way more practice time to the physical skills, while neglecting mental skills.

In this video, Leslie Huntington delves into the practical mental skills necessary to succeed in softball and offers easy-to-implement ways to incorporate them within your team.

Being Present and Focus

One of the many challenges the game of softball presents is how to stay present in the moment. Coach Huntington takes you through a guided meditation designed to improve focus on breathing. You'll learn how to keep your focus on each breath to keep your mind locked into the present moment.

Softball requires elite players to focus for long periods of time without distraction. Huntington uses a concentration grid exercise to allow softball players to test and practice their focus skills.

E+R=O and Routines

Learn the equation to help improve your mental game! Coach Huntington provides thoughts on controlling that which you can control, and having the correct response regardless of the situation. She teaches the "pause method" to help improve your response ability.

Next, Huntington talks about the traffic light and staying in a green light mentality, which can be accomplished by setting routines. She also explains how to use a refocus and release routine when something goes wrong on the field.

This video from Coach Huntington will give you everything you win the mental side of the game of softball. Rise above the rest with superior mental training!

92 minutes. 2020.