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Softball drill

Pitcher timing tee drill

A hitter at a tee watches a coach go through a full pitching motion and times the load and stride to it, then hits the ball off the tee. It teaches when to start the swing against a real pitcher, without the distraction of a moving ball.

A youth softball hitter in a helmet loaded over a ball on a tee, head turned to watch a pitching motion out in front of the plate
Video by Jermaine Curtis on YouTube. The write-up below is ours.

At a glance

Sport
Baseball and Softball
Skill
Hitting
Ages
6U to High school
Players
2 (a hitter and a coach or player who mimes the pitch)
Time
About 10 minutes
Level
Beginner
Equipment
Batting tee, A bucket of balls, Bat and helmet, A hitting net or open field
Indoors
Yes

Timing is the hardest part of hitting to practice off a tee, because the ball never moves. Hitters who start late get jammed and hitters who land too early have nothing left. This drill keeps the tee but adds a pitcher to time, so the hitter learns when to start.

A coach stands out in front and goes through a full delivery without throwing. The hitter watches the motion, loads and gets the front foot down at the right moment, then swings at the ball on the tee. It needs no screen and no live arm, so it fits early in a practice or a gym.

Setup

  • Set a tee at belt height over the plate in front of a net, or facing an open field.
  • A coach or teammate stands out in front at a comfortable pitching distance, holding a ball, well to the side of where the hit balls go.
  • The hitter takes their normal stance at the tee and looks out at the coach, not down at the ball.

How to run it

  1. The coach starts a full pitching motion, from the windup or the stretch.
  2. The hitter starts the load as the coach's motion builds.
  3. The hitter gets the front foot down around the moment the coach would release the ball.
  4. Their eyes move from the coach's release point to the ball on the tee.
  5. They swing and drive the ball, then reset for the next delivery. Take sets of 8 to 10.

Coaching points

  • Watch the pitcher, not the tee, until the release. The eyes go to the ball only after that.
  • The front foot lands softly and on time; the swing comes after the landing.
  • Change the coach's tempo: slow windups, quick deliveries and a pause now and then.
  • If the hitter is always late, have them start the load earlier, when the coach's hands break.
  • Keep the effort real. A lazy swing off the tee teaches the wrong rhythm.

Common mistakes

  • Waiting until the coach has finished the motion before starting to load.
  • Stomping the front foot down and lunging at the ball.
  • Staring at the tee the whole time, which makes the coach's motion useless.
  • The coach standing in the path of the hit balls.

Printable drill card

Take this drill to the field: the setup, steps, coaching points and equipment on one card, with the video's address to find it again. Free, no account needed.

Print the drill card

Smaller: half page or quarter page (PDF).

By age

Coach pitch and 10U

Have the coach say "load, step, hit" in rhythm with the arm swing so young hitters link what they see with when to move.

12U and 14U

Mix windup and stretch, and ask the hitter to say "on time", "early" or "late" after each swing.

High school

Add hesitations and quick deliveries to test whether the hitter can stay balanced and still land on time.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When should a hitter's front foot land?

Roughly as the pitcher releases the ball, or early in its flight, so the hitter is set and ready to swing while the ball is on the way. Faster pitching means landing earlier.

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