Right now is an exciting time in the softball world. Maybe you're trying out for a travel team, deciding which organization is the best fit, attending a college exposure camp, or playing in tournaments where college coaches are watching. No matter what stage you're in, there's one question every athlete might be asking:

What makes me stand out?

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to sit down with two outstanding college coaches—my cousin, Coach Erica Hanrahan and Coach Laura Matthews—to talk about what it really takes to play softball at the college level. Looking back on that conversation today, the advice they shared is even more relevant.

Over the past 8 years of coaching 100+ players per week on softball pitching, I noticed the following trends in phrases that parents and coaches, including me, say that confuse fastpitch players. These phrases are "broken" because they confuse girls on pitching mechanics. Here are some ideas of what to say instead.

A few years ago, my cousin Erica was interviewed on a an NFCA podcast called The Dirt about pitching, and I wrote this blog to highlight some of her best insights. At the time, she was coaching at DePauw University—today, she’s brought that same high-level knowledge to Practice Pro, where she leads our Elite Pitching Classes.

There is a lot of softball pitching content on Instagram. Some of it is excellent. Some of it is recycled. And some of it is coaches trying to prove they are “right” while everyone else is “wrong.”

If you are serious about improving in the circle, you need to be intentional about who you follow.

Of course, our account is the best. We show you what actually happens inside a real pitching school. You see the methods we use, what real athletes look like as they develop over time, accomplishments from pitchers in our program, and practical drills and tips that we test across more than 20 classes per week. Everything we post is being used and refined in real time.

In our lives, there are very few things that can fit everyone’s definition of fun.

Some people LOVE amusement parks while others loathe the thought of steep drops and fast coasters. Some people love risky adventures like sky diving, bungee jumping, parasailing, and zip lining while others think these activities are horrifying. Some people think an evening snuggled in front of the TV with a bag of popcorn is the perfect Friday night while others would call that kind of weekend boring.

Are “things” just fun or not fun? Or is personal perspective the denominator? I would argue that a person’s mindset determines fun more than any other predictor. So how does this apply to practicing pitching and performing during pressure filled games? I believe: Everything.

If your pitchers keep accidentally throwing inside and hitting batters, the real problem might not be control—it might be the arm circle.

Poor accuracy often stems from an arm circle that is off-line or inconsistent from pitch to pitch. To be a consistent pitcher, mechanics must be identical—every single time. That starts with building a simple, repeatable motion (lessons help here) and then duplicating it relentlessly outside of games. The more times a pitcher executes a perfect arm circle, the more likely she is to repeat it under pressure. Unfortunately, the same is true for a flawed one.

We train for a long time—10 weeks in the offseason, 10 more in preseason. The winter days get shorter, and the drills start to feel longer. Pitchers throw again and again, while a parent or catcher squats endlessly behind the plate. It can feel like a never-ending road.

But eventually, we get to Game Day.

At Practice Pro, we know pitching isn’t just about drills and mechanics. It’s about handling pressure. And the only way to really train for that is to simulate it. So on the last day of every session, instead of more drills, we draw games from a hat and compete.

Yes, there are small prizes—maybe a piece of candy, maybe a few extra stars—but that’s not the point. What matters is how it feels when everyone’s watching and it’s your turn. That pause before you pitch. That moment when everything you’ve been working on shows up—or doesn’t.

After nearly a decade of testing, tweaking, and teaching thousands of pitchers, here are the three best games we’ve ever played:

Two years ago, one of our camps ended on a tough note. It challenged us in ways we didn’t expect—and taught us a valuable lesson we’ll never forget. With our first camp this year just a week away, I’m excited to share a blog post I wrote afterward that explains what happened, what we changed, and how it transformed our camps for the better.

Since making this shift, every camp has ended on a high note—full of energy, teamwork, and fun. What we learned might be helpful in your own coaching, parenting, or mentoring journey.

If you’ve been around softball long enough, you’ve probably heard some pretty funny complaints about pitching. Even though we can laugh about them now, these moments show us what players, parents and coaches really need to learn—both mentally and physically.

Here are some of the funniest things we’ve heard, and what they really mean—from the most experienced players to beginners just getting started.

“My mom forgot my binder.”

Oak Park River Forest takes on Oswego tonight at 5:30 p.m.—and it’s incredible to see so many local athletes representing our amazing softball town! I'm especially proud to see current and former Practice Pro pitchers on the roster: Anna Topel, Georgia Godellas, Leia Hammerschmidt, Arielle Spurlock, Avery Lane, Gloria Hronek, Gabrielle Chesney, Julia Mattiace, and Carolyn Rainey.

Even though they aren’t all still pitchers, we are proud of you and the rest of the team and are cheering for you every step of the way! Our mission has always been to make Illinois the BEST state for softball in the country. Whether an athlete trains with us for one session, five years (or even not at all), we believe that increasing access to quality instruction and passion for the game has a ripple effect across the state.

The rise of elite talent in Oak Park and surrounding areas

I came across a really powerful Instagram post from @dr3fastpitch and didn’t want it to get lost in the scroll—so I’m sharing it here as a blog. It’s worth taking a moment to read and showing your daughter.

When a teammate makes an error, I often ask pitchers, “What should you do as a pitcher in that moment?” Most of the time, they’ll say something like, “I’ll tell the first basemen that it’s okay, you’ll get it next time.” That’s supportive—but there’s an even more powerful response I learned as a college pitcher.

My coach taught me to respond with, “Don’t worry, I’ve got you. I’ll strike the next girl out for you.” And then go out and do it.