By Scott Mackar
See the issue: September 2009

After a long season, including three straight weeks on the road, the University of Washington softball team won their first-ever NCAA Championship. This would never have happened without a solid conditioning program.

According to Huskies strength and conditioning coach Hans Straub, incorporating speed endurance and anaerobic work into the team’s off-season program was essential to building and maintaining a high conditioning level. “If the hitter is fatigued, her swing will lack control and power output,” Straub explains. “If the pitcher is fatigued, her arm speed will diminish, which will lead to a decrease in velocity and/or her ability to locate her pitches effectively.”

Straub shows how the Huskies conditioned during the off-season to prepare for their marathon journey to the top of college softball.

Monday – Top-Speed Development

Distance	Reps	Intensity	Recovery
20 yards	3	Full speed	Walk back to start line
40 yards	3	Full speed	Walk back to start line

Tuesday – Speed Endurance

Distance	Sets/Reps	Intensity	Recovery
40 yards	2x4	7-8 seconds	30 seconds between reps; 2 minutes between sets

Wednesday – Speed Endurance

Distance	Sets/Reps	Intensity	Recovery
40 yards	2x5	7-8 seconds	30 seconds between reps; 2 minutes between sets

Thursday – Top-Speed Development

Distance	Reps	Intensity	Recovery
20 yards	5	Full speed	Walk back to start line

Friday – Anaerobic Conditioning

Position	Distance	Reps	Intensity	Recovery
Middle infield and outfield	100 yards	8	17 seconds	45 seconds
Corner infield and catcher	90 yards	8	17 seconds	45 seconds
Pitchers and DH	80 yards	8	17 seconds	45 seconds

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