Fastpitch softball

3PPSIMP PC/PJ/KS
3PPISMP KS/BI/BC
 Fast pitch softball
• Fast-pitch softball (also known as fast pitch or fastpitch)
is a form of softball played commonly by women,
mostly starting at the age of 6 through college age,
though male and mixed fast-pitch leagues also exist.
• The International Softball Federation (ISF) is the
international governing body of softball and it
recognizes three pitch speeds and corresponding styles
of play:
1. fast pitch
2. medium pitch
3. and slow pitch.
• Fast pitch is considered the most competitive
form of softball.
• It is the form of
softball that was played at the Olympic Game
s
in 1996, 2000, 2004, and 2008. It is also used
for college softball and international
championship tournaments such as those
sponsored by the ISF.
• Pitchers throw the ball underhanded at
speeds up to:

men 85 miles per hour (137 km/h)

women 75 miles per hour (121 km/h)

• The pitching style is different from that of
slowpitch softball.
• Fast-pitch pitchers throw the ball in what is
called a "windmill" type of pitch.
• This style of pitching involves bringing the
ball in a circular motion, starting at the hip
and then bringing it up over the head and
completing the circle back down at the hip
and snaping the hand.
• The release is crucial in fast-pitch. The pitcher
must snap their wrist upwards at the exact
moment the ball is centered in the middle of
their body. This release causes a spin motion
on the ball, which contributes to a significant
part of the speed and curvature.
 Fastpitch Softball: Camps, Teams

• Fastpitch softball is a game closely resembling

baseball, which is played on a similar diamond and
with a ball that is larger and softer.
• The game is played between two teams, with a bat
and ball, the two teams taking turns at batting and
trying to score runs.
• The softball rule outlays are similar to baseball.
• Associations such as the ASA (Amateur Softball
Association) and NSA (National Softball Association)
encourage participation and bring about a form of
standardization in softball rule and game.
 Types of fastpitch softball
• There are two types of fastpitch softball
teams:
– Contract Team
– Recreation Team.
 Contract Team

• A Contract fastpitch softball team is one

that plays at strong competitive levels.
• In addition to league play, they
participate in many tournaments.
 Recreation Team.

• A Recreation fastpitch softball team on

the other hand, is one in which the
players are in for the exercise and fun.
HOW TO THROW A FASTPITCH
IN SOFTBALL??
 Instructions
1)Learn the fastball windmill. Grip the ball across
the horseshoe with two, three or four fingers.
(The smaller the hand, the more fingers needed
to control the ball.)
2)Rest the strong foot on the pitcher's plate, with
the toes slightly over the plate.
3)Place the weak foot on the plate with the toes
along its back edge.
4)Keep your feet slightly less than shoulder
width apart. This is most important for
balance.
5)Keep your arms at your sides, with your belly
facing the catcher.
6)Lift your back heel in the air as the weight is
balanced on the power (front) leg.
7)Start by rocking your arms using a backward
direction, and shift your weight onto the back
leg.
8)Bring your arms forward, with the ball and
glove together so that you hide the ball from
the batter.
9)Rotate the pitching hand up and into the 12
o'clock position. Keep your arm relaxed and
continue to rotate it in a perfect circle. The
glove arm should be pointing toward the
catcher's glove.
10)Release the ball at the hip, with a strong
wrist snap.
11)Finish by facing the catcher.
WAYS TO IMPROVE FASTPITCH
SOFTBALL
 Exercises to Increase Fastpitch Softball Pitching Speed

• If you want to increase the speed on your throws

as a pitcher in softball, you can do that by using
softball drills which focus on speed.
• There exists many fastpitch softball drills that
work on a pitcher's speed and most of them are
related to the fastball pitches.
• You should use those pitching drills to increase
your speed and become a pitcher with a lot more
velocity.
Drill 1 - No Stride
Purpose: To work on proper ball release and speed.
Procedure:
1) The pitcher delivers a ball to a partner without using a
forward stride.
2) The partner can be another pitcher, so this is a good
warm-up drill.
3) The stride foot is even with the pivot foot. The pitcher
pitches the ball using good hip rotation, a strong snap
of the wrist, and a good follow-through, focusing on
proper hip and arm mechanics.
4) Pitchers should be aware of the danger of not rotating
the hips and then throwing only with the arm.
Drill 2 - Arm-Speed Development
Purpose: To learn the feeling of arm speed and to
develop acceleration through the arm circle.
Procedure: The pitcher works alone on her arm circle.
The drill has two parts.
Part 1:
1) The pitcher stands in a sideways pitching position
with the stride leg forward and the pitching arm
above the head at the top of the circle.
2) Move the arm around in a perfect circle as fast as
you can to get the feel of high arm speed.
3) Keep the arm totally relaxed meaning very loose.
 Part 2 :
1) The pitcher focuses on building acceleration through
the circle.
2) Still sideways
3) Begin with the pitching arm at waist level.
4) Focuses on lifting the arm in a relaxed manner and
increasing the speed of the arm by accelerating on
the downswing with a whiplike action.
5) The arm is extended (elbow relaxed) to create the
biggest arc and lever possible.
6) The longer the lever, the more force it can produce.
Drill 3 - Speed Pitching
Purpose: To develop speed while throwing to a
catcher.
Procedure: The pitcher works with a catcher,
concentrating on exploding off the
mound and attempting to throw each
pitch a little harder.
Drill 4 - Wall Pitching
Purpose: To develop speed without worrying about
accuracy.
Procedure:
1) The pitcher stands 10 to 15 feet from a wall and throws
hard.
2) Focusing on mechanics and the feeling of throwing the ball
hard.
3) The repeated impact softens the ball quickly so the pitch
should use the same ball.
4) Don't use a rubber ball that doesn't have seams because
the pitcher has to be able to grip the ball properly.
5) An advantage of this kind of practice is that pitchers can do
it on their own at any time. 
•Video
Thank you