12U Season Development Plan

The primary goal for a 12U softball team is to ensure players have fun while significantly advancing their skills and understanding of the game. Focus on developing advanced skills in catching, throwing, hitting, and understanding complex rules and strategies of the game. Practices should be longer and more intense, including focused drills and training to prepare players for competitive play.

Season Structure

Duration: 12 weeks
Practice Frequency: 2 times per week (120 minutes per session)
Games: 1-2 games per week starting after the first week of practice

Weekly Focus Areas

Weeks 1-2: Assessment and Foundation

Goal: Assess player skills and build a strong foundation of basic and advanced skills.

Practice Structure:

Warm-up (15 minutes): Dynamic stretches and light jogging.
Skills Stations (75 minutes): Rotate players through stations focusing on:
- Throwing: Improve accuracy, distance, and introduce throwing on the move.
- Catching: Focus on catching both ground balls and fly balls with proper technique.
- Hitting: Work on batting stance, grip, and swing mechanics using a tee, soft toss, and live pitching.
- Base Running: Practice running to different bases and understanding advanced concepts like stealing and sliding.
Game Fundamentals (30 minutes): Introduce complex rules, positioning, and game strategies.

Weeks 3-6: Skill Enhancement and Strategy

Goal: Enhance skill proficiency and introduce game strategies.

Practice Structure:

Warm-up (15 minutes): Include dynamic stretches and running.
Skills Stations (60 minutes): Continue focus on throwing, catching, hitting, and base running with more advanced drills.
Game Situations (30 minutes): Set up game scenarios to apply skills learned, including defensive positioning and base running decisions.
Scrimmage (15 minutes): Play a short, controlled scrimmage to introduce game flow and positioning.

Weeks 7-12: Advanced Skills and Competitive Play

Goal: Refine skills and understanding of the game, preparing for competitive play.

Practice Structure:

Warm-up (15 minutes): Skill-specific warm-ups.
Skills Stations (50 minutes): Focus on advanced techniques like throwing with accuracy, catching fly balls, and hitting pitched balls.
Game Fundamentals (30 minutes): Teach advanced rules such as tagging up, force outs, and the role of different positions.
Scrimmage (25 minutes): Play longer scrimmages to prepare for actual games. Emphasize teamwork, strategy, and sportsmanship.

Practice Drills

Throwing Drills

Accuracy Throw: Players throw at targets to improve accuracy.
Partner Toss: Players pair up and practice throwing and catching at various distances.
Relay Throws: Players practice throwing the ball quickly and accurately to teammates in a relay format.
Long Toss: Develop arm strength and accuracy with long-distance throws.

Catching Drills

Ground Ball Practice: Players practice fielding ground balls with proper glove positioning.
Fly Ball Drill: Players practice catching fly balls, focusing on tracking and catching technique.
Pop Fly Drill: Coaches hit pop flies to players to practice catching high fly balls under pressure.
Reaction Drills: Improve reaction time and quickness in fielding.

Hitting Drills

Tee Work: Continue working on hitting off a tee, focusing on consistent contact.
Soft Toss: Coaches softly toss balls to players to hit, working on timing and hand-eye coordination.
Live Pitch: Introduce hitting pitched balls from a short distance to simulate game scenarios.
Batting Cage: Utilize a batting cage for more focused hitting practice with live pitching.
Situational Hitting: Practice hitting in different game situations (e.g., runner on second, two outs).

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.
Sliding Practice: Introduce sliding techniques for safe and effective base running.
Lead-Offs: Teach players how to lead off and steal bases.
First-to-Third Drills: Practice running from first to third base on a single.

Game Play

Introduce basic positions: Explain each position's role and responsibilities.
Simplify rules: Focus on key rules and gradually introduce more complex ones as players understand the basics.
Encourage teamwork and communication: Use games and activities that promote working together and good sportsmanship.
Strategy Sessions: Teach players about game strategy, including defensive alignments and offensive plays.

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 to celebrate the season.
Awards Ceremony: Celebrate player achievements with certificates or small trophies to recognize their progress and effort.