Warm Up Plan
Two players lead the stretching, normal types of stretches.  Next they start on one knee and are about 10 yards apart. They throw about 10 each from this position.

Next they take 5 big steps back and stand for the next 10 throws each.  They continue this one more time before they take the big 15 steps back for a nice easy 5 “long toss” each.  This is our warm up.

Fielding Footwork Drill/Conditioning
Groups of 3, one in the middle and one on each side facing the player in the middle.  They only need about 5 feet in between them.

The player on one side will roll a ball to the player in the middle and he/she reacts to it (concentrating on extending their gloves and staying low).

The player catches the ball using the correct techniques and underhands it back to the throwing player.  The player on the other side does the same thing causing the middle player to move quickly and react to a ball that may not be exactly where they’d expect it.

The three players continue this drill until the middle player has done 20 to each player, this is a very fast paced drill.

VARIATION:  Another way to do this drill or another variation would be for the middle player to shuffle back and forth in front of two other players still rolling the ball forward and the player using the proper technique and tossing it back to the throwing player.

These drills allow players to see other players closely and help correct any errors in their work.  Also, make it a competition, two teams against each other or even a tournament!  Great stuff!

Catching Drill for Outfielders
Basically you can do this drill a couple of ways.
Put your first girl in left field position and the rest of girls on left field foul line. Have coach with bucket of balls halfway between pitcher’s mound and home plate.
Say “go” and first girl does crossover step heading for left center.
Coach throws ball in gap and girl runs, CALLS IT, catches it then drops it down and keeps on running to center.

Coach throws ball to center, then keeps running to right and catches ball in right, all the while never stopping from left to right.
Next she stays on right field line, then the next girl comes up to left field position and she does the drill.

Once all girls are done from the left they come back the opposite way.

This is a great drill for chasing balls in the gap, and endurance. My girls love this drill!!

VARIATION: You can mix it up by having three people throwing ball to girls and they go one right after another.

Fly Ball Pop-Up Drill
We begin with one ball and the kids run away from where I am standing.  I throw a pop up or fly ball that they have to run underneath and catch.
It teaches them that they can often reach balls that they wouldn’t normally believe they could reach.
After they go through the drill a few times, we add a ball.

This time they run straight out and catch the fly ball, but then they turn toward their glove side and sprint across the field where I throw another ball they have to catch running sideways.

This drill can even add a third ball.  After they catch the second ball, they drop one of them and sprint out away from me again, and I hit them with a Hail Mary they have to position themselves under.

It is great for confidence in going after popups/flyballs and it also is a great conditioning drill.  They don’t even realize it is conditioning because it is so much fun.

Red Rover Drill
Split the team into 2 equally skilled teams.
Set out 2 cones 15-20′ apart and then 2 more cones 40′ away, again 15-20′ apart.
Spread the girls out between the cones evenly.

Now you have 2 lines of players in between the cones facing one another.

Give 1 team a ball and they begin throwing grounders at the opposing team.

If a grounder gets through the opposing line then the girl who missed the ball is out.

If 2 or more girls go for and miss the ball then the throwing team chooses which one is out!

We play until 1 team is eliminated.  The losing team usually has to run (added incentive to try harder).

Relay Drill
Line up from one of the lines with three girls stretched out across the diamond about 50 -75 feet apart.

Make throws like a relay from outfield.
Have three or four groups go at once, to make it a race.
Make sure girls make good throws and pivot the proper way to make next throw.

This drill speeds up cut offs and turning the proper way as well as the speed it is done, while making it fun for the girls.

To throw a twist onto the drill make the last place team do 5 pushups, to push them a little harder.

Tag Out Drill
This is a drill targetted to get the players to throw the ball to the proper location for a tag out – NOT a force out.

Set up a 55 gallon trash can (laid down horizontally with the mouth open to the players) at 3rd base and home.

Infielders will throw the ball from their position into the mouth of the can.

This is practiced with infield and outfielders. (Outfielders may hit the cutoff man and then she turns and throws into the can).

This gets the throwers throwing the ball in the correct vicinity for the player to quickly apply the tag.

Gloveless Fielding Drill
4 positions (1st, 2nd, S.Stop, and 3rd)
1 coach on the infield grass facing 3rd and short, 1 coach on the infield grass facing 1st and 2nd. The players do not use their gloves for the first half of this drill.

The coach will throw ground balls to the fielders and they must field them without their gloves. This forces them into proper position because without their gloves its actually harder to “side scoop” or “sweep” the ball. It also forces them to use two hands to clamp down on the ball.

First we start out with moderately paced grounders straight at the players and gradually increase the speed and move the ball to both sides to get them to move their feet into proper fielding position.

After we have gone through several times with hard grounders to both sides then we allow them to put on their gloves and we go through it again several times.

Then the coaches back off and use a bat to hit the grounders. This progression should help get the players to think about the correct position when approaching the ball.

Statue Throwing Drill
When you call out “Statue”, all of the kids are supposed to become statues in the throwing position with the proper grip.  Because they are “frozen”, it allows coaches an opportunity to check grips and body form carefully.

As you are checking for these things, the game for the coach is to try and make the player laugh (making funny faces, saying funny things, etc.) and become a “non-statue”, one player at a time, spending 10-15 seconds trying to make each kid laugh.

The best “statue” wins that round.  The kids love the aspect of trying not to laugh, and the “freeze frame” gives the coach enough peace to note what aspects need work.  Several rounds in a row are easily workable.

Running 1 through 4
Two lines down at home plate.
First line in the right-hand batters box.
Second line about 10 feet or so toward 1st base and off the foul line.

When prompted, a runner from each line takes off.

The line in the batters box runs through 1st and breaks down.
The other line rounds 1st and heads into 2nd.

When prompted, now 4 runners take off.

Runner at 1st goes to 3rd (picking up coach).
Runner at 2nd goes home (switching lines after getting home).
2 lines at home still the same.

Now bases are full and we’ll have 5 running with the next two at home.

Ensure the runners switch lines after reaching home, so they will now have different routes/situations to run.

1st Base Speed Drill

Two runners at home plate
At the crack of the coach’s bat they run full speed to first base (racing).
One goes through the base.
The other turns towards 2nd.

This drill develops the speed it takes to get though 1st base & turn towards 2nd. There should be little change in speed (no slowing down before getting to base). The degree of getting on 1st is literally fractions of a second.

Crossfire
Another speed drill for throwing hard and accurately on the infield.

4 lines of players on 1st, 2nd, SS, & 3rd.
Two coaches hitting (or throwing) ball from home plate.
Coach hits to 3rd where they field the ball and throw “quickly” to 2nd base (playing in the middle between 1st & 2nd) then both players move to back of the line.
Another coach hits to SS where they field the ball and “quickly” to 1st base then both players move to the back of the line.

The key is speed and hard and  accurate throws.

The Palm Drill
Start with groups of three to four players with their gloves off, across from you about 15 feet away.
The players are to be in an athletic position with the glove hand out in front as if they are going to receive the ball. With the palm of their glove hand facing down and fingers spread, toss the ball at the player and their only goal is to tap the ball straight down to the ground with the Palm of the glove hand.

Progress to the next step, only when the first is mastered, and introduce the throwing hand. Literally have the player tap the ball into the throwing hand, not catching the ball, but tapping the ball into the throwing hand.

There should be two soft sounds: the first is the ball hitting the glove hand, and the second is the ball falling into the throwing hand.

Progress to the next step and do the same as above but add the foot work to get them into a throwing position.

I have used this drill extensively for 8 year olds to increase coordination and all the way to 16 year olds to induce accurate hand speed and positioning of the hands to receive the ball around the bags or during relays.