Fielding footwork

Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch

Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.

Nov 25, 2016
39
8
My daughter is a 10u right hand throw. At practice recently the coaches have been giving her a hard time with her grounder foot work. She fields it every time without missing and has a rocket for an arm. But they yell at her because her glove hand foot is behind her throwing hand foot. They say her left foot should be placed in front of where her right foot is. I have searched the Internet and can't find anywhere that says the proper foot position for taking grounders. She can't seem to get to what they want from her and when she does it throws off her throw. I think they are just nitpicking because I can't find any materiel on what is correct. But if I can get some evidence one way or another I can have some ground to stand on when I talk to my daughter or have to confront the coaches to give her a break.

Thanks

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
 
May 16, 2016
1,024
113
Illinois
From the way I am interpreting your description the coaches seem to be correct for the most part. Watch the video below, at about the 50 second mark he answers your question. The left foot being slightly in front of the right foot is to get the infielder into a better throwing position quickly and helps some with creating momentum towards first base.

Just a guess here but your daughter may be approaching the ball with her footwork being backwards. What I mean is she should approach a ground ball "right, left, catch in a routine situation. If she has a habit of left foot first then right foot and receive the ground ball I could see how that throw some things off. Watch this video for correct footwork.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oG6gQe2gXUk




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nDkj-4GAw0&t=3s

If the coaches are rolling balls from pretty close it will be hard to work on rounding the ball, or creating a banana path to the ball. In softball with 60' bases you don't always have time to take a banana path to the ball.
 
Last edited:
Feb 4, 2015
641
28
Massachusetts
Coaches are absolutely right. Left foot forward with glove as ball comes into the glove, as she comes up to transition ball into throwing hand the right foot has also come forward. The ball is now in the right hand and the right foot is planted so the left foot can come forward with the throw. From ball into glove through the release of the throw it's all one fluid movement.

With the feet in an opposite starting position, it requires either and extra step or a shuffle, losing time. At 10U she has lots of time to relearn the correct muscle memory.

Sounds like you have good coaches who are trying to make her better, let them. If they're giving her a hard time it's because they recognize her potential and want to help her. I'd worry more about the coaches who never correct DD because there is always something to work on and improve!
 
Jul 4, 2012
329
18
Generally, the coaches are right, but on a grounder that 2B or pitcher must charge, we teach the throwing foot out front so the hips are aligned for a throw.
 
May 17, 2012
2,804
113
She fields it every time without missing and has a rocket for an arm. But they yell at her because her glove hand foot is behind her throwing hand foot.

It sounds like you have a talented daughter, congratulations. The best advise I can give you is to let her be coached and get out of the way. Travel softball is littered with kids who didn't make it because they couldn't be coached (or their parents wouldn't let them be coached).

Unless you are paying for the lessons (hitting or pitching) keep your opinions to yourself. Your daughter will take her cues from you!

From your fielding description it sounds like the coaches are 100% correct. The left foot is always in front for a right-hander when fielding. While your daughters strong arm may overcome her lack of footwork at 10u when she gets older the speed of the runners will expose her.

Coaches aren't always right but in this case they are.
 
May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
As others have said, left foot stepping forward as the ball in being fielded is correct. This sets up one fluid motion into the throw, with minimal steps.
 

Axe

Jul 7, 2011
459
18
Atlanta
My daughter is a 10u right hand throw. At practice recently the coaches have been giving her a hard time with her grounder foot work. She fields it every time without missing and has a rocket for an arm. But they yell at her because her glove hand foot is behind her throwing hand foot. They say her left foot should be placed in front of where her right foot is. I have searched the Internet and can't find anywhere that says the proper foot position for taking grounders. She can't seem to get to what they want from her and when she does it throws off her throw. I think they are just nitpicking because I can't find any materiel on what is correct. But if I can get some evidence one way or another I can have some ground to stand on when I talk to my daughter or have to confront the coaches to give her a break.

Thanks

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

They are teaching her the correct way. Kobata is very specific about this too. When the glove foot is back it's very difficult to field the ball out in front of you and the player will tend to field the ball too deep or too close to their body. Glove foot in front keeps you in balance and everything out in front of you.
 

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
42,830
Messages
679,481
Members
21,445
Latest member
Bmac81802
Top