10U Coaches Guide
Develop reliable softball fundamentals and help players make decisions with greater independence. Build game awareness, communication, and confidence through purposeful practice and clear coaching.to softball. Learn the game, develop basic motor skills, build confidence, and have fun. Introduce fundamentals through short, active repetitions and simple demonstrations.
What to Teach
Use these goals to strengthen fundamentals and help players recognize the situation before the ball is hit.
Hitting
Reinforce stance, load, stride, and swing mechanics. Practice recognizing pitch location and speed changes, understanding the strike zone, and working counts. Introduce a two-strike approach, bunting, and situational hitting, including how to move a runner.
Throwing
Develop accurate throws over increasing distances, controlled footwork, and an efficient catch-to-throw transition. Teach players to choose their target before throwing. Introduce throws while moving and longer-throw mechanics as players are ready.
Fielding
Build consistency with routine ground balls, fly balls, slow rollers, and movement to either side. Teach players to adjust their position for the hitter and runners, identify the likely play, and follow through with the chosen throw.
Team defense
Introduce first-and-third responsibilities, double-play basics, cutoffs, relays, backups, and rundowns. Use walkthroughs before adding game speed. Make sure each player understands her responsibility and communicates with teammates.
Baserunning
Practice legal lead timing, stealing, tagging up, reading the ball, taking an extra base, and sliding through supervised instruction. Teach responses to passed balls and wild pitches, along with running decisions when there are two outs. Follow the current 10U rules.
Pitching
Build repeatable mechanics, strike throwing, fastball location, and changeup fundamentals with appropriate instruction. Introduce count awareness and basic pitch selection. Include fielding the position and covering bases. Emphasize command and mechanics before velocity.
Catching
Develop receiving, blocking, framing fundamentals, and throwing mechanics. Introduce throws to bases, fielding bunts, and responsibilities at home plate. Encourage clear communication with the pitcher and infield.
Softball IQ
Before each pitch, identify the count, outs, runners, likely play, and backup responsibilities. Ask players what they see before giving them the answer. Confirm how current 10U rules apply before teaching dropped-third-strike, infield-fly, or stealing-home situations.
Coaching Notes
First practice priorities
Start by checking throwing and catching, fielding footwork, and swing setup. Use consistent demonstrations and short coaching cues. Add a simple runner-and-outs situation so players begin naming their play before the ball arrives.
What progress looks like
Look for players preparing before the pitch, calling fly balls, choosing a target, and backing up without repeated reminders. Ask players to explain the purpose of a bunt, a lead, or a relay position. Reward sound decisions and technique even when the play is not completed.
Building toward 12U
Build toward reliable catch-and-throw execution, accurate infield throws, and increasingly consistent ground-ball and fly-ball plays. Develop a purposeful approach to live pitching, basic bunting, confident baserunning, and communication. Players should increasingly recognize the situation and choose a play before receiving the ball.
Drills & Demonstrations
Open a drill for its setup, teaching cues, and links to free softball instruction.
Hitting approach and pitch recognition
Time: 10–15 minutes. Equipment: Helmets, bats, softballs, a tee, and a clear hitting area.
How to run it: Begin with a short hitting progression to reinforce setup and swing mechanics. Then give each hitter a small set of controlled pitches with a simple count or hitting goal. Ask the hitter to explain her swing-or-take decision. Include a two-strike round and rotate hitters and fielders.
What to look for: A repeatable setup, recognition of hittable pitches, a committed swing, and small adjustments between repetitions.
Free swing instruction: 4 Youth Softball Hitting Drills — Matt Lisle
Bunting introduction
**Time:** 8–10 minutes. **Equipment:** Helmets, bats, softballs, and cones.
**How to run it:** Demonstrate the instructor’s setup, then work one hitter at a time with controlled coach deliveries. Use short sets and clear waiting boundaries. Add a placement target once players can manage the basic skill.
What to look for: Following the demonstrated setup, tracking the pitch, making controlled contact, and understanding why a bunt fits the situation.
Free video: Beginner Bunting — Aubree Munro, USA Softball
Partner target throws
Time: 6–10 minutes. Equipment: Gloves, softballs, and cones.
How to run it: Pair players in separate throwing lanes at a comfortable distance. Have the receiver show a target and signal that she’s ready. Practice catching, setting the feet toward the partner, and making an accurate return throw. Gradually increase distance as players maintain control.
What to look for: A ready receiver, secure catches, balanced footwork, and throws the partner can catch without moving far from the target.
Free video: Teaching Beginner Throws — Megan Rembielak
Field and choose a base
Time: 8–10 minutes. Equipment: Gloves, softballs, cones, and bases.
How to run it: Start with a ground ball and a throw to first. Then give the fielder a situation, such as one out and a runner on first. Before you roll the ball, have her call which base she plans to throw to and why. Rotate fielders and receivers. Add slow rollers or balls to either side once players handle routine plays.
What to look for: A ready position before the roll, controlled footwork, a clean pickup, and an accurate throw to the chosen base. Ask the player to explain her decision even if the throw misses.
Free videos: How to Field a Groundball — Megan Rembielak
Track and call the ball
Time:6–8 minutes. Equipment: Softer balls, gloves, and cones.
How to run it: Start with gentle tosses and one player in each clear lane. Have players track the ball and call “Mine.” Add movement and shared coverage once players can track and call the ball on their own.
What to look for: Players find the ball early, move under control, call it clearly, and reset after a miss.
Free video: Beginner Fly Balls — Michelle Moultrie, USA Softball
Beginning pitching progression
Time: Short, focused sets. Equipment: Softballs and a target or a catcher in properly fitted gear.
How to run it: Choose one beginner drill and demonstrate it. Start at a comfortable distance in a clear lane. Use one cue for the motion and one target to throw toward. Give interested pitchers regular turns.
What to look for: A motion the player can repeat, pitches moving toward the target, and a calm reset after a miss.
Free videos: Two Beginner Softball Pitching Drills — Coach D Rubin
Catching foundations
Time: 8–10 minutes. Equipment: Properly fitted catcher’s gear, softballs, and a supervised receiving area.
How to run it: Pick one beginner receiving or blocking drill from the video. Use short sets at a comfortable pace and give one cue at a time. Finish each rep with a controlled return throw.
What to look for: A balanced setup, eyes tracking the pitch, and a controlled return to the pitcher.
Free video: Jen Schro Catching Workout
Sample Practice
90-minute sample practice
0–5 min: Share the practice goal and complete a movement warm-up.
5–15 min: Progress through partner throwing and catching. Reinforce footwork, target selection, and controlled transfers.
15–45 min: Rotate through three 10-minute stations: hitting or bunting, ground-ball movement and throws, and tracking and calling fly balls.
45–55 min: Practice throwing and receiving with cutoff and relay communication. Have players identify their target and responsibility.
55–80 min: Work through team situations using controlled live hitting and baserunning under current 10U rules. Include force-versus-tag decisions, backing up, and coverage responsibilities.
80–90 min: Ask players to explain one decision they made. Identify one improvement and the next practice focus, then clean up.
Station setup: Assign an adult to each active station. Run fewer stations if you’re short on help, and keep waiting players clear of swings and throws.
Division Rules & Guidelines
Use the league’s current 10U rules during games. These skill goals and practice progressions support development; proposed rule changes are handled separately.
