A winter indoor practice plan for travel softball and baseball

Use one 60-minute gym session each week, with three stations and a short team walk-through. Spend December naming jobs, January connecting them, February choosing between plays, and March revisiting those choices before outdoor practice. Send one small IQ assignment between sessions and start the next practice with it.

This winter softball practice plan also works as an indoor baseball practice plan, with separate coverage calls for each sport. The plan assumes 12 players, two approved coaches and a school gym. Adjust the session for a late booking, holiday closure or missing assistant.

Twelve practice weeks, December to March

Choose three practice weeks in each month. Leave the remaining calendar weeks for holidays, gym cancellations, rest or a repeat session. The week numbers below count practices held. After a cancellation, resume the same week rather than doubling the next workout.

The National Fastpitch Coaches Association's November 14, 2024 practice-planning guidance recommends keeping earlier work in later sessions while adding detail. This 12-week block follows that approach. The schedule, station choices and age steps below are coaching suggestions, not a published training program or playing rules.

Phase	Weeks	Gym focus	What carries forward
December: Name the jobs	1 to 3	Target calls, cutoff alignment and rundown roles, all at walking pace.	Each player names a destination and a job away from the ball.
January: Connect the defense	4 to 6	One first-and-third call, one bunt coverage and the backups attached to both.	Keep December's target calls. Ask who covers the base another fielder leaves.
February: Read the situation	7 to 9	Revisit the same plays with a different runner, out count or score.	Players explain what changed before they move. Keep throws out of the walk-through.
March: Rehearse the calls	10 to 12	Mix familiar situations, rotate positions and list what needs a full field.	Take the unresolved coverage questions into outdoor practice.

Repeat a phase when players still disagree about the call. A calendar date does not require another play. If your team gets outdoors in March, carry the same situations outside at normal age-appropriate distances before adding live runners or game speed.

The 60-minute gym session

Split the roster into groups A, B and C, four players each. Coach 1 stays with fielding and any permitted throwing. Coach 2 stays with hitting. The diagram station has no bats or balls and remains in both coaches' view. Show the boundaries before equipment comes out.

Clock	Activity	Coach's job
0:00 to 0:08	Movement preparation	Check attendance and readiness. Use easy movement, controlled shuffles and turns in marked lanes. Allow extra preparation by shortening later work.
0:08 to 0:11	Show the stations	Review the previous homework question, demonstrate each job and rehearse the stop command.
0:11 to 0:23	Station round 1	A fields, B hits, C uses diagrams. Work 10 minutes, then stop for two minutes of water and rotation.
0:23 to 0:35	Station round 2	A hits, B uses diagrams, C fields. Keep the same jobs and boundaries.
0:35 to 0:47	Station round 3	A uses diagrams, B fields, C hits. Collect bats and balls before the team block.
0:47 to 0:56	Team walk-through	Use nine defenders and three observers, then exchange roles. Walk the week's situation without throws, swings or live runners.
0:56 to 1:00	Recap and equipment	Ask two players to explain their jobs. Name the next homework question, collect equipment and account for every player.

Water stays available throughout. The rotation breaks are planned chances to drink. For a 90-minute booking, add time to preparation and supervised stations, with breaks. Keep the same situation rather than filling the extra half-hour with new defenses.

Station 1: Field, name the target, reset

Coach 1 rolls a foam training ball in one marked lane. The four jobs are fielder, target, situation caller and observer. The caller names outs and imaginary runners. The fielder says where the ball should go, fields the roll and holds it. The target shows where a receiver would stand. Exchange jobs after each rep.

If throwing fits the player's current program and the gym permits it, use short, controlled returns to the coach after a gradual throwing warm-up. The coach confirms the lane is clear and is ready before each return. Give preparation time inside the station and reduce the drill; if there is not enough time, omit throws. Players on a throwing break use the hold-and-point version only if their restrictions allow fielding; otherwise use the diagram role.

Station 2: Supervised tee work

Coach 2 runs one tee into an inspected, secured net rated for the ball in use. One hitter in a properly fitted batting helmet takes a turn. The other three players wait without bats behind the marked safety boundary, outside the swing and rebound areas. The coach sets the ball with the bat down, then steps clear and gives the start command. Change hitters after a short set, such as four controlled swings. Four is a rotation example, not a required workload.

The hitter can name an intended field direction before swinging, but every ball must stay inside the net's contained hitting area. Discuss the choice separately from contact. Stop the station, put the bat down and wait for the coach's all-clear before collecting balls. If the room, net or supervision cannot contain the activity, replace it with bat-free stance and decision work.

Station 3: Who goes where?

Give the group a paper diamond and position markers. One player reads the situation, one places the defense, and two explain coverage and backup. Switch jobs each question. Keep the answer sheet beside the diagram and circle disagreements for the coach. This station stays at the board, without running, bats or balls.

If club policy requires an adult at every station, or the coaches cannot keep the diagram group in view, use two groups of six. Switch after 18 minutes within the same 36-minute block, allowing time for water and rotation. Coach 1 alternates fielding and diagram questions; coach 2 supervises the tee. Keep the same four fielding jobs with two extra observers outside the lane; at the tee, five wait without bats behind the boundary. If an assistant is absent, keep everyone together and run activities in sequence only if club supervision policy permits it, with bats put away before fielding.

Four situations for a small gym

Use flat markers to suggest the diamond. These are reduced layouts for talking and walking, not regulation distances. Coach 1 directs the defense; coach 2 watches spacing and asks the observers about an uncovered base. Freeze after the initial movement, check assignments and repeat with different players.

Cutoffs and relays

Mark a ball location, a cutoff and a target base. Point to an imaginary single into the outfield. Name the runners, outs and score before choosing the target. Walk the cutoff onto that throwing line, put a receiver at the target and name the backup. The target receiver directs the alignment and cut call. On a throw home, the catcher directs and the pitcher backs up the plate. Change the target and rebuild the alignment. A gym walk-through cannot test an outfielder's range or throwing distance.

Set assignments from the separate fastpitch cutoff and relay guide or baseball cutoff and relay guide. Use the team's chosen system consistently.

Rundowns

Start with an imaginary runner caught advancing from first toward second and nobody else on base. Put the middle infielder with the imaginary ball on the second-base side of the runner and the first baseman at the other end. The ballholder walks the approach toward first; the receiver uses the same throwing lane, clear of the runner's imagined path. Rehearse the receiver's "Ball!" call and a pretend throw. The thrower clears the runner's path, follows the throw and joins behind the receiver. Under the rundown guide's convention, the pitcher fills behind first and the other middle infielder behind second; right field backs up first and center field backs up second. Nobody chases or applies a tag in this gym version.

Sam Piraro's March/April 2022 ABCA article stresses communication and a clear throwing lane. Use the rundown guide for sport-specific fills and the separate problem of another runner threatening home.

First-and-third

For players ready for two runners, call first and third with one out and a tied score. Choose one defense before the imaginary pitch. Have the catcher name the throw or hold, the middle infielders name second-base coverage and any cut or backup job, and the defense name who watches the runner on third. Keep the third baseman at third. Anyone who sees the break calls "Home!" Point to the runner holding, then breaking; players explain how the selected defense protects home without throwing.

Judi Garman and Michelle Gromacki's September 26, 2013 softball excerpt puts attention on the runner at third. Piraro's September/October 2021 baseball article recommends rehearsing assignments before adding runners. Choose calls from the fastpitch first-and-third guide or baseball first-and-third guide. Keep the sports' calls separate.

Bunt coverage

Point to a bunt location with a runner on first and fewer than two outs. Name the coverage before anyone moves. Walk the fielder toward the ball while teammates identify the intended target, its cover and backup, and the next threatened base. Freeze if a required assignment is missing. A called rotation can leave a base open; name that choice and its risk rather than treating every empty base as an error. Repeat with a bunt toward the other side and check the assignments again. Use an imaginary ball, with no batter, charging race or throw.

The fastpitch bunt-defense guide sets out softball coverage choices. For baseball, draw your staff's chosen coverage before starting. Do not carry a fastpitch rotation into baseball without checking the assignments.

In the standard fastpitch coverage, the second baseman covers first and the shortstop covers second. Name who takes third if the third baseman charges. From 14U, for players ready for the call, a wheel with runners on first and second sends shortstop to third and leaves second open unless center field is assigned there. That is a different call, not the standard coverage.

Weekly IQ homework the coach sends

Send one note through the team's usual adult-managed channel after practice. Send assignments for players under 13 to a parent. Give the situation, the question and the date you will revisit it. Ask for a sketch or a sentence explaining the player's job. No ball, bat, throwing space or paid tool is needed. Offer paper at practice when home access is inconvenient.

Week	Send this question	Return to it next session
1	On a single to right, what tells you the target?	Name runners, outs, score and whether a throw can beat the runner; the target is not fixed by ball side alone.
2	Sketch the cutoff, target and backup for the call we used.	Rebuild that alignment with position markers.
3	In our rundown, where does the thrower go after the throw?	Walk the exit and fill jobs.
4	On our first-and-third call, who covers second and who watches third?	Have those players explain the assignments.
5	On our bunt coverage, who fields and who covers the vacated base?	Freeze the walk-through and check that base.
6	Pick one play we used. What is your job when the ball goes elsewhere?	Rotate the observers into those roles.
7	Revisit week 2 with another runner on. Would the target change?	State the reason before walking the alignment.
8	Revisit week 4 with two outs. What would our staff call?	Compare calls without assuming the out count decides everything.
9	Revisit week 5 with runners on first and second. Which jobs change?	Draw the selected coverage, including any deliberately open base and its risk, before anyone moves.
10	Explain one familiar play from a teammate's position.	Swap positions for a walking rep.
11	What changes in our first-and-third call if protecting that run matters more?	Name the score and agree on the call.
12	Which assignment needs checking on a full field?	Put it on the opening outdoor practice plan.

Keep the note short enough to discuss in about five minutes. Give the team's answer and reason after players have considered it. Reuse an unresolved question the following week. Use the homework to connect two practices. Keep it short enough for a school night.

Age notes: 10U to 16U

• 10U: Give one runner, one target and one job away from the ball. Use position markers before asking for a walk-through. Keep the coach's call visible. Repeat those tasks in place of first-and-third and other two-runner questions until players are ready.
• 12U: Connect the fielder, receiver and backup. Add a second runner after players can explain the earlier version.
• 14U: Compare familiar calls with different outs and score. Ask why a cut or a hold fits the situation before moving.
• 16U: Let players propose a call and explain a teammate's assignment. Rehearse staff-approved alternatives without adding speed in crowded space.

These are suggested teaching steps. Experience varies within every age group. Check your current league or tournament rules for baseball leads and departure timing, and fastpitch departure timing, look-back situations and double-base use. A reduced gym diamond does not change the rules used in games.

For either sport, use the team's existing defensive sign, have players confirm the call and repeat it if anyone is unsure. Keep defensive calls separate from offensive signs and pitch calls, as in the softball signs guide and baseball signals guide. This is a verbal rehearsal, with no electronic calling device needed.

Indoor throwing and hitting safety

• Check facility permission, floor grip, wall clearance, lights and overhead fixtures. Inspect bats, balls and helmets as well as nets; remove damaged equipment. Secure nets as instructed by their manufacturer. Keep exits clear and bags outside activity lanes.
• Separate hitting from every throwing and walking lane. Use equipment permitted by the facility. A foam ball still needs space and supervision; do not hit toward an occupied gym area.
• Keep one active bat in the hitting area. Require a properly fitted NOCSAE-certified batting helmet and any additional protection your code requires. Nobody retrieves balls until the coach stops the station and the bat is down.
• Keep throwing optional. Do not add maximum-effort throws, long toss, weighted-ball work or bullpens to this session. Baseball pitchers keep scheduled throwing breaks; use age-specific Pitch Smart guidance, including ages 13 to 14 and 15 to 18 as appropriate. For fastpitch, the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's softball guidance supports gradual throwing preparation, rest from pitching and avoiding year-round play. Plan fastpitch workload separately from baseball. A pitching rest day is not automatically permission for station throws; check whether the player's plan restricts pitching or all throwing.
• Stop the activity for pain or fatigue; do not use the clock or a swing target to push through either. For pain or injury, follow the team's parent and qualified medical follow-up process and any return-to-play restrictions. Keep water, emergency contacts, a charged phone and first-aid supplies accessible.
• Use screened, approved adults under club policy. Keep every group visible. This plan has no live pitching, live runners, sliding, diving or contact tags. Equipment and room checks still apply to walk-throughs.

Little League's Safety Code supports equipment inspections, safe spacing, emergency arrangements and batting helmets at practice. Apply your own governing body's requirements and the facility's restrictions as well.

Quick answers

What should a winter softball practice plan include?

Include movement preparation, supervised skill stations, a short situational walk-through and a recap. Carry one coverage question into the next week through a small homework assignment.

How do you run an indoor baseball practice with two coaches?

For 12 players, use three groups of four. One coach runs fielding, one supervises the tee, and the diagram group works without bats or balls in both coaches' view. Use two groups if club policy requires an adult at every station or the coaches cannot keep the diagram group in view.

Can players work on team defense without a field?

Use paper diagrams and walking reps to name targets, coverage and backups. Keep these walk-throughs free of throws and live runners. Revisit distances, timing and execution on a full field.

Does this off-season plan require throwing every week?

No. Players on a throwing break can field a rolled foam ball, hold it and name the target if their individual restrictions allow fielding. Otherwise use the diagram role. Keep their rest or return-to-play plan in place rather than adding throws to complete a station.

Between indoor sessions

Coaching is free.

Game situations your players can work through between indoor sessions, with no field.

Play the free sample of Rundown's IQ Game.

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