Free drill library · Softball

At-home softball drills for 7 to 10 year olds: infield

This is a free sample week of at-home softball training for 7 to 10 year olds, for a infield: 3 of the 7 plans SSTracker has for this group, each 12 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 7 to 10 year olds

Session 1

Infield: Wall Rebound Fielding 12 minutes

  1. Warm-up: easy jog, skips and arm circles · 2 min
    Start slow and build up. Loosen up; nothing should hurt.
  2. Wall Rebound Fielding · 4 min
    Glove down early. Safety: Use a soft ball and a clear wall with nothing breakable nearby.
  3. Traffic Light Start-and-Stop · 4 min
    Fast feet, soft stops. Safety: Run on flat, clear, non-slip ground with plenty of room to slow down. Stop if anything hurts.
  4. Cool-down: walk and easy stretches · 2 min
    Breathe slowly and hold each stretch about 20 seconds, never to pain.

Session 2

Infield: Ground Ball Fundamentals 12 minutes

  1. Warm-up: easy jog, skips and arm circles · 2 min
    Start slow and build up. Loosen up; nothing should hurt.
  2. Ground Ball Fundamentals · 4 min
    Butt down, glove down, watch it into the glove.
  3. Follow the Leader Jog · 4 min
    Keep moving, have fun. Safety: Bring water, go at a pace where you can still talk, and stop if you feel dizzy, sick or have chest pain.
  4. Cool-down: walk and easy stretches · 2 min
    Breathe slowly and hold each stretch about 20 seconds, never to pain.

Session 3

Infield: Ready and Shuffle 12 minutes

  1. Warm-up: easy jog, skips and arm circles · 2 min
    Start slow and build up. Loosen up; nothing should hurt.
  2. Ready and Shuffle · 4 min
    Hop, ready, shuffle. Safety: Use a soft training ball until catching with a glove is easy for you.
  3. Shadow Step Tag · 4 min
    Quick little steps, then go! Safety: Play on soft, clear ground away from roads and hard edges. Tag gently with a hand on the arm or back.
  4. 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

Wall Rebound Fielding

Ages 7 and up · 10 min

Practice ground balls by yourself off a wall.

  1. Stand 15 feet from a wall.
  2. Throw the ball low so it rolls back to you.
  3. Get low and field it with two hands.
  4. Do 3 sets of 15.

Coach's cue: Glove down early.

Bring: glove, rubber or soft ball, wall

Safety: Use a soft ball and a clear wall with nothing breakable nearby.

Traffic Light Start-and-Stop

Ages 5 to 10 · 8 min

A grown-up calls green and red: run fast on green and stop under control on red. Builds quick starts and safe stops.

  1. Line up at one end of the yard; the caller stands at the other.
  2. On "green" run fast toward the caller.
  3. On "red" stop and freeze with soft knees.
  4. Reach the caller, then walk back and play again.

Coach's cue: Fast feet, soft stops.

Bring: open space

Safety: Run on flat, clear, non-slip ground with plenty of room to slow down. Stop if anything hurts.

Ground Ball Fundamentals

Ages 7 and up · 12 min

Field ground balls with a low body and two soft hands.

  1. Start in an athletic stance with your glove low.
  2. Field the ball out front with two hands.
  3. Bring it to your belly, then step and throw.
  4. Do 20 reps, then switch with your partner.

Coach's cue: Butt down, glove down, watch it into the glove.

Bring: glove, softball, partner

Follow the Leader Jog

Ages 5 to 10 · 10 min

Take turns leading a jog around the yard or park with skips, side steps and silly walks mixed in.

  1. Pick a leader; everyone follows in a line.
  2. The leader changes the movement every 30 seconds.
  3. Swap leaders every 2 minutes.
  4. Keep going for 8 to 10 minutes with walking breaks.

Coach's cue: Keep moving, have fun.

Bring: open space or park

Safety: Bring water, go at a pace where you can still talk, and stop if you feel dizzy, sick or have chest pain.

Ready and Shuffle

Ages 7 and up · 8 min

Get into your ready position as the pitch is thrown, then shuffle to the ball.

  1. On "pitch", take a small hop into your ready position.
  2. Your partner rolls the ball to your left or right.
  3. Shuffle without crossing your feet and field it in front.
  4. Do 20 reps.

Coach's cue: Hop, ready, shuffle.

Bring: glove, soft ball, partner

Safety: Use a soft training ball until catching with a glove is easy for you.

Shadow Step Tag

Ages 5 to 10 · 8 min

A chasing game for a sunny day: try to step on your partner's shadow while they run and dodge to keep it safe.

  1. Pick a clear, sunny space with soft ground.
  2. One person chases and tries to step on the other's shadow.
  3. Swap roles every time someone is caught or every 30 seconds.
  4. Rest and drink after every three rounds.

Coach's cue: Quick little steps, then go!

Bring: sunny yard or open space

Safety: Play on soft, clear ground away from roads and hard edges. Tag gently with a hand on the arm or back.

Safety for ages 7 to 10

  • Plans for this age group use beginner 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)

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