At 10U, the windmill shows up for real. The pitcher is a kid now, the ball is quicker, and some pitches are wild. The swing she built off the tee still works. What changes is WHEN she starts it.
The best 10U softball hitting drills train timing against windmill pitching: start the load as the pitcher's arm circles, see faster speeds from a safe screen or machine, and practice a two-strike plan. Take 40 to 50 swings a session, about a third off the tee and the rest moving.
Train it: Complete Contact Builder (Level 2 Hitting) → Free: Free Softball Practice Plans →What changes for a 10U hitter?
Most 9- and 10-year-olds can repeat a good swing off the tee and hit firm front toss. What most can't do yet is start on time against a real pitcher. They wait, see the ball, then start. By then it's in the catcher's mitt.
Little League Softball's Minor League division lists a 35-foot pitching distance and can use coach, machine or player pitch. Your league may differ, so check your league's rules. Either way, the ball gets there faster than coach pitch ever did.
Expect lots of walks and some wild pitches this year. That's normal at 10U. She still needs to be ready to hit every single pitch until it shows her it's a ball.
How do I teach a 10U hitter to be on time?
She syncs with the pitcher's arm, not the ball. Here's the order I want her to learn.
- Step 1, top of the circle: when the pitcher's arm goes up over her head, the hitter starts a small load, a little weight into the back leg.
- Step 2, arm coming down: the front foot goes down softly, toes first. Eyes go to the pitcher's hip, where the ball comes out.
- Step 3, ball out: she decides. Strike, swing. Not a strike, hold.
If she's late, the fix is start sooner, not swing harder. A ball fouled weakly the other way or a swing after the catch tells you she's late.
Four 10U softball hitting drills
- Shadow Circles: a parent does a full, slow windmill with no ball, 20 feet away. She loads at the top and lands as the arm comes down, then freezes. 10 reps. Then speed the arm up for 10 more.
- Windmill Front Toss: an adult behind a protective screen does a small arm circle and tosses underhand on the same rhythm. Wiffle or soft balls. 3 rounds of 8. Score a point for every foot that's down before the toss arrives.
- Step-Up Speed: on a pitching machine fed by an adult, start at a speed she hits easily. After 5 good contacts, bump it up one notch. Two misses in a row, go back one notch. 20 to 25 swings. Helmet on, every swing.
- Two-Strike Plan: she chokes up about an inch and gets a touch wider with her feet, so the swing gets shorter. The toss gets mixed: some strikes, some just off the plate. Swing at anything close, foul off the tough ones. 2 rounds of 8.
Another of my 3 A's of hitting is Aggressive, because "I've never seen a really good passive hitter." For a 10-year-old, that means she goes up there ready to swing at the first good strike, not hoping for a walk.
How many swings, and what mix, at 10U?
| Type | Share | Swings per session | What it builds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tee | About a third | 15 | The swing itself, three heights |
| Front toss | About a third | 15–20 | Timing to an arm circle |
| Machine or live kid pitch | About a third | 10–15 | Seeing game speed |
That's 40 to 50 swings in 15 to 20 minutes, 3 or 4 days a week. Team practice counts. When swings get sloppy, she's done for the day.
Keep the machine and screen work with an adult in charge, and keep waiting hitters behind the screen. Our free softball practice plans slot these drills into a 10U team practice.
What should her two-strike plan be?
- Choke up: about an inch. A shorter bat is a quicker bat.
- Widen out: feet a touch wider, so there's less movement to time.
- Protect the plate: anything close, she swings. A foul ball is a win.
- Aim up the middle: back at the pitcher, not pulling for the fence.
Want four weeks of timing work planned out? Our Complete Contact Builder is part of the $25/month 46/60 Academy membership: 16 short parent-guided sessions for ages 7–12, baseball and fastpitch softball. Lesson 1 is free.
One thing to remember
At 10U, being on time starts with the pitcher's arm, not the ball.
What to do this week
Do 10 Shadow Circles every day this week, slow then fast. On two days, add 3 rounds of Windmill Front Toss and finish with one round of the Two-Strike Plan.
Parent questions
Why is my 10-year-old always late on fastpitch?
Usually she starts her load when she sees the ball, which is too late. Have her start when the pitcher's arm goes up over the top, and do Shadow Circles until it feels normal.
Is it OK for a 10U hitter to take pitches?
Take the bad ones, yes. But she should go up ready to swing at the first good strike, because kid pitchers walk a lot of hitters and the ones who wait for walks rarely learn to hit.
How fast should the pitching machine be for 10U softball?
Start where she makes solid contact, then move it up a notch after five good swings. Check your league's rules for the pitching distance so practice matches games.
SEE COMPLETE CONTACT BUILDER (LEVEL 2 HITTING) →
Sources: Little League: Softball Divisions (Minor League pitching format and distance)