Jennie Finch's Aces

Jennie Finch’s Second Annual Softball Extravaganza hits a home run

By Ben Masur

There is no better way to learn than by learning from the best. And on December 4th and 5th of 2010, that is exactly what 60 coaches and 162 players did at the second annual Jennie Finch Softball Extravaganza at the HealthQuest Sports Dome in Flemington, NJ.

“The second time around is always better,” Finch said. “Everything was great and it was awesome to see the relationships build and grow.”

Finch was joined by her father and pitching coach Doug Finch, three-time Olympic gold medalist Leah O’Brien-Amico, Olympic silver medalist and World Cup Champion Lauren Lappin and two-time Olympic gold medalist and 2008 USA Softball Player of the Year Crystl Bustos.

Day 1 of the convention was the coaches clinic. Coaches not only listened to the players talk, but get the chance to watch the Olympians demonstrate how it should look, including going over drills to do with their teams. Coaches actually were able to see the Olympians in their element, on the field, not just behind a podium in a classroom or hotel conference room with sheets of handouts.

The day started at 9 am with introductions and the Olympians discussing overhand throwing and receiving. They went over proper mechanics for over hand throwing and the importance of moving their feet for receiving. Each of the Olympians placed an emphasis on “practicing like you play.”

Then Lappin and Bustos took the field to discuss infielding; proper mechanics on how to field a ground ball, how to stay low at the corners and how to stand as a middle infielder. Also as middle infielders, the two Olympians talked about how to take proper angles to the ball, how to turn double plays, the proper foot work and how to set up to get the ball out quickly. They also talked about how to pick balls and receive balls for first basemen. They gave some drills on how to work infielders.

O’Brien-Amico was next up as she discussed how to play the outfield; the safety stop, do or die, how to receive a fly ball properly, what a drop step is, drills to work on the drop step, how to switch directions, good angles in the outfield, and the transfer and throw.

Then all of the Olympians went over hitting/bunting/slapping. They went over hitting mechanics, how to develop power, hitting the outside pitch, hitting the low in low out/up in up out pitch and hitting the inside pitch. For bunting, they went over how to bunt for a base hit the suicide bunt and the sacrifice bunt. For slapping, they went over how to bunt/slap defense, how a slapper should approach the defense they see and then what kind of slap defense the coaches can run.

After a lunch break, Doug and Jennie Finch went over pitching. He went over correct and safe mechanics and why it works.

Then Lappin talked about catching, blocking drills, throwing girls out, the proper foot work to come out of a squat to throw people out, hustling with past balls, drills to make a catcher’s release point quicker, points about calling pitches and working with your pitcher.

Finally, the Olympians talked about how to coach girls and how to coach your daughter before opening the floor to the coaches for a question and answer session.

“It’s key for the coaches to see what we do and how we train and it’s going to be the same way they teach their players,” Bustos said. “It gives some credibility to the coaches who are taking what we do back to their practices.

O’Brien-Amico echoed those thoughts: “We are coming out and explaining the little details. It’s those fundamentals that matter the most and the game will become easier and a lot more fun.”

Each coach couldn’t stop talking afterwards about how much information they got and how great it was to actually see what the Olympians were doing instead of just hearing them talk on a stage.

On Day 2, some of the coaches came back along with parents and players. After everyone was efficiently checked in, girls were broken into groups. There was hitting off tees and in cages, pitching, throwing, infield positioning and outfield positioning

After an introduction and a warm-up, the players went to each station for 45 minutes. An Olympian was stationed at each one along with some college players and Finch’s Aces where kids were able to give the girls one-on-one teaching and help.

After a lunch break, Lappin talked to the girls about catching.

And then everyone got a special treat when Jennie and Doug Finch talked about pitching. But they didn’t just talk, they demonstrated. With Lappin catching, Jennie threw pitches while her Dad spoke. The girls’ jaw dropped as Jennie’s pitches got faster and faster.

“We want it to be more than just a clinic, we want it to be an experience,” Jennie said. “It’s something these girls will never forget.”

The event took place at the HealthQuest Sports Dome, which is the largest amateur sports dome in the Nation and is considered the east coast’s premier indoor facility for winter athletic programs. The approximately 140,000-square-foot dome is heated and allows plenty of room for the clinic.

“To be able to play this sport and train year round in such a nice facility is great for this community and for softball in the Northeast,” Lappin said.

“I think it’s a great facility and what Diamond Nation has here, most kids don’t get a chance to experience,” Bustos said. “This is something special and it’s definitely something to take advantage of.”

All the players were able to relate to the Olympians and that is the biggest part of the weekend.

“We hit off the tee, we practice our throwing; those small, basic things are important no matter what level you are playing,” Jennie said. “Whether you are a beginner or an Olympian, you do the same drills.”

“It’s such a huge part of the development of the sport in teaching the kids and coaches that there isn’t any magic in what we are doing,” Lappin said. “We are doing the same things they are. We are doing the same drills to maintain that level of high fundamentals. That’s our biggest message to the coaches and it continues to be.”