CANORA - “We want you to have a fun day today and try some new things.”
Instructor Jordan Schell greeted 23 girls softball players at the Softball Saskatchewan Basic Skills Clinic in Canora on May 10. Schell and co-instructor Mackenna Meyer, U19 softball players from Regina, were in charge of the clinic.
The majority of the players were from Canora, but participants also came from Sturgis, Norquay, and Kamsack. The clinic ran from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a one-hour break for lunch. Judging from the many smiles during the day, the players took Schell’s instructions to heart.
Meyer and Schell, who each have college/university softball scholarships lined up after high school, shared their wisdom and led drills in pretty much all aspects of softball: hitting, fielding, throwing, base running, pitching and catching.
The players were split into two groups according to age, with players born in 2012 and earlier in the older group, and the remainder in the younger group. Schell and Meyer were each in charge of one group, and switched groups in the afternoon so that they could each spend some time working with all of the players. They were assisted by a number of volunteer coaches from Canora Minor Ball.
Fielding practice included the girls throwing grounders at each other, while the instructors gave them tips in proper positioning.
Fielding practice also included the instructors/coaches throwing balls high in the air to give the players practice fielding popups and fly balls. The stiff breeze added an extra challenging layer to this drill.
They played a four-cornered game of catch with the instructors yelling out what to do just before the player caught the ball, such as, “Spin and throw to your right.”
The instructors led a variety of hitting drills, including demonstrating, with a bat, proper positioning of the body and hands at every stage of the swing.
With this information fresh in their minds, the players had the opportunity to hit off a tee, and then have the instructors soft toss to them for additional hitting practice.
A number of players at the clinic were interested in pitching, and several more indicated their focus was on catching, which created a full and active pitching workout.
Pitchers were given drills relating to how to grip the ball, as well as drills for different stages of the windup. Eventually they pitched from the full windup, with the instructors watching closely and giving tips, which the players could immediately work on.
At the end of the day, instructors and players alike seemed to be pleased with the day’s work.
“We’re really happy, you guys are good listeners,” said Schell. “If we have told you something different than what your coaches tell you, try it both ways, and see what works best for you.”
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