Softball Pitching Excellence: Innovative Coaching Strategies to Master 'Pitching In the Zone'

with Paige Cassady,
NC State University Pitching Coach;
Texas Tech Pitching Coach from 2022 to 2023;
Liberty University Associate Head Softball Coach from 2018 to 2022;
2018 NFCA National Assistant Coach of the Year;
2018 NFCA Mid-Atlantic Regional Coaching Staff of the Year;
Liberty University Assistant Softball Coach (Pitching) from 2013 to 2018;
Has coached 4 different pitchers to all-conference honors;
In 2018, Cassady's Liberty pitching staff posted a 2.04 ERA and 19 shutouts, including a 0.97 ERA over the final 23 games of the season;
In 2017 season, Cassady's Liberty pitching staff went 44 innings without giving up a single run, tossing six straight shutouts;
In 2016, Cassady's Lady Flames pitchers set a program single-season record with 377 strikeouts;
was Lipscomb University Pitching Coach in 2013;
was a Louisiana Monroe Graduate Assistant from 2011 to 2012;
Powerline Fastpitch Pitching Instructor, 2005 to present;
played collegiately (pitcher) at Florida International

In this highly informative softball coaching instructional video on pitching, Cassady explains why softball pitchers won’t really need a screw ball or a curve ball if they know the true ins and outs of working ‘in the zone.’ 

Rather than depending on a larger 5-pitch arsenal, Cassady demonstrates how and why a 3-pitch attack will actually be more effective in the long run.

Cassady also explains why softball pitchers should focus on in the zone and the potentially dangerous consequences and pitfalls of living outside the zone -- especially for young pitchers.

More Strikeouts, Overcoming Factors Beyond A Pitcher’s Control
In this detailed breakdown of becoming a better softball pitcher, Coach Cassady provides valuable knowledge and details that impact a pitcher’s control and performance. Cassady outlines the intangible factors that lead to a pitcher’s in-game frustration, including: the inconsistency of the strike zone for different umpires, the varying height of different hitters and where the hitter sets up in the box. 

Cassady covers the importance of strikeouts for softball pitchers and points out the ancillary benefits of increased strikeouts – both in how a strikeout can demoralize an opponent mentally and that it doesn't give them an opportunity to advance runners.

Showcasing a drill called ‘Small Plate vs Big Plate,’ Cassady shows viewers techniques and strategies for teaching softball pitchers’ how to adapt to different strike zones from game to game or even within a game.

Consistency, Preparation Breeds Confidence

Cassady dives deep to provide teaching techniques to help you train your softball pitchers to trust and control their primary pitches – pointing out that mutually beneficial, perpetual effect that control has on confidence and how confidence breeds consistency in performance.

Devoting time to creating game-like challenges in practice and workouts, Cassady covers a complete practice routing for preparing pitchers for game day.Cassady has created an instructional video that provides coaches with the necessary teaching tools for refining a softball pitcher’s approach to the game and includes tangible tactics that will improve in-game results.

53 minutes. 2022.