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Softball Drill Series: Pitching Drills

The game of softball shares a lot of similarities to baseball. The one major part of the sport that is different is pitching. The throwing mechanic requires a fast underhand motion instead of the traditional overhand throw. This means softball pitchers require a completely different set of skills than their baseball counterparts. Just like every other athletic skill, the softball pitching delivery can be perfected with a lot of practice. These are the three pitching drills every softball player needs to perform to improve their skills.

Rapid Fire Drill

Every great softball pitcher needs to have the endurance to pitch the whole game. The perfect way for a pitcher to build up their endurance is by regularly performing the rapid-fire pitching drill. The pitcher will need to stand on the mound with a large bucket of softballs. The player then needs to pitch all of the balls as fast as possible using their normal pitching motion. This should teach them how to pitch effectively with a tired arm. It is best to complete this drill at the end of every practice session.

No Stride Drill

There is nothing more effective in a softball pitcher’s arsenal than an amazing fastball. The pitcher will need a very strong arm in order to develop this dominant pitch, which is where the no stride drill comes in handy. The drill starts with the pitcher throwing five pitches on top of the mound without using striding. They will then back up several feet and throw five more pitches. This process is repeated until the pitcher is no longer able to get the ball back to the catcher.

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How Strong Leaders Manage Workplace Conflict

Resolving workplace conflict is an integral part of being a leader. Leaders have to diagnose workplace problems and formulate strategies to alleviate these issues. It is a constant job to make sure one’s business is running smoothly and that their employees have their emotional needs met as well. Ensuring that interpersonal work-related relationships are in good standing, employees will feel better as a result and also perform better. Influential leaders can manage workplace conflict by doing the following:

Enforcing Clear Conversations

Workplace conflict can arise quickly from poor communication skills. When employees or a boss can’t express their points clearly, a lot is left open for interpretation or taken out of context. Then, it doesn’t take too long for assumptions to be made and conclusions to be drawn. To resolve workplace conflict, clear and concise communication should be established, especially when it comes to what is to be expected from each person.

Leadership Coaching

Executive leadership coaching can help leaders to improve their conflict resolution skills. Emotional intelligence and self-awareness are crucial to managing workplace conflict as awareness allows leaders to see exactly what is needed from them to solve the problem. Not only will they learn to process questions, they will also learn how to see the bigger picture and new ways to fix ongoing issues…

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Softball Drill Series: Fielding Drills

With any sport, running various drills during practice is a sure way to improve skills and hone in on individual strengths. It’s important to develop the skills of each single-player, while also focusing on cohesive teamwork and functionality. For a softball team, the different types of practice drills can seem almost endless. In this series, we’re going to focus on various softball drills broken down by player position (i.e., pitching, fielding, catching, etc.). To begin, here are a few softball drills that are perfect for players in the field.

Reaction Drill 

A player in the field should always focus on their reaction time, and how they can improve it. Reaction time is essential when playing the field. Games can move quickly, and players in the infield and outfield need to be prepared to react quickly. 

How To:

Set up four cones in a square shape about 15-feet apart from each other. The coach stands in the middle of the circle, while the fielders line up behind one of the cones. Players behind the cone must be facing away from the coach. The coach will then take turns throwing the ball to each player while yelling, “Go.” Once the player hears “Go,” they are to react by turning around and catching the ball quickly. Once the ball is caught, the fielder drops it and runs to the next cone before another is thrown. This continues on a rotation with each fielder. 

Grounder Drill

Ground balls are a standard part of a softball game, but can sometimes be a challenge to master from the field. The Grounder drill is a great way to help fielders learn how to quickly and effectively stop a ground ball….

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Leadership Tips to Help Motivate Your Team

Motivation is what fuels the drive and productivity behind the work of your employees. As a leader, one of your many duties is to help foster the development of your team to keep them motivated; ultimately, increasing their level of productivity. Consider your team to be your most excellent resource. They are a crucial component of the foundation of your company’s success. Here are a few ways you can inspire the employees on your team and provide a motivational boost. 

Set a Clear Goal 

When goals aren’t made clear to a team, miscommunication is common, and employees often don’t know how to prioritize work. According to Inc. contributor, Peter Economy, “63 percent of employees reported that they wasted time at work because they weren’t aware of what work was a priority, and what wasn’t.” Prioritizing work is the first step in making sure employees are using their time productively. Make sure you’re regularly discussing goals with your team and developing the best plan to reach them. 

Foster and Develop Individual Strengths

Development is vital to your employees. Your employees want to know they have the opportunities to learn new skills and further enhance the ones they already have. As employees develop these skills further, their motivation level will likely increase. A great way to contribute to employee development is offering regular training sessions that focus on the various skillsets and technologies used throughout your company…

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Managing Stress as a Leader

Managing Stress as a Leader _ Javier Inclan

It’s not uncommon for leaders to experience stress. After all, it can often feel as though the success of the office and those around you lies in your hands. Unfortunately, too much built up stress can take a toll on your ability to lead. What’s more, stress is also a major contributing factor to many health conditions, such as cardiovascular disease. Subsequently, it’s imperative that leaders find ways to effectively manage stress. Below are five helpful tips.

1. Acknowledge Stress

The first thing you’ll need to do is identify and understand signs of stress. For instance, heart palpitations is a common sign that you’re experiencing a significant amount of stress. Sometimes there is also a level of nervousness that accompanies stress. Whether it’s going for a run or practicing yoga, you’ll need to find ways to deal with stress when it occurs.

2. Address Issues Causing Stress

Being a leader can be challenging. In some cases, there are specific issues that cause a leader to feel stressed out and it’s important to eliminate the underlying problem. For instance, if it’s an unreasonable customer or a difficult to manage employee, you’ll need to find a way to resolve the issue.

3. Maintain an Exercise Routine

It’s been proven that there is a direct link between exercise and stress reduction. Some healthcare professionals recommend developing an exercise routine to minimize the amount of stress felt when difficult situations arise.

4. Go on Vacation

Leaders usually have a lot of responsibilities that can sometimes feel overwhelming. Despite being in a leadership role, you’re still a human being and there’s only so much that one person can handle. It’s important to both schedule time off and make sure you actually take it.

Going on vacation can give your mind and body a chance to relax. This can have a positive impact on your mental and emotional health. It’s necessary to ensure you always have balance in life. Just taking a long weekend can often be a good solution.

5. Learn to Delegate

Sometimes the reason why leaders feel a lot of stress is because they need to delegate instead of trying to do everything on their own. By delegating, you give others a chance to increase their capabilities and advance professionally.

In addition to trying the tips provided, consider visiting a counselor that can provide you with the support needed to better manage your responsibilities as a leader. We all need someone to look to and talk to when we’re experiencing a rough time.

Originally posted to JavierInclan.com.

Softball Pitching Mistakes

Softball Pitching Mistakes _ Javier Inclan

Pitching in fast pitch softball requires more than just arm strength and the ability to be accurate with the ball; there are a lot of moving parts that go into pitching. Here’s a quick look at how to recognize and repair 3 common mistakes from the mound.

Below the Belt

It’s easy to think about pitching and assume that it’s all about shoulder strength and the ability to throw straight, but any professional softball player will tell you that successful pitching starts below the belt. The effectiveness of a pitch generally comes from leg drive, not arm strength. It feels like second nature to pivot the lead foot to a 90 degree angle when pitching, but a pitcher loses both speed and accuracy when this happens. You can order a drag box or construct one yourself, but it’s definitely a tool to help build muscle memory that will lead to proper lower body mechanics when pitching.

It’s All in the Hands

Again, the motion needed to be an effective softball pitcher isn’t exactly natural. A pitcher will have to train her muscles to instinctively go against their nature. During the “windmill” portion of the pitching motion, it’s very easy to let the palm turn backwards at the top of the circle. Instead, it’s crucial for a pitcher to remain “palm up” all the way through the circle. If you, or the pitcher you are coaching has a tendency to let their palm go backwards, take the time to slow down the motion until the palm up position becomes routine. Before long, maintaining palm position will become second nature.

Proper Positioning Pays Off

With how fast paced the action on a softball field is, it’s easy to assume that a pitcher should assume a fielding position as soon as the ball leaves their hand. This causes the pitcher to forfeit a certain amount of effectiveness that can only be achieved by proper follow through. Proper reaction, while important generally comes whether or not the pitcher immediately drops to a fielding position. The extra millisecond gained by bailing out on the pitch before it’s over isn’t worth the ability to strike out the batter.

Pitching requires a certain amount of flexibility and shoulder strength, but there’s far more to it than a strong arm and a fast motion. It’s a head to toe position that can be trained and taught.

Originally posted on JavierInclan.net.