Softball Drills for Kids

To teach children softball skills, you need to have a large repertoire of drills. Softball games and game simulations just don't allow enough ball time per player for significant skill advancement in throwing, catching, hitting and running. Drills are also useful in actual game situations. Practiced in between innings, drills will keep your team warmed up, focused and ready for the next play.

  1. Infield Backup

    • Arrange a fielding lineup for the infield. Assign one to three base runners to keep the situation changing. (Make sure runners wear helmets.) Players should be talking to each other about where the play is. Hit fly balls and grounders to the players. For each hit, almost every player should be doing something: Fielders back each other up, pitchers back up the catcher for throws home, the catcher backs up the first baseman for throws to first. Rotate players to give them practice at all infield positions.

    Outfield Backup

    • You will need five or six players for this drill. Arrange outfielders in a pyramidlike shape. Place three or four players in the outfield and two players significantly ahead of them to represent the infield. Hit fly balls and grounders. Outfielders back up each other and the infielders. For balls to the outfield, one infielder plays cutoff, and the other player backs her up. For each ball hit, almost everyone takes part in the action. Rotate positions so all players get a chance to practice each role.

    Bases Loaded

    • Before running this drill, discuss with players various tactics for a bases-loaded situation. Then set up the infield, load the bases with runners and have one runner represent the batter. Runners will take off as you hit infield balls to the other players. As one player fields the ball, the others will practice covering the appropriate base. Periodically ask players to analyze their performance or to suggest what could have been done differently.

    Catch, Throw, Run

    • Divide the team into four groups. Give each group a ball and ask them to line up at a different base. Blow a whistle to begin the drill. The first player in each line throws the ball to the next base. Once the player catches the ball, she must quickly throw it to the next base before sprinting forward. Make sure players run slightly off the baseline to keep from getting hit. At the next base, the player goes to the back of the line. Blow the whistle every time a player drops the ball. Before the drill, specify how many rounds you expect the team to go without anyone dropping a ball. If necessary, use a rotating "box" of sidelined players to keep the drill moving fast. This conditioning drill teaches players to throw quickly and accurately. It also provides a great opportunity for team building: Inevitably, most of the players will drop the ball at some point, and the whole team will have to start over.