6U Season Development Plan

The primary goal for a 6U softball team is to ensure players have fun while learning the basics of the game. Focus on developing fundamental skills in catching, throwing, hitting, and understanding the basic rules of the game. Practices should be engaging and varied to keep young players interested.

Season Structure

Duration: 12 weeks
Practice Frequency: 2 times per week (60 minutes per session)
Games: 1 game per week after the first 4 weeks of practice

Weekly Focus Areas

Weeks 1-4: Introduction and Fundamentals

Goal: Build a foundation of basic skills and introduce players to the game.

Practice Structure:

Warm-up (10 minutes): Simple stretches and light jogging.
Skills Stations (40 minutes): Rotate players through stations focusing on:
- Throwing: Teach grip, stance, and basic overhand throw.
- Catching: Introduce glove positioning and hand-eye coordination exercises.
- Hitting: Teach batting stance, grip, and basic swing mechanics using a tee.
- Base Running: Introduce running to first base and understanding safe/out concepts.
Game Fundamentals (10 minutes): Introduce basic rules like safe/out, fair/foul, and positions on the field.

Weeks 5-8: Skill Development and Game Introduction

Goal: Reinforce fundamental skills and introduce game play.

Practice Structure:

Warm-up (10 minutes): Include dynamic stretches and running.
Skills Stations (30 minutes): Continue focus on throwing, catching, hitting, and base running.
Game Situations (10 minutes): Set up simple game scenarios to apply skills learned.
Scrimmage (10 minutes): Play a short, controlled scrimmage to introduce game flow and positioning.

Weeks 9-12: Advanced Skills and Game Play

Goal: Enhance skill proficiency and understanding of the game.

Practice Structure:

Warm-up (10 minutes): Incorporate skill-specific warm-ups.
Skills Stations (20 minutes): Focus on advanced techniques like catching fly balls, hitting pitched balls, and accurate throwing.
Game Fundamentals (10 minutes): Teach rules such as tagging up, force outs, and the role of different positions.
Scrimmage (20 minutes): Play longer scrimmages to prepare for actual games. Emphasize teamwork and sportsmanship.

Practice Drills

Throwing Drills

Bean Bag Toss: Use bean bags to teach throwing mechanics without worrying about catching.
Partner Toss: Players pair up and practice throwing and catching at short distances, gradually increasing the distance.

Catching Drills

Glove Practice: Players practice catching with their gloves using soft balls or foam balls.
Bucket Drill: Players catch balls thrown softly into a large bucket, focusing on proper glove positioning.

Hitting Drills

Tee Work: Players hit balls off a tee, focusing on stance and swing mechanics.
Soft Toss: Coaches softly toss balls to players to hit, working on timing and hand-eye coordination.

Base Running Drills

Run to First: Players practice running through first base.
Base Navigation: Players run to different bases while coaches call out which base to run to, teaching base recognition and running techniques.

Game Play

Introduce basic positions: Explain each position's role briefly.
Simplify rules: Focus on the key rules and gradually introduce more complex ones.
Encourage teamwork and communication: Use games and activities that promote working together.

Parental Involvement

Encourage parents to reinforce skills at home with simple drills.
Provide regular updates on player progress and areas to work on.

End of Season

Fun Tournament: Organize a small tournament or game day.
Awards Ceremony: Celebrate player achievements with certificates or small trophies.