Sprinting Skills:

This is a very broad subject but I'm keeping it to Quick Acceleration drills. The first steps in speed are crucial in determining the outcome of the play being performed. This is better known as First Step Quickness. Your initial step and drive is tremendous in softball yet I see many players that don't pick up speed until their third or fourth step. Here's a drill that I like to use to teach transitions from one speed skill to another and a quick first drive. Set two cones out, about 20 feet from each other and start with an athletic start, then a sprinters start, a shuffle. Each of these starting positions will give you a good chance to see what a player is doing as they accelerate, drive, stride, change direction and their body mechanics.

Here's what to look for:

• -players foot placement 
• -a good lean as they sprint
• -arm stride needs to initiate from the shoulders not the elbows
• -a good softball stride is a knee angle that stays in 60 degrees 
• -no popping up (or standing straight up) as they sprint
• -no butt kicking at the end of stride

Those are some great things to start with.
Great sprint mechanics are a game changer. This is and will be the difference in being out and being safe, making the catch of your life, stealing an extra base, and covering a tremendous amount of ground.
I'll have more sprint drills for you later on in this series. Inbox me with questions.