Nine- and ten-year-old fastpitch players can do a lot more than they could a year ago. They can catch a firm throw, track a pop-up and hit a ball that's actually moving. What they can't do is stand in a line for ten minutes. These drills keep the glove, the bat and the legs busy.
The best 10U softball drills are short, busy and scored: a tee and front-toss hitting circuit, glove-down rolls, four corners throwing, run-through-first races and a small-sided game. Run them in groups of three or four, rotate every 8 to 10 minutes, and finish with a competition.
Train it: 46/60 Coach Playbook ($59) → Free: Free Softball Practice Plans →Which hitting drills work for 10U softball?
At 10U, most hitters are seeing real pitching for the first time. Give them lots of swings at three speeds: still ball, slow ball, game ball.
- Tee, middle-in-away: 5 swings with the tee middle, 5 with it moved toward the hands, 5 with it moved away. The hitter's job is a line drive back through the middle.
- Front toss behind a screen: a coach on one knee behind a protective screen, about 15 to 20 feet away, tossing underhand. Use soft or foam balls if you have them. Sets of 8.
- Two-strike battle: every hitter starts with two strikes. Put the ball in play and you stay up. It teaches a short, ready swing without a lecture.
On the tee, Coach BK puts it this way: "Get on the backside of one, baby!" For a 10-year-old, it means put the barrel behind the ball and drive through the back of it, not chop down on top.
Helmets on for every swing and every toss. Keep the hitting station pointed away from everyone else.
Fielding and throwing drills for 9- and 10-year-olds
- Glove-down rolls: partners 15 feet apart, rolling grounders. Fingers down, catch it out in front, two hands. 10 each, then roll them a step to the left and right.
- Four corners: four players on a small square, short overhand throws around it, then reverse. Count catches in a row as a group.
- Call it, catch it: a coach tosses a high ball between two fielders. One yells "Ball, ball, ball," the other peels away. The ball doesn't count unless somebody called it.
- Target throws: partners throw at a chest-high target. Step at the target, throw, follow through. Five hits and the pair backs up five feet.
Warm up the arm first and keep distances short early in the season. If a player's arm hurts, she stops for the day.
Baserunning drills that fit fastpitch
- Run through first: hit off a tee, run hard through the front of the bag, eyes on the base, then look right for an overthrow.
- Round and read: runner rounds first on a coach's clap and either goes or gets back, based on the coach's arm.
- Leave on time: fastpitch rules on when a runner can leave the base vary by league and division. Check your league's rules, then practice exactly that.
Ten minutes of baserunning, with every girl running, beats twenty minutes of one runner and eleven watchers.
Fun 10U softball drills: three games that compete
Little League's coaching tips say kids keep score anyway, so turn drills into contests and run several at once so nobody waits. These three do that.
- Base-path relay: two teams, one at home and one at second. Each runner circles the bases and tags the next. Miss a bag and you go back and touch it.
- Four corners race: two squares side by side. First square to 20 clean catches without a drop wins.
- 4-on-4-on-4: split 12 players into three squads. One hits, two play defense, the coach pitches, and you keep score so every at-bat counts.
When a ball gets barreled in the game, say it out loud: "Ball — powdered." For a 10-year-old, that sound is the goal. Chase the sound, not a pretty swing.
A 75-minute 10U softball practice
| Minutes | Block | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10 | Warm-up and catch | Jog, arm circles, progressive catch |
| 10–25 | Fielding and throwing | Glove-down rolls, four corners, call it |
| 25–45 | Hitting circuit | Tee, front toss, two-strike battle; rotate |
| 45–55 | Baserunning | Run through first, round and read |
| 55–70 | Game | 4-on-4-on-4 or the base-path relay |
| 70–75 | Water and recap | Two good plays, one thing to practice |
Pitchers and catchers need their own time with an adult who knows how to teach them, and catchers wear full gear. Check your league's rules for pitching limits. Water breaks go in every block, and more of them when it's hot.
The free softball practice plans print this kind of schedule for you. If you coach the team, the 46/60 Coach Playbook gives you the cues and fixes for each drill.
One thing to remember
Small groups, a score and a game at the end will teach a 10U team more than one long line ever will.
What to do this week
Pick one drill from each section and run the 75-minute plan once. Write the score of the four corners race on a card and try to beat it next practice.
Parent questions
What skills should a 10U softball player work on?
Catching and throwing, fielding grounders and pop-ups, hitting a moving ball and running the bases hard. Most 10U games are decided by who catches and throws the ball.
How long should 10U softball practice be?
About 75 to 90 minutes works for most 10U teams. Keep each drill to 8 to 10 minutes and end with a game.
How do I make softball practice fun for 9-year-olds?
Keep everyone moving, keep score and finish with a game. Small groups and short drills keep kids from standing around.
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Sources: Little League University: Remember to Bring the Fun to Team Workouts · Little League University: Keep Practices Fresh by Including Intrasquad Scrimmages