Clarke University Softball Coach;
2021 recipient (1st ever) of NFCA's Natasha Watley Scholarship for Social Change;
In his first 2 seasons, set Clarke's school record for win-total turnaround by improving his team's record by 26 wins;
Marshalltown Community College Head Coach from 2015 to 2018;
Coached 13 All-Region players in three seasons and produced the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) Offensive Player of the Year in 2017;
Ankeny Centennial High School (IA) - Head Coach from 2014 to 2018;
Van Meter Community High School (IA) Head Coach from 2009 to 2014 (Iowa's first-ever African-American High School Head Softball Coach);
compiled a 117-61 overall record, was named the 2012 District Coach of the Year and led the school to its first state tournament appearance in 2012Coach Garland uses his expertise in coaching slappers to give coaches a drill and sequence recipe for developing righties into lefty slappers.
- Coach Garland uses and demonstrates a systematic skill development sequence to develop the key initial skills of a slapper - the ability to bunt and execute the soft slap with emphasis on developing the eye-hand skill development from the "opposite side".
- Coach develops a ground up training sequence and process that gives a coach a proven progression from working on T drills to executing skills in a front toss format.
- The skills are demonstrated and the pattern of development illustrates flexible and alternate approaches to executing slapping skills and tailoring preferences and comfort with individual players as they develop on the left side.
This video covers the development of drills and drill progressions for the four core elements of left side hitting: bunting, soft slaps, hard slaps, and power slaps.
Additionally Coach Garland illustrates a unique hitting mechanic, the slide step, that gives an advanced slapper another strategic tool to adapt to and fool opposing defenses!
The video follows three main instructional and drill development paths.
The first is base level development of left side eye hand control and development of bunting capability with a 15 ground based drill working from static to dynamic footwork and bat to ball contact.
The second phase focuses on the alternative approaches and the feet and bat attack options for the soft slap through a sequence of roughly 10 drills that are adaptable to individual players preferences and comfort.
The third phase takes a similar approach to the development of power slapping hitting skills. This section also develops the slide step mechanic initially introduced in the bunting section to offer an alternative power hitting option for the lefty hitter.
The final phase discusses footwork options - from traditional techniques common a decade ago to more recently popular approaches.
If you are a coach looking to take a right handed hitter to the left side this video offers you a clear and organized step-by-step process to assist that player in making the transition and developing all 4 slapper skills.
Each skill development equally applies to the natural lefty who desires to develop as a slap hitter, in addition to hitting away from the left side.
The training in this video can be applied to young players to make the initial transition to slapping, but offers excellent development drills to take older players to arming them with the full hitting tools of an advanced slapper.
Customer Comments: 5 Out of 5 Stars! 'Excellent video! Full range of players skills. everything in this video applies to any slapper regardless of their starting point as a righty or lefty!'
62 minutes. 2024.
SD-06241B: with Garland Shirley,
Clarke University Softball Coach;
2021 recipient (1st ever) of NFCA's Natasha Watley Scholarship for Social Change;
In his first 2 seasons, set Clarke's school record for win-total turnaround by improving his team's record by 26 wins;
Marshalltown Community College Head Coach from 2015 to 2018;
Coached 13 All-Region players in three seasons and produced the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) Offensive Player of the Year in 2017;
Ankeny Centennial High School (IA) - Head Coach from 2014 to 2018;
Van Meter Community High School (IA) Head Coach from 2009 to 2014 (Iowa's first-ever African-American High School Head Softball Coach);
compiled a 117-61 overall record, was named the 2012 District Coach of the Year and led the school to its first state tournament appearance in 2012Coach Garland calls upon his expertise and experience as a coach to provide a drill and sequence recipe for maximizing performance of slappers through speed and power development. Generic speed and quickness training is widespread, but Coach Garland outlines material specific to the softball slapper rather than generically developed for sprinters.
- Slappers success is typically a product not only of hitting skills but the race between the hitter and defensive player to get to first. Developing elite level speed is critical to getting on base safely.
- Slappers are typically not naturally powerful but need sufficient core and functional power to master the more advanced slapping skills of hard slaps and power slaps that can beat the infield.
- Additionally, quickness and speed on the base paths add an offensive threat.
The video covers the development of drills and drill progressions for the three core elements of functional athleticism specifically designed for the slapper:
- rotational core and lower half strength,
- rotational balance and explosiveness, and
- straight out running speed.
The video follows five main instructional and drill development paths.
The first is a series of four progressive slapper specific strength drills designed to build rotational strength and reinforce proper mechanics.
The second phase develops an extensive 12 drill sequence and pattern of med ball and footwork to build functional explosive movements fundamental to the slapping hitting patterns.
Coach progresses to a third group of drills focusing on first step quickness and change of direction using hurdles and ladders.
The fourth phase is built around 10 core drill patterns using superbands to build a combination of first step quickness and speed development by strengthening the hip flexors. All drills are relatively simple, but effective at targeting speed development.
The final phase mixes sprinting drills with mini band work targeting flat out speed development.
If you are a coach looking for specifically tailored speed and explosiveness exercises and drills - specifically for slappers - this video is a great resource that can be applied with minimal equipment and in almost any training space.
51 minutes. 2024