Softball Infielder Tips: How to Manage Your Footwork

Clean and crisp fielding begins with the right footwork. As an infielder, it’s imperative you take the necessary steps to get into position to receive the ball. A great way to sharpen your rhythm is with the three-cone drill.

THREE-CONE SETUP

To lay out this simple and effective fielding drill, all you’ll need is three agility cones. Start off your setup by drawing a 10- to 12-foot line to show the intended path of the ground ball. Place one cone at each end of the line: one for a starting point and one for an intended fielding position. Your third cone should be at a 45-degree angle from the starting point and to the right. This illustrates the angle you’ll take when attacking the softball.

RUNNING THE THREE-CONE DRILL

Begin the three-cone drill at your designated starting point. From an athletic stance, take your first step around your second cone. Take this angle to read the hop of the ground ball. Next, attack the ball at your marked fielding spot. Plant with your right foot first, followed by your left to get into the proper fielding position. Track the ball in and cleanly receive the softball.

For your first few times through the exercise, walk through the steps without worrying about fielding the ball. Once you become accustomed to the rhythm and gain some muscle memory, quicken the pace. Eventually, you can add a slow-rolling softball to the mix and practice fielding the ball, too.

The more you run the three-cone drill, the more attuned you can become to the right footwork for proper fielding. Use these softball tips to help build fast feet for impressive plays in the infield this season.