Taken from Candrea on Coaching, a monthly softball-related newsletter from an Olympic softball coach...On behalf of the Amateur Softball Association, welcome to the August issue of the ACE Coach monthly email from ASA Director of Coaching Education and two-time Olympic Coach Mike Candrea: Candrea on Coaching. As a youth sports coach, you naturally want to prepare your team to win as many games as possible, and as a Responsible Coach, you want to prepare your players to win off the field, too. The Liberty Mutual Responsible Sports program is proud to bring you this series in which Coach Candrea will provide you with coaching tips and resources that you can use for the betterment of your youth softball team.

The short game is, and will always be, a key component of offensive success in fast-pitch softball. Our ability to maximize scoring opportunities by moving runners is crucial to the success of any team. The development of short game skills is the foundation for success in fast-pitch softball. Short game skills are much easier to perfect than the swing itself. By having the proper knowledge of the fundamentals and consistent practice of the skills, anyone in your line up can have productive at-bats and increase your opportunities to score runs.


One of the most underrated aspects of executing the short game is the pressure it puts on the defense. By having the ability to put runners in motion and getting the ball on the ground, you increase the chances of defensive mistakes and forcing quick decisions that must be made by the defensive players. Speed kills in our game, even with average speed and forcing the defense to move laterally, you open opportunities to move runners and score. As you get to higher levels of fast-pitch softball, you will find that the game is played on the ground. A groundball has to be fielded properly, thrown with accuracy and caught. A fly ball just has to be caught. The successful execution of the short game will win championships and the inability to execute those skills will increase your chances for defeat. Obtain proper knowledge, practice the execution and be 100% confident that your team can perform in game situations. Everyone can be a good short game player!

Bunting:
The most often used short game skill is the bunt. The most common bunts are:

1.     Sacrifice Bunt
2.     Push Bunt
3.     Drag Bunt (Sneak Bunt)

The sacrifice bunt is named as such because the hitter is sacrificing their at bat to advance a runner already on base. The sacrifice is used to advance a runner into scoring position. Every hitter needs to be able to execute the sacrifice bunt.

The two basic techniques used to execute the sacrifice bunt are squaring around both feet and pivoting the back foot only. Which ever method you choose to teach your team, here are some common thoughts to execute the sacrifice properly:

• Bunting from the front of the batters box increases the amount of fair territory to work with.
• Achieve a balanced athletic position with adequate plate coverage.
• Bat held at the top of the strike zone.
• Bat held level or barrel slightly above the hands.
• Always adjust from high to low by using your legs as an elevator. Never allow the barrel to drop below your hands or reach for a pitch.
• Bunt to the middle of the field — the pitcher is usually the farthest defensive player from home plate in bunt situations.
• Grip should be firm but not tight.
• To soften a bunt — contact should be made toward the end of the barrel.
• Attempt to bunt strikes only — most pitchers will try to make it tough on the first two pitches, be selective!

Aggressive corners will overplay the bunt and this will open some other options. One option would be the push bunt. The push bunt is executed by holding the bat tighter in your top hand and using your legs to push the ball towards the second baseman or in the seams between the corners and pitcher. We are attempting to bunt the ball hard enough to get it past the corners and pitcher. The key is to look for a good pitch that you can bunt easily. Right-handed hitters would look for a pitch middle-out to push toward the second baseman. Remember — the second baseman covers first base on the bunt so watch for infielders that cheat! This would present a great opportunity for the push bunt.

The drag bunt, or some call the "sneaky bunt," is sometimes used in a sacrifice situation but most commonly used to get a base hit. The drag is shown much later than the sacrifice and depends on the element of surprise.

From the right side, the drag bunt is executed by dropping the right foot back into a sprinters position as the bat is placed in a bunting position. Having our hands and bat head out in front of our center of gravity is crucial to our contract position. This allows for better vision and increases our ability to keep the bunt fair. Once again, it is not so important the direction of the bunt but the distance from home plate. Far enough from home plate that the catcher cannot field the bunt too quickly.

From the left side, the drag bunt becomes the foundation for any slapper that is an offensive threat. Most left hander's will use the same footwork as they would for the slap which are the straight-crossover, the step-back and crossover, and the shuffle.

A key factor for quick left handed slappers is their ability to explode out of the box. By running hard through the box, you gain valuable distance & time in getting to first base. The drag can be executed off any of these foot works with effectiveness. Everyone can be a great short game player if they choose to understand the importance of proper execution and the tremendous affect it has on developing a productive offense. Watch for a future article where we will go into more detail on the left-handed slap and how you can utilize speed to become an offensive weapon.

Taken from Candrea on Coaching, a monthly softball-related newsletter from an Olympic softball coach...On behalf of the Amateur Softball Association, welcome to the August issue of the ACE Coach monthly email from ASA Director of Coaching Education and two-time Olympic Coach Mike Candrea: Candrea on Coaching. As a youth sports coach, you naturally want to prepare your team to win as many games as possible, and as a Responsible Coach, you want to prepare your players to win off the field, too. The Liberty Mutual Responsible Sports program is proud to bring you this series in which Coach Candrea will provide you with coaching tips and resources that you can use for the betterment of your youth softball team.

Professionalism – A Code of Conduct

As I travel back from a very memorable trip to New York where I had the opportunity to experience a weekend with the New York Yankees, I thought I would share with you some observations of arguably the most successful franchise in professional sports.  It is hard to imagine the wealth of success (27 World Championships) and a tradition that defines the sport.  Walking through the offices and seeing pictures of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra, and Mickey Mantle (my idol growing up), and all the great players that have worn the uniform, must be quite the challenge for today’s Yankees to live up to the expectations of fans from every generation possible.  The one thing I could feel from everyone that I had a chance to visit with from coaches, players, and front office was the sense of pride and obligation that went with representing the New York Yankee organization.

As I have the opportunity to watch many softball games during the summer, I always like to focus on the programs that ultimately find a way to position themselves for a chance to compete for a National Championship.  Believe it or not, many of the teams have the same qualities as the New York Yankees, although at a different level.  What are these qualities that separate the good from the great?  Yes, the Yankee’s are quite wealthy and are not scared to spend money to get the best players.  Although, after my trip, it is obvious that these players must also be a good fit and embrace the code of conduct and professionalism set by the organization.  These same expectations can be seen in a few softball organizations today – which are exciting to see.

I had the opportunity to visit with a former Arizona Wildcat and now the hitting coach for the New York Yankees, Kevin Long and really hear about what kind of people these great athletes are.  I wanted to know what kind of a teammate they were, work ethic, preparation, discipline etc.  A laundry list of what we try to instill in our players and kids.  The answers I received were exciting and confirmed the qualities of true professionals.  There is a reason why these players are in the major leagues and continue to stay at that level.  I imagine your job can be a great motivator when you have that kind of money at stake.


This excerpt was taken from the book “The Checklist Manifesto” written by Atul Gawande and speaks about learned occupations.  A tremendous lesson derived from being on a team and striving for success understanding that it does prepare you for success after softball.

“All learned occupations have a definition of professionalism, a code of conduct.  It is where they spell out their ideals and duties. The codes are sometimes stated, sometimes understood.  But they all have at least three common elements.

First is an expectation of selflessness:  that we who accept responsibility for others – whether we are doctors, lawyers, teachers, public authorities, soldiers, parents, or pilots – will place the needs and concerns of those who depend on us above our own.

Second is an expectation of skill:  that we will aim for excellence in our knowledge and expertise.
Third is an expectation of trustworthiness:  that we will be responsible in our personal behavior toward our charges.

Aviators, however add a fourth expectation, discipline:  discipline in following prudent procedures and in functioning with others.”

Sound familiar?  These are the necessary qualities that we look for in any good organization, team, player, coach or parent.  This is a quick check list for reducing failure and being a functional member of the team.  Are we teaching our players to be true professionals – even though we know that they will go Pro in something other than softball?

Until next month!

Coach Candrea