The TeeBall Coaching Clinic provides t-ball coaches and parents with free t-ball tips, teeball drills, and tee ball articles for teaching youngsters how to play baseball. You will find simple and easy explanations on how to hit a baseball, how to throw a baseball, and how to teach baseball skills to a child. Use our search feature to type in your desired topic to find articles covering it in our archive.
T-Ball / Coach Pitch - How to Choose a Glove (Ages 4-6) By guest auhor: Larry Callicoat
You've signed your Little League player up for T-ball/coach pitch and now he needs a glove. Starting a new sport can be a drain on the wallet, especially if you're not sure if your son will enjoy playing baseball. You do not need to spend a lot of money on a glove in order to get a good quality one that can be used throughout the T-ball and coach pitch seasons. You just need to know how to pick out a good glove.
1. Size does matter. Contrary to popular belief, bigger is not always better for the beginner player. Beginning players need a smaller glove so that they can hone the skill of catching and fielding a baseball. Look for a youth glove that is 9 1/2" to 10 3/4". At this age, players do not need an 11" glove or a specialized glove (one made for 1st baseman, infielder, outfielder, etc.). They need an all purpose glove for T-ball and or coach pitch. Don't worry about playing certain positions at this point, T-ball is geared towards teaching fundamentals and making baseball FUN so that they want to come back next season.
2. Construction and Material. Most youth gloves are constructed with a leather palm and synthetic material for the outer shell. This allows for a lighter glove and one that easier to close. Look for a glove that is mostly leather and leather laces. If taken care of properly, a mostly leather glove can be used season to season. You will also need to look for a glove that has a good rounded pocket and one that features "easy close" or "power close" technology. Because beginning players are still developing muscles, gloves with closing technology make it easier to squeeze the glove closed when a ball is caught.
Once you get your player's glove, have him try it on and practice catching balls with it before the season starts. Not only will this practice help him, it will also help break in the glove. Since most youth gloves are a combination of leather and synthetic material, it is not advisable to use a glove conditioner. The best way to loosen up youth glove is to USE IT!
Once your player completes T-ball/coach pitch and moves into the upper leagues, it may be time to get a new glove. Again, there are key elements to look for when choosing a glove for the intermediate player.
Coach Larry is a youth baseball coach, having coached t-ball through high school. Visit http://www.superstarbaseball.blogspot.com for more on hitting, pitching, coaching and baseball tips, techniques and inspiration.
Youth Baseball Digest - Free Baseball Batting Drill - Batting Tee Curve Ball Hitting Drill By guest author: Nick Dixon
Many coaches use the batting tee to practice proper baseball swing mechanics. The batting tee is a great batter training tool. It offers batting practice repetition and is easy to use. Most coaches use it in drills to practice hitting the low, medium, and high fast ball locations. The batting tee can also be used to practice hitting a curve ball. One of the most difficult pitches to learn to hit is the curve ball on the outer edge of the plate. This article explains how the tee can be used to teach young players the proper mechanics and timing to hit that type curve ball. Curve Ball Batting Tee Drill
Many coaches would say that the batting tee is not a useful tool in teaching a player to hit a curve ball. That is untrue. By placing at the optimum contact point for a curve ball, the batter is allowed batting practice repetition at attacking the curve ball with proper timing and baseball swing mechanics. The batting tee should be placed as shown below. The "8's" represent a right handed batter's feet. The "x" marks the spot where the tee is located. This is the proper spot for a batter to attack the off speed curve ball on the other portion of the plate.
................X
8------------8
The tee is placed even with the instep of the back foot. The tee is placed on the outer edge of the plate. The batter will practice hitting the curve ball to the opposite field. This allows the batter to get the proper feel of hitting the off speed pitch. Placing the target ball at this spot teaches the hitter to keep the hands back, to let the ball get deep, and to drive the ball to the opposite field.
I hope that you found this article to be useful and informative. Thanks for taking the time to read it. For more article like it visit the Youth Baseball Digest, Baseball Coaching Digest, Little League Digest or Baseball Parent Guide. Good luck to you and your team. Have a great day, Nick.
The Coaches Best Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. Check out the BatAction Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.
Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.
Youth Baseball Drills - Start the Kids on the Road to Success Early By guest author: KC Andrus
Why Youth Baseball Drills? Ahh, the joys of youth baseball. What a wonderful sight to behold, the children out there giving it there all, wearing their emotions on their sleeves and the parents in the stands biting their fingernails, overcome with nervousness. The sights and sounds of a little league game are one of the fondest memories of many children's childhoods and also becomes ingrained in the minds of their parents. Whether you are a parent, coach or player, however, it takes steady practice doing the RIGHT youth baseball drills to make your team a winner.
What Youth Baseball Drills are Effective? Everyone knows that the most glamorous asset for a baseball player's inventory is his hitting skills, it is also his most valuable. So here are some common problems facing young hitters and some drills to help you improve.
Keep Your Eye on the Ball! It's the first thing you learn as a baseball player and one of the most important. A good drill to improve this is to have someone stand on a mound and throw a ball and have the player track the ball all the way into the catcher's glove. Very simple and effective.
Hit Line Drives If you're popping the ball up a lot or hitting way too many choppers, it is always one of two things: your timing is off or your swing is off and your bat path isn't straight to the ball. A good drill to make sure your bat path takes you straight to the ball is to practice hitting sharp line drives off of a tee.
My Timing Is Off If you're struggling with timing and rhythm within your swing one of the best drills you can do to correct that problem would be soft toss. Have someone kneel on one knee out to the side and softly toss the ball up to you while you focus on timing and hitting the ball up the middle squarely.
What Other Measures Should I Take?
There are various other resources that can help you come up with Youth Baseball Drills and provide fantastic coaching tips. In order to get the best information, you have to sift through all of the misinformation on the internet. This is where I found the best information for me, it provides solid tips and even lets you in on some secrets to maximize hitting potential:
Are You a Heavy Hitter? By guest author: Chip Lemin
Hitting is the Spice of Life in Baseball
There are plenty of theories on how to hit a baseball. Let's start with some real live facts. Home plate is 17 inches wide. Batter's box it is 4 ft. wide and 6 ft. long. The catcher's box is 8 ft. from tip of home plate. So as you can see, you do have room to move closer to pitcher, or farther from pitcher.
When there is a pitcher who has an overpowering fastball, batters should move toward the back of the batter's box. When we face a pitcher who is throwing slower than normal, we may want to move up in batter's box.
In youth baseball, especially younger ages, a common mistake is being too far away from the plate. Younger player's bats are too short to cover entire plate unless they stand close to the plate. Crowding the plate will help the player to reach the outside corner of the plate. It will also help teach the player to react quickly inside pitches and pull them.
Young players should use bats that are light enough to generate good bat speed. Make sure your players use the right length bat also. A bat that is too long will also slow down bat speed. A good way to check if the bat weight is right for the player is to hold out your weaker arm at shoulder height while holding the bat near the knob. If you can't hold the bat without struggling, then the bat is too heavy for the player.
The length of the bat should be no more than three to 8 in. longer than the number of ounces it weighs. Players 8 years old should use bats that weigh anywhere from 15 to 21 ounces. Players who are 9 to 12 years old will swing bats that weigh around 21 to 25 ounces.
Every player should know how to get out of the way of a pitch. That should be one of the first things you show a young player to do. We recommend a complete drop down to the ground, just dropping the bat, as you sprawl to the ground. We will have video links to this technique.
Players should hold bat loosely, so that they don't restrict wrist movement during the swing. The player's middle knuckles on both hands should be lined up on the bat. That is where they will end up after the swing anyway, so you might as well put them there to begin with.
We feel that you should have your players hold their hands up high while in their stance. This will help them to keep from holding their hands too close to their body. Having your hands too close to your body restricts your ability to throw your bottom hand at the baseball quickly.
Your players or their parents should clean their bats once in awhile and look for any damage to the bat. The bats should be cleaned occasionally including the grip. Just use some cleaning spray on the handle to bring back a nice sticky grip. Also wipe the barrel and check for damage.
These bats sometimes cost up to $300 or more, so let's take care of them. When using a hitting stick with a coach, use an old bat, to prevent damage to your game bat. When hitting at the batting cages, don't use your game bat, because the cage balls can damage your bat. When the temperature is below 50 degrees don't use your game bat unless there is a real a game being played.
Put your name or some identifying mark on your bat somewhere where it will not come off, like just above the grip. There are barrel covers available to use during batting practice to help protect your game bat.
Hitting is probably the favorite part baseball for most players, although it is arguably the most difficult. There is nothing like hitting solid line drives, or bombing a pitch over the outfielders head. Even little kids at T ball games love hitting the baseball.
There are many types of approaches to hitting. We hear of linear, rotational, or a combination of both. Or you can just plain attack the baseball. Good consistent hitters all share some similar traits. They may not show or arrive at these points at the same time in their swings. Our course doesn't endorse nor oppose any of these approaches. We will stress good simple methods you can use to help develop good hitters.
In our course, we will share what we believe to be some solid pointers on hitting. Hitting is hitting. Some old sayings are true, see ball hit ball, drive the ball, hit the middle of the ball, stay back on ball, are only a few of them. Good hitters have a plan, for example, try to hit only strikes, look for a certain pitch early in the count, or try to get into a hitters count.
Most good hitters have good balance. They keep themselves under control during their swing. You will not see them lose control during a swing. Usually they hold the bat fairly loosely, not in a death grip, with middle knuckles lined up. They often swing only at good pitches.
Every player will have their own style in their stance. This course will address some of the basics of hitting. It will not attempt to change any player's stance or swing. That is the job of the youth baseball coach, or parents after reviewing our course. Professional instruction is always a solid option.
Our hitting drills will help you to develop basic hitting fundamentals. The main objective is to make it fun to learn. That is why we encourage a positive mindset when running these drills. There are many other hitting drills out there for you to use. We are introducing you to the ones that been successful in the past. By purchasing this course you will have access to more instruction in all areas of youth baseball as part of our website.[http://www.youthbaseballonline.com]. If you so choose, we will give you updates and instruction information as part of our newsletter which we hope you enjoy.
ATTENTION: Please always wear helmets when conducting any kind of hitting. Please train your hitters to always be aware of hit or thrown balls while on deck waiting to hit.
Hello My name is Chip Lemin. I'm a long time youth baseball coach who loves to promote this great game of youth baseball. Promoting sportsmanship in this game of youth baseball is something that is greatly needed. I have a free e-course that will give you some solid coaching information along with great help on the inter-personal relationships we must have to be good youth baseball coaches. Things such as parents, travel baseball, getting parents to help out, how to communicate better to parents and players, just to touch on a few. This course will help to organize practices like an elite coach. How to motivate players and other coaches with your positive attitude. It really is not very hard to be a great coach when you know what to do.Best of all you will learn how to have fun with these great kids that you have the privilege of coaching. Do yourself a favor and check it out, it's free,you will get 1 part every couple of days in your e-mail. Coaching can be fun and rewarding if you have a plan in place first, and you have an idea what you are doing. http://www.baseballecourse.com
Free Youth Baseball Drills - 3 Great Ways to Improve the Youth! By guest author: KC Andrus
Youth baseball is a deep tradition, certainly in the American culture, and has always filled kids and parents live's with an amazing get away from the redundancy of normal life, as well as a way to channel children's energy (and hopefully wear them out, right parents? *wink* *wink*). But whether you're a parent, coach or player these six simple, free youth baseball drills are sure to get you and you're team going in the right direction, which is having fun, of course...and winning:
1. The first difficult transition in a baseball player's life is making the jump from tee ball to coach pitch (or machine pitch) whatever the case may be. A drill that makes this transition easier is to get a big, nerf soccer ball and have them hit that for a while just to get the feel of hitting a moving ball.
2. Baseball Ready Position Drill- this drill is great to teach kids the value of being in "ready position" when the ball is delivered to the plate. Have the infielder's line up at shortstop for ground ball practice just like normal, but BEFORE you hit them a ground ball make sure they get in a good athletic position so they can get a good jump on the ball.
3. Double Leg Kick Drill- This drill is for when the youngster's start pitching. Have the child stand in the outfield and pitch from the stretch the same as he would off the mound. But when he gets to his leg kick and his leg reaches it's highest point have him pause briefly, and then put his leg back down and leg kick again. This makes sure the pitcher is keeping his weight back and using his momentum toward the plate.
There are so many more great, free youth baseball drills. that will help your children improve and reach their true potential. It is wonderful for children to improve, and it is highly likely that the better they get the more fun they will have. It's just natural. Make sure to gather all the resources you can. The following site is one that I like a lot:
Drills for Tee Ball that Work at All Levels Uploaded by ClubHouseGas On http://ClubHouseGAS.com , Jim Weldon talks about tee ball fundamentals that work at all levels of baseball. Also check-out http://YouthSportTravel.com
The Rules of T Ball - Get Ready to Play! By guest author: Adam Niebs
This game is the entry sport to baseball and the rules of t ball are easy! The age range is generally four to eight years old. Players of two teams take turns hitting a ball off a batting tee set on home plate. Batters try to get on base and run to home while fielders try to stop that from happening. The elimination of pitching gives kids a chance to participate without the fear of being hit by a pitched ball. Tee ball develops the basic baseball skills of hitting, running, fielding and throwing. The players gain an understanding of the fundamental rules of t ball.
In T ball there is no pitcher and he is used somewhere else on the field. The ball looks just like a regular baseball, but is made from a soft, foam like material. It is placed on top of an adjustable tee at a height that is perfect for the batter. The tee is at home plate with coach nearby.
In most leagues, score is not kept and the rules of t ball are made to allow participation from all children. An inning is finished when each kid has had a turn hitting the ball of the tee. In some leagues and depending on the skill level, you can use the traditional three out baseball rule. The game is played on a smaller field and your outfield will usually see some action.
Umpires are not used and many parents assist during the game. Parents play a key role and are seen in the dugout, on the bases and at the plate. They also help with the practice sessions.
When it comes to equipment, the rules of t ball are generally the same too. Kids wear regular baseball uniforms, hats and rubber cleats. The bats are lightweight, aluminum and are typically 25 to 26 inches long.
T ball is a great way to get kids introduced to the game of baseball. It's America's pastime and dates back to the 1940's!
A great way for your child to learn the rules of t ball is by using the Little Tikes T Ball Set. This all in one kit is the best tool for your little slugger to begin learning. This set is an awesome skill builder and a great introductory to the game of T Ball! Learn and practice at the local park or in the comfort of your own back yard.
How to Hit a Baseball demonstrates the key elements of the proper swing. This is proper instruction for a baseball player, based on how hitting is actually done, not on folk wisdom.
Bob Caswell has worked as a hitting instructor for professional teams, college teams and leagues, and has coached amateurs at all levels. He's providing some great baseball hitting tips to help you succeed.
An Easy Way to Motivate Young Players
By Tony Argula
As a youth sports coach you will find that through a long season, it's difficult to keep your players excited, motivated and focused throughout the season. A long season coupled with young, easily distracted players, pose a great challenge for any youth sports coach. A great and simple way to help motivate your players and keep them focused is with the Golden Ball Award.
For the Golden Ball Award, all you need is an old ball and a can of gold spray paint. To make the Golden Ball Award, simply take any old ball (baseball, football, basketball, soccer ball, etc.) and spray paint it metallic gold. Let the ball dry, and presto, you have an award that will motivate your young players to push themselves and give 100% in each and every practice.
The coach should award the Golden Ball to the player that has performed the best in a practice or game. At the end of a practice, present the player with the award and explain to the rest of the team why the winning player deserved the award. The player who is awarded the Golden Ball will get to keep the ball until the next practice or game. You will be surprised how much this simple award means to young players as well as how motivating it is.
The coach should remind the team of the award at the start of each and every practice and challenge them to win it. Try your best to ensure that every player wins the award during the year.
This motivation technique can work for any sport: Youth Football, Youth Basketball, Soccer, Baseball, etc.
The perfect swing trainer for teeball players making the adjustment to hitting a moving ball is the Derek Jeter Zip-n-Hit. This is a product that every parent and coach needs to know about. Click the Link Below for More Information.
Common Sense Coaching, Teaching Hitting To Little League Baseball Players By guest author: Marty Schupak
One thing I learned in my 21 years coaching youth baseball is that there is no perfect way to coach hitters. I never considered myself an expert at teaching young 7-12 year old ballplayers the most refined hitting techniques. The most success I've had with improving hitters' techniques is when I didn't over coach them. I've attended my share of baseball conventions and hitting clinics.
Sometimes I come away more confused than when I went in. The hitting coaches I enjoy the most are the ones that simplify not just the hitting technique itself, but the explanation so young players will understand it. Most of the speakers at these clinics have incredible knowledge about hitting but I believe many should work on targeting their lessons to younger players. With that said, I would like to share the five biggest mistakes I see young players make year in and year out and what I do to correct them.
Mistake #1 is a batter stepping towards third base with his front foot. For lefty hitters it would be stepping towards first. For young players, this might be the most common hitting mistake I see. Instead of stepping toward the pitcher or even just lifting the front foot and putting it down, many players step toward third.
This can also throw off the whole rhythm of the player's swing and also reduce the amount of power the player can put into the swing. If the batter does make contact and hits the ball fair, the ball usually is a grounder to the right side of the infield. This hitting flaw is easy to recognize. To correct it can take time. What I do is take two pieces of 2X4 wood each about 36" long. Putting them on each side of the player's feet during batting practice will force his front foot from stepping to the side. Very rarely do players actually step into the wood while batting. Coaches should have the batter practice stepping first without even swinging for a few pitches. One session alone will usually not solve the problem but over a period of time this can work more times than not with most young players. You can also use two bats but I prefer wood because the bats can roll.
Mistake #2 is when the batter takes too big a step forward toward the pitcher. Many hitting coaches teach that batters need to limit excessive movement of the head. When a player takes an extra big step, his head can drop a good 4-6" or more. Plus, stepping too far forward can limit the batter's hip rotation and power. To help curb this, I will take a flat piece of wood like a piece of " plywood 4"X36" long. This would have to be cut to size. I put it about 6-8" in front of the player's front foot. He has to avoid stepping on it. Again, the coach or parent must give the player numerous repetitions to reinforce the muscle memory of the act.
Mistake #3 is when players lift their head too soon. Everyone who ever hit a baseball or a softball wants to see the result of their effort. At the youth level, batters will sometimes move their heads prematurely, losing site of the pitched ball. This is almost equivalent to a batter closing his eyes and trying to hit the ball. Young players tend to do the same thing when hitting off a batting tee. First, I have the player hit off the batting tee and he must yell "hit" upon contact. In giving them the extra challenge, this is forcing them to focus more and they will tend to keep their head and eye on the ball. The second technique is to color code a few balls.
I usually use blue painter's tape on some and yellow duct tape on others and keep some unmarked. So we have blue, yellow and white. Coaches and parents, if you do this do not over mark the balls with the tape. One small slice about two inches on each side is sufficient. Then a coach will throw the balls and the batter must track or follow the baseball into the catcher's glove. He will then call out the color once he recognizes it. The next step in this drill is to have the batter bat and yell out the color after swinging and making contact. I've had pretty good results with these two drills.
Mistake #4 is when a player stops his swing. I can't tell you how many young players I've seen who have a tendency to not swing through the baseball. This happens when a player makes contact with the ball. His swing all of a sudden slows down. We all know the importance of the follow through. Again, the batting tee has given me the best results. I stand next to the hitter and just tell him to swing through the ball. This is a process that can take a while. Also having him take numerous practice swings is a good idea.
Mistake #5 is the upper cut. To help solve this, I use the "Chair Drill." I set up a batting tee with a chair just behind it with the set up such that the bat must go past the highest part of the chair first. When swinging and trying to hit the ball off the tee, the batter must avoid hitting the back of the chair. I like to use the term swinging "high to low." The player understands this and knows what he has to do in this drill. I will also take a young batter and pitch batting practice and he has to try and hit only grounders without chopping down on the baseball. This also helps solve the upper cut issue.
For these remedies to work, repetition is the key. With young people, keep it simple. My own "Hitting 101" lesson is the soft toss drill 6-10 feet from a fence or a wall with rag ball (which are rags wrapped in masking tape). I then tell the hitter he must try and hit the ball so it lands at eye level or lower. I have no scientific proof but when the hitter does hit the ball at eye level or lower, it seems the batter is doing more things correct than not.
Hitting instructors are incredibly knowledgeable. They must convey their theories so both the hitter and the layman coach like myself can understand the common nuances of this great skill. And we all have to keep it simple and supplement all instruction with relevant hitting drills.
http://www.YouthSportsClub.com
Marty Schupak, President of the Youth Sports Club, has coached youth sports for 21 years and has run more than 1,500 youth sports practices. He is the creator of 22 sports instructional videos including the best selling video "The 59 Minute Baseball Practice." He is also author of the popular book, "Youth Baseball Drills." For samples of his videos, go to http://www.VideosForCoaches.com. Contact him at YouthSportsClub@aol.com.
T-Ball University Scoop, Load and Fire Drill tballu.com Uploaded by TBALLUNIVERSITY This T-Ball University Drill (www.tballu.com) is designed to train coaches and parents how to train children on the Scoop, Load and Fire fielding drill. The T-Ball University System provides training for coaches and parents at www.tballu.com. Downloadable drill sheets, practice plans and coaching forms are also available at www.tballu.com.
There are differences and similarities when comparing the hitting instruction for young players and older players. No matter the age, you can teach kids how to hit a baseball properly as long as you have the right instruction.
The basic fundamentals of hitting are the same throughout baseball, whether you're a kid or a college player. Proper hitting fundamentals remain the same and should be taught to kids early on. Here are the basic fundamentals that are the same no matter the age.
1.Proper hitting stance is shoulder width apart. At a young age don't worry about teaching open or closed stances. 2.Hold the bat vertical 6-8 inches away from chest level. Angle the bat slightly over the back shoulder. 3.Trigger mechanism to shift weight back to front at contact. This trigger generates the power in your swing. 4.Keep your eyes on the ball at all times. You can't hit the ball if you can't see it. 5.Maintain a smooth, consistent swing through the hitting zone. You will feel most comfortable if you have an established way to swing the bat.
Those are the main hitting fundamentals that every player needs to know.
There are differences, though, in what kids should be taught depending on their age. When teaching kids how to hit a baseball, you want to adjust your approach. Be very patient when working with kids. Don't rush them or get upset if they don't understand something. It's more important that they have fun than get it right. If you are going over hitting drills with kids and you see they are bored after awhile, then move to another part of practice, another hitting drill or something different all together.
Thirty minutes of well-planned hitting practice is more than enough for a small group of kids. If you want to teach kids how to hit a baseball better, then you need to do some practice too. Improve your knowledge by reading articles, books and watching baseball hitting videos. Soon you and the child will feel comfortable and confident.
Jeffery A Wise invites you to learn more about how to hit a baseball so that you can become a better hitter and help your team win. Start learning today at our site through articles, blog posts and videos and begin hitting the baseball with confidence.
T-Ball University Squash The Bug Drill www.tballu.com Uploaded by TBALLUNIVERSITY This T-Ball University Mini Drill (www.tballu.com) is designed to train coaches and parents how to instruct children on how to "Squash-the-Bug" or proper foot, leg and hip movement for batting. This drill is a sample of the many drills available at T-Ball University at www.tballu.com . By enrolling in T-Ball University, you can gain access to all of our video drills, downloadable drill sheets, practice plans and coaching forms and much more.
Just Beginning Youth Sports? Two Questions to Consider By Greg A. Marshall
If you are the coach of a youth team (or planning to be one), you should share these thoughts with the parents on your team. You may want to prepare a handout with your coaching philosophies and distribute them at your pre-season team meeting.
Before a parent signs a up a child to participate in a youth sports activity, the parent must answer a couple of questions about the child's role in the activity as well as his own
A. Make sure your child is ready for Youth Sports.
Obviously, this is the most fundamental element of whether you and your child enjoy the youth sports experience. Many children play sports simply because their parents want them to play. Children WANT to please their parents, so naturally they will usually do what their parents wish whether they want to or not.
Ask yourself:
1."Does my child even WANT to play an organized sport?"
2. Is he/she physically/mentally ready for an organized sport?
If the answer to either of these questions is no, it is better to wait until next year, simply because of the level of interest and safety concerns.
B. Assuming your child is ready and wants to play, what must you, as a parent do to help get them ready to play?
Long before the first practice, spend some time in preparation. Begin by making the experience a fun and learning one. The best way is to begin teaching without the child even realizing that he or she is being taught - so it doesn't become "work." For example, to get ready for the baseball season, indulge in the pure enjoyment of "having a catch" with your child. This is great fun for you and your child, and will lay the foundation for many enjoyable hours later on. In "having a catch," you are teaching the proper way to catch and throw the ball. As your child's skill level improves, you (and they) will begin making more difficult throws and catches.
In addition to "having a catch," playing "wiffle ball" is a great (and inexpensive) way to begin developing batting skills. Developing the hand/eye skills necessary for batting is vital to success and satisfaction. Take a moment at the outset to demonstrate the proper grip, batting stance and swing. Don't allow yourself to become frustrated if it takes awhile for your child to grasp the concepts you present. That is the surest way to kill the desire to learn.
Whatever you do, give lots of praise and encouragement when warranted. The surest way to speed up the learning process is to praise when your young player gives solid effort and executes a procedure well. They will work extra hard to earn more praise. If they struggle, take a break, get a treat, and come back later. Sometimes a little time off does wonders.
Greg A. Marshall is the creator of Teeball-To-A-Tee.com, a unique website offering excellent teaching and coaching tools for coaches and parents of very young baseball enthusiasts. The resources on the website are designed for the parent or prospective youth coach who is overwhelmed at the prospect of starting from scratch. The website and materials offered are full of practical advice to help youth coaches from the very first day of practice. http://www.teeball-to-a-tee.com
Tee Ball - A Stepping Stone to Baseball By guest author: 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.
Don't Forget Your (Batting) Tee Time! By guest author: Olan Suddeth
Most experienced coaches are already quite familiar with the advice I am about to give. In their case, please forgive my restating of what might be obvious, and browse some of the other articles on this site. The new baseball coach, however, would do well to pay attention.
I am about to reveal to you the single most useful tool for improving the hitting skills of your batters. Please, take a seat. I don't want the shock to overcome you. Are you ready?
I present to you: the batting tee!
That's correct. The tee is the single most useful tool for improving the hitting skills of your batters. You may bellieve that your players are too old to benefit from a tee... and you could not be further from the truth. Did you know that major league hitters practice by hitting off of a tee every single day? Are you suggesting that your eight (or ten or twelve) year olds know more about hitting than Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds, Derek Lee, or other big league stars?
Now that I hopefully have your attention, I will explain why this is. Understand, there is no substitute for live pitching - tee drills cannot help with your batter's sense of timing, or his ability to pick up on or identify pitch location, pitch type, velocity, etc. But unless you have Greg Maddux pitching your batting pracice sessions, there is no way you can hope to put the ball in the same place every time, which allows you to analyze the batter's swing. With a tee, you can really watch what your hitter is doing, make suggestions, and get many, many repititions in in a reltively short period of time. This is the reason that, if you were to take your player to pretty much any professional hitting coach in the country, the first thing the coach would do would be to drag out a tee.
If your player has a hitch in his swing, you can identify it with a tee. If he needs to work on the inside pitch (or the low pitch, or the outside pitch), you can simply move the tee and give him extra repititions. If he has a loop or dip in his swing, you can place a second tee behind the one holding the ball and force him to adapt a correct swing path. With a tee, you can build the all-important muscle memory needed for a good, consistent swing.
I cannot emphasize this enough - very few practices should ever go by without your players hitting off of a tee. This is an absolutely ideal station activity, is easy to place, and if you happen to also own a net, can be done in even the smallest of spaces.
The bottom line: if you do not own a tee, and you coach a youth baseball team, go and drop a few bucks on one today. You will not regret the investment in the best hitting tool ever made.
Olan Suddeth is a little league baseball coach in the Birmingham, Alabama area. His website, Youth Baseball Info (http://www.youthbaseballinfo.com) offers free drills, articles, and tips for youth baseball coches, parents, and fans.
Baseball Training Techniques and the T-Ball Game By guest author: Chris Moheno
The ball is placed on an adjustable "tee" that is in the player's personal strike range, and they swing at the ball on the tee, instead of having a ball pitched to them.
This game is often played by young school age boys to learn the baseball training, such as batting positions, how to swing and the rest of the rules of baseball. The primary advantage of playing tee-ball is that the ball is automatically in the player's personal "strike zone", so they don't have to learn the hand-eye coordination that is necessary with a live pitcher. Other than that, the rules of T-ball are the same and it is primarily helpful for teaching baseball hitting skills.
If is not unusual for the young boy's tee-ball or T-ball leagues to allow the game to be played with wiffle balls and bats for safety reasons and because they are lighter. Actual T-balls are slightly larger than a baseball and softer, and there are actual bats and gloves that are used.
As the boys get older, they can learn to play with real baseballs and bats, which help them in baseball training as they enter the correct age to start learning to hit a live pitch. On some of the leagues, coaches will have them practice hitting a few live pitches to start developing the baseball training they will need later.
Because of this, the players that play tee ball or T-ball are typically between 4 and 8 years of age. There is a minimum of 12 players on each team and no more than 20, although it should be limited to 15 players. The reason for this is that each inning allows every player on each team to bat, and the inning is over after each team has allowed every player a time at bat. Games are four innings and scoring is not always used since it is to develop baseball hitting skills and learn other baseball training.
There are no strike-outs or walks and the ball must travel more than ten feet or it is a foul. Batters can't steal bases- the ball has to be hit for them to move around the bases. It teaches the players the skills necessary to play baseball and it allows all players a chance to bat and play the field.
The whole idea of T-ball is to teach the young players baseball hitting techniques and the other baseball training they will need as they graduate into playing the more difficult game of baseball. It is believed that the younger the players start, the easier it will be for them to master the game. T-ball or tee ball lets them learn baseball techniques at a slower and more enjoyable game that is not as competitive.
Many children also make the decision that they want to move into playing baseball fairly easily and on their own, as their confidence level increases and they become bored with playing tee ball. This allows the child to move easily into baseball training, which can be much more challenging and competitive. Most of the T-ball players make this transition very easily and have already mastered the hardest part of baseball hitting skills and understand the challenges they will face when they move from T-ball into baseball training.
It makes it easier for the coaches to enhance T-ball practices by throwing a few pitches for practices and the players can gradually work into this important part of judging when a live pitcher has thrown a ball in the strike zone, or out of it. Because their eyes have been trained to look for the ball in the "tee zone", it gives them an advantage over the players that have not played T-ball and decide to start playing baseball.
T-ball or tee ball, can teach young players the baseball hitting techniques they will need to know and it can also teach other baseball training, such as catching fly-balls, grounders and pop-up flies. It teaches them how to throw to base, throw to home and what the rules are as their T-ball play becomes more advanced. It is a great way for a child to transition easily into a great baseball player, when the time comes.
Chris Moheno kindly invites you to visit this comprehensive baseball training website where you will find baseball scholarship tips and answers to your general questions about baseball training and strength training, as well as a free newsletter with baseball training tips and advice.
Youth Baseball Digest - Free Baseball Batting Drill - Batting Tee Curve Ball Hitting Drill By guest author: Nick Dixon
Many coaches use the batting tee to practice proper baseball swing mechanics. The batting tee is a great batter training tool. It offers batting practice repetition and is easy to use. Most coaches use it in drills to practice hitting the low, medium, and high fast ball locations. The batting tee can also be used to practice hitting a curve ball. One of the most difficult pitches to learn to hit is the curve ball on the outer edge of the plate. This article explains how the tee can be used to teach young players the proper mechanics and timing to hit that type curve ball. Curve Ball Batting Tee Drill
Many coaches would say that the batting tee is not a useful tool in teaching a player to hit a curve ball. That is untrue. By placing at the optimum contact point for a curve ball, the batter is allowed batting practice repetition at attacking the curve ball with proper timing and baseball swing mechanics. The batting tee should be placed as shown below. The "8's" represent a right handed batter's feet. The "x" marks the spot where the tee is located. This is the proper spot for a batter to attack the off speed curve ball on the other portion of the plate.
................X
8------------8
The tee is placed even with the instep of the back foot. The tee is placed on the outer edge of the plate. The batter will practice hitting the curve ball to the opposite field. This allows the batter to get the proper feel of hitting the off speed pitch. Placing the target ball at this spot teaches the hitter to keep the hands back, to let the ball get deep, and to drive the ball to the opposite field.
I hope that you found this article to be useful and informative. Thanks for taking the time to read it. For more article like it visit the Youth Baseball Digest, Baseball Coaching Digest, Little League Digest or Baseball Parent Guide. Good luck to you and your team. Have a great day, Nick.
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Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.
Youth Baseball Digest - Batting Order Basics For Little League Baseball By guest author: Nick Dixon
Little league and youth baseball coaches must know how to make out a batting order. They must know the roles and responsibilities of each batter in the line-up. They must know what are the physical requirements and hitting skills needed to perform the task associated with each spot in a team batting line-up. This article discusses the roles and duties of each player in a baseball batting order.
A straight batting order is the most popular and commonly used. There is one #1 batter, one #2 batter, one #3 batter, and the order goes on down the order to the nine spot. The various jobs and responsibilities of each spot are as follows:
#1 Batter- Called the lead-off batter, the first batter must get on base a lot. He should be a good contact hitter with good speed and base running skills. He must be a patience hitter at the plate that has the capability to take a lot of pitches. He is a good two strike batter that can go deep in the count and still swing the bat with confidence. He must have a good eye for balls and strikes. He must know that getting on with a base on balls is as good as a hit when you are the #1 batter in the order. The #1 hitter should not strike out a lot. The #1 hitter is a plate setter for the #3 and #4 hitters.
#2 Batter-The #2 batter should have the highest on-base-average on the team. He must also have the capability to go deep in the count and still hit with confidence, the #2 batter must take pitches to allow the lead-off batter base runner to steal second base. He must be a good bunter and a good bat handler capable of executing the hit and run play. His biggest responsibilities in order are is to move the runner on first to second with by getting on base safely, moving the runner to second or third base with a ball hit to the right side of the diamond, or to sacrifice bunt the runner to second base. The #2 hitter should not strike out a lot. The #2 hitter is also a plate setter for the #3 and #4 hitters.
#3 Batter-The best hitter on the team always hits in this spot. He must be a contact hitter. He should be the best power hitter on the team with the highest number of extra base hits. He should have one of the highest batting averages on the team. He should also be a capable base runner. The number #3 batter should have average speed. Putting a slow base runner in the #3 spot can cause a "log jam" on the bases. The #3 should continue to set the plate for the #4 cleanup batter.
#4 Batter- The #4 spot is known as the cleanup spot. The most powerful batter on the team should bat in this spot. His job is to "clean the plate" set for him by the batters before him. He should be an aggressive batter that has the best bat speed and power on the team.
#5 Batter-The five spot is always considered a spot for a power hitter. He should be the second most powerful batter on the team behind the #4 batter. His foot speed is not considered a major issue. His is there because he swings a powerful bat.
#6 Batter- The 6th spot in the order is often used for a lead-off player type batter. The 6 hitter should have a lead-off batter approach at the plate and good speed on the bases.
#7 Batter-The seven spot is the "left-over" spot. It is often used for an average player that is in the lineup because of pitching or defensive duties.
#8 Batter-In most cases, the #8 hitter should be a player that loves to hit the fast ball. The theory is that the 8 hitter will often be overlooked with the #9 hitter on deck. Also, it is thought that many teams will show little respect for the bottom three batters in the order and feed them a lot of fast balls. The number 8 hitter is normally a player that is in the lineup on a regular basis.
#9 Batter-The #9 spot is considered by many coaches as the 2nd lead-off batter. The 9th spot in the order is often used for the next best lead-off player behind your #1 hitter. The 9th hitter should have great base running skills and above average speed.
Coaching Point: Every batter that is the lead-off batter, starting an inning, should know the duty of a lead-off batter. The duty of the first batter in the inning is to get on base and to start a "rally". The lead-off batter that gets on base, to start the inning, score the majority of the time.
I hope that you found this article to be useful and informative. Good luck to you and your team this year. Have a great day, Nick.
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Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.
