90-Minute Fielding Fundamentals Practice Plan

Keep everyone on the foul line with gloves on and no balls out yet. Cones mark a jogging lane down and back.

Go: light jog, side shuffle, karaoke, high knees, butt kicks, then 10 arm circles each way. Finish with 3 quick “ready position pops” (coach says “Pitch!” and they drop into athletic stance).

• Cues: “Athletic feet.” “Hands in front.” “See me, then see the ball.”
• Watch for: knees bent and weight on the balls of the feet, not heels.
• Common issue: kids start throwing early. Fix: stop it once, collect balls, and restart with a clear rule: no throwing until paired and you say ‘Go.’

Set 6–8 flat discs in a shallow arc like infield depth. Players spread out on a disc with 8–10 feet between them; you stand in front as the “pitcher.”

On “Pitch!” they do a small hop (or quick heel-toe) into ready position. Then you point left/right and they take two quick shuffle steps and stop balanced.

• Cues: “Small hop, land quiet.” “Nose over toes.” “Move your feet, then your glove.”
• Watch for: first step is quick and they can stop without falling forward.
• Common issue: they cross their feet and trip. Fix: make them exaggerate a wide shuffle—tell them “train tracks, not tightrope.”

Adjustment: if they’re sharp, add a fake (point one way, then the other). If they’re lost, remove the point and just do the hop-and-hold until it’s clean.

Partners 15–20 feet apart, one ball per pair. One partner rolls, the other fields; switch every 5 rolls. Use tennis/safety balls for the first round if needed.

Fielders start in ready position, then work the “triangle”: glove out front, throwing hand near the glove, feet around the ball. After the field, they stand up and make a short throw back.

• Cues: “Glove down early.” “Two hands, squeeze.” “Belly button to the ball.”
• Watch for: they secure the ball with two hands before standing up.
• Common issue: they stab at the ball and it pops. Fix: make them start with glove already touching the ground and roll it slower for 3 reps, then build speed back up.

Keep the throws easy—this is a fielding block, not a throwing contest.

Water fast—be back on the line in 3 minutes. While they drink, you move cones to split the field into an infield lane and an outfield lane.

Give one sentence of the next focus: “Now we’re learning how to get to balls on your glove side and backhand side without reaching and falling.”

Make two lines: forehand line and backhand line. You (or an assistant) roll from 15–25 feet. Put a cone as the starting spot so kids don’t creep too close.

Forehand reps: step to the ball, glove out front, funnel to the middle, short throw to a nearby target. Backhand reps: step across, glove stays down, then funnel to the middle before the throw.

• Cues: “Beat it with your feet.” “Glove out front.” “Field it, funnel it, throw it.”
• Watch for: their feet get them in front of the ball instead of reaching across their body.
• Common issue: backhand turns into a one-hand scoop. Fix: pause the line and do 3 no-throw reps: field and freeze with two hands on the ball at the belly.

Adjustment: if they’re flying, add a “run-through” forehand where they field on the move. If they’re struggling, shorten the roll distance and slow it down.

Outfield group in shallow outfield or grass area. Put 3 cones in a line as starting spots so players aren’t crowding. You toss high underhand fly balls; if you have an assistant, they can toss to a second line.

Teach drop step first: on your point (left/right/back), they open hips and take one drop step, then run. Add the ball after 4–5 dry reps.

• Cues: “First step back!” “Turn and run.” “Call it early—Mine!”
• Watch for: first step is not forward; they’re gaining depth immediately.
• Common issue: two players drift and nobody calls it. Fix: stop and replay the same ball; require the call before the ball starts down.

Keep catches at chest/face height—no diving, no crashing today.

Water and rotate. While they drink, place throw-down bases at 1B and 2B (and 3B if you have it). Put one bucket at each station with exactly one ball out.

Tell them the rotation rule: “When I clap twice, you finish your rep and rotate to the next station.”

Run three stations at 6 minutes each with a 1-minute rotation between them (6-1-6-1-6 = 20 minutes). Blow the whistle at the 5-minute mark of each station: finish the current rep, then rotate. Keep groups small so reps stay high.

• Station 1 (Infield grounders): coach rolls to 3B/SS area. Field, set feet, throw to 1B target (a player at 1B with a big target). Cues: “Right-left-throw.” “Chest to target.”
• Station 2 (Middle infield feeds): short underhand flips from SS/2B range to a player covering 2B (use a throw-down base). Focus on footwork to the bag and two hands. Cues: “Show your hands.” “Catch, step, toss.”
• Station 3 (Outfield to infield): short fly or ground ball to OF, secure it, then throw to a cutoff/target at 2B depth. Receiver turns and points the target. Cues: “Get behind it.” “Crow hop, then throw.”

Watch for: one clean field + one controlled throw per rep. Common issue: kids rush and throw on the run. Fix: require a quick “gather step” before every throw; if they don’t gather, it doesn’t count.

Put a full defense out (or as close as you can). Coach hits/rolls controlled balls—no live runners. Set a cone or spare helmet at first base as your “runner” (or just call it out) so defenders can picture the force play—nobody actually runs. Call the situation out loud before each rep: “Runner at first, one out—where’s the easy out?”

Script the first three reps so nobody guesses: Rep 1—runner on 1st, no outs, grounder to 3B: take the sure out at 1st. Rep 2—runner on 1st, one out, grounder to SS: try 2nd if the field is clean, otherwise 1st. Rep 3—bases empty, fly ball to RF: hit the cutoff at 2B.

Run 6–8 reps total. After each rep, everyone freezes. You point: “Ball goes where?” then release them back to ready spots.

• Cues: “Ready on my ‘Pitch!’” “Get the out you can.” “Loud call—Mine!”
• Watch for: fielders move into ready position before the ball is rolled and the throw goes to a base with a target.
• Common issue: everyone chases the ball. Fix: give two players a job every rep: “You’re backup at first,” “You’re covering second,” and don’t start the rep until they point to their spot.

Bring them in on the foul line with gloves off. Ask two quick questions and get answers: “What’s our ground-ball rule?” (triangle + two hands) and “What do we yell on fly balls?” (“Mine!” early).

Close with one challenge for next time: “Show me ready position on time on every rep—no reminders.”