Fastpitch Masters Blog

Throughout all sports, goal setting can be an essential part of success individually and collectively. Goal settings help players look to achieve specific things and allow themselves to see their growth. Teams can use goal-setting to unite their team for a common goal. Below we’ve listed 4 types of goal setting that softball teams can do. 

1. Short-term goals: Short-term goals create an opportunity for players to achieve things in a shorter time. Players can have multiple short-term goals at one time. Short-term goals can include hitting for .500 in a tournament, or even as simple as hitting a ball opposite the side than usual. Short-term goals are usually things that can hope to be achieved within a few days or months. 
2. Long-term goals: Long-term goals are suited for teams or players looking to see growth within a more extended time. Long-term goals are used mostly for goals that will take a lot of time and effort to master. For example, a long-term goal could be to bat over .350 in the season. Another example of a long-term goal would be to increase your pop time if you’re a catcher.
3. Individual goals: While softball is a team sport, aspects of the game ride on individual performance, such as hitting and pitching. While it may be a team effort in the end, it takes individuals doing their personal job to create a collective win. Individuals’ goals can include working on arm strength which would require putting a lot of time into long toss to increase strength. An individual pitching goal could be to throw your change up for a strike 70% of the time. 
4. Team goals are fundamental in this game because having a cohesive team chemistry can make or break teams. Winning is a group effort, and it goes smoothly when everyone is on board to do anything they can to help their team. Team goals can also set expectations for performance. For example, if a team sets a goal to win a state title, the expectations during practices and games will be high. Players will have to play every game and practice with the intent to get better enough to win.