10U First Practice: Setting the Tone for the Season

I used to show up five minutes before practice started. Big mistake. Now I arrive 30 minutes early to set up stations, organize equipment, and mentally prepare for the chaos that's about to unfold.

Create a simple roster with each player's name and leave space for notes. You'll be writing down who throws left-handed, who's played before, and who needs extra attention. Trust me, you won't remember everything.

Set up four basic stations: throwing, fielding grounders, hitting off a tee, and base running. Keep it simple—you're assessing skills, not running a MLB training camp.

Gather everyone in the dugout or on the grass. Keep this short—10 minutes max. Kids this age lose focus fast, and parents are watching to see if you know what you're doing.

Introduce yourself briefly. Don't give your entire baseball resume, but mention your playing experience so they know you've been there. Then go around the circle for names only. Save the 'tell us about yourself' stuff for later.

Set three simple rules: hustle on and off the field, listen when coach is talking, and have fun. That's it. More rules come later, but these three will get you through practice one.

This is where you separate the travel ball veterans from the kids who think a curveball is something their dad throws in the backyard. Run each station for 15 minutes and rotate groups of 3-4 players.

Throwing Station: Simple partner toss from 30 feet. Watch for arm strength, accuracy, and mechanics. Don't coach yet—just observe and take notes.

Fielding Station: Roll grounders from 20 feet away. Look for kids who get their glove down, use two hands, and throw to first with some zip. The kid who catches everything but throws like he's underwater? He's your future first baseman.

Hitting Station: Tee work only. Watch for kids who can make consistent contact and drive the ball. Save live pitching for practice two.

Returning players will show you their bad habits immediately. The kid who steps out of the box on every pitch? He did that last year too. New players are wild cards—some will surprise you, others will need serious work.

Watch body language during drills. Confident players jump into stations, ask questions, and help younger kids. Nervous players hang back, copy others, and need extra encouragement. Both types can be great players, but they need different approaches.

The biggest surprise in my coaching career came from a kid who looked lost on day one but became our cleanup hitter by mid-season. Don't write anyone off based on first impressions.

After stations, bring everyone together and ask who wants to pitch, catch, and play infield. Every kid will raise their hand for pitcher. Zero will raise their hand for catcher. This is normal.

Explain that everyone will try different positions throughout the season. The kid obsessed with shortstop might discover he loves first base. The reluctant catcher might find his calling behind the plate once he realizes he controls the game.

Write down their preferences but don't make promises. I learned this the hard way when I told three kids they'd all get chances at shortstop, then spent the season dealing with parents asking why Tommy isn't playing short.

Now comes the part where you sound like a coach. Explain what practice will look like: arrive on time, bring water, hustle between drills. Keep it concrete—'hustle' means jog, don't walk. 'On time' means in uniform when practice starts.

Talk about playing time honestly. Everyone plays, but playing time depends on effort, attitude, and skill development. The kid who shows up late and doesn't pay attention won't play as much as the kid who hustles on and off the field.

Address parents directly if they're still around. Practice is for players and coaches only. Games are different, but practice time needs to be focused on the kids.

End practice with something fun that gets everyone involved. I like a simple base running drill where everyone cheers for the runner. Or play pepper with the whole team—one hitter, everyone else fielding grounders.

The goal is to end with energy and smiles. Kids will remember how practice made them feel more than what drills you ran. If they leave excited to come back, you've won.

Before they scatter, remind them when the next practice is and what to bring. Half will forget anyway, but at least you tried.

After practice, you'll have parents asking questions. Some will want to know about their kid's potential. Others will share their child's entire baseball history. Listen politely, but keep responses general.

Set up a group text or email for communication. Include practice times, game schedules, and weather updates. Don't let it become a complaint forum—that's what private conversations are for.

Send a recap email after the first practice. Thank everyone for coming, remind them what to bring next time, and share your contact information. Professional communication from day one prevents problems later.