Softball quickness training · Apex, NC
Softball quickness and speed training, timed from the first step
Softball speed is short. Sixty feet to first, a jump on a steal, two quick steps to a ground ball. Quickness is how much of that distance she covers early.
The sprint coaches time is not the one the game asks for
A stopwatch sixty from a track stance makes a nice number. Games almost never start that way.
A batter starts from a swing, with her weight going the wrong way. A runner starts on the pitcher's release. A shortstop starts from a ready position, moving sideways off a read. Each of those is a different start, and each one can be trained.
Our parent guide covers the idea in more depth: softball speed is the first three steps.
What we train
- Out of the box — getting from the swing into a sprint toward first, a race that often decides close plays.
- Off the bag — a sharp first step on the pitcher's release, the start of every steal.
- Fielding range — lateral and crossover first steps for infielders, and drop steps for outfielders reading a ball off the bat.
- The stop — braking to hold a base, plant on a cut or round a bag. Stopping well protects her knees and sets up the next move.
- The strength underneath — single-leg and hip strength, the push behind every start.
How we measure it
We time her first steps and short sprints at the start, using Output Sports technology, and re-test as she trains. Evaluation Day measures speed alongside jump height, strength and movement quality, so you see where her quickness is limited and why. When she tests matters too.
How training works
- Warm up for speed — mobility and sprint drills that get the body ready to move fast.
- Starts while fresh — short, full-effort starts from game positions, with full rest, early in the session.
- Braking and change of direction — coached stops and cuts, built from slow to fast.
- Strength work — the lifts that give each start more push, in a group of 3–5.
Where we train
Training happens in small groups of 3–5 at The Performance Academy, 1010 Classic Rd, Apex, a short drive from Cary, Holly Springs, Morrisville, Fuquay-Varina and Raleigh. Directions.
Coming from Pittsboro or Wendell? The same program also runs online in the Athlete Academy app, and testing happens in Apex.
Start with an Evaluation DayQuestions parents ask
Can a slow softball player actually get quicker?
Yes. Natural speed varies, but most young players have never trained their starts on purpose or built the strength behind them. Both respond to training, and timing her at the start lets you see the change in numbers.
Is base running speed different from fielding quickness?
They share the same engine but use it differently. Base running is mostly a forward start from a swing or a lead. Fielding is lateral, crossover and drop steps from a ready position. We train both, weighted by her position.
Why not just run sprints at the end of team practice?
Sprints on tired legs build conditioning, not speed. Getting quicker takes short, maximum-effort starts while fresh, with real rest between reps, and strength work underneath. That is how we structure every session.
Will speed work help a slapper or a power hitter more?
Both, in different ways. A slapper lives on getting down the line. A power hitter uses the same hip and leg power to drive bat speed, and every infield hit she beats out still counts.
Where is the gym?
The Performance Academy, 1010 Classic Rd, Apex, NC 27539. We train in person with families from Apex, Cary, Raleigh, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina and Morrisville. Athletes in Pittsboro, Wendell and beyond train online, with testing in Apex.