Baseball and T-ball practice plan for 10 and 11 year olds (60 minutes)

⚾ Baseball and T-ball · ages 10–11 · 60 minutes · 12 players · 6 balls

1. 0:008 min

   Warm-up Warm-up

   Jog on the spot, Arm circles, Skipping, Gallop. About a minute each, easy first, then a little bigger.

2. 0:0812 min

   Drill Alligator ground balls

   X playerO partner or defender— run- - pass∿ dribble

   Set up. Partners six steps apart. One rolls ground balls to the other. Gear: a ball a pair, gloves. With your players that is 6 groups of about 2.

   1. Feet wide, bottom down, glove open on the ground in front.
   2. The ball goes into the glove and the other hand closes on top like an alligator's mouth.
   3. Bring it up to your belly, then roll it back.
   4. Ten, then swap.

   Say: “Down early” · “Glove on the grass” · “Alligator snap”

   Easier: A big soft ball and no glove: two hands only. Harder: Rolls to the side, so the fielder shuffles first.

3. 0:2012 min

   Drill Relay throw line

   Set up. Groups of three in a straight line, eight steps apart, every group side by side. Gear: a ball a group, gloves. With your players that is 4 groups of about 3.

   1. The end player throws to the middle.
   2. The middle player turns to the glove side and throws on to the far end.
   3. Then back the other way.
   4. Swap the middle player each minute.

   Say: “Turn glove side” · “Hands up for it” · “Throw to the chest”

   Easier: Closer, and roll the ball between the players. Harder: Count how many times the ball goes end to end in a minute, and beat the group's own number.

4. 0:322 min

   Water Water break

   Everybody drinks, in the shade if there is some.

5. 0:3412 min

   Drill Step and throw

   Set up. Partners face each other in two lines, close to start: four steps for the youngest, eight for the oldest. Gear: a ball a pair, gloves, soft balls for the youngest. With your players that is 6 groups of about 2.

   1. Point your glove side at your partner.
   2. Step toward them with your glove-side foot, throw, and follow through.
   3. The catcher shows a target with the glove by the chest.
   4. Ten good catches, then one step back.

   Say: “Point and step” · “Throw to the chest” · “Two hands catch”

   Easier: Throw underhand with a soft ball, and catch with two hands and no glove. Harder: Catch and throw quickly, counting how many in thirty seconds without a drop.

6. 0:4610 min

   Game Coach-pitch rotation game

   Set up. A grown-up pitches to every batter. Fielders take positions; the batting team waits behind the fence. Gear: bats, balls, helmets, bases.

   1. Five pitches each; on the fifth, hit off the tee if you have not yet put it in play.
   2. Bat through the whole order every inning, so nobody sits out.
   3. Fielders move to the next position every inning (the lineup maker can rotate them).
   4. Score it on paper, or not at all.

   Say: “Ready before the pitch” · “Know where to throw” · “Hustle on and off”

   Easier: The tee from the first pitch. Harder: Three outs end the inning, but the order keeps going from where it stopped.

7. 0:564 min

   Cool-down Cool-down

   Reach for your toes, Butterfly, Calf stretch. About a minute each, easy first, then a little bigger.

Every plan here has a water break, two in practices over an hour (our rule). On hot days the CDC says to drink more water than usual without waiting to be thirsty, to start slowly and build up, and to practice when it is cooler. cdc.gov: Heat and Athletes. Head knocks and concussion: read CDC HEADS UP, the CDC's page for coaches and parents. cdc.gov/heads-up