Stop Practicing Randomly: Why Softball Pitchers Need a Better Plan
Aug 19, 2026
By Coach D | DR3 Fastpitch
Have you ever finished a bullpen and asked yourself...
"Did we actually get better today?"
If you're like most softball parents, the answer is probably...
"I think so?"
Maybe your daughter threw harder.
Maybe she threw more strikes.
Maybe her rise ball looked better.
Or maybe it didn't.
The truth is, too many softball families are working incredibly hard—but they don't have a clear direction.
They're practicing.
They're throwing.
They're doing drills.
But they're not always developing.
As a pitching coach, that's one of the biggest differences I see between pitchers who continue to improve and those who stay stuck.
It's not usually talent.
It's not work ethic.
It's having a plan.
The "More Drills" Trap
Every single week I talk to parents who genuinely want to help their daughters.
They're watching videos.
Saving drills on Instagram.
Scrolling through YouTube.
Listening to different instructors.
Trying everything they can to help.
The problem?
Every source says something different.
One coach says focus on velocity.
Another says fix mechanics.
Someone else says work on spin.
Then another video tells you to change your grip.
Before long, your daughter walks into the bullpen trying to remember six different mechanical thoughts before she even throws her first pitch.
Instead of becoming more confident...
She becomes overwhelmed.
Sound familiar?
Trust me—you are not alone.
Here's What I've Learned After Coaching Hundreds of Pitchers
One thing has become crystal clear to me over the years.
Confused athletes don't play fast.
When a pitcher is thinking about everything...
She usually executes nothing.
Instead of attacking hitters with confidence, she's trying to remember where her glove should be, what her back leg is doing, whether her drag foot is correct, and if her fingers stayed behind the ball.
That's simply too much.
Great pitching isn't about thinking more.
It's about trusting movements you've repeated enough times that they become automatic.
Stop Collecting Drills
This might surprise you...
I actually love social media.
There are some incredible coaches sharing great information.
But information isn't the same thing as implementation.
Parents often collect hundreds of drills.
Elite athletes master a handful of movements.
There's a huge difference.
I'd rather see a pitcher perform five drills with intention for three weeks than perform fifty different drills over the same period.
Why?
Because repetition creates confidence.
Randomness creates frustration.
Every Bullpen Should Have One Goal
One of the first questions I ask my pitchers is simple.
"What's today's objective?"
Not this month's objective.
Not next season's goal.
Today's.
Maybe we're improving front-side resistance.
Maybe we're cleaning up timing.
Maybe we're increasing spin efficiency.
Maybe we're simply learning how to repeat our arm slot.
Whatever it is...
Everything we do during that bullpen supports that one goal.
That's intentional practice.
That's how athletes improve.
Why Most Pitchers Feel Like They're Stuck
Sometimes parents tell me,
"Coach D, she's practicing four or five days a week, but it feels like she's hit a plateau."
My first question usually isn't...
"How much is she practicing?"
It's...
"What exactly has she been working on?"
Because practicing without direction often feels productive...
But it rarely produces consistent improvement.
Busy isn't the same as intentional.
Throwing more pitches isn't always the answer.
Throwing purposeful pitches usually is.
Confidence Comes From Seeing Progress
One of my favorite parts about coaching is watching confidence grow.
But confidence doesn't magically appear after one great game.
Confidence grows when athletes understand why they're improving.
Imagine finishing a bullpen knowing exactly what got better.
Maybe her posture stayed consistent.
Maybe her timing improved.
Maybe her spin became cleaner.
Maybe she repeated her mechanics more often than she did last week.
Those wins matter.
Those small improvements become big improvements over time.
And those big improvements eventually show up on game day.
Parents Don't Need to Become Pitching Coaches
This is something I say all the time.
Parents don't need to know everything about pitching.
You don't need to memorize biomechanics.
You don't need to understand every movement pattern.
What you do need is enough knowledge to support your daughter between lessons.
That's one of the biggest reasons I started DR3 Fastpitch.
Our mission has never been to simply teach pitchers.
Our mission is to educate parents so together, we can positively influence their athlete.
Because when parents understand the "why," practices become more productive, conversations become more encouraging, and athletes become more confident.
Why I Created the Next Pitch 21-Day Challenge
After years of coaching, I noticed the same pattern over and over again.
Families weren't lacking effort.
They were lacking structure.
That's exactly why I created the Next Pitch 21-Day Challenge.
Instead of wondering what to work on every day, you'll have a clear, intentional plan that guides you through 21 days of focused training.
No more piecing together random drills.
No more information overload.
No more second-guessing whether you're practicing the right things.
Just simple, purposeful daily training designed to help your daughter build better habits, improve her understanding of pitching, and gain confidence one day at a time.
If you're ready to stop practicing randomly and start training with purpose, you can learn more about the challenge here:
Final Thoughts
The fastest-improving pitchers aren't always the ones with the biggest arms.
They aren't always the girls throwing the hardest.
More often than not...
They're the girls who stay patient.
They trust the process.
They commit to one goal before chasing the next.
Remember this:
Don't confuse activity with progress.
Every bullpen doesn't need more drills.
It needs more purpose.
Because when your daughter knows exactly what she's working on, she stops guessing.
She starts understanding.
And when athletes understand what they're doing and why they're doing it...
That's when real confidence begins.
I'll be cheering you on every step of the way.
STOP GUESSING. START TRAINING WITH PURPOSE.
Your pitcher doesn't need another folder full of random drills. Give her 21 days of focused challenges designed to build better habits, strengthen her understanding, and help her approach training with confidence.
CLICK: START THE 21-DAY CHALLENGE
Coach D
DR3 Fastpitch
