Purpose: To learn the different bunt types in softball.

Procedure: Drill has one hitter and one tosser. The tosser is 25 feet from the hitter and kneels on one knee. The drill can have as many groups as desired. The tosser throws the hitter ten balls, while the hitter practices on one type of bunt. After the hitter hits ten bunts, the hitter and tosser rotate. The drill can be repeated as many times as the coach wants to practice the different types of bunts.

Purpose: To improve the player's accuracy in bunting to a specific area.

Procedure: A rope is placed 15 feet from home plate and in a semicircle stretching from one sideline to another. The pitcher and catcher are at their defensive positions. The pitcher has a full ball bucket, and the catcher has an empty ball bucket. All the hitters are at home plate and each hitter bunts the ball and tries to keep it inside the rope. The hitter gets two chances to contact the bunt. If the first or second ball is bunted, the hitter runs to first base. If the hitter misses both balls, the hits runs all the bases before returning to the end of the line.

Purpose: To practice game-action bunting techniques.

Procedure: A batter is at the plate with a pitcher, catcher, and infield in place and two runners at third base. The runners go two at a time with one runner in foul territory. A third base coach is in the box to make sure the runner don't leave early. The runners break for home after the pitcher breaks his hands and his motion toward the plate begins. The hitter bunts the ball in fair territory and the defense reacts to the ball, either throwing home or to first base.

Purpose: To defend the squeeze bunt with a runner on third base on defense; to execute squeeze bunting on offense.

Procedure: Play 6v6 on a field that's right for the age group, with players positioned in the infield (first base, second base, shortstop, and third base) and a pitcher and catcher for the defensive team. To start, a runner is placed on third base and a batter is at the plate, with the other offensive players waiting in the on-deck area for a turn at bat. The pitcher throws pitches that are not hard to hit, and the batter tries to bunt the ball. You can practice both the safety and suicide squeeze plays in this game. If you are practicing the safety squeeze, the runner on third tries to score only after the batter bunts the ball; for the suicide squeeze, the runner on third goes no matter what, and the batter has to get the bunt down. The defense tries to throw the runner out at home plate or force the runner at first base. Award two points to the defense if the runner is out at home, one point if the batter is out at first. Switch teams after each player on the offensive team has had a turn at bat.

Purpose: This drills lets players learn the art of bunting for a base hit.

Procedure: Have a pitcher throw from the mound or set up a pitching machine in front of the pitcher's mound. Position infielders in the field and a catcher at home plate. Set up cones to designate areas for hitters to drop their bunts in and the hitter assumes a normal stance and shows bunt after the ball has been thrown. The hitter takes one crossover step toward first base after bunting the ball.

Purpose: To maximize the number of reps on offense for each player.

Procedure: Set up three stations: live hitting, bunting down the right field line, and cage work. Limit the groups to four or five players in every station, allowing each hitter four or five minutes. Players work in one station for 20 minutes and then jog over to the next station to avoid wasting time.

Purpose: To practice both defensive and offensive skills when bunting down the first and third base lines.

Procedure: Place players in all nine defensive positions. Place a runner on each base and have a batter bunt the ball. Position a coach on the first base line for right-handed bunters and third base line for left-handed bunters, both about 15 feet from the hitter. The pitcher winds up without a ball and simulates a throw while one of the coaches tosses the ball for the hitter to bunt. The runners react to the bunted ball and try to advance to the next base.

Purpose: To practice the base-hit bunting technique in a game situation.

Procedure: Mark lines down the first and third base lines that indicate where to bunt the ball. Cones can also be used to mark off a certain area. A pitcher, catcher, and infield are in place while outfielders are optional. Each hitter work on the techniques of bunting for a base hit, trying to bunt the ball in the designated areas. A player gets one chance to bunt the ball into the designated areas and then rotates.

Purpose: To practice squeeze bunting.

Procedure: A protective screen is set up in the middle of the pitching area. This drill has two pitchers and two catchers. Pitcher 1 is in front of the protective screen and throws to home plate. Pitcher 2 is behind the protective screen and throws to second base. Each pitcher has a full bucket of balls, and each catcher has an empty bucket. Hitter 1 is at the plate and bunts the first pitch and runs to first base, while at the same time, hitter 2, who is at a plate where second base was, bunts the first pitch and runs to third base. Then both hitters jog to the ends of the opposite lines. If the ball is not contacted by one of the hitters, she runs to the center-field fence, touches it, and sprints to the end of the next line.

Purpose: To improve on the technique of slap-bunting.

Procedure: All infield defensive positions are filled and there is a runner on third base. The hitters are at home plate. The pitcher has a full bucket of balls and the catcher has an empty bucket. Each hitter slaps the ball and tries to put it on the ground toward the second baseman or the shortstop. The runner at third is going either on the pitch or the throw to first. This is decided by the batter through a signal she gives to the runner. After the slap execution the hitter goes to third and the runner goes to the end of the line at home plate.