T-Ball Game Rules

By Chris Moheno

T-ball can be an exciting time for parents when their child is old enough to start playing. The game allows children from four to eight years the opportunity to learn new skills, developing themselves for baseball in the future. An important aspect of T-ball is the baseball training techniques that must be utilized in order to give them the proper guidance. Baseball hitting, running to the bases in the right direction, paying attention to where the ball is hit, safety and many other aspects are all taught. So the rules of the game are quite simple, getting children to use their abilities is a little more difficult.

The Equipment Rules: T-ball, Bases, Gloves, Etc.

Since we are talking about young kids, there are many avenues that need to be taken to ensure they avoid injury while playing. For example, the ball itself must have a molded core with a soft center weighing only four or five ounces. Since it is hit off a Tee, there is more of a chance for line drives or bad bounces, which on occasion a child will get hurt but because of the soft outer shell the damage will be more mental then physical. The main goal of learning all of the equipment rules is not only for safety reasons, but also remembering these kids are just starting out. Other rules in this area include:

- Safety helmets are mandatory.
- Bats can only weigh a maximum of 17-20 ounces.
- A bats length can be no more than twenty-five inches to twenty-six inches, along with two and one quarter inches in diameter.
- The baseball glove can be no longer than 12 inches.
- Must use a flexible Tee.
- Bases must be movable.

Playing With More Understanding Rules

Now, something parents or older siblings may want to remember is while coaches are teaching these children about baseball, it's not the only thing happening. Depending on what age they are, the thought of video games, who's watching, what they're doing after a game or practice, and the outside life are all running through their minds while trying to learn the game. So the object is to simply teach the basics of the game and hope that by eight to ten weeks time that part of the game has set in.

When the kids are batting, it all revolves around running the bases properly after the ball the hit and understanding what is foul. Since repetitiveness is such a great teacher, the little things can be taught this way until they are embedded into the player's mind. Also understand that T-ball eliminates outs so each player may bat at least once per inning. However, depending on the rules in the area these children are playing, the coaches will call someone out if it happens, but all batters still get a chance to hit. Offensive game rules include:

- Bases distance are only fifty apart.
- Baselines are imaginary, but used.
- Some T-ball leagues require the player to hit the ball more then ten feet for it to be fair, so an arc line is made in fair territory.
- The ball is hit off of a Tee at all times.
- Batters cannot walk or strikeout.
- There is no stealing.

The Most Important Rule Of All

What you see above are not the only rules for T-ball, but they are the majority. The rest include things like there only being twelve to twenty players allowed on one team with no more than fifteen playing in the field. Understanding the process of innings is another teaching so the rule of every batter going to the plate must happen before the inning can be considered over. Then of course, for time constraints, each game is only four innings long.

Baseball training techniques have to start somewhere and T-ball is the equivalent of educational development. When we are all at a young age there are ways to teach us to properly understand specific situations and utilizing these rules is the way to teach the beginning stages of baseball hitting.

One thing always to remember when a child is playing T-ball is the most important rule of all. Sure there are some rules for baseball hitting, fielding, and even after the game, but none of them top this one. Make sure the children are having fun and the rest will come to them rather easily.

Chris Moheno has a long time passion for sports in general and for baseball coaching more specifically.

His goal is to spread the word about effective non-fluff baseball training techniques for both more experienced and young baseball players, to help them perform better during the game.

Discover more about baseball training on http://www.baseballtrainingsecrets.com

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