Season Training

Scott Brown, here coming to you from Combat Sports and Dan Smith/Team Combat. This is our first article and I am truly excited about being able to share my experiences will Softball Today’s readers.  This article will be written from a dual vantage point, as a Major Softball Player, and as a regional Sales Manager for a leading bat manufacturer, Combat.  In future issues, I will be introducing some of the biggest names in softball to get other opinions. In this first article, the focus will be in-season training and getting ready for the weekend tournament.
Although the weather does not always co-operate, that does not mean you should be putting off working on your game.  There are some great facilities where you can work on all aspects of your game including, hitting, fielding and your arm. All winter and into the spring I can usually be found at indoor facilities close to home, working on my game.  Even now when we are in season I never take a night off.  If your league gets rained out, get yourself to an indoor facility and work on your game.
In order for practice to be beneficial it has to be taken seriously.  You play like you train and work on the little things.  The first step of any training session is to have a plan.  I cringe every time I hear about people going out to practice and all they do is hit for the fences.  Although there is no better feeling than hitting a bomb, the current home run restrictions at all levels of play, account for a small percentage of your game.  Singles and doubles win games, so train to hit the gaps, work on your backswing and sorry pitchers but, shooting the middle (always with a screen), this will make you a more rounded hitter.
You’ve trained all week and now that weekend tournament is here, just like training you need a game plan.  What are you going to do during your first at bat?  What style of a pitcher are you facing? Watch him in warm-ups and when you are on deck, know what the defense is giving you. What are the oppositions defensive positioning?  Softball is a 75% mental and 25% physical.  Focus on the mental aspects of the game and the play will fall into place.

Good luck and until next the issue I am out.  
Scott Brown