At-home softball drills for 14 year olds and older: outfield

A free sample week of softball for 14 year olds and older

Session 1

Outfield: Catcher Throw-Down 15 minutes

Warm-up: easy jog, skips and arm circles · 3 min
Start slow and build up. Loosen up; nothing should hurt.
Catcher Throw-Down · 5 min
Quick feet, quick ball. 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. Count your throws; stop at 10 hard throws.
Repeat Run Intervals · 5 min
Same pace every rep. Safety: Bring water, go at a pace where you can still talk, and stop if you feel dizzy, sick or have chest pain.
Cool-down: walk and easy stretches · 2 min
Breathe slowly and hold each stretch about 20 seconds, never to pain.

Session 2

Outfield: Read the Outfielder 15 minutes

Warm-up: easy jog, skips and arm circles · 3 min
Start slow and build up. Loosen up; nothing should hurt.
Read the Outfielder · 5 min
Glance and decide. Safety: Warm up first and rest fully between runs. Stop if a muscle feels tight. On hot days drink water and rest in the shade, and stop if you feel dizzy or get a headache. If you hear thunder, go inside.
Catcher Throw-Down · 5 min
Quick feet, quick ball. 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. Count your throws; stop at 10 hard throws.
Cool-down: walk and easy stretches · 2 min
Breathe slowly and hold each stretch about 20 seconds, never to pain.

Session 3

Outfield: Towel-Resisted Starts 15 minutes

Warm-up: easy jog, skips and arm circles · 3 min
Start slow and build up. Loosen up; nothing should hurt.
Towel-Resisted Starts · 5 min
Low and long. Safety: Warm up first and rest fully between runs. Stop if a muscle feels tight. On hot days drink water and rest in the shade, and stop if you feel dizzy or get a headache. If you hear thunder, go inside. The partner pulls lightly and lets go smoothly.
Plank Shoulder Taps · 5 min
Hips still as a table. Safety: Keep breathing and stop when your hips sag or your back aches.
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

Catcher Throw-Down

Ages 14 and up · 12 min

Catchers come up quickly with short footwork and throw to second on a line.

Squat as if a runner is on first.
Catch the pitch, bring the ball to your ear as your feet move under you.
Throw on a line to second base.
Make 10 throws and rest between groups of 5.

Coach's cue: Quick feet, quick ball.

Bring: full catcher's gear, softballs, partner at second base

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. Count your throws; stop at 10 hard throws.

Repeat Run Intervals

Ages 13 and up · 20 min

Short, strong runs with equal rest, like the stop-start effort of most games.

Warm up for 5 minutes.
Run hard but controlled for 60 seconds.
Walk or jog slowly for 60 seconds.
Do 6 to 8 reps; stop early if your pace falls apart.

Coach's cue: Same pace every rep.

Bring: field or track, stopwatch

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

Read the Outfielder

Ages 14 and up · 12 min

Decide whether to take an extra base from where the outfielder fields the ball.

The coach hits or throws balls to the outfield.
Run from first; look at the outfielder as you reach second.
Go to third if the outfielder is moving away or behind the ball.
Do 10 runs.

Coach's cue: Glance and decide.

Bring: bases, gloves, softballs, coach

Safety: Warm up first and rest fully between runs. Stop if a muscle feels tight. On hot days drink water and rest in the shade, and stop if you feel dizzy or get a headache. If you hear thunder, go inside.

Towel-Resisted Starts

Ages 14 and up · 10 min

Drive against light resistance, then sprint free to train your first three steps.

Your partner holds a towel around your waist from behind.
Drive forward for 5 steps against light pull.
Your partner lets go; sprint 10 more yards.
Do 6 reps with full rest.

Coach's cue: Low and long.

Bring: towel, partner

Safety: Warm up first and rest fully between runs. Stop if a muscle feels tight. On hot days drink water and rest in the shade, and stop if you feel dizzy or get a headache. If you hear thunder, go inside. The partner pulls lightly and lets go smoothly.

Plank Shoulder Taps

Ages 13 and up · 6 min

In a high plank, tap each shoulder with the opposite hand without letting the hips rock.

Hold a push-up position with feet a little apart.
Lift one hand to tap the opposite shoulder.
Keep the hips still.
Do 3 sets of 10 taps.

Coach's cue: Hips still as a table.

Bring: mat

Safety: Keep breathing and stop when your hips sag or your back aches.

Safety for ages 14 and up

Plans for this age group use beginner, developing and advanced 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)