How to Throw a Softball

Series Summary

Softball is a team sport that is especially popular in the United States. It is a direct descendant of baseball, and the rules of both sports remain substantially similar. A softball game can last anywhere from four to nine innings, depending on the league, rules, and type of softball. However, seven innings is the most common amount. In each inning, each team bats until three batters have been put out, and the teams take turns batting. Officially, which team bats first is decided by a coin toss, although a league may decide otherwise at its discretion. The most common rule is that the home team bats second, as batting second is advantageous. In this free video series on softball, let a former collegiate All-American softball player explain the game of softball. First, she discusses how to throw, slow pitch, catch and hit a softball. Then, she goes on to hitting a softball to the opposite field, playing all field positions including pitcher, catcher and all infield and outfield positions. Finally, she talks about throwing a curveball and knuckle ball, breaking in a new glove and playing the game of softball itself.

Video Transcript

"Hi, my name's Jill Weiss, and I'm going to tell you a little bit about how to throw a softball. First thing that you want to remember is the basically, how to hold the ball. You want to find seams that you can kind of push your fingers off of, whether it's the, you know, the big horseshoe on the ball. Depending on how big your hands are you can use three, three of your fingers or or all four of em', plus your thumb. You want to make sure that you have, you know, a good grip on the ball, but you don't want to, you know, have it in the palm of your hand. Once once you have that set and it's comfortable, you want to look at your target, and everything should be in line with your target, so if you know, you're standing sideways; your front shoulder, your hips, and that front foot is all pointing towards your target. For a beginner especially, to to get the ball to to your target, the best way and easiest way is to probably put that that glove, that catching hand, actually point it towards the target, and then take your throwing hand and have like a T shape. This is a good warm-up for beg beginner softball players. Almost like a T, and you're going to take that front foot, and you're going to step, you're just going to step forward; pointing towards the target. And they're going to almost have like a a swimming motion, and it's always pointing towards the target. And then once they release the ball you want to remember the follow through. Follow through is you know, bringing that that catching hand and then kind of tossin' it behind the back, and then bringing the back foot and following through, and everything is still pointing towards your target. So the finished result; start with the T, step forward, release, then follow through; T, step forward, and follow through; T , step forward, follow through. My name's Jill Weiss, and those are just some tips on how to throw a softball."