Softball fielding drills
Infield and outfield drills a player can do with a glove, a wall and a few tennis balls.
How coaches assign drills- 7 drills
- 3 with no partner needed
- Every drill has a video clip
- 5–15 minutes each
7 softball fielding drills
Fielding1:13Wall Ball Ground Balls
FixesStabbing at the ball and hard hands
- 10 min
- Ages 8–18
3 sets of 20 reps, 3–5 days a week
Fielding0:54Knees Short-Hop Drill
FixesPulling the head and flinching
- 8 min
- Ages 8–18
3 sets of 10 reps (middle, glove side, backhand), 4–5 days a week
Fielding0:57Quick Hands Transfer
FixesDigging for the ball in the glove
- 5 min
- Ages 9–18
5 rounds of 30 seconds, 4–5 days a week
Fielding0:49Drop-Step Fly Balls
FixesBackpedaling on fly balls
- With a partner
- 10 min
- Ages 8–18
2 sets of 10 (5 each side), 2–3 days a week
Fielding0:44Outfield Ground Balls: Block or Charge
FixesGround balls rolling past outfielders and slow throws on plays at the plate
- With a partner
- 15 min
- Ages 9–18
10 blocks and 10 charges, 2 days a week
Fielding1:10Pick a Hop Drill
FixesSidestepping hard grounders and getting caught on in-between hops
- With a partner
- 15 min
- Ages 9–18
3 rounds of 10 ground balls, 2 days a week
Fielding0:52Two-Hand Catching for Beginners
FixesDropped balls, turning away from the ball and one-hand stabs
- With a partner
- 10 min
- Ages 6–10
3 rounds of 10 catches, 4 days a week
How to use these softball fielding drills
What these softball fielding drills work on
- Infield: soft hands, fielding short hops and a quick transfer from glove to throwing hand.
- Outfield: the drop step, the first move on a fly ball hit over a player's head.
What you need
- Three of the four are wall drills. A glove, a tennis ball and a brick or concrete wall give a player hundreds of ground balls with no one else there.
- Tennis balls are softer than softballs, which helps younger players who flinch or pull their head.
- The drop step drill needs a parent to toss and an open yard or park.
Reps and how often
- Wall ball ground balls: 60 reps in about 10 minutes.
- Knees short-hop drill: 30 reps in 8 minutes.
- Quick hands transfer: five 30-second rounds.
- Two of these drills fit in a 15 to 20 minute session, four or five days a week.
What to add next
- Follow fielding work with the towel drill in the throwing drills to work on the throw.
- At team practice, use the softball defensive rotation guides to connect those catches and throws to each player's cutoff, coverage and backup job.
Softball fielding drills FAQ
What are good softball infield drills to do at home?
Wall ball ground balls, the knees short-hop drill and the quick hands transfer all work with a glove, a tennis ball and a wall. They cover fielding the ball out front, picking short hops and getting the ball to the throwing hand fast.
What are good softball outfield drills?
Start with the drop step drill. A parent points left or right and tosses a tennis ball over that shoulder, and the player opens her hip and runs to the spot. It teaches the first step on a ball hit over her head. Do it in an open yard or park.
How do I get better at fielding ground balls at home?
Throw a tennis ball low at a wall from 10–15 steps away and field it as it comes back. Move your feet to get in front of it, keep the glove down and out front, and cover the ball with your throwing hand. Three sets of 20, a few days a week, gives a player a lot of ground balls.
How can I stop being scared of the ball when fielding?
Use tennis balls and start on your knees. The knees short-hop drill takes the feet out of it so a player only works on meeting the bounce with the glove and keeping her eyes down. Move up to the fielding stance when it feels easy.
More softball drills by skill
- Softball hitting drills9 drills
Tee and front toss work for a short, level swing that drives the ball. Most of these need a tee, a net and a bucket of balls.
- Softball throwing drills4 drills
Arm path and release work that fits in a living room or backyard.
- Softball pitching drills3 drills
Windmill mechanics and strike throwing into a net or to a parent catcher.
- Softball catcher drills4 drills
Blocking balls in the dirt with a wall and tennis balls.
- Softball speed and arm care drills3 drills
First-step starts, home-to-first sprints and a band routine to warm up the arm before throwing.
Assign softball drills to your team
Use the drills in this library or make your own. Coaches assign them as homework between practices, and players open each drill on their phone, do it and check in when they finish.
Get the Bravara app- 01
Pick drills or make your own
Start from the softball drills in this library, copy one and change it, or write your own with steps, a YouTube video, your own photos and videos or a link to read. Then assign it to the whole team or to certain players and set how many days a week.
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Players do them at home
Players open the drill on their phone, watch the video or read the steps, do the drill and check in when they finish. They can upload a video of their work too.
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Players log a result
A drill can have one result to track, like strikes out of 30. Results stay private to the player and their family, and players earn XP and levels as they keep checking in.
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The coach sees who did it
Coaches see who has checked in on each drill and can react or reply to a player's check-in.
Assign softball fielding drills with Bravara Reps
Coaches assign drills to the team or to certain players. Players check in from home, log a result and earn XP as they go.
