T-Ball University - Batting Drills For Tee Ball Coaches and Parents

This article is designed for new coaches and parents of Tee Ball age children, who are between the ages of 4 and 10. The primary focus is to train how to coach young children on proper batting technique. The article includes coaching tips and drills which can effectively train children correct hand and footwork so they learn correct technique which will carry through the duration of their baseball or softball careers.

By David Comora

Baseball Season is just around the corner, so parents and parent coaches, start digging through the garage for your baseball equipment and begin stretching out those rusty arm and leg muscles. For many communities, children begin their baseball or softball careers playing the lead-up skill called Tee Ball, which is baseball, minus the pitcher. In Tee Ball which is also spelled T-Ball, children learn the fundamentals of batting, fielding and base-running. For the purposes of this article we'll be concentrating on batting. In Tee Ball, batting takes place utilizing a Tee which sits approximately waste high to the hitter. The Tee is a great tool for perfecting a child's swing. When used correctly, a coach can analyze all of the components used in a swing and make subtle or not so subtle adjustments to a child's swing, batting stance, hip rotation and foot work.

It is my opinion after coaching all these seasons that proper footwork is the most important aspect of hitting. If you have the proper footwork, the arms, hips, and head will fall into place with the required timing.


In order to achieve proper footwork, I will place the tee on top of home plate. I will draw a perpendicular line in the dirt with the handle of the player's tee ball bat from the middle 45 degree corner of the tee's base. The line length is approximately 12 inches. Adjust this length accordingly to a comfortable extension of each player's arms with the bat swing. I then will draw a perpendicular line from the first line and parallel to the edge of the tee base going back toward the backstop. Therefore, this line is in the shape of an inverted "L". I will squat down and point with my index finger as to where I want each foot to be placed along the parallel line. Drawing the 12-inch line allows the hitter to extend his or her arms when swinging to comfortably hit the tee-ball with the "sweet" spot of the bat.

I want each child to have a stiff front leg with feet square to the parallel line. The player should be placing their weight on the balls of both of their feet. The square front foot will prevent the front knee from buckling or bending. Imagine a bug underneath the back foot. I want the child to squash that imaginary bug with a pivot of their back foot. Approximately 60% of the player's weight should be on the back foot. This is called the "load" position. This pivot will open the hips toward the pitcher when "squashing the bug". The front foot should remain square and the front knee locked when "squashing the bug" also. The back leg can bend but do not take a large dip with the back leg. (This drill is presented in a short video on our www.tballu.com website, within the "Free Sample Video" section).

Most coaches and parents who played the game when they were young were taught to take a step toward the pitcher with their front foot when swinging the bat. Most coaches and parents remember taking a small step or a large step. I do not want the player to take a step with their front foot when "squashing the bug" since a step will cause the player's head to slightly dip when swinging the bat and therefore, the player's eyes will dip when swinging the bat also. The no-step will prevent an eye dip when attempting to hit a breaking ball (e.g., curve, slider, etc) later in the player's career when he or she advances to high school baseball or softball. Use a series of batting helmets as impediments to prevent the player's front foot from taking a step if they had been previously taught to do so.

Practice "squashing the bug" with a bat situated between the arms and the back's shoulder blades. Have the entire team practice this drill at the same time making sure they are a good distance away from each other. Keep an eye on a stiff front leg and the back foot should pivot on the ball of their back foot. Some players will pivot and raise the heel of the back foot such that the back weight is placed on the toe of the back foot instead of the ball of the back foot. The player's head should stay down while looking in the hitting zone. If the back shoulder does not remain in the hitting zone upon pivot, the head will lift up from the hitting zone and the front foot will automatically lift up as well where the hitter is pivoting on the heel of the front foot. This is called "rolling" the front foot. Repeat this drill 50 times each practice and before each game. The player can also do this drill 50 times daily in front of a full length mirror at home. This will provide the player great muscle memory to ensure a proper swing every time.

After more than ten years coaching youth baseball, it has been my experience that, despite the best efforts of parent-coaches, too many children do not learn the basics of hitting and fielding and develop bad habits from the start. As these children progress to coach-pitch and kid-pitch leagues, this results in coaches spending many hours trying to correct problems, which could have been easily avoided at the Tee Ball or Beginner Baseball level. Coaching children, whether your own or children in your community, is one of the most rewarding experiences you'll have. Watching children learn and successfully apply the skills that you've taught them is tremendously fulfilling. I wish you all the best of luck in your t-ball, baseball or softball seasons.

David Comora
T-Ball University
http://www.teeballuniversity.com

David Comora has coached Tee Ball and Youth Baseball for over 10 years. He and his partners Steve Polansky, Brian Leuthner and David Kalb have developed the T-Ball University system of coaching to help new parent coaches learn to quickly master the skills of coaching. Their program includes video drills, coaching forms, practice plans, lesson notes and more. Free coaching videos are also available at http://www.teeballuniversity.com.

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Free Baseball Drills

This article details a number of fun and exciting free baseball drills that aim to improve your team's throwing and catching skills. The first drill has players throwing long, the second has them throwing fast, and the final is a skill-building game that improves fielder’s concentration when tagging a runner between first and second.

By Kenny Buford

Brushing up on Throwing and Catching

For many, the arrival of spring means one thing only: baseball season, with baseball fever often gripping those that play or coach the game. During the winter, baseball players tap their bats and oil their stiff, new gloves in anticipation of warm weather so they can hit the diamond to brush up on their skills.

Throwing and catching are by far the most universal skills in the game, since every position on the field must be able to do each so well they could practically do them in their sleep. This year, add some variety to your baseball practice by including some of the following free baseball drills that focus on improving your players’ throwing and catching abilities.

Go Long!

The first of the free baseball drills is for outfielders in particular. The Long Toss drill is an excellent way to lengthen players’ throwing distances and build players’ arm strength, especially those who throw with a pushing motion. To begin the drill, divide your team in partners standing facing each other approximately 30 feet apart. Where possible, partner together players with similar throwing distances.

Have the partner throw and catch to each other. When they successfully make 5 throws and catches each without missing a single one, have each player back up 5 feet, or the length of one giant stride. Continue until players are no longer able to make the throws smoothly.

The next of the free baseball drills rewards players with quick reflexes. The Quick Hands drill is set up similarly to the Long Toss drill mentioned above: with players partnered off and standing facing each other about 30 feet apart. The drill begins with a toot on the whistle and partners are to throw the ball back and forth between each other as fast as they possibly can.

As they make each catch, have the player yell out the number of catch it is. Whichever pair can throw the most catches in a 30 second period, which is marked by another blow on the whistle, is the winner. If either player misses a catch, their count returns to zero. As your team improves, have them begin standing further apart. This drill is great for encouraging a little healthy competition amongst your team.

Running Wild

Finally, we have the Base Throw drill, which teaches players accurate throwing and tagging procedures during a rundown at second base. To set up the drill, place a fielder at first and second base. Divide the remaining players into two groups, setting one group behind first base and the other behind second.

The drill begins with the sound of your whistle, and all players except the fielders begin running wildly between first and second base. During this drill, the fielders are to tag as many players as possible. As soon as a player is tagged, the must exit the field. The fielders are given one minute to tag as many players as possible. This drill forces your fielders to think on their feet and react quickly during a high-pressure situation.

About The Author

Kenny Buford has coached nearly every level of baseball in a career that spans several decades. You can get instant access to his championship baseball practice plans and free baseball practice drills by visiting his website:

http://www.Baseball-Practice-Plans.com/

For a limited time, all coaches who visit Kenny's site will also get a free copy of his special report: "The 7 Biggest Mistakes Baseball Coaches Make". Go get your free copy today!

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Four Steps to Organize Your Little League Practice

The only chance you have as a Little League Coach is try and get yourself organized. I have listed out the very basic steps to organize your practice. You have so so many constraints on you it very difficult to get all the practice completely covered. The amount of practice time is limited maybe to 3 days per week. Getting practice fields is a major problem in most instances. The length of practice is another. You cannot hold marathon practices three to four hour practices. Using a planned schedule will enable you to have practice that are fun for the players therefore they will learn what what you trying to teach them.

By John R Di Nicola

Scheduling Practice -

You have a such a short time to prepare your team usually about 3 to 4 weeks. It is important you are organized your practices so that you may over come the constraints that come with being a Little League Coach.

Getting Practice Fields


number of times you practices: weather, all players can make to all practices.
practicing to much parents complain
not practicing enough

Fielding, Defense, Pitching and Hitting

Fielding


Outfield
Infield

Pitchers


Pick off - 1st base, 2nd base, 3rd base, and covering home
Run downs
Out field: Cut off men, short stop, 3rd base, 2nd base, 1st base, Pitcher
Throwing to bases -2nd,3rd, home
Situations - Simulate a game situation with coach hitting and player running

Hitting Stations


Hitting off of a "T"
Soft Toss
Live Hitting - 10 swings
Bunting

Pitchers


Throwing a bull pen with catcher

You look at this say wow! You just have organize yourself. Make sure self a template (using Microsoft word) for your practice days. Plug in your dates. You can do A, B C, D and rotate them through your practice schedule. It is a must that you get parents to help. You will need at least two to help to run a practice. You will have to do two of these segments each day and possibly a third.

You will find defense is one of the most important segments you must cover everyday. You can never hit enough ground balls to your infield. So fielding must be done just about every day. You may want to have just your infield come and work on ground balls and going over where they positions themselves for cut off from outfield. You can do the same for pitchers. Bring the pitchers and catchers to practice their defense and working on their wind up and delivery.

Best thing a you can do is make sure you are organized! Stick to your schedule and make adjustments as you go. Please do not get frustrated and not follow an organized plan.

Practice Makes Prefect

Thank you for taking the time to read my article. If you would like further information on this topic or information you can E-Mail me at: jdinicola@easypitching.com

You can follow us on Twitter - http://twitter.com/easypitching

Web site: http://www.easypitching.com

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Teaching Youth Baseball

By Trevor Sumner

Teaching youth baseball is a rewarding experience for both parents and coaches alike. While parents have an obvious investment in the teaching of the fundamentals of the sport of baseball to their children, coaches, make a significant investment of their own in time, effort and emotion. From a personal perspective, one of the greatest rewards is in developing relationships with and positively affecting the lives of individual youth baseball players. The lessons of sports such as in baseball are positive and well documented. For coaches, there are also the internal rewards they get from seeing each player develop and from watching a youth baseball team improve as a group and learn to play together under their coaching tutelage.

Astute coaches improve the performance of the team as a whole by employing youth baseball drills to improve the individual performances of team players and there interactions together. There are three main categories in which youth baseball drills will have an immense effect on the performance levels of players.


Youth Batting Drills - one of the most important of the youth baseball drills. The vast majority of youth baseball players have the most fun when they hit. The better they are able to hit, the more fun that they will have, and the greater their interest in the sport of baseball. Coaches and parents who teach baseball drills in batting must stress the importance of a well-balanced stance that is comfortable for the individual player, picking the ball up as it leaves the pitcher's hand, and keeping the body weight back until the pitch is delivered.
Youth Fielding Drills - an integral part of teaching the defensive position. Of course, there are sets of baseball fielding drills that are unique to each of the nine fielding positions in the game of baseball. However, there are baseball drills common to all fielding positions. One of the key youth baseball drills in catching ground balls is to keep the fingers of the fielding glove on the ground for ground balls, and raising the glove to catch the ball on the bounce, instead of lowering the glove. Another one of the instructional keys to fielding is to catch the thrown or batted ball with the wrist in an upward position for balls at or above the waist, and to turn the wrist upside down to catch balls below the waist. There are many ways to take a single drill and apply it so the whole team can practice at once.
Youth Throwing Drills - the most basic of all youth baseball drills, and many instructors feel that it is the most important fundamental of all. It is vital for parents to make sure that their children develop proper throwing techniques from the time they can throw a baseball, around the age of eight or so. The importance of throwing a baseball with proper grip can not be overestimated. Youth throwing drills must emphasize four important elements: Throw the ball by gripping it with the index finger and middle finger on the ball; point your shoulder opposite from your throwing hand in the direction of your target; step in the direction of your target when you release the ball; and follow through after you release the ball with your back leg so that both legs are parallel upon the completion of the throw.
You can find many youth baseball drills on the Internet covering hitting, fielding and throwing. Some drills are free and some require subscription or for you to order a DVD. Free baseball drills allow you greater flexibility in trying a variety and see what works best for you as the coach and your youth baseball team. Always remember that drills should be age appropriate. The right fielding drill for a 14 year-old boy will not suit and 8-year old and vice versa.

There are many baseball coaching resources and communities like Weplay, available to help with any questions you might have. Don't underestimate the passion of the community around you. We are all here to help the kids.

By Trevor Sumner who works for Weplay.com, a youth baseball community dedicated to providing parents, coaches and athletes the tools and information they need to celebrate the love of the game. Weplay has one of the most comprehensive baseball drill libraries in its active baseball community.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Trevor_Sumner

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Baseball Outfielder's Crow-Hop

CoachesBest Batting Cages


By Steven Michael

One of the least understood and incorrectly executed movements is the Crow-Hop. This movement used by outfielders correctly will improve throwing accuracy and strength. So what is a Crow-Hop? Basically, it is a movement the player executes to provide balance and throwing momentum after the catch. The catch can be on ground balls or fly balls - but the player must properly use the Crow-Hop to give him the best chance of making good throws. Balance is the goal and the key to good outfield play.

The Crow-Hop

This next sequence is done in one fluid motion. After catching the ground ball, the outfielder should push off the front knee and replace the front foot with the back foot. The best way to do this is to elevate off the ground, lift the back knee first, then the front knee, and put the back foot down approximately where the front foot was. When done correctly, the back-knee/front-knee lifts and back-foot/front-foot exchange happens quickly. While elevating and replacing, the player should also turn his torso and hips so that his glove shoulder is pointing toward the target. This motion is called the Crow-Hop.

The Crow-Hop is a movement that gets the player best positioned to throw the ball. The outfielder is creating balance, aligning shoulders to the target, and loading up his throwing (back) leg for the throw. Loading the back (throwing-side) leg is a term used to describe the beginning of the throwing motion. Simply put, it means most of the player's weight is on his back leg. Most means more than 50 percent and less than 100 percent. Some instructors like to pinpoint the exact percentage, but my experience with thousands of ballplayers tells me it is a little different for each player. The average weight distribution is about 80-20 back leg to front leg.

Like most sports including baseball, a player must move in one direction to move better to the opposite direction. Both hitters and pitchers do this as well. It's a mechanism for balance and bodily energy. Some players exaggerate the crow-hop by lifting their knees very high, almost like a marching band. Other players drag their back leg in to a bad, or "short", position - and the back leg never gets completely under the body. Neither of these methods is correct.

The proper technique is to lift the knee high enough so the player's back leg supports the body. This creates balance - and good throws. When outfielders get really good at the Crow-Hop technique it looks seamless and smooth.

Caution: Sliding, Cha-Cha, and Gliding

Many players, me included in my youth, try to execute the crow-hop without clearly replacing one foot with the other. They just slide the back foot, leaving it short of replacing the front (glove-side) foot. First hand experience shows that this results in bad balance and poor throws. Once I learned to lift my knees and position my throwing leg underneath my body, my balance and throws were consistently good. Figure 2-6 illustrates the incorrect Sliding Crow-Hop. You can see that the outfielder has not loaded his back leg, is overstretched and off-balance. This throw is highly likely to be a poor one.

A common situation of the Sliding Crow-Hop happens after his back leg has slid short of full balance. The player's brain tells him he is off-balance and he tries to correct it by quickly re-positioning his back (throwing-side) leg. His front leg is still in the air while his back leg is pumping up and down. This makes him look like he is on a pogo stick. He pumps his back leg two or three times to try to get balanced - and all the while his momentum is carrying him forward so that he rarely gets fully balanced.

Another incorrect variation of the crow-hop is what I call the Babe Ruth Cha-Cha. The Babe would move up in the batter's box to swing at a curve ball before it curved. He did this by moving his back foot behind his front, then striding to hit the ball. A lot of slowpitch softball hitters do this too. Again, you see that the player is off-balance. He is also moving parallel to the target, taking his momentum off-target. Arm strain and bad throws surely will result. Many players use the Cha-Cha move to turn their upper bodies to throw. While the move does align the player's shoulders to the target, it also reduces balance and momentum.

The Gliding Crow-Hop looks like a mid-air scissor kick, as if a ballet dancer were fielding the ball. The player's knees do not lift; instead he leaps up, brings both straight legs together, then strides out with his front (glove-side) leg while his throwing leg hits the ground. To most untrained observers, this looks pretty good. But gliding has very high odds of getting the player off-balance. Most times, the player's momentum is moving so fast that he does not allow himself to properly load his back leg for the throw. The Gliding Crow-Hop also never allows the outfielder's back leg to get fully loaded. He is so off-balance that many times he falls forward to the ground after the throw.

I hope this helps players and coaches know the correct and often-used incorrect ways to use the Crow-Hop in the outfield. You will be amazed at the improvement in your fielding and throwing by properly executing this critical movement. Thanks for reading!

Steven E. Michael played seven years of professional baseball in the Montreal Expos, Detroit Tigers and Milwaukee Brewers organizations. He played collegiately at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona earning All-Western Athletic Conference, All-College World Series, and Sporting News All-America honors.

His new book, "How To Play Baseball Outfield: Techniques, Tips, and Drills to Learn the Outfield Position" is available at http://www.stevenemichael.com

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Baseball Fielding Drills: Bucket Ball

Baseball2u.com has BATA Pitching Machines

Keep the kids interested with this cool fielding drill that is fun to do and let's the kids get a lot of fielding practice in a short time

Baseball Fielding Drills: Bucket BallBy: Dave Cole

Bucket Ball

Bucket Ball is a fun fielding drill that not only gives the kidsa lot of practice catching ground balls, but also keeps theminterested and motivated.

Choose two captains, then let them pick up sides from your team.

You'll need two empty 5 gallon buckets or two milk crates.

Place one bucket on the ground a couple of feet down the firstbase line from home plate, and the other down the third baseline.

One group of kids goes to first base, the other to third base.

Rules are:

You must catch the ball before you can throw it back.
The ball must be thrown in the bucket on 2 to 4 hops.
No throwing directly into the bucket on the fly.
No bowling, or rolling the ball on the ground to the bucket.
First team to get 5 in a bucket wins the first round.
Then groups switch bases for the second round.
No running in to throw, the throw is made from first or thirdbase.
We sometimes have it so the person with the most thrown in thebucket gets to hit first in practice. You can think up otherways of rewarding the most catches or throws.

It's a bit harder to get the balls in the bucket than you mightimagine. The kids have a lot of fun cheering each other on andthey learn focus on catching the ball and throwing at a target.

It goes a lot faster if you have two coaches hitting the balls.

In about 15 minutes each kid can get a lot of grounders and noone gets bored standing around because this is a fast movinggame.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

You can have more really cool baseball drills and info about
all aspects of the Great Game of Baseball, plus other sports,
by visiting our site:

http://ponyball.net/baseball-drills-strategy.html

Coaching and Strategy in Baseball

www.Zipnhit-pro.com

School teams have one coach who directs all play, offensively and defensively. He usually sits on the bench and gives signals to the first-base and third-base coaches, who in turn pass them on to the batter or base-runner.

The head coach of a team is responsible for planning all the pre-game strategy and the tactics during the game. He makes up the lineup, placing his hitters in the batting positions he believes will bring the most runs. In planning the lineup, he must also consider which players are hitting the ball well, which players are in a slump and which players do well against the pitcher they will have to face.

Batting Order. - Most coaches stick to the same formula in making up a batting order. The No. 1 hitter is fast afoot, an excellent judge of a ball and a strike, and a player who is hard to pitch to because he is small or has an unusual stance. This player should have the ability to draw a great number of walks, thus getting in position to start his team toward a run.

The No. 2 hitter should have about the same qualifications as the lead-off man, but he should be good as a bunter and a batter who can hit to right field. A single to right field by the No. 2 batter, if the lead-off hitter is on base, most likely will result in a first-and-third situation.

The Nos. 3, 4 and 5 batters should be the power hitters. There is really not much difference in whether the No. 4 hitter should bat third, or vice versa. However, it is good policy to have your strongest batter hit in the No. 3 spot. In this way he is certain of getting up in the first inning, and over the nine innings may get more chances to bat than the Nos. 4 and 5 hitters. It's interesting to note that Babe Ruth, baseball's greatest slugger, batted in the No. 3 spot throughout most of his career.

The No. 6 hitter should be a bit stronger than the No. 7 batter since he may have more opportunities to drive in runs than the No. 7 man. The No. 8 batter is perhaps the weakest hitter in the lineup, with the pitcher following in the No. 9 position.

Many school coaches who have a pitcher who is also a fine hitter, will place the pitcher much higher in the lineup. There is nothing wrong with this strategy, particularly if the pitcher is strong and physically able to carry the hitting, as well as the pitching burden.

Signals. - Each hitter should know just when to be alert for a signal. Sometimes the situation is so obvious that the hitter automatically knows he is on his "own" at the plate.

With bases empty and one or two strikes on the batter, it's quite obvious that the coach is not going to tell him to "take" a pitch. To take a pitch means to let one go by. This signal is usually given when the batter is ahead of the pitcher in the ball-and-strike count, or if the coach wants the batter to take the first pitch from the pitcher in the hope that it will be a ball.

Don't be discouraged if you are ordered to take a pitch as you get to the plate. There is nothing wrong with this strategy, especially if the pitcher is inclined to have a little control trouble. A pitcher who gets behind in the count constantly is in trouble, and when the count gets two balls and no strikes, or three balls and one strike, you may then get the pitch which you will be able to drive out for a safe hit.

Follow your coach in all things, and your baseball will only get better!
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T-Ball Batting Drills

T-Ball Batting Drills
By Kenny Buford

T-ball batting drills teach players how to properly swing the bat and make contact with the ball. There are many t-ball batting drills that players can practice to improve their swinging technique. Young players should practice their batting skills repeatedly in order to get the feel for swinging the bat properly, and also to improve their hand-eye coordination.

Improving a Batter's Swing:

The best way to improve a batter's swing is to practice hitting the ball from the tee into the back stop. Try to pair right-handed coaches with left-handed batters (and left-handed coaches with right-handed batters). Have the coach stand on the opposite side of the tee from the player (as if to mirror the player) in order to show proper stance and swing. This t-ball batting drill gives the batters a good visual reference and the coaches can easily make any necessary corrections.

Batting Techniques:

If necessary, use baking flour to make a batters box in the dirt. Set the tee even with the batter's belly button and have them extend their arms fully. Have the player hold this position with arms extended for a few seconds and explain how hitting the ball on the fat part of the bat makes the ball go further.

Teaching Batters to Keep their Eyes on the Ball:

Draw a large black dot on the ball. Then have the batter concentrate on trying to hit the dot and watching the dot until after their swing is complete. This helps players improve their focus on the ball, and also helps hand-eye coordination.

Blindfold the Batter:

Place a blindfold over the eyes of the batter and line them up properly in the batter's box in front of the tee, making sure that all other players are out of the immediate area. When you are safely out of the way tell the batter to swing away, with the intention of making contact with the ball. This will teach the batter how to develop a level swing and with repetition will produce a natural rhythm and a solid swinging technique.

Move the Tee Around the Batter's Box:

By placing the tee in various positions in the batter's box you will allow the player to practice hitting different types of pitches. This will enable players to be able to make contact with all types of pitches, inside and outside. This drill also allows players to practice making contact and hitting the ball into different areas of the field.

See who gets the Most Hits:

A good batting drill is to have each player try to make as many consecutive hits as possible. Foul balls should not count as hits, and every foul ball should count as an out in order to make the drill run quicker and allow more players to get their turn. The one who can make contact and get the most hits in a row wins.

Raise and Lower the Tee:

By raising and lowering the tee players are able to practice hitting balls that are not thrown at their belly button. This is one of the most effective t-ball batting drills for preparing players to move into game situations with pitchers.

Kenny Buford is a baseball and tee ball coach with over 20 years of experience. You can find more of his t-ball drills and tee ball practice plans on his website:

Free T-Ball Drills

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How To Select The Right Youth Baseball Glove For Your Child

Youth baseball leagues are up and running across North America, and around the globe. The game is very popular in Japan, Taiwan, Mexico, the Caribbean, and in South America. Millions of kids look forward to playing on their local teams. It's a chance to meet new friends, travel to other parks or cities, and to be on a ball team. It's the camaraderie that makes playing baseball a fun event.

The practicing however is often a different matter, especially catching baseballs. In what is a pretty easygoing sport, kids have to catch baseballs moving along a good clip. They'll have to learn catching skills, such as fielding balls that will bounce along with ground unpredictably or line drives that move toward them at a high speed. They may be kids, but some can hit the ball very well. For the kid that doesn't know how to catch properly or doesn't have a very good glove, there are few more angst-ridden activities than catching baseballs.

Leather baseball gloves have been around a long time. If you've been to the Cooperstown Baseball Hall of Fame, you may have seen some unusual looking antique gloves and wondered how they could have caught a baseball with them. For those of us old timers who have been around long enough to actually use some of those antique gloves, we can tell you that it was not easy. They were stiff, heavy, clumsy, and tough to manipulate with your hand when they were new, and it wasn't long before they wore out to a limp clump of hide that often let the ball fly right through it. Catching was an art, and stinging fingers and bruised shins were all part of the experience of playing youth baseball.

Youth Baseball Gloves

With those stiff or floppy youth baseball gloves, you'd wonder why kids didn't give up on the game. Well, truth is, many youths wouldn't play baseball or gave up for that very reason. They didn't want to have any part of trying to catch a hot, bobbling grounder on uneven ground. Kids are the same way today. If it's too unpleasant to use the equipment and play the game the way it is meant to be played, then they might think, "why bother?"

New Baseball Gloves and New Materials

Glove manufacturers today have designed them so they're ready to play with. Instead of stiff, thick cowhide leather composing the whole glove, modern kids ball gloves are made of numerous materials including pigskin. Cowhide may be used where it is needed most, but these gloves are designed for comfort and performance. They almost feel like they can catch the ball themselves.

The design of youth baseball gloves is done with the child's hand eye coordination and physical skills in mind. The physical skill of an adult means adult gloves can be made differently depending on the nature of the position they play, and with more webbing to allow them to snare baseballs a little more easily. A child's finger dexterity and strength aren't fully developed, so they're not going to be able to use a glove with the skill of an older youth or adult ball player. There are gloves for young tots, something that couldn't be done decades ago.

Additional helpful features of today's youth baseball gloves, such as anti-microbial treatments, which keep bacteria at bay. It's hot in the summer and your child's hand will sweat inside the glove.

Franklin Sports Gloves

With the physiology and coordination of youth ball players in mind, Franklin Sports has designed a wide range of quality youth baseball gloves. Their leather ball gloves range in size and styles but all are designed for comfort in how they fit the child's hand and how the leather is stitched. The result is an outstanding ball glove that will feel like a natural extension of the child's arm. On models for older youths, the gloves are all leather with deep pockets and lengths up to 12.5 inches. That's plenty of glove for making tough catches.

With a Franklin baseball glove, your child won't have the same frustration or soreness from learning new baseball skills. Perhaps they'll avoid the stinging fingers, summer sweat that sees smelly bacteria forming inside the glove, and bruised shins that take some of the fun out of playing. A good glove won't rid your child of those embarrassing moments when they miss a catch, but it will increase their comfort level. They'll be able to relax and they'll be more confident that they can learn their fielding skills.

Kidsports carries Franklin Sports line of youth baseball equipment including gloves, batting gloves, pitching machines and T-Ball equipment. You can buy youth baseball gloves online at kidsportsinc.com.

How To Develop A Balanced Hitting Base For Youth Baseball Players!

By Chip Lemin

When I see a youth baseball player shooting line drives all over the field, there are certain things I look for in their swing. The first thing I usually notice will be that the player is balanced during the entire swing. Balance in a baseball swing is something that will deliver consistent results for the hitter. The balance in a baseball swing begins with the stance. The player's weight should be evenly distributed on both feet to start. When the player begins the trigger, or start of the swing, some of the weight will then shift to the back leg. These subtle movements were not always clear to me. I learned most of this from watching our team take hitting instruction from a professional instructor.

Some people will groan about paying someone to help a youth baseball player learn to hit properly. I must say years ago I was not a believer in hitting lessons. I thought I already knew all about hitting. My child has always been able to hit well, mostly due to natural talent luckily. My child was asked to play in a tournament with a travel team. This team used hitting instruction. As I watched how much it helped my child improve, I wanted to know more.

The best baseball swings are usually short and compact with a smooth follow through. Most parents teach their kids to take a long stride. I was guilty of this this. I also let their arms drop down too low, developing a long slow swing. Most of my mistakes were at the tee ball and coach pitch level with my first child. My eyes were opened at these hitting instructions that I had a lot to learn. Taking a wider balanced stance is the beginning of a solid base to hit from. The first thing the instructor did was widen up my kid's stance. This improved the balance right way. It also makes it harder to take a long stride to the ball. I am in favor of hitting instruction as early as the player will accept it. Don't ever force them to go. My child was a little hesitant until watching other kids having fun doing it.

My early ideas about keeping the elbow up, and the long stride, did not lead to a balanced powerful swing. I quickly learned to accept a new way of thinking. The earlier a youth baseball player learns to develop a balanced swing the better. A balanced swing makes it easier to hit to all fields. A balanced swing is much easier to repeat over and over from a good balanced base. The first move to the baseball from the trigger position will be with the hands. This is difficult for young players to learn at first. The are many drills to help instill this important part of the swing. I will share some of them with you soon in an upcoming article.

We have covered the very basics of the balanced hitting base of the swing. Most players will have to widen their stance to at least shoulder with. Some players even a little more may be needed. My child has a wide stance. This helps keep the toes on the ground during the beginning of the swing. If a player is lifting up the toes during the swing, they are shifting their weight improperly. The hands should be held as high as the player feels comfortable with. They should not be buried up against the body either, We are trying to eliminate movement that is not needed in the swing. When there is less movement, it is easier to stay balanced. So go find a quality hitting instructor that both you and your child feel good about. Get some references from others if needed. Go to lessons with an open mind. You will both learn a lot about balance in the baseball swing.

Thanks Coach Chip

Chip Lemin has been a promoter of youth baseball since they started using aluminum bats. That's a long time. I have witnessed many good people get into coaching without solid coaching skills and it is not fun for them or the kids.Today's newer coaches are also being shortchanged on sportsmanship, like there is none. Visit my site to sign up for a insightful, informational, free coaching e-course at http://www.baseballecourse.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chip_Lemin

Baseball Drills Don't Have to Be Boring

By Chris Campbell
How many home runs have you hit lately? Probably not as many as the strikes that have been thrown against you. The pitcher definitely has a big advantage in baseball.

If you've been struggling with your batting average, rest assured, your not alone. Everyone (even the professional ball players) get into a slump at one time or another. Some players fell their not in a hitting slump, and that they've just never hit the ball as well as they could. Fortunately, it is a skill that can be improved.

Any batting practice, is better than sitting around watching TV, or playing video games. Shagging a few fly balls with some buddies while you each take a turn hitting, can sometimes be better than a formal batting practice session with your coach. Your relaxed, and thinking about having fun, rather than your swing technique. That said, it's not a formal substitute for regular team hitting practice under the coaches watchful eye.

If you don't feel your getting enough individual time from your baseball coach, then you may need to make other arrangements to improve your skills. There's nothing wrong with spending a few minutes after practice, asking the coach for specific things and you can work on. Then spend some time after practice to work on those drills.

Remember, that not all practice time needs to be fun. If your pressed for time when practicing, it's key to getting the most benefit out of the time you put in.

Not All Bats Fit All Hitters

Take a little extra time, to find the perfect bat for you. And when you find it, stick with it. Sometimes a low batting average, is simply the result of using the wrong sized bat for you. This is a simple problem to fix.

If your wondering what size bat you should be using, there's a simple test you can do to find out. Grab the handle end of the bat, point it straight out in any direction. If you can do that for 15 seconds or more without a shaky arm, you've found your bat.

Stand Proud As A Hitter

Don't assume, that everyone knows the best place to stand in the batters box. While it can vary from pitcher to pitcher, and batter to batter, there are some basics that should be understood. Consider strike zones, and your own swing when choosing.

It's good for both the pitcher, and the batter to have a target to aim for. So, always throw something down to be home plate. Even if you don't have an official home plate, try and mark the area with whatever you have at hand.

Be sure to visit the Baseball Coaching Drills website for some simple and effective baseball drills.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Campbell

Beginner Baseball Training Tips For Coaches

By Sameep Shah

A proper training and coaching is very important no matter what level of game you need to success at. Therefore you will first have to find a qualified baseball coach who can teach you some essential fundamentals of the sport. If you are looking for some serious training through a professional coach then it is advisable to find a good local instructor or purchase videos and books or even find a reputable baseball institute. If you cannot afford to join the schools then you can read the books about the game or get some good DVDs. You can even find plenty of free information on the internet to help you get going with the game.

As the old saying goes practice makes you perfect, therefore the biggest tip in training would be keep on practicing. You need to focus on just 1 or 2 areas of the game when you are a beginner in the game. You should also work on getting the basics done perfectly for baseball and should bare in mind that the more you practice the better you can be in the game. You can even move further to expand your capabilities to advanced baseball training. One of the best ways to master in the game is to participate in the game. Therefore get yourself playing the game as much as possible. Apart from baseball fundamentals there are also other fields that you should work on.

Strength training - One important thing is to maintain your flexibility and strength when playing baseball. This training will help you avoid injuries and enhance performance.

Mental toughness - You will also have to work on the mental aspects of the game as it is evenly important to be a successful player. This means that you should learn team spirit, to be positive, skill to handle failure and criticism with the right courage. Always make sure the game is fun to play for you as it will keep your courage lasting long and when something negative happens you just shake it off and you are back to the game.

Diet - The diet you intake also plays a crucial role in your baseball training. Apart from strength and exercise training it is also important that you eat healthy. You need to have a balanced diet that includes all the vital vitamins, minerals and proteins.

These are some basic and important fundamentals for beginners that will help you build up as a successful baseball player.

For more information visit Sportscapers University at basketball training Houston - You can also find more information and online training videos to help you improve your skills at basketball training Katy.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sameep_Shah

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Tips For Hitting In Youth Baseball

By Brian McClure

How did Babe Ruth, Micky Mantle Blast the Ball farther than Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa?

Batting drills can be fun, practice has to be done but in the long run hands, wrists, and forearms need to be strong to develop a quick swing and result in hitting the ball hard. This will not only help your child or team hit the ball harder with more control of the bat , but also prepare them for high school baseball. Here is a simple inexpensive way to do just that.

1) Tennis Ball - Have some tennis balls around the house and especially in your childsroom. While your youth baseball player is watching t.v. or waiting on his turn to play a video game he can be squeezing the tennis ball building the muscles on the hand , wrist , and forearms .

Sure you can buy exercise equipment for this but don't waste the money. This will provide enough resistance for what your child or team needs to develop.

(Bonus) Wrist roller - You can also take a rod (old broomstick handle will work) The rod needs to be 15 or 16 inches long with a hole drilled in the middle. Take some thin rope, run one end thruough the hole and tie a knot or two in it so it will not fall through. Leave a few inches past the rope for adjustments later. Take the other end and tie to a brick or weight. The rope should be long enough the weighted object rests on the ground but will lift when the youth baseball player rolls his wrists. The youth baseball player will hold the rod palms up and rolls his wrists. This mechanism is adjustable with the rope as the child grows
or you can tie on different weights.

2) Repetition - Simply put, It takes swings. Hitting off the tee, Soft Toss and some live batting practice. These three can be done at home or at off practice times to increase hitting performance. As a coach of youth baseball practice it would be great to set up one day just for hitting and have some volunteers help and move kids from stations. A tee station. A soft Toss station, a live free hitting station.

Coaches, be sure and tell your kids and parents about the tennis ball. Several will do it. And if you do a repetition station day and tell the parents this is what they can work on at home..many will do that. After all everyone loves to hit the ball, or at least see their son do it. This will be a great step toward the coaches team (or your child) hitting the ball.

For more free Free youth baseball tips & drills

Author- Brian McClure
More about helping your child in youth baseball as a parent or coach?
http://www.coaching-youth-baseball.com/

See our complete list of Topics and articles on youth baseball here
http://www.coaching-youth-baseball.com/topics.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brian_McClure

The "Backyard Basketball Goal for Batters"



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Youth Baseball: Six Simple Steps To A Perfect Swing

(Shown Above: The Hit2win Trainer - Available at Baseball2u.com)

"Six Steps to a Perfect Swing"
Great material for teaching beginners.


Proper instruction and repetitive practice are vital for young players to learn a perfect swing. The instructing coach or parent should make sure to cover each step adequately before preceding to the next step. The parent or coach should always teach and emphasis the correct desired fundamentals. Consideration should be given to the fact that young players learn at different rates and have varying attention spands.

Click here to see the 6 Steps to a Perfect Swing.

Simple Little League Baseball Drills

By Chris Campbell

I've never tried to hit a pitch from a seriously good baseball pitcher, but what I do know, is that it's one of the hardest things to do in all of professional sports. The combination of timing, and reflexes is pretty demanding.

Just look at how many players have a batting average over 400 in the history of professional. Only 8 players have ever done it (13 times amongst them), and no one has done it since 1941. So, any help you can give your little slugger in their early baseball years will be a definite advantage down the road.

While, you can read all day long, on the pros and cons of various hitting styles and swings, there is nothing better for a future hall of fame hitter, than just going out and hitting. The more hours they spend trying to knock one over the fence the better. Its also a great way to spend quality time with your kids, but grabbing a bunch of balls, heading over to the field, and pitch them a few to whack.

If your little ball player, really enjoys the game, then it shouldn't be hard to get them to put a little extra time in. If all they want to do is hit, that's fine, but they're probably bored to death at practice. Most kids just don't get much hitting practice with the team.

While, any hitting is better than not hitting at all, it could also be said that an effective hitting practice is better than just swinging willy nilly at whatever. There are a few pointers to keep in mind.

The Bat Has To Fit The Player

You wouldn't try to catch with a glove that was two sizes too small, or too large. So why would you do the same thing with a bat. Choosing a bat that is both weight and length appropriate for your son or daughter can make all the difference in their batting average.

Try having your little leaguer hold their bat out from their body, but parallel to the ground. If they can't do it for at least 15 seconds, then the bat is too heavy. If they can barely do it, or their arms start to wobble, then it's probably better to try a small bat.

Best Place For A Batter

As in any sports, where you put your feet is crucial to being successful. Hitting a baseball is no different. Too close, or too far from home plate can make it difficult to hit a lot of pitches. Make sure your kids understand the difference, and know where to swing from.

The lesson here is don't just head over to the park across the street for some informal batting practice, with only a bat, a glove, and some balls. Remember to bring home plate with you. Even if you don't have an official home plate, any old thing will work as a place holder.

These Little League Baseball Practice, are meant to make practice fun. If your a coach looking for Fun Baseball Practice Drills, you've come to the right spot.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Campbell



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Understanding the Baseball Swing

By Nate Barnett

If I asked you to give a five minute lecture on hitting mechanics start to finish, could you do it? If the answer is yes, then you've undoubtedly done some research on the baseball swing. If the answer is no, then there is some work to be done, and you'll want to read on, especially if you're in a role where you provide any type of baseball instruction.

Coaches must be continual learners if they are going to stay in this game for long and attract some success. The most dangerous attitude anyone of influence can obtain is an attitude of arrival. Therefore, be a constant learner.

The baseball swing can be broken down into various parts and movements. The key for any good coach or athlete is to understand first what these parts are, and secondly, to understand the sequence of these moving parts throughout the swing. Without getting into depth on the specific parts in this article, my purpose in writing this is to introduce how energy is created within the baseball swing.

Much like other athletic activities the energy created to produce a quick swing comes from the back side of the body. The lower half of the back side of the hitter's body is responsible for generating momentum directed toward the pitch. This movement does not happen automatically, unfortunately. Most hitters begin their swing with the front side of the body or their hands which greatly reduces the speed of the baseball swing.

The two most common and incorrect swing starters are the hands and the front hip. Here are the drawbacks for using those parts to begin the energy creation process.

Hands: The baseball swing is a movement where energy is created from the ground up. The back knee turns first, back hip second, and hands third. While this sequence happens very quickly, it's important that it remain consistent. The reason is because this process creates torque. It is a core body movement that creates a whip action and propels the bat into the zone. If the hitter's hands are responsible for generating power, little power can be generated comparatively.

Front Hip: As explained above, the back side of the body creates energy. Therefore, if the front hip of the hitter begins to rotate at the same time of the back side of the body, momentum begins to move away from the play instead of being directed at hitting the baseball.

Consistent drill work should be focused on minimizing the above two movements. While Little Leaguers can get away with some of these mistakes and have relative success, athletes in high school cannot. Therefore, the best time to correct these incorrect movements is between the ages of 10 and 15.

Nate Barnett is owner of BMI Baseball designed to improve the mental game of baseball in athletes. Learn how to help your game by improving the skill of mental baseball

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nate_Barnett

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Fun T-Ball Drills

By Kenny Buford

T-ball is a wonderful way to acquaint young children with the sport of baseball. Being so young, the most important aspect is making sure that the children are enjoying the experience while learning the basics. There are many fun t-ball drills that players will enjoy while learning and practicing the fundamentals.

Catch:

Catch is perhaps the most famous and basic of all t-ball drills. It is even used in the major leagues during pre-game warm-ups. Catch is one of the fun t-ball drills that is easiest for children to learn. Catch is the best way to learn the essentials of catching and throwing.

Bounce to the Bucket:

Bounce to the bucket is a fun t-ball drill that requires a large basket or a cooler, placed on top of a base. Outfielders then try to throw and bounce the ball into the open container. It's fun to make this game a competition by giving ten points for every ball that goes in, five points for hitting the bucket, and one point for bouncing the ball closest to the bucket. This drill is important because it allows players to practice throwing from the outfield to the bases.

Catching Contest:

The catching contest is a great drill to practice catching and throwing. Break the players up into groups of two and then have them throw the ball back and forth between themselves. The last two players that have not dropped the ball are the winners.

Catch the Coach:

Catch the coach begins by having the coach run from home plate to first base. After he starts running the coach should yell out "tag me," and the player holding the baseball should run after the coach and attempt to tag him out before he reaches first base.

Catch the Players:

Catch the players is a fun drill to practice base running. The coach lets four or more players begin running the bases, starting from home plate, each player separated by about seven seconds. The coach starts running last, attempting to catch the players and tag them out one by one by grabbing the cabs from their heads.

One and Two:

One and two is a drill which is good for practicing catching and throwing accuracy involving two players playing catch. The thrower is awarded two points if the ball is caught at or above the shoulders. One point is scored if the ball is caught between the waist and shoulders. No points are awarded if the ball if caught below the waist or not caught at all.

Track Meet:

Track meet is one of the fun t-ball drills that begins with two players at home plate. At the start, one runs to third base, the other runs to first base. They continue running in opposite directions around the bases, and the first player to return to home plate wins. In order to avoid collisions, instruct the runner that begins at first base to touch second base from the outside corner, and the runner coming from third base to touch the inside corner of second base.

Kenny Buford is a baseball and t-ball coach with over 20 years of experience. You can find more of his T-Ball Drills (along with practice plans) on his website:

T-Ball Drills and Practice Plans

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kenny_Buford

Recommended Tee Ball Coaching Stites:
Baseball 2Day Coaching Journal
TeeBall Parents Guide

How To Coach T-Ball

T-ball is the most popular youth baseball program in Little League, including other youth baseball leagues around the country, and has the most participants. However, coaching t-ball can be a daunting experience at first. But don't worry too much, there are many strategies about how to coach t-ball and the main objective is always to enjoy the experience.

Get Organized:

Unfortunately, a late start in a sport like tee ball typically means players won't make up the difference until the following season when they can get a better start. If you want to learn how to coach t-ball, then get organized, develop a plan, and prepare to work hard. Learn as much about t-ball and baseball as you can. Prepare to learn enough about baseball to be able to present the material in "kid terms."

Use Analogies Kids Can Understand:

Kids don't know what it means to "take an extra base" or "turn two" until you teach them and show them. Successful coaches know their audience and use analogies and common visual imagery to establish an intellectual and cognitive connection with their players. For t-ball players, these images are best when they are a bit dramatic. For instance: point the belly button toward the part of the field where you want to hit the ball (get your hips rotated), make your arm like an elephant's trunk when throwing (don't launch the ball like a catapult, throw it), and point the button on your cap in the direction the ball came from when fielding a ground ball (keep your head down).

Be Serious:

Whether your league keeps score or not, or whether you have a team that can win games or not, don't ever fail to take your responsibilities as a coach seriously. Being a serious t-ball coach means that you'll try to teach your players something about baseball, basic skills, and sportsmanship. It means that you're attentive to player safety, and it means that while you're asking your players to put their best foot forward, so are you.

Be Patient:

Having been a great player is no assurance that you will be a great coach any more than being a great student necessarily means you will be a great teacher. However, a good coach has to be a good teacher. A coach has to be patient, he has to be confident and decisive, nurturing when his players get hurt or make mistakes, and he has to be able to get as much as he can out of his players without going too far.

Get Help:

T-ball coaches need the assistance of their players' parents. You will be surprised to learn that parents are normally willing to help out if they aren't too busy. The more people you have helping out, the better. Just remember, that you are the coach so don't let them take over your responsibilities.

Administration:

Keep meetings with players and parents brief since young kids get restless quickly and create distractions. To communicate important information such as league rules, game schedules and uniform information, use handouts that the parents can read later. When learning how to coach t-ball, try to have fun and make everyone enjoy the experience.

Kenny Buford is a baseball and t-ball coach with over 20 years of experience. You can make your t-ball coaching life even easier by downloading his t-ball practice plans at the site below:

T-Ball Practice Plans

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kenny_Buford

T-Ball Coaching Tips For Game Day

By David Comora

So, you've survived the first practices, the parent meetings, the fund raisers and the uniform distribution, and now its game day. Many of the questions we receive from new coaches at our T-Ball University web site concern how to handle their team in a variety of game day situations. So, in this article, we'll be discussing some of the most common game day questions, including stretching, warm-ups, pep talks, tips for coaching the game and post-game activities.

What is the first thing you should do when the kids arrive for the game? When players arrive on the field, it's important to make sure their bodies are in the proper condition to play ball. We usually start our children with some simple warm up exercises, such as arm rotations and then a slow jog around the T-ball field. Once their muscles are warmed up, we'll transition to five minutes of simple arm and leg stretches.

Next, we have the players warm up by throwing to the coaches and parents before the game in the outfield on the side of our bench, (you'll need to check with your league rules, since many leagues require any adult who steps on the field to be "certified" by attending a training class). Typically, the home team bench is on the first base side and the visitor team bench is on the third base side. Ground balls from the coaches and parents are then taken in the infield on our benches side of the field. If time is available, we try to take infield and outfield practice with the players in their first inning positions. This usually consists of players fielding ground balls in the infield and throwing them to first base. As the players become proficient with this, I then have the players fielding ground balls in the infield and throwing them to second and first bases for a double play. It may be a long time before they actually turn a double play, but that's no reason not to get them in the habit of trying. Next we hit soft line drives to the outfield with the outfielders fielding the line drives on one or two hops. I have them throw to the appropriate cutoff man (shortstop or second baseman) and then to the appropriate player covering second base (second baseman or shortstop).

We will then have the players come in to the bench for a pre-game pep talk. We usually ask the team if they listened to their parents this week and then ask them if they listened to their teachers this week. If they say yes, which most of the time they do, we ask the parents if their children listened to them this week. This usually generates a look of horror from the players. We tell the team they can play because they listened to their teachers and parents the past week. We try to stress that each player needs to be a good student athlete.

The bench coach has a line-up card and it is their responsibility to have each child sit on the bench in the order they are hitting. Batting helmets are worn on the heads of the first few children, depending on the number of available helmets. Players returning from the field take a seat on the bench behind the players that have not yet batted. It is very important that the bench coach ensures that only one batter is in the on-deck circle taking his or her practice swings. You'll find that you are constantly telling children to "put down the bat", this is normal and it will alleviate two or more players from injuring themselves. You should check on your league rules for on-deck swings as some leagues ban all on-deck practice swings for safety.

Before each inning in the field, have the players gather around you on the tee-ball diamond to receive their position assignments. We try to have as many coaches on the field as possible to assist the players in finding their positions.

We suggest that you let every player know where the next play is going by mentioning the base and the player's name the ball is going to (e.g., Mikey, you're going to Kira at first base on a ground ball, etc). It sounds like a lot of instruction but you and your players will get used to it after a while. This repetition on each play will eventually be retained by each player, so as time goes by, you might not have to remind each player what they should do with the ball if it is hit to them.

You should also have each player call out the number of outs in each inning (e.g., call it out, one out, etc). Have each player raise one of their arms with their fingers pointing appropriately with the number of outs each inning. Prior to a batter swinging, make sure each player is prepped in the ready position to field the ball. An infielder should have knees slightly bent with their "alligator" position showing. An outfielder should have knees slightly bent with their glove and throwing hand resting comfortably on their knees.

If you feel that your players are getting bored and are losing their focus, or there is a lull in the action, yell to the whole team, "who wants the ball?" Each player raises his or her hands responding "me!" Its important for each child to want the tee-ball and be eager to make the play. Its important to work with them so they are not afraid to make a play.

For less accomplished players, we suggest that you have them make the ground ball play to first base. For more accomplished players, you can try to have them get the lead runner out. If a pitcher fields a hard hit ground ball, we try to have him throw to the lead base, whether it is first, second, or third base. We usually have the shortstop take the throw at second base for a potential double play at first base since his or her momentum is directed to first base. If a pitcher fields a softly hit ground ball and they have to charge off the mound to field the tee-ball, I have the pitcher throw the ball to first base only.

We also instruct the fielder covering a base to tag the runner upon receiving the ball, even if the runner is not forced on the play. Its important that you do not take any of the player's knowledge of the game for granted. We always assume that they do not know a thing about the game. We remind the children to tag the runner with the ball firmly held in the glove. Its common to see players attempt to tag the runner without the tee-ball in the glove.

After the inning in the field is over, we yell to them "Hustle in, we're burning daylight. Don't be the last one on the bench!" We belive that no one on the team should be walking during practices and games. Every team member should be hustling at all times.

Here's a safety tip that can reduce a few bruises. During the game, we like to warn the other manager and coaches when we have a good hitter up at the plate. We ask that the coach move his pitcher back in the pitching as much as possible, to prevent any potential injury. We've seen a few well accomplished players hit a parent or coach with a line drive back up the middle through the pitching circle. We've also seen a few instances where the pitcher took a line drive or ground ball in the face. A few steps back can make a big difference.

After the game is over, we stand on first or third base, whichever is closest to our bench, and ask each player to line up behind us. We ask them to extend their right arm and hand and the opposing team does likewise across the diamond. I tell the players to go and shake the hands of the other players and coaches who have participated in the game. We then ask each player to sit on the bench or gather their equipment and sit off to the side of the field, if another game is about to begin. We give the players a combination critique and pep talk. The critique is never really negative but constructive. It is never loud. We praise each player for the positives they performed during the game and reiterate what we need to work on as a team for the next game. The parents scheduled to bring the snacks and drinks distribute them. While they are partaking of their treat, the coaches decide who should get the game ball. We give the game ball on tee-ball level to the player that pays the most attention. We try to distribute the game balls for each game evenly amongst the players that a game ball is given to each and every player before the end of the season.

Here's to a successful Game Day! We hope these Game Day tips were helpful. For more information on coaching t-ball you can visit our t-ball coaches forum and watch sample video drills at our T-Ball University web site (www.tballu.com).

David Comora
T-Ball University
http://www.tballu.com


David Comora has coached Tee Ball and Youth Baseball for over 10 years. He and his partners Steve Polansky, Brian Leuthner and David Kalb have developed the T-Ball University system of coaching to help new parent coaches learn to quickly master the skills of coaching. Their program includes video drills, coaching forms, practice plans, lesson notes and more. Free coaching videos are also available at our web site.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Comora

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Tee Ball - A Stepping Stone to Baseball

By Alex Dumas

Most youth sports involve kids that are on their pre-teens. Teams are composed of kids aged nine and up because they are expected to already know the concept of the sport. Let's take little league baseball for example. Most teams or coaches would opt for older kids not because their bigger or stronger, but rather because they have already undergone the basics of baseball. How were they able to achieve it? Tee ball of course!

Tee ball is typically your baseball for kids aged four to eight. Tee ball contains the basic foundations of how to play softball or baseball with one major difference... it does not require a pitcher. Tee ball uses a batting tee in replace of a pitcher. The ball is placed on top of the tee and the batter simply steps up to the plate and swings at the ball. With a successful hit, the batter needs to run to first base or to whatever base he can reach before the opposing team can get the ball to a baseman. The reason why there is no pitcher is to remove any anxiety or fear that kids may have when a ball is thrown towards them.

Tee ball practice is where kids learn to love and appreciate the game. This is also a perfect chance to acquaint kids with the rules of tee ball and how to properly play it. The batting tee is a lot of help in building a kid's confidence. It is easier to hit a stationary ball than a moving one. There is also a higher degree of difficulty with a pitched ball and kids may lose interest if they can't score a hit. A coach's job, aside from orienting the kids on what tee ball is, is to teach kids defensive tactics as well. Offense is quite simple with just two objectives: hit the ball and get to first base. With defense, kids should know where to position themselves and what to do in various scenarios. Simple drills such as passing the ball from base to base or from an infielder to a baseman or how to tag a runner will familiarize kids with the playing field as well as improve their tactics. It will also build their confidence with their teammates.

This sport may be a kid's game but the support from adults and parents are overwhelming. Who wouldn't be proud to see their kid getting a home run? Tee ball is where the future players of baseball emerge.

For more tips and information about tee ball practice, check out http://www.weplay.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alex_Dumas

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