At 11 and 12, the strike zone gets smaller in a hurry. Hitters stop chasing, and a fastball down the middle comes back harder than it went in. Here's how I'd build a 12U pitcher's week, starting with where the ball goes.
The best 12U softball pitching drills build command first: hitting inside and outside spots with the fastball, then adding a change-up thrown with the same arm speed. Move back to the new pitching distance a few feet at a time, follow your league's pitching rules, and plan two rest days a week.
Train it: Command & Composure (Level 2 Pitching) → Free: Free Softball Practice Plans →Why command comes before speed at 12U
Here's the deal. A 12-year-old who can put the ball on the outside corner when she wants to is tougher to hit than one who throws hard down the middle. Speed comes with growth and a clean motion. Command comes from reps at a target.
So every fastpitch bullpen at this age starts with spots, not radar guns. "Exactness." For a 12U pitcher, that means she names the spot before every pitch, and you tell her honestly whether she hit it.
12U command drills: inside, outside, down
Catcher in a helmet or mask, glove set on the spot before each pitch.
- Glove-side, arm-side (10 pitches): five to the glove-side corner, five to the arm-side corner. A hit is the ball arriving within one glove-width of the target.
- Low strike (5 pitches): glove at the batter's knees. Ball above the belt counts as a miss, even if it's a strike.
- Call it, then throw it (5 pitches): she calls "in" or "out" out loud, then throws. You score it.
- Chart it: write spots hit out of 20. Same drills next session, same chart.
If she misses three in a row to one side, stop and do five wrist snaps at 15 feet. Then come back.
How to teach a 12U pitcher a change-up
Add a change-up once her fastball goes to the glove side and the arm side most of the time. The rule that matters most: same arm speed and same motion as the fastball. If she slows her body down, the hitter sees it coming.
- Step 1, pick a grip: try a back-flip change (fastball grip, back of the hand faces the catcher at release) or a knuckle change (pointer knuckle pressed flat on the ball). Let her try both for a week, then keep one.
- Step 2, snaps at 15 feet: 10 change-up wrist snaps. Look for a slower ball with very little spin.
- Step 3, half circles, then full: five of each at short distance with a full-speed arm. Slow ball, fast arm.
- Step 4, mix it in: one change-up for every three fastballs, aimed low.
Expect a few ugly weeks. A change-up is a whole new pitch. Save spins and movement pitches for later, with a qualified pitching coach.
Moving back in distance, workload and rest
Many leagues move the pitching distance back at 12U, but the exact number depends on your league and level. Check your league's rules, and read our guide to softball pitching distance by age.
Don't jump straight to the new line. Start a few feet short and move back two feet a week once she hits 6 of 10 spots there. Drop back up if her motion falls apart.
Workload rules come from your league first. In Little League Softball's Minor and Major divisions, a pitcher can throw up to 12 innings in a day, and 7 or more innings means one calendar day of rest. The STOP Sports Injuries sheet from AOSSM lists 65 pitches per game for ages 10 to 12, no more than two days of pitching in a row for girls under 12, and two rest days with no live pitching. Count bullpens too, and stop for any pain.
A sample 12U softball bullpen (about 45 pitches)
| Part | Distance | Pitches | Goal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warm-up and easy catch | 30 to 40 feet | 0 | Loose arm |
| Wrist snaps and half circles | 15 to 20 feet | 10 | Backspin, brush at the hip |
| Command drills | Game distance | 20 | Spots hit out of 20 |
| Change-ups | A few feet short | 10 | Slow ball, fast arm |
| Pressure finish | Game distance | 5 | Two-strike pitch on her call |
Two bullpens like this a week, not on back-to-back days, plus games, is plenty for most 12U pitchers. "Less is more." For an 11- or 12-year-old, that means a sharp 45 beats a tired 90.
Print the bullpen from our free softball practice plans. When she wants a guided month, Command & Composure is our 16-session Level 2 pitching program for baseball and softball, built around target control, routines and smart workload.
One thing to remember
At 12U, hit the spot first, add one slow pitch with a fast arm, and protect the rest days.
What to do this week
Run the 45-pitch bullpen twice with a rest day between. Chart spots hit out of 20 both times, and let her try both change-up grips at 15 feet.
Parent questions
When should a softball pitcher learn a change-up?
Once her fastball goes where she aims most of the time, often around 11 or 12. Keep the arm speed the same as the fastball and expect it to take a while.
How many pitches should a 12-year-old softball pitcher throw?
Follow your league's rules first. Sports medicine guidelines from AOSSM list 65 pitches per game for ages 10 to 12, with two rest days a week.
Should my 12U pitcher learn a rise ball or drop ball?
Not yet for most. Build fastball command and a change-up first, then learn movement pitches from a qualified pitching coach.
SEE COMMAND & COMPOSURE (LEVEL 2 PITCHING) →
Sources: Little League: Regular Season Pitching Rules (Softball, Regulation VI) · STOP Sports Injuries (AOSSM): 2026 Softball Injury Prevention tip sheet · Fastpitch News: Change-up tips for beginners