Softball drills for rec and travel teams, with video, setup and coaching points, grouped by hitting, fielding, pitching and baserunning. For 6U to 14U.
After the knee and rocker throws, players stand up at about 40 feet and put the whole throw together with a step toward the partner. Start at an easy pace and back the pairs up every eight throws until they reach a normal infield distance. End with five firm throws to a chest high target.
Coaching points
Step at your partner, point the front shoulder, and finish over the front leg. The throw should look the same as the rocker throw with a step added.
Spread the infielders out and run the warm up the national team staff uses before ground balls: light jogging and dynamic stretches, then short hops and easy rolled balls to each player. Keep every rep slow and controlled so the glove work is clean before anyone fields a hard hit ball.
Coaching points
Warm up the legs and the glove, not just the arm. Nobody fields a live ground ball until she has taken a dozen easy ones.
Partners kneel on the throwing side knee about 15 feet apart with the glove side knee up and the chest facing the partner. Players throw back and forth using only the upper body, finishing with the throwing hand down by the opposite hip. Do ten to fifteen throws, then stand up for the rest of catch.
Coaching points
Elbow at shoulder height and fingers on top of the ball. Finish with the throwing hand across the body, not stopped out in front.
Partners stand sideways to each other about 25 feet apart with feet set wide. Each player rocks her weight back onto the rear foot, then forward onto the front foot and throws without taking a step. Ten throws each, then back up and repeat.
Coaching points
Rock back, rock forward, throw. The front shoulder stays closed until the weight gets to the front foot.
Hitters pivot into a bunting position as the coach delivers an easy pitch. They catch the ball with the bat angled toward the first or third base line, letting the ball hit the bat softly. Lay out cones or a towel on each line and award points for bunts that stop near them.
Coaching points
Bat angle sends the ball, so angle the barrel toward the line you want. Top of the ball, soft hands, let it hit the bat.
Line players up with a bat each, spread out safely. Walk through the grip with knocking knuckles lined up, a balanced stance with knees bent, and where to stand in the box. Have each player take ten dry swings on your count, then move to tees.
Coaching points
Knuckles lined up, hands together, feet a little wider than the shoulders. Swing hard but stay balanced on the finish.
A coach kneels off to the side and in front of the hitter and tosses balls into the hitting zone one after another, with the hitter resetting fast between swings into a net or fence. Do rounds of eight quick swings, then rest. Keep it fun and competitive, counting solid line drives.
Coaching points
Reset your hands and feet quickly but take the same full swing every time. Hit the inside half of the ball.
Roll ground balls to the throwing hand side so each player has to backhand. She crosses over, drops the glove side knee if needed, fields the ball with the glove turned over off the front foot, then plants and throws. Start with slow rollers and add pace as the hands get comfortable.
Coaching points
Glove fingers down and thumb under, catch it out in front of the back foot. Plant the back foot hard and let the legs make the throw.
Catchers set up in their stance without a mitt, or with the bare hand, while a partner tosses easy balls to the glove side, middle, and arm side. The catcher receives each ball softly and sticks it for a count of one before tossing it back. Do twenty tosses, then put the mitt on and repeat.
Coaching points
Catch the ball with soft hands and beat it to the spot, then hold it still. No stabbing at the ball.
Split players into small groups and toss easy, high fly balls to one at a time. Award a point for every catch made with two hands above the shoulder, and a bonus point for calling the ball. First group to a set score wins. Raise the height and distance of the tosses as they improve.
Coaching points
Get under the ball early with your feet, then catch it with two hands up by your face. Call it loud.
Line the infielders up and roll or softly hit ground balls straight at each player. She creeps into a low ready position as the pitch would be delivered, fields the ball out in front with the glove open and the throwing hand on top, then brings it to her chest and makes an easy throw to a target. Run three or four lines so nobody waits long.
Coaching points
Low and wide before the ball gets there, glove out in front where you can see it. Field it, funnel it to the belly, then throw.
Set four cones in a square about 10 feet apart with a fielder at one cone and the coach rolling balls. The player shuffles from cone to cone fielding a ground ball at each one, always staying low and square, then throws the last ball to a target. Rotate players through, two trips each.
Coaching points
Stay low the whole trip, do not stand up between cones. Shuffle, field, shuffle, field.
Roll ground balls two or three steps to each player's glove side. She shuffles or crosses over to get her body in front when she can, fields the ball on the glove side of the body, and sets her feet to throw. Give each player six to eight reps, then switch the line.
Coaching points
Beat the ball to the spot and round it off a little so your momentum goes toward first. Glove stays low until the ball is in it.
Players kneel on both knees facing a partner about 10 feet away, glove out in front forming a triangle with the knees. The partner rolls ground balls and the fielder catches each one out front with the throwing hand on top, then flips it back. Switch after ten rolls.
Coaching points
Glove out in front where your eyes can see it, throwing hand on top like an alligator. Soft hands, bring the ball to the belly.
Pair a shortstop and a second baseman. Hit ground balls to one while the other covers second; the fielder makes a firm feed to the partner at the bag, who catches it, touches the base, and throws to first. Alternate sides so both players feed and both receive.
Coaching points
Feed the ball chest high and let your partner see it the whole way. Touch the bag, get off it, and throw.
Put a full outfield and infield on the field and hit balls to different spots. On every ball the two outfielders who do not catch it sprint to back up a base or the fielder, and the player catching a fly ball calls it loudly three times. Rotate players after each round.
Coaching points
Every ball is your ball: catch it or back it up. Call it early and loud so nobody runs into anybody.
Alternate fungoes or throws to the outfield between ground balls and fly balls. On ground balls players block the ball with a knee down when nobody is running, or field it on the glove side on the run when there is a play. On fly balls they get behind the ball and catch it above the throwing shoulder with two hands.
Coaching points
Nothing gets past you: knee down with no runner, glove side on the move with a runner. Catch fly balls moving forward, not falling back.
Line the outfielders up facing the coach. On the coach's swing or point, each player takes a quick drop step or crossover in the direction called, runs three hard steps, and resets. Then add tossed fly balls so the first step leads straight into a catch.
Coaching points
Be moving before the ball is in the air: small bounce, then a hard first step. Drop step on anything over your head.
Toss or hit balls to each outfielder, who fields and then uses a crow hop to throw long to a cutoff player or coach. Start at a short distance and lengthen it as arms warm up. Aim for throws that could be cut off, chest high to the relay.
Coaching points
Catch it, hop, throw. Keep the throw low enough that the cutoff can catch it, and finish with your chest over the front leg.
Put players at second base and hit ground balls to both sides, plus a few that pull her toward first. She fields and makes the short throw to first, then takes feeds at second from the shortstop and turns to throw. Rotate the first baseman so everyone catches throws.
Coaching points
Short arm throws from second base, do not wind up. Get to the bag early and give the shortstop a target.
Put players at shortstop one at a time and hit fungoes to the spots a shortstop has to cover: straight on, in the hole, and up the middle. She fields each ball and throws to first, then covers second on a ball hit to the right side. Rotate every three balls.
Coaching points
Know where you are going with the ball before it is hit. Get your momentum moving toward first base on everything you can.
Roll very slow ground balls and bunts in front of each infielder. She charges under control, fields the ball off the glove side foot with the glove or bare hand, and throws on the run to first without stopping. Set a bucket or a coach at first as the target.
Coaching points
Charge hard, then slow down the last two steps so you can see the ball into the glove. Field it on the left foot, throw off the right.
Players field a rolled ground ball, then work the feet toward first base before the throw: right foot replaces the left, step with the left, throw. Start without a ball and just do the footwork on a clap, then add rolled balls and a target at first.
Coaching points
Feet first, then the throw. Get the back foot turned so the hips face the target before the arm comes through.
Pitchers partner up at a short distance and work through a four stage warm up: wrist snaps, K position throws, windmill arm circles with the feet still, then full motion from a flamingo balance on the drive leg. Ten reps of each before any full speed pitching.
Coaching points
Snap the wrist on every stage, even the easy ones. Build the motion one piece at a time and do not skip to full speed.
Break the windmill motion into its phases: the pre motion setup, the leg drive off the rubber, the hip opening at release, and the finish. Pitchers work each phase on its own for five reps, then put the whole motion together at half speed and finally full speed.
Coaching points
Drive with the legs and open the hips, then close them as you release. Keep the arm loose; the power comes from the lower half.
Pitchers start on the rubber with both feet set, the ball and glove together, and eyes on the target. Walk them through the setup, then have each pitcher step into her stance, rock, and deliver ten easy pitches to a catcher or a fence target from a short distance.
Coaching points
Same setup every pitch: feet on the rubber, hands together, eyes on the glove. Calm and still before you start the motion.
Hang a target or tape a square on a fence or net at strike zone height. Each pitcher throws sets of ten at the target from her normal distance and counts her hits. Change the target location between sets so she learns to hit both corners and down in the zone.
Coaching points
Pick the exact spot you want and look at it through the whole motion. Accuracy first, then speed.
Gather the pitchers and watch the clip together, then have each pitcher throw ten pitches focusing on the one thing she picked out: a strong leg drive, a tall posture, or a loose arm circle. The catcher gives one word of feedback after each pitch.
Coaching points
Long stride, tall body, and a fast, relaxed arm. Drive off the rubber and let the legs do the work.
Walk the team around the bases naming each one and showing which foot and which corner of the base to touch. Then have players run from home through first, round first to second, and finish by circling all the bases while the coach watches for the proper path. Run it as a two line relay to keep it fun.
Coaching points
Run through first base, round the others with a small turn toward the outfield, and touch the inside corner of every base.
Split the team into two groups, one at home and one at second base. On go, the first player in each line runs the bases to the next station and tags the next runner, continuing until everyone has run. Repeat with the coach calling out which base to stop on.
Coaching points
Hustle out of the box every time and listen for the coach. Touch every base; a missed base is an out.
Videos are linked, not hosted, and belong to USA Softball and Little League. Drill write-ups are by Cheat Code Coaching. Durations are what we run them at with a youth team; adjust for your group.
Run these drills with a timer on the field.
Every drill here is already in the Cheat Code Teams Practice Builder for Youth Softball. Drag them into a plan, tap Start practice, and the clock, the whistle and the next drill are on your phone and your lock screen.