Booking a cage for a full team is a different problem than booking for one hitter — it's logistics. Done right, a private cage gives a whole roster quality reps for a few dollars a head; done wrong, it's twelve kids watching one kid hit. Here's how coaches run it well.
Why Private Cages Beat Commercial for Teams
Commercial lanes charge per round and cap your control; a private cage rented by the hour lets a coach run the whole space as a practice. The economics are decisive: a $40 hour split across a 12-player roster is under $4 a head, and unlike commercial pricing it doesn't climb with every swing. You also control the machine, the drills, and the schedule — which is what makes station work possible.
Size the Cage and the Time
Match the booking to the roster. For a small group (up to ~6), a single full-length cage and one hour works if you run tight stations. For a full team, book either a larger setup or — better — two consecutive hours so you can rotate hitting groups without anyone standing idle for 40 minutes. When you browse cages near you, filter for length and check the listing's guest limit; message the host about team use before booking, since some cap group size.
Run Stations, Not a Line
The single biggest mistake is one hitter in the cage and eleven watching. Instead, build stations: one group in the cage on the machine, one on tees against the outside net, one doing soft toss into a portable net, one doing dry-swing or footwork work. Rotate every 8–10 minutes. Every player is active the whole hour, and the cage time is reserved for the reps that actually need a cage. Our batting cage drills library gives you station-ready drills, and the practice guide covers session structure.
Logistics and Gear
Confirm what the cage provides. For a team you'll likely want multiple buckets of balls, several tees, and at least one portable net for the tee station — bring what the listing doesn't include. Assign a parent or assistant to each station so rotations stay tight. Helmets for everyone facing the machine, and the machine-safety rules (nobody in the zone during loading, feeder announces pitches) matter more with a group; see our cage safety guide.
Book It as a Standing Slot
Teams that improve book the same cage weekly rather than scrambling for one-offs. A recurring reservation locks in a prime slot before tryout season eats availability, and a host who knows your team tends to accommodate the group. If you're new to reserving on the platform, here's how booking works.
A Sample One-Hour Team Plan
Here's a station rotation that keeps a 12-player roster fully active for one hour in a single cage. Split into three groups of four. Group A works the machine in the cage (game-speed reps, 8 minutes), Group B does tee work against the outside net (contact-point ladder), Group C runs a footwork-and-dry-swing or soft-toss station into a portable net. Rotate every 8–10 minutes so each group cycles through all three twice. Reserve the last ten minutes for a full-group situational round on the machine — two-strike swings, hit-and-run, runner-on-third contact. A parent or assistant anchors each station to keep transitions crisp. Done this way, every player takes real, varied reps the entire hour, the cage time goes only to what needs a cage, and the whole thing costs a few dollars a head. It's the format that turns an hour of rented space into an actual practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to rent a cage for a team?
Private cages run about $25–$55 per hour. Split across a roster that's a few dollars per player — far cheaper than commercial per-round pricing for the same reps.
How many players fit in one cage booking?
The cage holds one hitter at a time safely, but stations around it keep a full group active. Book two consecutive hours or a larger setup for a full team, and check the listing's guest limit.
Can I book recurring weekly team practices?
Many hosts support recurring bookings — it's the reliable way to hold a prime slot through tryout and tournament season.
What should I bring for a team session?
Multiple ball buckets, several tees, a portable net for a tee station, helmets for all, and a parent per station to keep rotations moving.
