Ready to print. Ready to run. No prep required — grab a plan, show up, and coach.
Use your browser's print button or Ctrl+P to print any plan on one page.
Each plan has a short equipment checklist at the top.
Follow the drill sequence. Coach cues are written for you.
Each plan ends with what "good enough" looks like for this age group.
Light jog around the bases (or cones), then arm circles and wrist shake-outs. Keep it short — this age group doesn't need a long warm-up, just enough to get moving.
By the end of this session, every player should be able to grip the bat with "door-knocking" knuckle alignment without being reminded. It doesn't need to be perfect — it needs to be consistent.
Key Coach Cues:
"Show me your door-knocking fist" · "Fingers, not palms" · "Hold it like an ice cream cone — firm enough it doesn't fall, loose enough you won't crush it"
Show the whole group the grip first. Make your knocking fist, then grip the bat from that position. Have every player copy it without a bat — just their hands in the knocking position. Walk the line and check each player's hands.
5 minPlayers pair up. One grips the bat, the other is the "inspector" — they check if the middle knuckles are roughly aligned. Switch roles after 3 grips each. Kids are surprisingly good at spotting grip errors on others.
8 minEach player grips the bat correctly, then takes 5 slow-motion dry swings (no ball). After each swing, they re-set the grip deliberately — don't let it become automatic yet, we want them thinking about it consciously.
7 minSet up tees. Players grip the bat, get in stance, and hit off the tee. After each hit, coach calls "re-grip" — player steps back, re-grips deliberately, then steps back up. 10 hits per player.
10 minPlayer can grip the bat with knuckle alignment at least 4 out of 5 times when asked to "grip it right" without being shown. They don't need to explain why — they just need to do it consistently.
Shuffle side-to-side, athletic hops, and "freeze!" game — coach calls freeze and checks if players are in an athletic position. Connects directly to today's lesson.
Players finish this session knowing what an athletic, balanced ready stance feels like — and can return to it on command. Shoulder-width feet and bent knees are the two non-negotiables.
Key Coach Cues:
"Feet as wide as your shoulders" · "Soft knees — don't lock 'em" · "Weight on your toes, not your heels" · "Ready to pounce"
Coach demonstrates: feet together (wrong), feet too wide (wrong), feet at shoulder-width (right). Knees locked (wrong) vs. knees bent (right). Players copy each position so they feel the difference.
5 minPlayers get into their stance. Coach gently pushes each player from the front, back, and side. If they stumble, adjust their stance together. When they're stable from all sides, they've got it.
8 minPlayers run in place. Coach yells "Stance!" — players immediately drop into their ready stance and freeze. Coach walks the line, gives quick feedback. Reset and repeat 5 times.
7 minPlayers set their stance at the tee, coach checks it, then player hits. No grip or swing feedback today — today is all about getting into position before the swing. 10 reps per player.
10 minPlayer can drop into a balanced, shoulder-width, bent-knee stance on command without being prompted. They stay balanced when coach gently pushes from any direction.
Walking lunges across the outfield. Connect to the lesson: "Today we're learning the smaller, controlled version of this." Builds the mind-body connection early.
Players can identify and execute a short, controlled stride step that doesn't shift their weight forward prematurely. The goal is 4–6 inch step, landing quietly.
Key Coach Cues:
"Short step — like you don't want to wake anyone up" · "Land quiet" · "Step toward the pitcher" · "Weight stays back 'til you swing"
Coach demonstrates the wrong way (big lunge, weight forward) and the right way (short soft step). Players practice the motion 5 times each without a bat — just the step from their stance position.
5 minPlace a small cone 8 inches in front of each player's front foot. Player must stride without stepping past the cone. If they do, their step is too long. 10 practice strides each, no bat.
8 minPlayer grips bat, gets in stance, strides — then HOLDS the stride position for 3 seconds. Coach checks: weight still back? Front foot soft? Then player completes swing into the tee.
7 minFull sequence: grip → stance → stride → hit. Coach gives feedback only on the stride today. 10 reps per player. Watch for the lunge — use the cone as a reminder if needed.
10 minPlayer consistently strides past their front foot by no more than 6–8 inches and lands quietly. Weight is still on the back foot at the top of the stride before swinging.
Eye tracking warm-up: toss a ball underhand to each player, they must call out the color of a sticker on the ball before catching. Builds the eye-tracking habit for hitting.
Players keep their head still and eyes on the ball through the contact zone. Making contact at all is a win at this age — the focus is on the visual habit of watching the ball, not the mechanics of the swing.
Key Coach Cues:
"See it, hit it" · "Stare a hole in the ball" · "Level swing through" · "Hit it out in front"
Coach demonstrates what head movement looks like (pulling up early) vs. head staying still. Have players watch a ball hit off the tee in slow motion. Ask: "Did the ball spin? Which way?" Gets them focused on watching.
5 minPlayer hits off the tee. After each swing, coach asks immediately: "What did you see?" Player should describe something about the ball — spin, color, whatever. If they can't, the head came up too early. No wrong answers; just builds habit.
8 minCoach kneels 5–6 feet to the side at 45 degrees, tosses underhand into the hitting zone. Player tracks and hits. Vary timing slightly — early toss, normal toss — to force the eye to follow the ball instead of guessing the location.
10 minGrip → stance → stride → contact off the tee. Coach says one cue per swing: rotate through "see it" / "level" / "out in front" so players hear all three cues across the session.
7 minPlayer can confirm they saw the ball at contact on at least 7 of 10 swings. They're swinging level (not a big uppercut) and making contact — imperfect contact still counts.
Hip rotation exercises: hula hoop motion, torso twists, side-to-side rotational steps. This loosens the exact muscles that drive the finish and previews the hip-through cue.
Players complete their swing with high hands, rotated hips, and a balanced finish. A player who finishes correctly has internalized all five techniques — the finish is the proof.
Key Coach Cues:
"Wrap it around" · "Show me your belt buckle" · "High hands" · "Balanced — don't fall over" · "Statue — freeze and hold it!"
Coach shows a proper finish — high hands, hips rotated, balanced on front foot, belt buckle facing "the pitcher." Hold the position while kids look. Then show an incomplete finish (short swing, low hands, falling back) for contrast.
5 minPlayer takes a SLOW swing all the way to finish. Freezes like a statue. Hold for 3 seconds. Coach checks: high hands? Belt buckle toward pitcher? Balanced? Make adjustments while they hold. 5 reps per player.
8 minNow full-speed swings off the tee. After every swing, player must HOLD the finish for 2 seconds before stepping out. Builds the muscle memory of completing the swing, not stopping early.
10 minFull sequence: grip → stance → stride → contact → finish. This is a celebration of the whole curriculum. Coach narrates each step: "Grip check... stance... stride... swing and wrap it around!" 10 reps each.
7 minPlayer consistently finishes with hands above their shoulder on the opposite side, hips rotated so belt buckle faces the pitcher, and balanced — not falling backward or forward. "Wrap it around" produces the right finish without needing additional prompting.
If your team needs a modified plan, a specific drill, or a combined session, reach out. These resources are built around what volunteers actually need.