Soft Toss (Softball)
Ages 7 and up · A bucket of balls, a bat, a net or fence to hit into, feeder kneeling at 45 degrees to the hitter's front side, safely wide
Soft toss adds timing to the tee-built swing: a feeder kneeling at a safe angle tosses the big ball gently into the zone, and the hitter times a full swing against movement without live pitching's speed or fear. It is the bridge drill of every softball program, and a parent with a bucket becomes a batting-practice machine.
The 11-inch ball makes feeding slightly easier than baseball's version (it is easy to see and toss consistently), and the drill's quality still lives in the feed: a repeatable, gentle arc to the same spot. The safety geometry is non-negotiable: feeder at 45 degrees to the front side, never in the swing plane or ball flight.
How to run it
- Feeder kneels at roughly 45 degrees in front of and beside the hitter (opposite the net), several feet away, fully out of the swing path and ball flight.
- Establish the rhythm: show the ball, gentle underhand toss to thigh height out front of the lead foot, swing.
- Full swings driving line drives into the net, five-swing sets with resets.
- After consistency: announced location sets (inside set, away set), then a mixed set.
- Finish with a scored set: ten tosses, line drives count, race the log. 25-40 total swings.
What to say
Common faults and fixes
Lunging out at the toss.
Slow the rhythm with a spoken "wait..." as the ball travels. The patience against a gentle toss IS the timing being built for fastpitch later.
Inconsistent feeds (the drill's usual real problem).
The feeder practices solo: ten tosses landing thigh-high at one spot. The hitter can only be as consistent as the feed; own that half.
Feeder creeping toward straight-on (dangerous with a hot bat).
Re-mark the 45-degree kneel spot every session. Geometry drifts; the rule doesn't.
Make it easier, make it harder
Softer trainer balls, slower rhythm, one grooved location, shorter bat.
Called locations mid-rhythm; varied timing pauses; the two-ball toss (call "top" or "bottom" mid-flight); rapid-fire sets for bat speed once mechanics hold.
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