10U Practice Plan: 90-Minute Template

My 90-minute 10U practices follow a specific flow that builds intensity throughout. We start with dynamic warm-up, move through skill stations, hit live batting practice, and finish with scrimmage situations.

The key difference from shorter practices? We can actually work on game-like scenarios instead of just isolated skills. These kids are ready for situational baseball - runners on base, different counts, defensive positioning.

Here's my standard breakdown: 15 minutes warm-up and throwing, 25 minutes skill stations, 25 minutes batting practice rotation, 20 minutes scrimmage situations, 5 minutes wrap-up.

At 10U, we can do more than jog and play catch. I start with movement patterns that translate directly to baseball - high knees, butt kicks, leg swings, and arm circles.

For throwing progression, we go 30 feet, 60 feet, then long toss to 90 feet if arms are ready. The camp kids who did this consistently had noticeably stronger arms by season's end.

I always include footwork patterns during warm-up - crossover steps, backpedaling, and shuffle steps. These movement skills show up in every defensive play.

With 90 minutes, I run four stations with 6-minute rotations. This gives enough time for quality reps without kids getting bored.

Station 1: Fielding Fundamentals - Ground balls with emphasis on footwork and glove position. I use tennis balls for rapid-fire reps.

Station 2: Pitching Mechanics - Even non-pitchers work on throwing form. Proper mechanics prevent injuries and improve accuracy.

Station 3: Hitting Tee Work - Focus on one mechanical piece each week. Could be stance, load, or follow-through.

Station 4: Base Running - Leads, jumps, and sliding technique. Most 10U teams are terrible at base running because they never practice it.

This is where the extra practice time really pays off. Instead of rushed rounds in the cage, we can do live batting practice with fielders and situational hitting.

I split the team into three groups: hitting, fielding, and base running. Each group gets 8-9 minutes, then rotates.

The hitting group works specific situations - runners in scoring position, two-strike approach, or moving runners over. The fielding group practices communication and positioning. Base runners work on reading balls and taking good jumps.

When I started adding game pressure to batting practice - calling balls and strikes, runners on base - our offensive production jumped significantly.

At 10U, we can run actual defensive scenarios instead of just ground ball drills. I set up situations and hit live balls - runner on first with a ground ball to short, fly ball to right field with runners on second and third.

The goal is decision-making under pressure. Where do you throw? Who covers what base? These situations come up in every game, but most teams never practice them.

I rotate through bunt coverage, rundowns, and cutoff positioning. The high school teams I coached that were best at situational defense had practiced these scenarios hundreds of times.

The final 15 minutes are pure game simulation. I create specific game situations - bottom of the sixth, down by one run, runner on second with one out.

Both teams get to hit and field. I call balls and strikes, keep score, and let them play. This is where all the station work comes together under game pressure.

What I learned from running camps: kids retain more from five minutes of live scrimmage than 20 minutes of isolated drills. The pressure changes everything.

I keep situations realistic - no bases loaded every at-bat. Most game situations are simpler than coaches think.

During skill stations, I always have a pitcher-catcher combination working separately. At 10U, developing multiple pitchers is crucial, and catchers need specialized work on framing and blocking.

Pitchers work on strike-throwing first, then location within the strike zone. I use a simple target system - inside corner, outside corner, up, down.

Catchers practice receiving, throwing to second, and blocking balls in the dirt. The catching position is so specialized that they need dedicated practice time.

From my academy work, the teams with multiple capable pitchers and a solid catcher always performed better late in the season.

The difference between good and great practices is transition time. I use a stopwatch and give teams 30 seconds to move between stations.

Equipment organization is huge - balls in buckets, bats in designated areas, gloves on when moving. Sounds basic, but it saves 10 minutes per practice.

I also build in water breaks during natural transitions. Dehydrated players don't learn effectively, especially in longer practices.

The biggest time-waster I see is coaches explaining everything twice. Give clear, simple instructions once, then start the drill.