Baseball & Softball · Eight-week curriculum

8-Week Beginner Baseball/Softball Season

1. Week 1: Ready positions and first throws

   The season opens with athletic stances, staged throwing, and a live decision game so day one feels like baseball.

   Core skills: Athletic ready position, Step-and-throw mechanics, Catching with two hands

   Full printable plan: First Baseball/Softball Practice: 60 Minutes, Ages 7-8

   Practice 1 · 60 min

   First Practice: Gloves and Names

   Ready positions, safe catch habits, and every arm assessed gently.

   0-10	Arrival glove checks and playground catch while names get learned
   10-24	Partner throwing progression from kneeling wrist snaps up
   24-38	Ready position mirror with first-step bursts
   38-52	Alligator ground ball introductions with soft rollers
   52-60	Team relay race, huddle, cheer

   This mirrors the full printable plan above; run week one slower than feels right.

   Practice 2 · 60 min

   Catch School

   Receiving the ball: two hands, thumbs together above, pinkies together below.

   0-10	Self-toss catches: players flip and catch their own soft balls
   10-26	Partner throwing at short honest distances
   26-40	Throwing accuracy target game against the fence
   40-54	Four-corner catch and move at walking pace
   54-60	Freeze-tag with gloves on, huddle

   Soft or reduced-injury balls all week; confidence built now pays the whole season.

   Practice 3 · 60 min

   Play Ball Sampler

   A taste of everything: a little fielding, a little hitting, a lot of running.

   0-10	Ready-position warmup with silly coach signals
   10-25	Alligator rollers in small groups
   25-40	Tee contact station: everyone hits, everyone shags
   40-55	Home-to-first sprint-throughs with wild cheering
   55-60	Base race relay, huddle

   Rotation speed is the whole art here: no station longer than 15 minutes, no line longer than 3 kids.

   Review before moving on: Does every player start sideways and step to the target?; Did the practice end with smiles and a game?

   Optional home activity: Twenty throws against a wall or with a family member, starting sideways every time.

   Coach reflection: Which player needs a confidence win next week, and how will you build it?

2. Week 2: Throwing and catching as the main event

   Catch play graduates from warmup to centerpiece: distance ladders, moving catches, and short hops.

   Core skills: Throwing accuracy at distance, Catching on the move, Soft hands on short hops

   Full printable plan: Throwing and Catching Practice: 60 Minutes, Ages 7-8

   Practice 1 · 60 min

   Throw and Catch, The Main Event

   Full throwing mechanics: grip, power position, step to the target.

   0-10	Arrival playground catch with assigned partners
   10-26	Partner throwing progression, all three stages
   26-40	Throwing accuracy targets with team scoring
   40-54	Four-corner catch and move at real pace
   54-60	Relay race finale, huddle

   The full printable plan above carries this session; the one-direction throwing law rules the field.

   Practice 2 · 60 min

   Quick Hands

   The transfer: glove to hand to throw, faster every week.

   0-10	Warmup catch with two-hand receiving graded
   10-26	Quick-hands transfer races in pairs
   26-42	Four-corner catch with transfer speed emphasis
   42-55	Accuracy game: transfers feeding target throws
   55-60	Fastest-hands championship, huddle

   Quality throws beat rushed ones; the races expose it and your narration seals it.

   Practice 3 · 60 min

   Arms and Legs Day

   Throwing volume balanced with baserunning sprints to rest young arms.

   0-10	Partner throwing warmup, short distances
   10-24	Home-to-first sprint-throughs with the stopwatch
   24-38	Throwing accuracy targets, arms fresh from the rest
   38-52	Rounding bases technique with the banana path
   52-60	Team base-race relay, huddle

   Alternate arm blocks with leg blocks all season; arms are the budget every practice spends.

   Review before moving on: Do mechanics hold when distance increases?; Is every catch preceded by a name call or a target?

   Optional home activity: Short-hop tosses against a step or curb, ten glove-side, ten backhand.

   Coach reflection: How much of practice was players moving versus waiting?

3. Week 3: Ground balls: the funnel

   The fielding foundation arrives: glove on the dirt, funnel to the belly, feet replace to throw.

   Core skills: Fielding triangle, Funnel and secure, Feet to the target

   Full printable plan: Ground-Ball Practice: 75 Minutes, Ages 9-10

   Practice 1 · 75 min

   The Funnel

   Ground balls fielded out front and funneled to the belly, connected to the throw.

   0-10	Catch warmup and ready-position review
   10-30	Funnel stations with coached feeds
   30-48	Alligator review for the newer fielders alongside
   48-65	Funnel into a real throw to a target base
   65-75	Ground-ball gauntlet game, huddle

   The full printable plan above is this session; glove out front is the only correction all day.

   Practice 2 · 75 min

   Charging and Short Hops

   Attacking the ball: slow rollers charged and short hops met bravely.

   0-10	Catch warmup with quick transfers
   10-30	Charging slow rollers with the do-or-die footwork
   30-50	Short-hop partner station with soft announced feeds
   50-66	Mixed rollers: coach alternates charges and hops unannounced
   66-75	Fielding champion round, huddle

   GO GET THE HOP is the week's motto; fear drains through volume and soft feeds.

   Practice 3 · 75 min

   Infield Factory

   Station rotation session: ground balls in every flavor with throws attached.

   0-10	Ready-position and creep-step warmup
   10-28	Station 1: funnel feeds
   28-46	Station 2: charging rollers
   46-64	Station 3: transfer races feeding target throws
   64-75	Force-out decision game to finish

   Coach the parent feeders first at every station; the feeds are the session.

   Review before moving on: Does the glove start on the dirt and work up?; Are fielders moving through the ball or waiting on their heels?

   Optional home activity: Twenty self-rolled ground balls against a wall, freezing the funnel each time.

   Coach reflection: What did your rollers (parents or players) need to learn to make reps useful?

4. Week 4: Range: glove side and backhand

   Fielders leave the comfort of straight-on balls: crossover steps, backhand reads, and honest range.

   Core skills: Crossover first step, Backhand fundamentals, Choosing the read

   Full printable plan: Ground-Ball Practice: 75 Minutes, Ages 9-10

   Practice 1 · 75 min

   Both Sides of the Glove

   Range work: glove-side and backhand ground balls in equal, deliberate doses.

   0-10	Catch warmup and funnel review
   10-32	Glove-side and backhand station, announced sides
   32-50	Mixed-side feeds, unannounced
   50-66	Short-hop review on both sides
   66-75	Range-champion round, huddle

   The full printable plan above carries the session; equal reps both sides is the law.

   Practice 2 · 75 min

   Positions and Plays

   Where fielders stand and where the ball goes: the infield map plus force outs.

   0-10	Catch warmup by position pairs
   10-30	Infield positions walkthrough with rotations
   30-50	Force-out decision game, situations announced
   50-66	Live grounders from positions with the play called first
   66-75	Situational quiz round, huddle

   WHERE IS THE PLAY before every roll; the answer spoken aloud is the learning.

   Practice 3 · 75 min

   Fly Ball Friday

   The outfield gets its day: drop steps, priority calls, and brave tracking.

   0-10	Catch warmup with high arcing throws
   10-30	Drop-step progression, no ball then tossed flies
   30-50	Fly ball priority calls: MINE rules the sky
   50-66	Crow-hop throws back to the infield
   66-75	Outfield champion round, huddle

   First step back, always; the panic backpedal retires this week or never.

   Review before moving on: Has the side shuffle been replaced by a crossover on wide balls?; Do players call their read (AROUND or BACKHAND) out loud?

   Optional home activity: Shadow footwork: ten crossover steps each direction, no ball needed.

   Coach reflection: Which fielder improved most since week 3, and what drove it?

5. Week 5: Hitting off the tee and front toss

   Bats arrive in stations: contact points at the tee, line drives against a scoring zone, safety systems throughout.

   Core skills: Contact points by pitch location, Level swing path, Line-drive intent

   Full printable plan: Hitting Stations Practice: 75 Minutes, Ages 9-10

   Practice 1 · 75 min

   Hitting Stations

   Swing volume with structure: tee contact points, soft toss, and front toss.

   0-10	Shadow swings and swing-path mirror warmup
   10-30	Tee station: three contact points
   30-50	Soft toss station with screened tossers
   50-68	Front-toss line-drive challenge
   68-75	Line-drive leaderboard, huddle

   This is the full printable plan above; one swing thought per hitter, repeated at every station.

   Practice 2 · 75 min

   Bat and Ball Basics

   The swing rebuilt from stance to contact for every hitter individually.

   0-12	Swing-path mirror with the coach walking the line
   12-34	Tee work: middle contact point only, quality graded
   34-54	Soft toss with the day's single correction applied
   54-68	Fielding stations run alongside for waiting groups
   68-75	Best-swing showcase, huddle

   Eight to twelve focused swings per turn beats fifty mindless hacks; guard the count.

   Practice 3 · 75 min

   Hit and Run Day

   Hitting connected to running: contact, sprint through first, round the bases.

   0-10	Shadow swing warmup and base-path walk
   10-30	Front toss with a sprint-through on the last swing
   30-48	Home-to-first sprint-throughs, stopwatch running
   48-66	Rounding bases: the banana path to second
   66-75	Hit-and-run relay game, huddle

   The bat-drop habit gets built here: bat down, sprint, no exceptions and no tosses.

   Review before moving on: Can hitters name where the inside pitch gets hit versus the outside pitch?; Did the station rotation keep every group busy the whole block?

   Optional home activity: Twenty dry swings checking the finish position in a mirror or window reflection.

   Coach reflection: Were your safety lanes airtight during hitting, and what needs tightening?

6. Week 6: Baserunning reads

   Runners learn the three reads (ground go, line freeze, fly halfway) and apply them live.

   Core skills: Ground-ball read, Line-drive freeze, Fly-ball halfway

   Full printable plan: Baserunning and Team Defense Practice: 75 Minutes, Ages 9-10

   Practice 1 · 75 min

   Baserunning Reads

   The first step decides outs: down means go, liner means freeze.

   0-10	Sprint-through warmup
   10-32	First-step baserunning reads off coach's tosses
   32-50	Rounding bases with reads attached
   50-66	Reads with live fielders and real gloves
   66-75	Baserunning gauntlet game, huddle

   The full printable plan above carries this session; celebrate correct freezes loudest.

   Practice 2 · 75 min

   Defense Answers Back

   Fielders vs runners: the defense practices making the reads expensive.

   0-10	Ready position and creep-step warmup
   10-30	Force-out decisions with runners moving
   30-50	Charging rollers with a live runner racing the throw
   50-66	Fly ball priority calls with tagging runners
   66-75	Runners-versus-fielders scoreboard game, huddle

   Every rep has a winner now; keep the matchups fair and the scoreboard loud.

   Practice 3 · 75 min

   Small Diamond Games

   Compressed scrimmage formats where reads and throws happen constantly.

   0-10	Catch and transfer warmup
   10-32	Situational scrimmage with coach pitching
   32-52	Three-base mini-diamond games in two groups
   52-68	Situational scrimmage round two with new situations
   68-75	Huddle: best read and best throw of the day named

   Announce the situation before every pitch and quiz the field; recognition is the curriculum.

   Review before moving on: Can players recite and demonstrate the three reads?; Do runners react to the ball instead of the coach's voice?

   Optional home activity: Quiz a family member on the three reads, then act each one out.

   Coach reflection: How many extra bases did smart running create in your game or scrimmage?

7. Week 7: Team defense: relays and force outs

   Individual skills connect into team plays: relay lines, cutoff calls, and force-out decisions.

   Core skills: Relay mechanics, Loud communication, Force-out decisions

   Full printable plan: Baserunning and Team Defense Practice: 75 Minutes, Ages 9-10

   Practice 1 · 75 min

   Relays and Cutoffs

   Team defense: two good throws beat one heroic heave.

   0-10	Long-catch warmup building arm distance gradually
   10-32	Relay-cutoff lines: hands up, voice loud
   32-50	Crow-hop throws feeding the relay start
   50-66	Relay races: team lines against the clock
   66-75	Force-out game with relays live, huddle

   The full printable plan above carries the session; the cutoff's raised hands fix half of everything.

   Practice 2 · 75 min

   Situations Day

   Game intelligence: outs, runners, and the play called before contact.

   0-10	Positions walkthrough refresher
   10-32	Force-out decision game with growing complexity
   32-52	Fly ball priorities with runners tagging
   52-68	Situational scrimmage, coach narrating the field's answers
   68-75	Situation quiz-show huddle

   Replay any situation the field got wrong immediately; the second attempt is the lesson.

   Practice 3 · 75 min

   Team Defense Under Lights

   Everything assembled: relays, priorities, and force outs inside live innings.

   0-10	Team catch and transfer warmup
   10-30	Relay lines competition
   30-65	Defense-only innings: coach hits, field answers, outs counted
   65-75	Defensive highlight replay, huddle

   Score the defense in outs per inning; a defense with a scoreboard plays like it matters.

   Review before moving on: Do relay players show hands and call for the ball?; Does the defense call the base before the play, together?

   Optional home activity: Explain to someone at home why the relay beats one long throw.

   Coach reflection: Where does your team's defensive communication still go silent?

8. Week 8: The complete player

   The season closes with a balanced session touching every phase, sequenced to protect arms, celebrated like a festival.

   Core skills: All-phase review, Arm care habits, Playing with confidence

   Full printable plan: Balanced Practice: 90 Minutes, Ages 11-12

   Practice 1 · 90 min

   The Balanced Ninety

   Every phase of the season touched: throwing, fielding, hitting, running, defense.

   0-12	Throwing progression warmup
   12-32	Infield stations: funnels and range
   32-52	Hitting stations rotation
   52-70	Baserunning and reads
   70-90	Scrimmage innings, huddle

   This is the full printable plan above; rotations on the whistle keep the math honest.

   Practice 2 · 75 min

   Season Review Olympics

   Eight weeks of skills scored in a station competition players remember.

   0-10	Team warmup catch with season-best throws
   10-26	Event 1: accuracy targets
   26-42	Event 2: transfer races
   42-58	Event 3: line-drive challenge
   58-70	Event 4: sprint-throughs against the watch
   70-75	Medal huddle: every player named

   Rig events so different kids win different rounds; varied champions carry the season's message.

   Practice 3 · 90 min

   The Long Scrimmage

   A real game at last: full innings with situations, relays, and running commentary.

   0-15	Full pregame warmup exactly as games will run it
   15-75	Coach-pitch scrimmage innings with situation announcements
   75-85	Player-requested replay of the day's best play
   85-90	Season celebration huddle

   Narrate connections to the drills all game; hearing WEEK THREE FUNNEL after a clean pick is the payoff.

   Practice 4 · 60 min

   Family Diamond Day

   An optional celebration: players demo their skills and families play the games.

   0-12	Players demonstrate one skill each for the sideline
   12-30	Kids-versus-grownups accuracy contest
   30-50	Mixed family kickball-rules diamond game
   50-60	Awards, photos, last cheer of the season

   One prepared, personal award per player; write them the night before, not in the parking lot.

   Review before moving on: Which week-1 weaknesses are now strengths?; Do players run their own warmup and stations with minimal prompting?

   Optional home activity: Write or draw the season's best play, yours or a teammate's, for the final huddle.

   Coach reflection: What is the first thing you will change about week 1 next season?