At-home softball drills for 11 to 13 year olds

This is a free sample week of at-home softball training for 11 to 13 year olds: 3 of the 7 plans SSTracker has for this group, each 14 minutes, with every step and minute. Nothing here is written for this page alone; it is what the app gives a family.

Everything here can be done in a room, garage or yard. Drills that need a team are left out; a parent can be the partner in a pair drill.

A free sample week of softball for 11 to 13 year olds

Session 1

Arm: Long Toss Build-Up 14 minutes

Warm-up: easy jog, skips and arm circles · 2 min
Start slow and build up. Loosen up; nothing should hurt.
Long Toss Build-Up · 5 min
Throw on a line through your partner. Safety: Warm up first and stop if your shoulder or elbow hurts. Follow your league throw limits.
Catcher Stance and Soft Receiving · 5 min
Relaxed mitt, stick it. Safety: Wear full catcher's gear (helmet with mask, throat guard, chest protector and shin guards, plus a cup for boys) whenever a ball is thrown to you. A chest protector that meets NOCSAE ND200 is recommended.
Cool-down: walk and easy stretches · 2 min
Breathe slowly and hold each stretch about 20 seconds, never to pain.

Session 2

Fielding: Catcher Stance and Soft Receiving 14 minutes

Warm-up: easy jog, skips and arm circles · 2 min
Start slow and build up. Loosen up; nothing should hurt.
Catcher Stance and Soft Receiving · 5 min
Relaxed mitt, stick it. Safety: Wear full catcher's gear (helmet with mask, throat guard, chest protector and shin guards, plus a cup for boys) whenever a ball is thrown to you. A chest protector that meets NOCSAE ND200 is recommended.
Broad Jump and Hold · 5 min
Swing, jump, stick. Safety: Land softly on grass or a mat, knees over toes, never caving in. Keep the number of jumps low. Stop if knees, shins or ankles hurt.
Cool-down: walk and easy stretches · 2 min
Breathe slowly and hold each stretch about 20 seconds, never to pain.

Session 3

Power: Broad Jump and Hold 14 minutes

Warm-up: easy jog, skips and arm circles · 2 min
Start slow and build up. Loosen up; nothing should hurt.
Broad Jump and Hold · 5 min
Swing, jump, stick. Safety: Land softly on grass or a mat, knees over toes, never caving in. Keep the number of jumps low. Stop if knees, shins or ankles hurt.
Arm Care Band Circuit · 5 min
Light band, slow reps. Safety: Use a light band only. This is not a strength test.
Cool-down: walk and easy stretches · 2 min
Breathe slowly and hold each stretch about 20 seconds, never to pain.

Want the rest of the plan?

This sample is 3 of the 7 softball plans SSTracker has for this group. In SSTracker every step is on the screen, your child logs the work, and you see it. No club needed: the family plan is $7.50 a month per player, or $12 a month for the whole household, and the first 14 days are free.

Get the full plan free for 14 days Coach or club director? Set up your team free Print a free week for another sport or age

The drills in this week

Long Toss Build-Up

Ages 11 and up · 15 min

Stretch out your throwing distance gradually to build arm strength.

Start at 30 feet and make 5 easy throws.
Move back 15 feet and make 5 more; repeat while throws stay on a line.
Come back in the same steps.
Stop at about 35 total throws.

Coach's cue: Throw on a line through your partner.

Bring: glove, ball, partner

Safety: Warm up first and stop if your shoulder or elbow hurts. Follow your league throw limits.

Catcher Stance and Soft Receiving

Ages 11 and up · 12 min

Learn a steady catcher's squat and catch each pitch quietly in the strike zone.

Squat with feet wider than your shoulders and your mitt relaxed out front.
Your partner pitches easy from a short distance.
Catch the ball and hold the mitt still for one second.
Do 30 catches.

Coach's cue: Relaxed mitt, stick it.

Bring: catcher's mitt, full catcher's gear, softballs, partner

Safety: Wear full catcher's gear (helmet with mask, throat guard, chest protector and shin guards, plus a cup for boys) whenever a ball is thrown to you. A chest protector that meets NOCSAE ND200 is recommended.

Broad Jump and Hold

Ages 10 to 14 · 10 min

Jump forward as far as you can with control and hold the landing. Distance only counts if you stick it.

Stand with toes at a line.
Swing your arms back, then forward as you jump out.
Land on both feet and hold for 2 seconds without stepping.
Do 3 sets of 3 with full rest; note your best stuck jump.

Coach's cue: Swing, jump, stick.

Bring: soft ground, tape measure (optional)

Safety: Land softly on grass or a mat, knees over toes, never caving in. Keep the number of jumps low. Stop if knees, shins or ankles hurt.

Arm Care Band Circuit

Ages 11 and up · 8 min

A short band routine to keep the small muscles of your shoulder strong.

Do 10 band pull-aparts.
With your elbow at your side, do 10 outward turns on each arm.
Do 10 straight-arm pulls down to your hips.
Finish with 10 slow arm circles each way.

Coach's cue: Light band, slow reps.

Bring: light resistance band

Safety: Use a light band only. This is not a strength test.

Safety for ages 11 to 13

Plans for this age group use beginner and developing drills only. Advanced drills open from age 13 in the app.
Home plans use only drills for a room, garage or yard. Stop if anything hurts.

Before you start: softball

Batting helmet with a face guard whenever anyone pitches or tosses to you.
A fielder face mask is wise for pitchers and corner infielders; catchers wear full gear.
Count every pitch, including practice and bullpen. Windmill pitching still causes overuse injuries.
Rest after a big pitching day; play another position on rest days, and stop if the shoulder, elbow or back hurts.
Spin pitches like the rise ball wait until about 13, with a pitching coach.
Slide feet first. Head-first slides are not allowed in Little League Major and below.

For every sport and age (7)

Head knock or concussion signs (headache, dizziness, confusion, feeling "off"): when in doubt, sit them out. See a doctor, and no return the same day.
Back to sport only with a doctor's written OK, after a step-by-step return. Every U.S. state has a youth concussion law.
Heat: drink water before, during and after. Take shade breaks, ease into hot weather over about two weeks, and stop if dizzy, sick or headachy.
Lightning: if you hear thunder or see lightning, go inside a building or a closed car. Wait 30 minutes after the last thunder (the 30-30 rule).
Pain is a stop sign, not something to push through. Stop and tell a grown-up; pain that lasts or comes back each session needs a doctor.
Water and rest are part of training: 1-2 rest days a week, plenty of sleep, a meal or snack before and after, and other sports welcome.
Know where the nearest AED (heart defibrillator) is, and who calls for help in an emergency.

The research behind these plans

Which drills are shown at which age, and the safety notes, follow the 27 sources below: national governing bodies, medical associations and studies on youth sport (last reviewed October 2026). Where no study gives an exact number, the plans use cautious defaults, and we change them as the research does.

Softball: governing bodies, safety and development (7)

Youth athletic development and safety (20)