Working with younger players requires fast-paced and, most important, fun drills. Use these youth softball drills with your younger players to give them the foundation they need.
T-Ball Baserunning Drill
I try to make a big deal about the base running at the t-ball level so we aren’t embarrassed at our games when the kids don’t know where to run.
At the beginning and the end of every practice we all line up at home plate and the first player takes off. When they reach first base then I tap the next player on the back and they take off.
Every now and then we’ll tell certain players to stop at a particular base. We are trying to get them used to hearing from base coaches and following direction. This also gets everyone loose for practice.
At the end of practice we ask the players if they think they can beat the coaches around the bases, they all say “yes” and we go last, they win and we give prizes away at the end of every practice.
It seems to make them cheer for each other and get the whole team concept going for these little ones. It is also a lot of fun!!
Sliding Drill
Another of my favorite drills is to line up the players in 2, 3, or 4 groups and set up a place for them to slide.
I use giant pieces of cardboard (get them at the grocery store as vendors have tons of cardboard they throw away all the time) or a parachute to slide on.
I have a coach toss a ball as the kids run and slide on the cardboard and try to make a sliding catch. I make it a game and see which group gets to 10 catches first.
Kids love this contest and it is a heck of a-lot of fun!