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BARRIER
Front Barrier Drill: Have the batter stand
one bat length from a barrier (I prefer a net to prevent damage to the bat, but
you can use a fence). Have her take her normal swing. If she hits the barrier,
she is unlocking her elbows before her shoulders and getting wide on the swing.
Rear Barrier Drill: Place a barrier directly behind the batter and have
her take her normal swing. If the bat hits the barrier, she is dropping her
hands. You can use this barrier even when you are using a pitching machine or
live pitching for instant feedback to the batter that she is dropping her hands.
BASKETBALL
This is a great drill for teaching follow-through.
Get a couple of old basketballs and take most of the air out of them. Place them
on one of those orange cones you see at construction sites. Have the batter take
her normal swing and follow-through right through the basketball. HAVE THEM WEAR
HELMETS!!! Use regular sized bats for this drill.
BATTING BEAM
Here's a drill you may find useful. Construct a
batting beam with pieces of 2" x 4"s. The main piece should be about 4' long.
Two cross pieces about 18" should be nailed about 16" from each end of main
piece. Have player stand on this during soft toss. The player should remain on
beam throughout swing.
The beam encourages the batter to be on the balls of the her feet and to
maintain a balanced swing. It also helps the batter to take their timing step
straight to the pitcher. The players don't like this beam at first, but it does
help.
CONTACT DRILL
I like to finish batting practice by having a
contact drill. This drill only takes 7-10 minutes.
All players line up next to the dugout with their bat and helmet ready to hit.
Each batter gets 1 pitch, regardless if it is a strike or not, and must make
contact.
A foul ball is good, a bunted ball must stay in fair territory. Each player that
swings and misses, grabs his/her glove and shags balls. The players that make
contact return to the end of the line for there next chance. Keep going until
you have 1 player left.
I use a pitching machine and usually have to crank the speed up towards the end.
After all balls have been picked up, I usually have all the players except the
winner of the contact drill sprint to the outfield fence and back. The 2nd place
finisher only has to run half the distance.
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