Run a 45-minute practice in three parts. Open with a throwing warmup, rotate three stations every 8 minutes, and close with live at-bats or a quick game. Lean on three drills first: close-range throwing, coach-on-a-knee or tee hitting, and alligator-hands fielding.

Kids this age want movement and small wins.

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TL;DR:

  • Build every practice from throwing progressions, two-hand fielding, and layered hitting.
  • Rotate three stations every 8 minutes so nobody stands in line.
  • Put the L-screen about 25 to 30 feet in front of home plate, and put a helmet on every hitter for every swing.
  • Map the season: fundamentals first, simple situations in the middle, game speed at the end.
  • Keep instructions short and rotate players every practice.

Table of Contents

What Does a Coach Pitch Practice Plan Look Like?

Nobody should wait in line for long. The Coach-Pitch & Machine-Pitch Coaches Manual tells coaches to plan ahead and change drills every few minutes so kids stay engaged.

Here’s a run sheet you can use tonight:

  1. Throwing warmup (10 minutes). Partner catch at 15 feet for 10 clean throws, then step back to 30 feet.
  2. Station rotation (24 minutes, 8 per station). Station A is tee hitting or a coach pitching from a knee behind an L-screen. Station B is ground balls and alligator hands. Station C is throwing relays and target games.
  3. Live finish (10 minutes). Real at-bats with a coach pitching, or a quick game to 21.

Two helpers make this work. One runs hitting behind the screen, and the other floats between fielding and throwing. If you’re short a helper, merge fielding and throwing into one longer station and add five minutes to the finish.

Little League’s Coach-Pitch 12-Week Program puts the L-screen about 25 to 30 feet in front of home plate. Coaches pitch from a knee behind it so hitters see the ball clearly.

Core Throwing and Partner Catch Drills for Coach Pitch Players

Throwing touches every other part of the game. It’s also the skill most volunteer coaches under-teach, so keep the progression simple: start close, get reps, then step back. Veo’s youth coaching tips follow the same idea of building skills at the right age.

  • Start at 15 feet with a four-seam grip and a step toward the target.
  • Move to about 25 feet and watch the elbow.
  • Finish at your league’s game distance.
  • Teach two-hand catches: thumb to thumb above the waist, pinky to pinky below it.
  • End with a relay race between two lines that rewards accuracy over speed.

Correct with one word. “Elbow.” “Step.” “Target.”

Pro Tip: When a throwing drill falls apart, shrink the distance instead of adding words. Missing at 25 feet? Try 15.

Our baseball throwing drills guide has more variations for this age group.

Hitting Drills: Coach on Knee and Tee Work

Hitting at this age is mostly about tracking the ball. Pair a coach pitching from a knee behind the screen with tee work, so hitters see a moving ball and a still one in the same session.

  • Coach pitches from a knee, 8 to 10 pitches per hitter, then rotate.
  • Waiting hitters take five tee swings each, working on a level path.
  • Soft toss from the side for kids ready for more movement.
  • Mix tee, soft toss, and live pitches so timing comes after mechanics.

More contact comes from more swings. A wiffle ball game where every kid bats twice per inning beats most structured drills for total swings in 10 minutes.

Close with a short team batting game where nobody hits twice until everyone hits once.

Fielding Drills: Ground Balls, Alligator Hands, and Beginner Pickles

Fielding starts with hands. In alligator hands, the glove goes down like an open mouth and the top hand snaps shut on the ball, which builds the two-hand catch. Pair it with short ground ball relays so everybody fields instead of watching.

Rundowns belong here too, in a simple form. Set bases or cones 20 to 30 feet apart with one runner and two fielders, and aim for the tag in one or two throws, as the BaseballMonkey pickle drill guide suggests. Skip backup rotations, because two fielders and a runner is enough complexity for this age group.

Fielding drillSetup distanceSuccess metric
Alligator hands10 to 15 feet, coach rolls ballBall secured with two hands
Ground ball relayTwo lines, 15 to 20 feet apartClean transfer, accurate throw
Beginner two-line pickle20 to 30 feet between basesTag in two throws or fewer

Base Running and Situational Game Work

Base running gets less practice time than anything else, and games still turn on it all season. The habit to install first is running through first base.

  1. Run through first (5 minutes). Sprint through the bag without slowing down, five reps each.
  2. Merry-go-round (5 minutes). Jog the bases in order, practicing where to look and when to round.
  3. Advance decisions (5 minutes). Hit or throw a ball to the outfield and let the runner decide whether to go.
  4. Situational scrimmage (10 minutes). A game to 21 or live at-bats, coaching decisions in the moment.

Don’t freeze the scrimmage. Let the play finish, then give one short correction before the next batter.

The 12-Week Coach Pitch Progression

A season goes faster than week one suggests. Little League builds its coach pitch program over 12 weeks, and a rough map keeps you from cramming everything into the last three practices.

  • Weeks 1 to 3: grip, throwing to two-hand targets, running through first, tee work.
  • Weeks 4 to 8: simple situations, relay throws, beginner rundowns, fly balls.
  • Weeks 9 to 12: game-speed reps, outfield relays, live rundowns, and a fun final week of scrimmages.
PhaseWeeksPrimary focus
Foundation1 to 3Grip, catch, run through first, tee swing
Build4 to 8Situations, relays, rundowns, fly balls
Game speed9 to 12Live reps, outfield throws, scrimmage, reflection

Some hitters outgrow coach pitch mid-season. Our guide to coach pitch versus kid pitch explains what changes and when the jump makes sense.

Equipment, Setup, and Safety Checklist

Safety comes down to a few repeatable habits. The L-screen matters most, so place it before every hitting station and pitch from a knee behind it.

  • L-screen, placed and checked before every hitting station.
  • Helmets on for every swing, tee work included.
  • Cones for stations and base markers.
  • Extra bats and balls so nothing stalls a station.
  • A first aid kit within reach of whoever runs the field.
ItemWhy it matters
L-screenProtects the pitching coach
HelmetsEvery hitter, every rep
ConesMarks stations and base paths
First aid kitHandles scrapes and bumps fast

Our youth baseball gear guide covers what’s worth buying and what to skip.

Short Cues and Parent Coach Scripts That Actually Work

Good coaching here sounds almost too simple. Keep each instruction under 30 seconds, and when a drill isn’t working, make the task easier instead of explaining longer.

  • Before practice: “We’re throwing, hitting, and fielding today. Everybody gets a turn at everything.”
  • Mid-drill: “Glove down. Try again.”
  • After practice: “You all worked hard today. See you Thursday.”

Rotate positions and batting order every practice. Watch for the quiet kid at the back of every line, because burnout at this age looks like checking out, not complaining.

Pro Tip: Talking for more than 30 seconds? Stop, say the one-word cue, and let them try again right away while it’s fresh.

Coach’s Printable Setup Sheet

Screenshot this before your next practice:

  • Warmup: 10 minutes, partner catch, 15 to 30 feet.
  • Stations: three, 8 minutes each: hitting, fielding, throwing.
  • Finish: 10 minutes, live at-bats or a game to 21.
  • Pack: L-screen, helmets, cones, extra balls, first aid kit.
  • Short on helpers? Merge fielding and throwing.
  • Short on players? Run two stations at 12 minutes each.
Time blockFocus
0 to 10 minThrowing warmup
10 to 34 minThree-station rotation
34 to 45 minLive at-bats or game to 21

For the very first practice of the season, use our First Practice Plan.

A Parent Coach’s Honest Take on Coach Pitch Practice

Perfect mechanics can wait. What matters is whether a kid wants to come back next week, and that depends on how much they moved and how often they won something small. Stations beat a single line because they multiply reps and cut standing time.

Run the plan as written for a few weeks. Once it feels automatic, swap in the stage of the progression your team actually needs.

Plan Your Whole Season With Parent Coach Desk

Scattered drill videos aren’t a season. Parentcoachdesk puts age-specific practice plans, gear advice, and parent-coach scripts in one place.

Coaching 7 to 9 year olds? Our Coaching 7–9 Year Olds guide covers what to prioritize at this stage and why many coaches call it the golden age for building skill. If you film practice to review swings later, these tips on filming youth sports help you catch the action.

Sources