Foundations for Winning Softball: Pitching & Catching

with Randy Schneider,
former Ankeny Centennial (IA) High School Head Coach (coached to best record in school history);
also coached at Iowa State University (Assistant Coach), University of Wisconsin (Associate Head Coach - 2013 Big Ten Tournament Champions), Valparaiso University (Head Coach; all-time wins leader, 2008 Horizon League Co-Coach of the Year)

with Tom Drohner,
Stevens Point Area Senior High;
NFCA WI Coach of the Year (2004, 2008, 2009 & 2011); Wisconsin Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association - Hall of Fame (2018); 8x WI State Champions (2001- 2004, 2008, 2009, 2011 & 2016); won 19 consecutive Wisconsin Valley Conference (WVC) Championships, 18 Regional Championships and 14 Sectional Championships; coached 50+ first team All-State players, coached 2 Gatorade Players of the Year; National Fastpitch Coaches Association WI; Owns an overall record of 495-67 (through 2018)

with Todd Merical,
Johnston High School (IA) Head Coach;
3x State Champions, 2x State Championship Runner-ups; Iowa Girls Coaches Association (IGCA) Hall of Fame (2017); 800+ wins; 3x State Coach of the Year (IGCA)

Help your pitchers take the mound with confidence using the same skills and drills taught by championship coaches Randy Schneider, Todd Merical, and Tom Drohner! These coaches will show you a pitching progression and drills, as well as a catching progression and drills to equip your battery with the skills they need for success.

Pitching Concepts

Teach your pitchers the art of their craft - not just the skills involved in throwing a pitch - to help them reach their potential on the mound.

It is said that hitting is all about timing, while pitching is all about upsetting timing. You will learn about effective velocity and changing speeds, as well as how understanding these ideas can help your pitchers dominate batters.

Pitching Progression and Drills

Coach Schneider introduces a 12-step pitching progression to help pitchers master the fundamentals and warm up their arms properly. You'll also get four challenge drills that will put pressure on the pitcher and simulate the feelings and emotions they may encounter during a game.

In the Fast Five drill, the pitcher must do a tiring pitching-conditioning drill for five pitches, then execute whatever pitch the coach calls out. Having to execute under pressure and while fatigued will help players execute during a game.

Catching

A good catcher can turn a good pitcher into a great pitcher. Take your catchers to the next level with 12 drills to improve their throwing, blocking, and framing abilities.

This video includes 29 drills in total that you can add to your coaching toolkit. Randy Schneider, Todd Merical, and Tom Drohner show how to build your battery to dominate opposing youth batters.

61 minutes. 2019.