GENERAL LESSON OUTLINE


OVERVIEW
I approach a hitting lesson with a very detailed plan, and that plan will also fit into the overall lesson outline. This outline is broken down into four parts: bunting and tracking; skills reinforcement; goal-oriented skill building, and reinforcing drills with a swing. Each segment teaches new skills and reinforces existing skills. The drills used within each of these parts will vary depending on the skill level of the student.
It is very important to set up the lesson so that each of the four parts are of equal length and time. If a lesson is 20 min. and I wish the student to see 100 pitches, I will want each part of the lesson to last 5 min and have 25 pitches. I encourage my students to use the same or similar format in warming up for a game.



BUNTING AND TRACKING
Since bunting is a very important part of fastpitch softball, I like to devote 25% of my lesson to it. I work the bunting drills at the beginning of the lesson for two reasons.
1. Bunting drills allow the student to get used to the speed and movement of the pitches while practicing the tracking skills needed for bunting.
2. Bunting is an excellent way to warm up the mental skills of hitting. Students begin learning the importance of directional hitting and how to focus.



SKILLS REINFORCEMENT PLAN
In the second quarter of the lesson, I like to re-address foundations skills and warm up the student’s swing. This is a good time to correct areas that have been worked on in the past but may still need to be isolated. Often this portion of the lesson is at half speed. I stress form and consistency during this segment.
I also address problems that have occurred during the past week. It is wise to get into the habit of asking how a student did at her games, what issues she had, and what concerns, if any, she or her parents have.



GOAL ORIENTED SKILL BUILDING CARD
This is the teaching segment for addressing goal-oriented drills and new skills. One caution: if problems have occurred during the past week and you have not resolved them in the second quarter of the lesson—or you have noticed a new problem that needs to be addressed—make sure you use this quarter to solve those issues before teaching new skills. Always build new skills on a solid foundation.



REINFORCING DRILLS WITH A SWING
In the final segment of the lesson, I want to allow the student to swing at game speed, which incorporates all the areas we worked on. This should be a very informative time for both instructor and student. You begin to see results from your lesson plan, and the student begins to feel and see the changes in her swing and the results those changes have made.



FIELD AND EQUIPMENT
To read about Field and Equipment, go to:

Practice Field Set-Up

LESSON PLANNING
To read about lesson planning, go to:

Lesson Outline