Chapter One: Introduction
Over the past fifteen to twenty years women's fastpitch softball popularity has continued to grow and spread internationally. By the mid-1990s it was played in more than 85 countries under the eye of the International Softball Federation (ISF). It has become increasingly popular among women at the youth and collegiate levels. More than 630 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) member institutions sponsor women's softball programs, and national championships for women are held in all three NCAA sports divisions (Encarta, 1998). In 1991 women's fastpitch softball was selected to debut as a medal sport in the 1996 Olympic Summer Games in Columbia, Georgia. The U.S. won the gold medal in the 1996 Olympic Games due to a good defense and great hitters on the team. Even though defense and pitching are critical and vital parts of the game, a successful team must have an effective offense to win the game. Among all the standout hitters on the U.S. Olympic team, two of the best are Dot Richardson and Lisa Fernadez. Both Lisa and Dot have picture-perfect swings, which have made them very productive throughout their careers. Today there is a women's professional fastpitch softball league. Interest in the Women's Professional Softball League (WPSL) has been increasing for the last three years and continues to grow each year.
The researcher has chosen to write this paper on hitting because she has played softball for twelve years and the perfect softball swing has always eluded her. The softball swing is one of the most difficult softball skills to achieve greatness in. There are a number of great hitters all with different batting stances and styles, each one comfortable to them. There are many different tactics and coaching ideas out there to help improve hitting. In fact, there are several videos now on the market to help the softball player perform better. Coaches often teach hitting drills to improve batting techniques and ability. Confidence is an important factor in hitting. If the player lacks confidence then she will not be a good hitter. Softball is not only a physical game but a mental game.
The purpose of this paper is to describe the softball swing anatomically, mechanically, and analytically. By analyzing each move one makes when...
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...nbsp; Internal Rotation
Coracobrachialis Flexion
Supraspinatus Stabilization
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So now that we have learned about what we actually need to play softball let's start with the positions in softball. First there is the Pitcher that is in the middle of the field in a circle called the pitcher's mound. Second there is a Catcher behind home plate. The Catcher catches passed balls and strikes. Then there's the First Baseman, the Second Baseman, and the Third Baseman. There is a Shortstop between 2nd and 3rd and a Left Fielder in the outfield between second and third. A Center Fielder which is in the outfield behind second, the Right Fielder which is in the outfield between first and second
La Mirada offered organized ball on a year-round basis. Jennie joined her first league, L’il Miss T-Ball, after her fifth birthday. She was one of those kids who excelled at a number of sports, but her greatest love was always for baseball. Bev and Doug soon began channeling this passion almost exclusively into girls’ softball. Their daughter had good hand-eye coordination and excellent speed. But it was her arm that opened the most eyes. During winter vacation in Iowa one year, she celebrated her first snowfall by packing a snowball and literally heaving it out of sight.
The game of baseball can be divided into three broad categories: hitting, pitching, and defense. No other facet of the game gets as much attention as hitting. For example, every year the MLB puts on a home run derby. No other part of the game draws as much attention. The traditional statistic that measure hitting ability is batting average (BA or AVG). To find a players batting averag...
A good batter will use almost all of these rotational and torque energies either before or durning contact with the ball. After contact your body is relaxed and its remaining motion is smooth, this extra motion is caused by the momentum of the bat pulling the arms up and through.Your follow through is also very important, even though the ball has already been hit it is ideal that you complete your swing so that you're not thrown off balance by that extra momentum when you start to run.
The All-American Professional Girls Baseball League was the first, and only, female baseball league in history. This league was developed during World War II when “ in the interests of patriotism, women were encouraged to do all the things normally reserved for men” (Johnson XIX). At the time the book, When Women Played Hardball, was written in 1994, no other professional sports team had lasted as long as this baseball league. The league lasted a solid nine years. These women did not just play baseball, they broke records. “ Kurys, the "Flint Flash", stole 201 bases [in a season]. Her career tally of 1114 stolen bases is a professional baseball record...She [Joanne Weaver] is tied for the fourth best batting average in the history of professional baseball, and she's the last player in the history of the game to bat over .400” (XXII/XXIII Johnson). Today, these women still hold records in major league baseball. At the peak of the league in 1948, the league “ consisted of 10 teams that entertained nearly 1,000,000 fans in middle sized Midwestern cities” (XXI Johnson). Every team attracted loyal and enthusiastic fans. At first, crowds came to the game to see the unusual sight of women playing baseball, but soon kept coming back because of the level of play and because they enjoyed watching the game. Every woman in that league just
Baseball is known as America’s national pastime, and has been played for over 100 years. Baseball can be a lot of fun, but is also extremely challenging to play, especially when trying to hit a 90 mile per hour fastball. I am a very devoted baseball player myself, and over the years I have learned numerous key things about the game. Baseball does not only require physical strength to hit and throw the ball, but it also requires a great mindset, such as, mental preparedness, concentration, and a positive attitude. Mental preparedness separates the average baseball player from the elite ones.
These women laid the groundwork for future women's sports and professional women's teams. They displayed an independence unheard of at that time, and they served as role models to their fans. For all of these reasons the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League was a significant part of women's history.
The importance of softball in my life goes unnoticed by others, but I owe everything I am to this sport. I am an organized, cooperative woman who does not let failures affect my work ethic. Although my friends and family do not give my softball career much credit, I am confident that the lessons I’ve taken away from this sport have proficiently prepared me to step up to the plate and score a successful
Its America’s pastime. Since 1869, the MLB has been the sweetheart of American sports. A requisite to be a true American is to have a conceptual understanding of baseball; the seventh inning stretch, “Take Me Out To The Ball Game,” as well as hotdogs and warm summer nights at the ball park are all favorite memories of American pastime. However, what one might not realize is the extreme physics behind the game. The velocity of the pitch, and degree of the ball exiting the bat, the exit speed, and how an outfielder throws are entailed within the physics of baseball. It is important to understand the physics involved with baseball to grow in understanding and appreciation of the sport.
Most girls that attain success of competing at the professional level of Fastpitch softball get drafted from the university they attend, and then compete in the National Pro Fastpitch League against other professional teams around the world. The Slowpitch professional league is known as the American Professional Slowpitch Softball League, and most players achieve professional status in Slowpitch through competing in tournaments instead of playing for a university. In all sports, playing at a professional level is considered strenuous, but for the sport of softball to have a professional league in both Slowpitch and Fastpitch divisions is consider a prodigious accomplishment for the sport of softball. The achievement of playing at a professional level is one thing a player can cherish for the rest of their
Even the most established ball player uses baseball hitting drills on a daily basis to help keep their skills sharp and look for improvement. Hitting baseball, or softball for that matter, is a difficult task. Even a quarter of an inch difference in your swing can result in a weak pop up or ground out back to the mound. There are many baseball hitting drills that can help you refine your swing.
are desired in every sport, including baseball. Balance helps players have a solid stance and the
The golf swing is possibly one of the most challenging and technical processes. In Eric Nagourney’s article, Exploring the science of the golf
Blackall, Bernie Softball Des Plaines, IL: Reed Educational & Professional Publishing, 1998. 17 May 2014. Print
Developing my swing is the first step I use in preparing for the upcoming season. There are a few different techniques I use to work on my swing. The first way is to take hitting lessons. I learn much of my knowledge about hitting from taking hitting lessons. My usual routine consists of taking lessons three times a week. This allows me to be evaluated by a professional. I took hitting lessons from the same coach for five straight years. His teachings have helped me become a much better hitter. Another way I develop my swing is by practicing daily. Even though I take hitting lessons, I still need more work. I am lucky enough to have access to a facility that has hitting cages. This allows me to work in the winter and during inclimate weather. By going to work on my swing on my own, I am able to work on the skills that my hitting instructor has taught me. This seems like it would take a long time, but it does not. I carefully plan out my time, and this allows me to use my time wisely. I allot times to work different aspects of my swing. By doing this, I am able to cover all aspects of my swing. I also videotape my swing, and this allows me to view myself afterwards. Since I videotape my practice sessions, I can go over my sessions afterwards. I have caught and fixed many mistakes my carefully watching my swing on the recordings. Developing my swing is the first of three main steps I use in preparing for the upcoming season.