Game version
Strike-zone game: aim at target squares on a safe backstop, and a partner marks the zones you hit. Keep to your usual number of pitches.
Towel Drill
Hold a small towel instead of a ball and snap it at a target to learn a long, relaxed finish.
By Coach Evan Waechtler Youth coach (U11, Cache Valley, Utah) and founder of SSTracker Updated October 30, 2026
Set up
Hold a hand towel by one corner like a ball.
Core: Medium. Keep to your usual pitch count and compare only your own accuracy.
- Ages
- 7 and up
- Time
- 8 min
- Players
- Just you
- Space
- Yard or field
- Bring
- Hand towel, cone or chair
- Level · skill
- Beginner · Pitching
The steps
How it works
- Hold a hand towel by one corner like a ball.
- Put a cone or chair about one big step past your stride.
- Go through your motion and snap the towel down onto the cone.
- Do 12 reps; no ball is thrown, so nothing counts toward your pitch total.
Coaching point
Reach out front, finish low.
Safety: Count every pitch. Follow Pitch Smart and Little League: stay under your daily limit (50 at ages 6-8, 75 at 9-10, 85 at 11-12, 95 at 13-16 and 105 at 17-18), take the rest days your count calls for (up to 4 days after a big outing), never pitch three days in a row, do not catch on days you pitch, and stop if anything hurts.
Make it fun
Play it, don't drill it
Challenge
Pick a target: Less (large), Core (medium), More (small). Keep to your usual pitch count and compare only your own accuracy.
Story
You are the starting pitcher painting the corners of the plate.
My best
Beat your own count
Keep to your usual pitch count and compare only your own accuracy. Only your own number counts: today against last time.
Practice makes progress
Print it now, or save it free
Free for families and teams
Save this drill to your child or team, free
Sign up and the free baseball week for this age opens in your child's planner, kept to healthy limits. A coach can send this drill to the whole team as homework, and parents see every session logged.
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An email from you to the coach, with the words ready. Nothing is tracked and nobody is rewarded.