Diary of a Rising Softball Player

01-01-13

Entry 2

Yesterday, Friday, we had a few girls try out. First of all I just wanna say they are pretty good. One girl, Jaylen, I think that is how you spell her name, was lightning fast, literally. She was good at fielding too. Kia needed help with fielding. Gabby was prtty good. But they all lacked arm strength. Their throwing wasn't very hard or powerful. But our coach excepted because he needed them. They were coachable, like he would say. We needed to train thwm hard. Our first tournament is in sixe weeks, two months. We needed a lot to work on. Fielding and DEFINITELY needed to work on outfield. That's where our weaknesses are and where the hitters will be hitting the balls to.

On our FIRST tournament, in October, I saw two homeruns. TWO! I couldn't believe it. I was sooo scared. I thought we would've lost by the ten-run-rule. (Where the opposing team beats you by ten runs and the game is cut short.) We held on strong, but lost. Not bad, but we lost.

Anyway, practice...We warmed up, after stretching. Then we caught grounders. (For those of you who don't know, they are the balls that roll or bounce, or hop on the ground. Flies or pops are the balls hit in the air. Thay are at a steep angle. Line drives are also hit in the air just less of an angle.) Then we played our version of the star drill. The coach hits the ball to second and the player throws to third, which the player there throws to first, throws to short, and the to home base. While the fielders are doing all that, the base runners run the bases until the ball hits the person playing the catching position, or home. There are mant other star drills.

Then I warmed up for pitching. Like I said last chapter I throw a drop/fast ball, rise, change and screw. I only pitched fast, change and rise. Then we did soicides or ladders. I had to do it three times because I was one of the fastest. The first one we ran I got third or fourth and was able to sit out for the other two times. Each time, my coach eliminating girls. Then he had the fastest go again and I had to run two more times. But my grandpa said I ran good and I trust his judement so...yeah.

I have practice tomorrow. Pitchers and catchers are supposed to meet at noon while real practice starts at one. I'll give you the latest on it...