over 1,000 Career wins - most winning coach in NCAA Division III softball history;
distinguished member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Hall of Fame (2007); 4x National Championship Coach
It's hard for players to show competitiveness in a game if they don't first have it with their team in practice. Learn how to make games feel easier by making your practice more difficult! Coach George Wares, the most winning coach in Division III softball history, shares 20 drills that will put your players in competitive situations and inspire competition among the team.
Indoor Drills
Don't let the weather hold your team back from competitive greatness! Coach Wares begins indoors with his team, demonstrating eight drills designed to foster competition that can be used during indoor practices. These competitive drills focus on various skills such as throwing and rundowns, fielding and bunting. Although these drills are done indoors, they are easily converted into outdoor drills, giving coaches even more options.
Team Building Drills
Coach Wares introduces two team-building drills that require players to work together in competitive situations. Throughout these drills, Coach Wares emphasizes the importance of winning and taking pride in winning. On the opposite end of the spectrum, when players are not up to the task, they must experience finishing last ,which helps foster their desire to win. Teach your players how to compete together!
Outdoor Drills
Practice moves outdoors where Coach Wares runs 10 drills specifically for outdoor use. These drills cover defense, base running, communication and conditioning. Most importantly, the drills put players in positions where they can either execute and be successful or fail. Softball is often called a game of failure .teach your players how to handle failure! During the conditioning drills, athletes must battle adversity and learn how to complete the drill when they are tired.
Coach Wares gives a detailed, intense presentation that will develop the mental and physical toughness of your team.
101 minutes. 2015.
SD-04776B: featuring George Wares, Central College Head Coach,
over 1,000 Career wins - most winning coach in NCAA Division III softball history;
distinguished member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Hall of Fame (2007); 4x National Championship Coach
and Alicia O'Brien, Central College Associate Head Coach
There are many components to a successful and productive offense. A batter must have numerous weapons in her arsenal in order to be successful. In this presentation, Coach George Wares, the most winning coach in NCAA Division III softball history, shows you how to create a productive offense that will put pressure on defenses and score more runs! Coach Wares shares over 30 of his favorite drills to develop hitters and slappers.
Tee Drills and Soft Toss Drills
Tee work is a building block of Coach Wares' offensive approach. Using live demonstrations, he explains six tee drills that allow hitters to focus more on their mechanics. Hitters progress to five soft toss drills that emphasize contact point. Throughout the drills, Coach Wares offers important points of emphasis for the hitter and the coach.
Cage and Live Hitting Drills
Teach your hitters to put pressure on opposing pitchers by only swinging at strikes. Coach Wares shares five cage drills he uses with batters to help develop strike zone discipline and work on pitches of different speeds. Finally, hitters progress into live hitting situations where the batter is competing with the pitcher to get a hit. Coach Wares uses these opportunities to check his batters' mindsets. You'll see how he helps his players learn to deal with failure by checking in with them and asking about their mindset after they experience a failure.
Bunt Drills
One key to having a productive offense is possessing many weapons. Bunting is one of those important weapons for advancing runners without pressuring the batter to get a hit. Coach Wares explains six bunting drills, which his players demonstrate, that will help your hitter get the bunt down when the game is on the line.
Slap Hitting Drills
Slappers will always put pressure on an opposing defense because they must play quicker. Learn how to further develop a slapper or convert a right-handed hitter into a slapper with Coach Wares' seven drills for slapping. Coach Wares also shows you how to help your slappers develop confidence on the left side by teaching them to hit away.
Coaches at all levels will find drills in this presentation that will help them make their practices more interesting and productive.
73 minutes. 2015.
SD-04776C: with George Wares, Central College Head Coach,
over 1,000 Career wins - most winning coach in NCAA Division III softball history;
distinguished member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Hall of Fame (2007); 4x National Championship Coach
and Alicia O'Brien, Central College Associate Head Coach
Opposing offenses are faster than ever, applying constant pressure on defenses to play fast and not make any mistakes. To do this, a coach must develop fundamentally sound infielders and outfielders. In this presentation, four-time National Championship Coach George Wares shows how to meet that objective using 22 proven drills.
Outfield Drills
Coach Wares shares 12 drills to help outfielders' throwing, footwork, reaction and tracking skills. Coaches who struggle to find drills for indoor outfield work will especially benefit from this section. Use Coach Wares' three throwing drills, created specifically for outfielders, to teach players how to throw correctly with a long arm circle, so they'll have stronger arms and fewer injuries. Coach Wares also has his players demonstrate a few tennis ball drills that help outfielders perfect their fundamentals. Many of Coach Wares' outfield drills have a conditioning component, which gets players in top playing shape and force them to execute when they are tired.
Infield Drills
Make games easier by making practice tougher with Coach Wares' 10 drills for infielders. Coach Wares offers coaching advice and drills for practicing infielders' pre-pitch movement, soft hands, quick transfer and release, allowing your athletes to "play quicker." Many of Coach Wares' drills also give players a chance to work on certain mental skills like focus and concentration, while putting players in competitive situations.
Improve pitching performance and hold opposing offenses at bay with drills and strategies for an error-free defense from one of the game's best coaches.
71 minutes. 2015.