9781422278680

CROSSES Arm crosses help loosen up the chest and rear shoulders. Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart and your arms out to your sides with your palms down. Extend your arms behind you, and then cross them in front of your body. Go back and forth three to six times, then turn your palms up and repeat. CIRCLES Arm circles are another stretch that loosens up the shoulders. Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart. Extend your arms out straight to your sides, and make small circles in both directions. Do three to six small circles, then repeat with medium-size circles and large circles. Stretches • Sit with your legs outstretched. Bend the knee on the right leg to bring the sole of the right foot against the left thigh. Take hold of the leg just above the ankle, while you rotate the ankle. Rotate for thirty seconds, and repeat on the left side. This will help avoid ankle sprains. • Sit with your legs outstretched, and then reach forward on the right side to grasp your ankle or toes. Hold for thirty seconds. Repeat three times on each side. This will help prevent hamstring pulls or sprains. • From a standing position, bend at the knees, return to standing, then touch your toes. Do ten repetitions. These exercises will help you avoid back and thigh injuries.

“When leading off from second base, always make eye contact with the catcher. Make sure that you’re telling him you are a good base runner, a great base stealer and you’re paying attention.”

– John Cangelosi, 1997 World Series champion

“There are not two different swings. You don’t swing down on a rise ball and swing under a drop ball. That’s a fallacy. It’s incorrect. We should have one swing.”

– Sue Enquist, eleven-time national softball champion coach

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