Your First Youth Baseball Practice: A 90-Minute Plan That Works

The first practice sets the tone for the whole season. Kids decide in about ten minutes whether baseball with you is going to be fun, and parents decide whether you know what you’re doing. The good news: you don’t need a playing career or a coaching certificate. You need a plan on paper, a few helpers, and a rule that nobody stands in line for very long.

Before Anyone Shows Up

• Send a short note to parents. Time, field, what to bring (glove, helmet if they have one, water bottle, cleats or sneakers), and a request for one or two parents to help run stations.
• Pack the coach’s bag. Two buckets of balls, a tee, a handful of cones, a first aid kit, and a printed copy of your plan. Our coach’s bag guide has the full list.
• Get there 20 minutes early. Set up stations before kids arrive so you’re not dragging a tee across the field while twelve kids throw dirt at each other.
• Learn names fast. A strip of athletic tape on each helmet or hat with a first name makes the first week much easier.

The 90-Minute First Practice Plan

This plan is built for a rec team of 10 to 12 kids around ages 8 to 10, with you plus two parent helpers. Shorten each block by a third for younger players or a 60-minute slot.

Time	Block	What it looks like
0:00 to 0:10	Welcome and warm-up	Quick introductions, one rule (hustle on and off the field), then a light jog and dynamic warm-up: high knees, butt kicks, arm circles, lunges.
0:10 to 0:20	Throwing progression	Partners about 20 feet apart, everyone throwing the same direction. Start on one knee to focus on the arm, then stand, then back up a few steps.
0:20 to 0:45	Three stations, 8 minutes each	Station 1: ground balls (a parent rolls, kids field and throw to a target). Station 2: tee work into a net or fence. Station 3: fly balls and pop-ups with soft-toss tosses. Blow a whistle and rotate.
0:45 to 0:50	Water break	Non-negotiable, especially in summer. Use it to reset groups if needed.
0:50 to 1:10	Team basics	Walk everyone through where to throw the ball when it’s hit to them (“get the out at first”), then run the bases: through first base, rounding first, tagging up.
1:10 to 1:25	Competitive game	End with something they’ll talk about in the car, like a baserunning relay race or a fielding game where good throws earn points.
1:25 to 1:30	Huddle	One thing they did well, the schedule for the week, and a team cheer.

The Rules That Keep Practice Moving

• No line longer than three kids. If a line gets longer, split it. That’s why stations and parent helpers matter so much.
• Talk for 60 seconds, then do it. Kids learn by repping it, not by listening to a speech in the outfield grass.
• Safety first, always. Helmets on at hitting stations, plenty of space around anyone swinging, and all throws going the same direction.
• Coach the effort out loud. Praise hustle and good attitude by name. Correct mechanics quietly and one-on-one.
• End on time. Parents will notice, and they’ll trust your schedule for the rest of the season.

After Practice: Five Minutes of Notes

Before you leave the field, jot down a few lines: who needs extra help catching, who can already throw from shortstop, who looked nervous. Those notes become next week’s plan, and they’ll help when it’s time to build your lineup. Our guide to the coach’s game plan picks up from there.

Watch: Practice Plans in Action

If you’ve never run a practice before, these are worth watching the night before.

Start here. Practical tips aimed squarely at first-time volunteer coaches.

What every practice needs. Five elements to build into your plan, from a coach who works with youth teams.

A full 90-minute blueprint if you want to compare notes with another plan.