Anna Welsh was the head softball coach at Arizona Christian University, an NAIA school in Arizona. I recently emailed the NCAA and NAIA coaches to see if they would be interested in talking to me about some of our users’ questions and wanted answers. Anna, being a head coach but also a straight-up passionate advocate, proceeded to chat with me for almost an hour. Below is the document she sends out to coaches and players to help them with their softball skills video. Look, you can take it from a college coach or wing it, but I’m going with Anna.
What To include in Softball Skills Video
General Information
- 4-6 minutes long
- Make it a website link or attachment sent to us college coaches in an e-mail (we can click on it instantly!)
- Introduce yourself at the beginning (show your personality! BE YOU!)
- Make sure your contact info, grad year, GPA and high school are clearly marked
Hitting
- 5 cuts shown preferably from each angle view off of a tee
- 5-10 cuts with someone front tossing to you (it doesn’t have to be off of a machine or live pitcher, preferably just someone tossing from 20 feet or so)
- 5 bunts (show sacrifices and bunt for a hit if you can)
- 5 slaps if you are a slapper (if you have multiple slaps, show them off!)
Fielding
Infielders
- Take grounders that show your range and also show your arm strength and accuracy when throwing to a base. Middle infielders should turn a few double plays and corners should field bunts. Also, field slow rollers and pop-ups over your shoulder. Make sure the camera is not too far away.
Outfielders
- Take fly balls to each side, over your head, and straight in front. Also, take grounders where you run through and grounders where you go to a knee. Make some long throws to the plate to show your arm strength and be sure to show your range. If you dive, then dive!
Pitchers
- Show about 3-5 of each of your pitches. Show from the side and straight behind to see ball movement. Indicate which pitch you are throwing. Also, show yourself fielding grounders and bunts.
Catchers
- Show framing, blocking, pick offs, and throw downs. Also, show yourself fielding bunts, wild pitches, and pop ups. Angle the camera from behind 2B on throw downs so we can time it ourselves.
Base Running
- AFTER hitting a ball run from Home to 1B 3-4 times and Home to Home 1 times.
- Make sure the camera is at 1B and can see the base, along with seeing you hit at the plate.
- 3-4 Slides into a base (straight slides, pop-up, head first… whatever you can do).
Other
- If you can dive, then DIVE!
- SHOW OFF! HUSTLE!
- What can YOU do well that sets YOU apart from other players? Show us!
- We don’t want ONLY game footage and don’t NEED wonderful graphics or music. We just want to watch YOU and get to know YOU! If you want to add a few game clips at the end, that’s fine, but practice footage is best for now.
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