While We May Know Baseball As It’s Played on a Full-Size Field …are we prepared to coach the small diamond game?

The Game Played on The Smaller Diamond is Different

Folks who know the game as it is played at higher levels (HS, College, Pro) now find themselves on the smaller diamond coaching their kids' teams. 

Does this knowledge translate to teaching the game to kids?  Is there a need to modify the approach to coaching youth baseball and its skills?

The answer to these questions are, ‘Not Really’ and a definite, ‘Yes’.

It is important to recognize that the game played on the smaller diamond is much different than the one played on 90’ base paths.

First, these are little kids, not teens or grown-ups.  Their bodies are not as strong as ours are - or were :)  Their understanding of baseball clichés and ability to grasp complex concepts is limited. 

Our knowledge of the game played on the full-sized diamond, coupled with decades of basebalisms collected in our brains, it is easy to forget the perspective of the kids we are working with.

We want to catch ourselves when we ask them to perform physical actions their bodies are not entirely equipped for and when talk of the game making assumptions of the kids’ knowledge and understanding. 

Most of these instruction mistakes are unintentional and the adults working with kids are unaware that what they have said was not grasped by the kids.  After a decade of working with youth level coaches, I see these communication snafus occur on a regular basis.

Effectively Communicating to Kids

We want to be sure the terminology we use can be grasped by our young ballplayers.  An example is the concept of a batter making contact with the ball where the they can maximize strength and power.

At higher levels of play common statements are, "Let the ball travel", or "Let the ball get deep". ...travel where? ...get deep relative to what?  These statements easily go right over a kid's head.  Another way to communicate this concept, so kids can understand is, "Let the ball get to your feet". 

This is a literal statement.  Contact is made, give-or-take, when the ball is even with the front foot (with some variance on inside and outside pitches).  A youth player can see where their feet are.  The reference of the ball getting to their feet enables them to clearly understand where they want to make contact.

A statement commonly used when teaching fielding is, “Get your butt down”.  Is that really what we want the kids to do?  If they squat their butt down, while their feet are close together, is that what we wanted our fielder to do?  …the thing is, if they do squat down in that manner, they are 100% fulfilling what we instructed   : )

The teaching phrase for fielding a ground ball, used by Baseball Positive, is, “Feet Wide to Catch”.  A good fielding position involves the feet being wide apart.  When a player gets their feet wide apart…..their butt goes down toward the ground.

Talking in literal terms is the cornerstone to effectively communicating baseball skills to kids.

Throughout the BP website there are ‘Teaching Phrases’ that have a clear and literal meaning. You’ll find the same words and phrases come up over and over. These are not absolutes; they are terms I feel comfortable with.  If you have a different word or phrase you prefer, use what flows best for you. 

The key is consistency in the terminology we use when instructing.  By using consistent terminology for common, fundamental actions, we can be sure our kids truly understand what we are teaching.

Physical Capabilities of Kids

This is a game of explosive movements requiring a good amount of body strength to perform them well.  Pre-pubescent bodies are much less powerful than those that are well into, or have gone through, puberty.  For most of us coaches, that stage of life is a distant memory.  We’ve been moving through the world with big strong bodies for so long, it is likely we’ve forgotten what it feels like to try to pitch, field a ground ball, or swing a bat using the body of a little kid. 

A common mistake made by youth baseball coaches is explaining and demonstrating skills from the perspective of how they are executed by an adult body, rather than the perspective of a kid’s body.

BATTING

An example of our familiarity with our adult strength is when teaching kids the loading action for swinging a bat.  For a child, this action requires a of leg strength and effort.  It is easy for them to ‘just skip it’.  Many kids do not use a loading action prior to their swing.  We don’t want to make the mistake of jumping ahead to teaching other aspects of the swing without first teaching the load.

(The action of the load, for most batters, involves a slight inward turn of the front knee, and for some, the front shoulder as well. A slight weight shift back accompanies this inward turn.  The teaching phrase that Baseball Positive uses when working with batters is, “Turn Back”; this is literally what a batter does when they load.)

The purpose of the load is to prepare the legs to initiate the swing.  For most kids, it never occurred to them that the legs are a part of the swing.  First, we make them aware of using their legs, then get into the process of training the use of the legs.  It is a process of constant emphasis and reminding.  However, after a few weeks of pounding it into their heads, significant improvement in a young batter’s swing is clearly visible, because of them using their legs - “Turn Fast”

FIELDING

A fundamentally sound fielding position, with the feet wide apart,

hips low to the ground and hands extended, is difficult for many

kids, if not impossible, to execute.  Recognizing this allows us to

adjust our expectations. 

Presenting our instruction with an upbeat tone, “We are working

towards getting in this good fielding position every time”, rather

than gruffly saying, “If you are going to be any good at fielding,

you have to get into this position”.  The way we express our

expectations, not just in our words, but also how those words are

delivered, has a significant impact on how our instruction is received. 

We want to demonstrate, in our messaging, that we recognize the

physical challenges our players are facing.

PITCHING

Finishing the pitching delivery properly, on a firm, but flexed front leg with the arm accelerating down, concluded with the chest over the front knee, requires a good deal of strength in the legs and core.  Most young, growing bodies are short on the amount of strength required to finish their delivery using a fundamentally sound action. 

A specific body type to be aware of, is the kid with a long, lean frame whose bones have lengthened out faster than their muscles’ ability to move those longer bones effectively. 

Given these realities, it doesn’t mean we don’t instruct our kids to work towards a good finish, we just do so with the understanding that they may not execute the action exactly the way we have in mind.

Differences in How the Game is Played

Beyond our expectations of their physical performance, and their capability to follow our teaching, it is important we recognize that the game is slower and that positional responsibilities are different, in some instances, on the small diamond.  Below are examples:

• No need for the catcher to run down the line with the batter - at most parks (urban ones for sure) the perimeter fence is only 20'-25' beyond the base.  We don’t need the catcher running down the line to cover a possible overthrow at first base.

• The pitcher breaks for third on balls hit to the left side of the infield - at this level we have runners on first and second a lot.  These runners are not that fast.  Double plays are rarely turned.  Getting an out, any out, is a big deal.  Training our pitcher to break for third, cover the base and prepare to take a throw properly, is a priority.  When planning team infield drills incorporate plays that involve the pitcher and third base (first base as well).    ---> Drills involving the pitcher on balls hit in the infield    A team that practices having the third baseman and shortstop making throws to the pitcher covering third will get a good number of 5-1 outs and complete a few 6-1 plays over the course of the season.  We also train our pitchers, when they field a ball that takes them to the third base side of the rubber, to feed the third baseman for a 1-5 put out.

• The second baseman covers first – there are more than a few instances where the first baseman fields the ball and is not in position to get back to first base before the runner. Coaching youth baseball on the small diamond includes training the second baseman to cover first base when not fielding balls hit to their left. In cases where the pitcher reaches the bag first, the second baseman continues beyond the base to back up the throw.

• The pitcher is the cut-relay to home on All balls hit to the outfield - reasons:          

                  1.   Usually, the pitcher is one of the best athletes on the field; we want them handling the ball as much as possible

                  2.   Unlike 90’ baseball, the pitcher does not back up home plate. In most cases, there is not enough room behind home plate for the pitcher to get enough depth to properly back-up an over                                        throw.  If we  send the pitcher back there, the backstop ends up doing most of the backing-up

                  3.   Kids play a variety of positions at this level; at the very least, they play positions other than pitcher.  That fact, coupled with limited practice time we have at the youth level, results in kids                                not getting the reps needed learn the nuances of each position.  Making the pitcher the cut-relay player on 100% of the plays to the plate, simplifies learning and execution.

• Outfielders back-up bases on every play.  Even at the 12-year-old level, outfielders are not that far from the infield.  When they are not chasing balls in the outfield, they need to be sprinting to the infield to back up throws to bases.  This habit is developed through drill work.  Simply telling them they are supposed to back up bases in not gonna do the trick.  If you are new to this level, you will soon find out how important it is, on every throw to a base, to have a player backing-up  : )

• The underhand toss is used a lot more often.  On the smaller diamond, players are much closer together. Also, there are runners on base in higher numbers, setting up a lot of force out opportunities.  Given these two points, each game has many situations calling for short throws. The underhand toss is more accurate and easier to catch when throws are made from a short distance.  Kids need to be taught how to execute this throw and it needs to be practiced throughout the season (see 'Pre-game Practice' - plug this work in on game day).  I urge coaches at every level of youth baseball to incorporate drills, using the underhand toss, into each practice.  Btw – you might be surprised  by the number of kids who don't know that tossing the ball underhand is even an option.

Let’s Do This

Coaching a team that plays on the smaller diamond may require some learning on our part before we get started.  We will also need to file away some of our baseball knowledge and save it  a few years until the kids we are working with get older.

We can scale back our teaching of skills to simple points and consistent terminology.  By doing so, we’ll find our kids learning quicker and enjoying more, the process of developing their fundamental skills.  The kids we work with will improve and their understanding of how to play the game will increase, but they still won’t look like pros …or even young teens. 

More important than anything we teach this year, we want to create an environment where the kids enjoy themselves and gain a positive feeling toward the game.  Our primary goal for the season when coaching at this level, from my perspective, is for each player to walk off the field on the final day of the year thinking, “I want to play again next year”.

Next year they will be bigger, stronger, their brains will have a greater level of maturity, they will better understand how to play the game…..on the small diamond.  And hopefully, together through our efforts, we will contribute to the increase in the percentage of players who play the game long enough that there will be a need to learn how to play the game on the big diamond.

A Decades Long Tradition ...snowshoe softball in idaho

Great Friends. Honest Competition. The Great Outdoors.

This is the experience of playing snowshoe softball in the mountains of northern Idaho.

The winter of 2018 marked the 49th year of the three-weekend-long tournament and the 29th year for

my group, The Grinders. (Started by a college football teammate who also played hockey at Michigan

State …’Grinder’ is a term used to describe a hockey player who is relentless in their play and makes no

hesitation to stick their nose into the toughest spots on the ice.)

This is modified fastpitch with teams made up of many former high school, college and even a few

former pro athletes.   …I can let the cat out of the bag now.  A few years ago, my younger brother

Todd, who played five seasons in the Major Leagues, came up and played with us a couple of weeks

before heading to Spring Training with the Giants.  They would not have been too happy if they had

found out what he’d been up to ...and yes, he hit a couple of balls really far  : )

Games usually end in good baseball scores: 6-4, 8-5, 3-2, etc.  The athleticism possessed by the players is neutralized somewhat by the

snowshoes and the snowy terrain.  But while the environment is challenging, we still see a good amount of quality action …double

plays, diving catches and close plays at the plate.

We started out as a group of young kids fresh out of college, full of energy and a nose for adventure.  We did find our share of

excitement in the evenings at one of the two watering holes that bookend the playing area.  Now, we are all fathers with families and

the weekends are quite a bit mellower.  About half of the group has retired in recent years, but still come up each winter to enjoy the

camaraderie. 

The club is now made up of two generations, with a couple of the original players’ sons (and a few of their former college teammates) playing side by side with their dads.  We have one player who has

achieved the title of Grandpa!

The friendships extend beyond just our club.  Many of the players on opposing teams are friends or acquaintances the rest of the year.  The games end mid-afternoon, then we all mix together later in the

day for food and a couple adult beverages.  A spin or two on the dance floor to the sounds of a local band is not unheard of, and of course, there is some good-natured trash-talk of what transpired on the

field earlier in the day.

The thing about getting older is the realities of life come to the forefront.  This year we dedicated

our play to members of the families of some of the players.  One has a father battling cancer,

another lost his father-in-law a few days before the tournament started.  Perspective has a way of

taking off the pressure that we all seem to put on ourselves, even if it’s just playing recreationally.

Over the years we’ve won the title six times, while finishing second 12 times.  Yes, we know very

well what the Buffalo Bills and their fans feel  ; )   - Twenty-Eighteen marked the first time we won

the title in back to back years …I guess it took the second generation to help us sniff anything that

might be considered a dynasty. 

While winning is always fun, it’s the three decades old tradition of getting together with a lot of good folks, many of whom you only see once a year (though it always seems like you just talked to them

yesterday) that is the real joy of participating in the tournament. 

And it’s not just the players.  Wives, girlfriends, children, siblings, and other family members make the trek to the mountains to share the experience.  There is also a fair contingent of man’s best friend

attending the games …or at least enjoying playing in the snow nearby.  Its nice to have a furry pair of ears to scratch after you’ve had a poor at-bat.

Without question, this is the event that I look forward to most each year.  Hopefully the body will

hold up and make a few more years of playing possible.

I feel very fortunate to be a part of such a unique experience and great group of people.  We often

look back at our childhood, high school and college days and find that many of our fondest

memories, and some of our most solid friendships, are those made playing team sports.  The

relationships built over these 29 years are iron clad and its beyond words for me to describe what

they mean to me.

Thanks for reading and allowing me to share the Snowshoe Softball Experience with you.  All the best for a great season mentoring the kids on the ballfields this spring; helping them create memories and

establish friendships they will hold onto for years to come.

Catchers Stance, In Relationship To The Batter …the effect on the success of your pitchers and your team

Want to cut down on the number of wild pitches and past-balls for your youth baseball or softball team this spring?  Want your pitchers to be more confident and throw more strikes? Want to cut down on the number of runs your team gives up?

The solution is as simple as teaching your catchers proper positioning in relationship to the batter. 

When a catcher has their arm extended to catch a pitch, we want their glove to be no more than 4”-6” behind the batter’s rear foot. Many youth catchers position themselves three or four feet behind the batter’s rear foot.

This extra distance results in more pitches hitting the ground before getting to the catcher than would occur if the catcher were positioned properly.  How many times over a season do base runners advance because pitches get past the catcher in youth baseball or softball?  (Not to mention that games take longer when the catchers are constantly running to the backstop.)

When the catcher is positioned too far behind the batter it puts additional pressure on the pitcher. Simply getting the ball to home plate is a challenge for a lot of young pitchers. We don’t want to compound that by having our catcher further away from the pitcher than necessary. 

Having the catcher positioned properly helps older pitchers as well.  They can throw off speed pitches (which travel on more of a downward plane) with greater confidence, knowing the ball is less likely to bounce before getting to the catcher. Pitches thrown to a catcher positioned too far behind the batter tend to be higher in the strike zone.  Off speed pitches that are up in the zone usually get hit harder and farther.

For all levels of play, the closer the catcher can receive a pitch in relationship to the batter, and home plate, the better chance those pitches are called strikes.

The pictures included with this article, of pro catchers, show the catcher’s positioning in relationship to the batter.  The other pictures, which may look familiar, illustrate the distance commonly seen between a youth catcher and a batter.

It is understandable that kids set up so far back - they don’t want to get hit by the bat. 

We want to educate our kids on the swing plane of the bat, so they recognize they can confidently set up much closer to the batter knowing they will not get hit.

Get your catcher in their stance and have them fully extend their glove arm.  Stand in as a batter, so that your rear foot is only 4”-6” in front of their glove.  When working with a younger catcher, you can stand with the back of your rear foot even with their glove. Younger kids generally don’t have the strength to fully extended their arm when receiving a pitch, so they can be positioned a bit closer to the batter.

Once you (as the batter) and your catcher are set up, slowly swing the bat.  The hands and the bat travel forward during the swing.  Your catcher will soon recognize they can set up close to the batter and the bat will not hit them.

When a catcher is set up in a proper relationship to the batter (as close to the pitcher as possible) it increases your pitchers’ confidence and effectiveness. They don’t have to throw the ball as far to get it to the catcher, they get more strike calls and the number of balls that bounce in front of the catcher and find their way to the backstop is reduced.

Teaching your catchers proper positioning will significantly increase the success of your pitchers, and your team, this spring!

Off Season Training Facilities …have we considered all of our options?

Daylight savings time has come to an end and the wet, cold and dark days of winter are right around the corner.  Now we start to think about how we can help our kids improve their skills during the off-season.  The most prevalent options are 1. Hit in a batting cage, 2. Get involved with a local club team that runs off-season workouts, 3. Work with a private instructor.  Each of these has its merits and benefits.  However, we are not limited to these options.

Rent a Local Gymnasium                                                                                                                            

A gymnasium, approximately 90’ x 50’, provides a large space where almost any baseball skill can be practiced.  And renting a gym is inexpensive.  In urban areas, there are a lot of organizations that rent their gyms: public and private schools, boys and girls clubs and community centers.  Many communities have additional private and non-profit groups that have similar type spaces that are available for use.  Most of these facilities can be rented for $40-$80 an hour.  If we share that cost between a half dozen families, this option is affordable for most anyone. 

In smaller communities the options are fewer, but less red tape and the inherent trust from ‘knowing each other’ makes up for the lower number of options.  Most every community has a school or two with a gym.

Keep in mind that basketball takes up a major chunk of gym time, but through a little investigation and a few phone calls open time slots can be found and reserved. 

Note: You will find a full range of responses from gym administrators regarding this type of activity in their facility.  Some will say ‘no way’, some will have insurance requirements you may not be able to fulfill.  Others, when hearing that you want to get a group of little kids together to play, will welcome you with open arms and possibly have a lower ‘kids’ rate.

Objectives: Repetition and Fun

Repetition is a key factor in developing physical skills.   Kids in the 6-12 age group, more than anything, just need to play more in order to improve their skills.  There is a wide variety of drills and activities that kids can do in a gym setting and there is plenty of equipment designed for indoor play.  In addition to skill development, the open space afforded by a gym is more conducive for energetic kids and having fun versus the confines of a batting cage.

Equipment Needs

Below is a short checklist of items needed for running baseball and softball activities in a gym

Baseballs or Softballs Conducive to Indoor Use – One Dozen.  These are often referred to as ‘Safety Balls’. Safety baseballs cost $25-$35/doz., softballs are $5-$10 more.  Most sporting goods stores carry these types of balls and there are oodles of suppliers on the internet.  Below are two links.  The first was found by Googling ‘Baseball Safety Balls’. Through the second link you will find the brand name ‘Incrediballs’.  These are made of cloth and are very safe, but do cost about $10 extra per dozen:

Safety Balls - (Level 1 balls are very soft and Level 5 balls are moderately soft.  Level 10 balls are pretty hard and I would not recommend them for indoor use. Brands may rate their balls differently. The best thing to do is give a ball a squeeze and you can determine if it is appropriate.) </span>

Incrediballs  - these are balls made of tightly compacted cloth.  They are regular size and weight, but are a bit softer than what is ideal.  However, if you have limited facilities to choose from and there is push back regarding using 'baseballs or 'real softballs' this is an alternative that should be approved for use by the facility operators.

Batting Tee(s) - 1 or 2.  Your local youth league likely has a good supply of tees.  If the kids in your group are members, it is quite possible the league would loan you a couple.  You might consider purchasing a batting tee; there are many on the market for around $25.  A tee is possibly the best investment you can make for your young ball player.  Tees are used as a training tool by players at all levels including college softball players and Major League baseball players - Josh Hamilton Working Out Using a Batting Tee.

Whiffle Balls - 1-2 dozen.  These are used for hitting off the tee(s).  They are also what you would use for some fun game play by the group at the end of a workout (we still use a regular bat, not a plastic whiffle ball bat).  Whiffle balls sell for $10-$15/doz. and can be found at most sporting goods stores.  Standard whiffle balls do have a tendency to split, however.  The best quality ball available, and a much better investment, is a ‘Pickle Ball’.  These are much sturdier and often last for years.  Pickle Balls cost around $25/doz.

Throw Down Bases - These are easy to transport rubber bases that can be bought in a set from a sporting goods store or online.  A set of lightweight bases is around $15; heavier and sturdier bases are available for about $25.  These can be found at most sporting goods stores or on the internet.

Bats and Helmets - Be sure to instruct the kids to never drop a bat on a gym floor.  When they are done hitting off a tee, they are to set the bat down gently.  When you are playing a game, have the player hand the bat to an adult as they begin to run to first base.  Take good care of the gym and you will be welcome to come back again and again.

Anytime there are multiple players swinging at balls off a tee at the same time, they each must wear helmets; not to protect them if hit by a ball, but to protect them against injury from a bat.

Workout Activities and Drills 

Note: Diagrams and instructions for all the activities listed below will be added to the Coaching Guide over the next few weeks.  Additional content will be added throughout the winter and spring.

> Playing Catch Practice

> Drill Rotation:

• Ground Ball Footwork – roll ground balls to the kids’ right and left from 20’ away.

• Ground Balls, Fielding and Throwing to a First Baseman.  Instead of hitting the balls to the kids using a bat, throw the ground balls to them.  This is more accurate and eliminates flubs and misses 100%.  The person acting as the first baseman can be an adult or child.  I find using an adult to be best.  When a child is acting as the first baseman poorly thrown balls or missed catches slow down the flow of the activity quite a bit.

• Side to Side Move and Catch – start with four balls, stand 20’ from the player.  Make a semi-firm shoulder level toss 5’-10 to’ their left, the player moves to catch the ball (then drops it off to the side), you then immediately toss the next ball 5’-10’ to their right.  Repeat back and forth.  The simple act of moving and catching and getting multiple repetitions improves skill and athleticism.  The older the player, the quicker you can run the drill.

• Same as above, except you bounce the ball to the player, so they are catching near waist level.

• Fielding Ground Balls Followed by a Short Underhand Toss - to a base covered by another player.  Position a player 20’ from a base and roll a ground ball approximately 5’ to the base side of them.  They move to the ball, field, and then continue toward the base executing an underhand toss to a second player at standing at the base.  Position yourself about 20’ from the player to whom you are rolling the ground ball.

• Tossing Short Fly Balls – send a player off in a given direction, after they run about 10’ toss the ball another 10’-15’ beyond them.  The arc of the toss does not need go higher than 10’.  The act of catching while running (and getting many repetitions in a short period of time) is the objective. Run the kids back at 45 degree angles, in at 45 degree angles, straight in and straight back - don’t run them into a wall :)

• Tee Work – set a couple of tees 15’ from a wall and have the kids hit whiffle balls (pickle balls are ideal) off the tee toward the wall.

• Live Swings – position yourself 20’ from a batter and pitch whiffle balls, from a knee.  (I will post a video with detailed instructions on pitching technique that will turn you into a strike throwing machine.)

Pick out a few of the activities listed above, divide the kids into 2-3 groups and set up drill stations spread out around the gym.  Work for 3-4 minutes, and then have the kids rotate stations.  After they have gone through each station set up a new set of drills and run the kids though the rotation again.

>Scrimmage

After the drill session, set up a diamond in the gym and have a whiffle ball game for the last 20-30 minutes (there is nothing wrong with parents participating too).  A scrimmage also has developmental value.  The kids get additional swings, they experience performing in a competitive environment, get multiple opportunities to react to the ball off the bat, run the bases and deal with basic game situations.  It’s not real baseball or softball, but the kids are playing the game, getting reps and having a blast.  The mix of work and play will develop skills and further engrain a love of the game in your young ball player. In some environments it may be possible to scrimmage using “Incrediballs”.

Instruction

Let’s first put things in perspective.  We are not preparing for the Major League baseball season or to perform for college scouts next spring.  These are kids.  The simple act of playing and getting repetitions will help them improve.  It is not to say that getting some basic technical help is bad idea.  Below are some ideas for stepping up the level of learning in these workouts:

• Get a coach from your league involved.  They have a child the same age as yours and live close by.

• Many high schools now require their students to complete a given number of community service hours.  Recruit a player from the local HS Varsity or JV to join you at the workouts.  The kids love working with teenagers and look up to them.  Simply having their presence at a workout inspires and motivates young players.

• The Baseball Positive website will be adding instructional content, drills and video throughout the fall and winter months.  Moving forward, this site will become a resource for everything you could need.

• Some professional instructors are mobile, especially if they live in your neighborhood.  It may be possible to work out a deal for them to come to the gym and work with your kids.  There is some cost involved, but dividing that among the group makes the cost per family reasonable.

Get Involved in Other Sports and Activities

Getting your child involved with traditional winter sports or other non-sports activities during the off-season is very important.  It is not make or break time for baseball and softball careers at this age.  In fact, getting involved with other sports has many benefits:

• Reduce the chance of overuse injuries.

• A young body gains strength and increased coordination by going through the different movements required in other sports.

• Many actions and techniques in other sports are similar to those in baseball and softball.  Experiencing these outside the baseball or softball environment will increase your child’s athletic aptitude. It is quite likely their chances for success, when they get back to baseball or softball full time in the spring, will be higher as a result of playing other sports.

• Participating in other activities gives your child a mental break and reduces burnout.

• Keep ‘em hungry.  Spending time away from one sport (or moving it down the priority list) for a while can be rejuvenating.  When the calendar turns and it is baseball and softball season again, following a break, our kids will find a renewed excitement and eagerness for playing the game.

Check Out the Coaching Guide

Let’s Give Our Kids a Chance to Play a Lot of Positions …but not all in one day

Should youth baseball and softball players work at a variety of positions or invest time in mastering just one or two? 

This is a long-standing question and subject of on-going debate.

There is a large contingent of folks who believe that, at the ages 6-12 level of baseball and softball, the game should be developmental, which in part means giving kids the chance to play as many positions as possible.  …I count myself as part of that group.

After nearly a decade of working exclusively with this age of baseball and softball players, I have seen quite a bit and learned a lot about how the game works at the youth level of play.  My experiences, observations, and many hours of conversations with parents, coaches, players and league leaders are the basis for my viewpoint on this subject.

In this article, I am writing from the perspective of Fall Ball in a Recreational League.  I believe these thoughts are also applicable to club/travel ball.  However, if a club/travel team has clearly communicated to a family, when their child joined, that they are going to put players at the position(s) the club chooses, we accept their decisions as a condition of joining.

TWO APPROACHES TO STRUCTURING FALL BALL

1. Schedule a bunch of games (to ‘just have fun playing’) with no practices.  The line of thinking is practice is boring and games are fun, and the more the kids play the better they will get.
2. Include an instructional period before each game.  When given a two-hour block to play, the first 30-60 minutes is to dedicated to teaching and the development of skills, followed by 60-90 minutes of game play.

CAN A PLAYER LEARN FROM JUST PLAYING GAMES?

When I coached at the college level, much of the fall was dedicated to scrimmaging.  Game play exposes players to many situations in a short period of time.  Players learn from dealing with these situations.  When mistakes are made, the coaching staff has the opportunity to teach.

It is important to understand, however, that much of that teaching is based on instruction that the players received in a drill/practice setting.  Trying to teach an entirely new concept, or explain the mechanics of a skill, to an inexperienced child in a game setting is difficult, if not impossible.

PRACTICE IS WHERE WE TEACH; GAMES ARE FOR REINFORCING WHAT HAS BEEN TAUGHT PREVIOUSLY

The reality is, a player needs multiple repetitions in practice to Learn a position.  Throwing them into the heat of a game, at a position they are not familiar with, is not the best way for a kid to Learn.  Most likely they are not going to fulfill the position’s defensive responsibilities correctly.  As a result, they get flustered and frustrated trying to figure out what to do at an unfamiliar position in a game environment.

Yes, we can give a player instruction in the dugout after an inning.  Chances are this is going to have limited success.  Likely, we will have multiple players who need feedback following each inning.  If a player has limited familiarity with a position, the 30-60 seconds we might have available to teach them is likely not going to be enough time.  Not to mention the interruptions of all the other dugout chaos going on around our discussion;)

The most effective feedback we can give in a game are reminders of things that we already taught in a practice setting.  A game setting is a difficult environment for teaching new content.

THE APPROACH TO PLAYING MULTIPLE POSITIONS

Something I see a lot in Fall Ball is kids moving to a different position each inning.  A player needs consecutive innings at the same position to get a feel for a that position.

Moving kids to different positions every inning during a game is not be the best approach for giving kids exposure to multiple positions.  Our kids don’t need to play a zillion positions in one day.  We have 5-6+ weeks in the fall to get them experience at different positions. 

My suggestion is to limit kids to 2-3 positions on a given day (and have them, during the pre-game practice, work at the position(s) they will be playing in the game).  I also suggest sticking to the same positions two games in a row.  Then in games 3 and 4 put the kids at new positions.

One thing to keep in mind is that the perspective of the game is quite different on one side of the field versus the other.  As best we can, when moving kids to different positions, we want to keep them on the same side of the field or move them to an adjacent position.

When shuffling nine (or more) players around there will be instances where one or two players end up being moved further than what is ideal when switching positions.  Also, a couple of kids, each game, will end up playing a position for just one inning. 

To ensure that we get each player a good number of innings at a variety of positions over the course of the fall we use a ‘Season Positions Log’ of the positions the kids play in each game.  Then work off that log as we plan position assignments for each game.   

On the right are two tools for managing playing time, by position, for each kid on a team:

1. Game Positions Chart
2. Season Positions Log

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The ‘Game Positional Chart’ helps us set up our player moves prior to the start of a game. 

We post the plan in the dugout when we first arrive at the park, so the kids can see where they will be playing in each inning of the game. 

Another benefit of this chart is the kids see when they will be sitting out.  The chart lets them know when they will be back on the field and that most kids are playing a fairly equal amount of time. 

Giving kids this information prior to the game lets everyone know where they fit into the plan for the day, and allows them to prepare their minds for where they will be playing.

NOT ALL PLAYERS ARE CREATED EQUAL

We want to take into consideration, when assigning positions, a given player’s ability to fulfill the skill requirements of a position.  While we want to give our kids an opportunity to play as many positions as possible, the fact is not all kids have the skills or strength required for some positions.  (This is not to say they cannot improve their skills…in a practice setting…and create more future opportunities for themselves.)

There are a few kids on each team who don’t catch the ball consistently; others don’t have the ability to throw strikes if given the opportunity to pitch, while others are not fast and agile or don’t have much arm strength or the ability to throw accurately across the infield.

CONSIDER THE EXPERIENCE OF THE GROUP OVER THE INDIVIDUAL

A very important question that we want to ask ourselves when making any decision in youth sports, ‘Will this decision have more of a negative impact on the group than the positives it might bring to an individual?’

As we move through our activities it is important not to sacrifice the experience of the group for a single player. In our well-intentioned effort to give every kid a chance to play each position, we can forget that having a player, who is not equipped with the skills required to play a given position, can negatively impact the experience of rest of the kids in the group (not to mention the umpire, players on the other team and the parents and siblings watching in the stands). 

We don’t want to take away from the experience of group by having  an ill-equipped player at a position that has a negative impact on the flow of a game.  We can still let every player play many positions on the field, but not all players can play every position. 

Let’s not forget that a kid can have a lot of fun, have a great experience and learn the game while playing 5-6 of the nine positions on the field.

THE FOUR CRITICAL POSITIONS ON THE FIELD

The four positions that not every kid can play:

1.     PITCHER - If we put a kid on the mound who cannot consistently throw strikes, a baseball game quickly becomes ‘17 players watching 1 player practice their pitching’.  This is not fair to the pitcher’s teammates, the other team, the umpires or the parents and siblings who are in attendance.  Most teams have 3-4 kids who are pretty good pitchers.  There will be a couple more who can do an adequate job.  Maybe there are 2-3 more who can, with some practice, pitch an inning occasionally.                                      

2.     CATCHER - A kid playing this position must be able to consistently catch the ball.  This position also requires a player with decent arm strength, some agility and have a good level of focus.  Few teams have more than four kids that they can put behind the plate.  In most cases only 2-3 kids can play this position a significant number of innings.  One unfortunate reality in youth baseball and softball is there is a limited amount of time for giving kids the practice time required to develop the skills of this position.  Quite a bit of practice is. needed to become adequate in the skills of this position.   When putting a player at catcher who does not have the minimum requirements mentioned we are, in effect, being disrespectful to the others involved in the game.

3.     SHORTSTOP - Requires quickness, agility, a strong, accurate throwing arm and a fair amount of instincts for playing the game.  Few teams have more than 3-4 kids who can play this position.  Putting a player at shortstop who does not possess a minimum level of competency in all these skills can disrupt the quality of, and flow of, a game.                                                          

4.     FIRST BASE - This is another position where we must put a player who can catch the ball…most every time.  This cuts the number of prospects to 4-6.  Of these, we are stretching reality for a couple of them.  Putting a player at first base who cannot consistently catch the ball is being inconsiderate of the other players on the team.  We want to get outs, so we can get back to batting!  :)   .                                 

Taking into consideration the different factors discussed here, when planning position moves, we can create an atmosphere where all the kids learn the game and get to play a lot of different positions.  These suggestions can result in a game with a better flow, more at-bats for everyone, more action, more learning and the experience is better for everyone involved.

Wiffle Ball Batting Practice ...a cornerstone for your team’s success this summer

We are in the heat of tournament season. Youth organizations like Little League, PONY, Dixie, Cal Ripken, etc. are in the midst of state and regional tourneys.  Travel ball teams are playing in tournaments most every weekend.

An ongoing challenge when playing in a tournament where every field is being used for games is finding an open space large enough to take batting practice and finding time to get all our players the reps they need without wearing the team out having kids standing in the sun shagging balls.

The simple answer is Whiffle Ball Batting Practice.  A bit of background...

                  Larry Walker

Ignorant American

And I thought I knew every little secret and trick about baseball…...no, not really.  Fortunately along my way through life I was exposed to many wise mentors, coaches, business people, etc. and constantly heard this phrase in one form or another, “Be careful not to allow yourself think you know everything and close your mind to learning and growing, especially in your areas of expertise”.

                  Fergie jenkins

So back in my 30’s, when I knew everything ;)  I was playing semi-pro ball in British Columbia, Canada (I married a Canadian gal and had been living up there for a year or two).  Prior to the start of one of our first games at Burnaby Park, the guys went down the left field line with a big bag of wiffle balls and another big bag of tennis balls and started taking batting practice.  Not to just one guy, but four or five  guys were hitting at once.

                 Justin Morneau

I had never seen anything like this before and, as with many things that are new to us, thought it looked pretty silly. I mean, these are accomplished college, ex-college and former pro guys hitting wiffle balls and tennis balls? You gotta be kidding me.  ….and like any good ignorant American, I shook my head thinking, “Well, that’s Canadians for you”.

Looking back now, after having lived in BC, Canada for a decade, I realized how foolish I was at that moment.  First, Canadians are incredible ball players with their share of Major League Baseball MVPs, All-Stars and Hall of Famer, Jergie Jenkins. Second, that pre-game batting practice routine, that I was shaking my head at has become a central part of Baseball Positive’s teaching and programming.

                                    Joey Votto 

No, I was far from knowing it all and hope to keep my senses for the rest of this lifetime to remain open to learning from others.

It’s Not the Same as Hitting a Baseball!

As I stood there watching my new teammates, and the other team doing the same down the right field line, not only did this look strange, but the primary thought that went through my head was, “That’s dumb, hitting those balls isn’t the same as hitting a baseball”.

I am not sure I fully figured it out that first season, but the more I participated in this pregame routine and in the years since, as I’ve incorporated this in my coaching instruction programs, I came to realize that the purpose was not ‘hitting the ball’ per se, but to work on  developing and maintaining the SWING.  The SWING is the most important component of the exercise.

Reps, Reps, Reps         (Wiffleball Batting Diagram and Description)

How is this beneficial to a youth baseball or softball player?  First and foremost, more than one player can hit at a time….wiffle balls are not dangerous like baseballs (I am not a fan of using tennis balls with kids because they are harder, travel faster and could cause an an injury) so more than one batter can hit at a time, which gets the team as a whole, many more reps.

Simple Logistics: whiffle balls don’t travel very far (a kid who crushes a wiffle ball is lucky to hit it 100’), so you don’t need a large space.  Because they don’t travel far, they are easier to retrieve and get back to the Batting Practice pitcher(s).

The batting practice pitcher is in little danger of being injured by a line drive, so they can stand closer to the batter(s). A shorter the pitching distance means more accurate pitches, resulting in more swings and more quality swings. Plus, no protective screen is required.  No lugging around extra equipment!

Wiffle balls won’t break a window.  If there is no place to hit that is far from cars and homes a team can still  get in a good batting workout without fear of damaging property.

Finally, when hitting Whiffle Balls, the batter gets to see pitches straight on, just like a game.  I see many coaches and parents hauling those pop up ball nets for kids to hit into off a tee or soft toss.  Tee work ands soft toss are tremendous tools for swing work, and should be a part of every player’s swing development program, but a player also needs to see live pitching straight on, especially right before a game.

Whiffle Ball Batting Practice - A Cornerstone of Your Summer Team’s Success

WATCH   0:40 2:20

In addition to the benefits mentioned above, a great advantage of Wiffle Ball Batting Practice is it is efficient.  In tournaments there is not always a lot of time to prepare before or between games.  When it’s blazing  hot outside we don’t want to wear our kids out standing in the sun too long.  In whiffle ball batting practice, all the players on a team can get 20-25+ quality swings in 10-15 min.

And during the week, between tournaments, Wiffle Ball Batting Practice is something coaches and parents can do with kids to keep them sharp and improving. Most of us have limited  time available once work and other personal and family obligations are taken care of.  If you can find 60’ of open space, multiple young ballplayers can get a lot of live swings in a short period of time.

Grab some wiffle balls and give it a try.  After a few days of getting a feel for pitching a wiffle ball and seeing the volume of quality swings ballplayers can get in Wiffle Ball Batting practice you will be a convert just as I was.  Incorporate this into your child’s and your team’s summer routine and watch the positive impact it makes on their stats, the scoreboard…..and in the amount of fun everyone has playing this summer.

Final Note

Whiffle ball batting is a year round strategy for getting batters massive repetitions of quality live swings.  Come winter/indoor season we can have a group of 12-16 players in a gym; half hitting and half chasing balls.  Switch ‘em up every couple minutes.  In an hour everyone gets hundreds of live swings.

Pick-off Throw To First Base

…oooops, the throw is headed down the right field line

One aspect of Pitchers having trouble throwing to first base is Mindset.  Think of what we call the move to first: “Pickoff Move”.  The long used phrase ‘pick off’ by coaches (and players saying it/thinking it themselves) has morphed into the mindset that the purpose of this play is to generate an out – pick the base runner off first.  Too often the result is pitchers trying too hard to ‘pick the guy off’ and firing the ball past the first baseman. 

The pitchers’ actions become too quick, undisciplined and to some extent, out of control which leads to poor throws.  Also, pitchers often try to throw the ball too close to the ground (where the first baseman would be in a better position to apply a tag).  “Hey, I gotta throw the ball down by the bag, so we have a better chance to pick that guy off.”

Let’s ask ourselves the question, “what is the objective of throwing over to first base?”  Are we really trying to generate an out? …or perhaps are we simply trying to ‘Hold the runner close’? …or disrupt their timing? …or to wear them down and slow their jump? …or create anxiety by sticking in their mind that, ‘Yes, the pitcher Will throw over’?

When I was a head coach in college we changed the phrase ‘Pick Move’ to ‘HOLD Move’.  Our objective was to re-set our pitchers’ mindset when they threw to first base.  We taught them that we are not trying to ‘Pick the Runner Off’, we are working to ‘Hold Them Close’.

Questions:   1. What percentage of throws to first base result in an out?  I don’t have any stats, but I’ll suggest the number is less than 5%.    2. At the amateur/teen level of play, what is the percentage of balls thrown past the first baseman? …I don’t have a stat on that either, but I will suggest that the percentage of balls thrown past the first baseman is higher than the percentage of throws that result in an out.

We taught our college pitchers to throw to first base at the first baseman’s chest level, not low to the ground, near the bag.  By practicing with this mindset our pitchers became very good at making catchable throws consistently.

Another question to ask (and this might be easier for those of us who were base-stealers in our playing days) is:  

When a base-stealer is Picked Off, was it a result of the pitcher making a quick and awesome throw, or was it a result of the Runner ‘Getting Their Self Out’?

ie, they were ‘leaning’, or their first move was towards second base, when the pitcher threw over, and as a result they were late in getting back to the base?

We told out college pitchers, “Make consistently good, catchable throws to first base and give the base runner the opportunity to ‘get themselves out’”.  Given this new mindset, our pitchers learned to coolly and confidently throw over to first more frequently.  The more we threw to first, the greater the chances of the runner making a mistake and ‘getting their self out’.  …no we didn’t throw over a zillion times each game ;) but we wouldn’t hesitate to make back to back throws to first in base stealing situations and counts.

We did not keep stats on this, so I can’t say it produced more outs, but I can confidently say that the occurrences of ‘throwing the ball away’ was very low.

Let’s teach our pitchers the mindset of ‘Holding the Runner Close’ on their throws to first rather than making a ‘Pick Off Move’ and we will reduce balls being thrown away and possibly, in the process, generate more outs by giving the base runners more chances of ‘getting themselves out’

Technique For (Right Handed) Pitchers Throws to First Base

Making consistent quality throws, for any position, and most throwing sports for that matter, is based on good Footwork.  The process for teaching and training pitchers to throw consistently well to first base begins with Training proper footwork.

Step 1 – No Ball is Used

Pitcher comes to the set position, then makes a 90 degree turn (very low two footed hop) in the direction of their glove side.  In the process they separate their hands and bring their elbows up to shoulder height to a throwing (power) position.  At the end of the action, we want their feet to be wider than shoulder width and be able to draw a straight line from the tip of their right foot, through the tip of their left foot, to first base.  The line from their back elbow, through their shoulders, to their left elbow also needs to be straight towards first base.

More than likely the pitcher’s feet and elbows/shoulders will not be lined up properly in their first try and likely not in many subsequent tries.  The purpose of the drill is to train this action, so the pitcher is in a good throwing position and lined up properly to throw to first base, each time they execute the action…this is more than a one day process.

Note: this drill does not need to be done on the pitcher’s mound.  It can be done along one of the foul lines in the outfield (leaving the infield area for position players to work).

This action is executed over and over with the pitchers and coach checking their body alignment after each repetition. – Do ten reps of the action.  

Step 2 – Include the Ball

After doing this ten times without a ball, add the ball to the action, so the pitcher is finishing in a proper throwing position. – Ten reps using a ball.

Step 3 – Throw ‘to First Base’ From the Throwing (power) Position

Have your pitchers partner-up and stand the same distance apart as is the distance between the pitching rubber and first base.  The pitchers throw to each other, from the throwing/power position, with the chest area of the ‘first baseman’ as the target (note: a first baseman is bent down some when taking a throw from the pitcher, lowering the target area slightly) – Ten reps

Step 4 – Execute the Entire ‘Hold’ Move

It is critical that we instruct our pitchers, in the early stages of training this skill, to practice the action at a Controlled pace….half to three quarters speed and with just a Firm toss to first base, not all out. – Ten reps

Progression of Skill Development

We put our pitchers through this routine for two workouts.  It is critical that throughout the process we are constantly working on establishing the mindset that they are working on a ‘Hold Move’, not a ‘pickoff move’.  We must monitor the pace of their actions.  Kids naturally want to show how good they are at physical skills; they will try to go too fast, too soon.  We Will have to remind them to work at a Controlled pace and explain to them that First they need to develop the muscle memory of the actions, Then, after they have demonstrated consistency in executing the actions, we will start to speed things up …on days 3, 4 and beyond.

Our objective is, by the end of the second workout, that the players develop some level of mastery of the actions and have been successful in making fairly accurate, catchable throws to ‘first base’.

On subsequent days of work, based on our observations, we direct the players to increase the speed of their actions bit by bit.  It is likely that we will not reach full speed in the actions until Day 4 or 5.  The progression of the group depends a lot on their age, how quickly they grasp the concept that they are not trying to pick the runner off and their level of focus and commitment to learning.

Game Day Check List …identifying fundamental flaws in your team; planning your next practice

Our teams and players are not executing well in the early games of the season and it can be a bit frustrating.  What can we do in our upcoming practices to make the greatest strides in developing our kids’ skills?  While saying, “Work on the things that we are struggling with” seems obvious, the question is how to ID those and which ones to prioritize.

Below is a checklist of items (that are common flaws in our play) to look for in the next couple of games to help us come up with some points to address in upcoming practices.

NOTE: Remember, we don’t need a baseball field to practice baseball.  Most any flat open space can be used to practice and develop skills.  This includes batting; batting practice can be done using wiffle balls.  The good thing about using wiffle balls for batting practice is that multiple players can bat at the same time…increased swings = greater development.

COMMON FLAWS CHECK LIST

View fullsize

Batting

• Swinging to early – “Let the Ball Get to Your Feet” and “Head in Place”

(swing and miss, lunging forward, hitting ball off the end of the bat…making contact too soon)

• Head Movement (pulling the head pulls the swing out of the path of the pitched ball)

• Movement in the feet (watch the conclusion of the swing…feet movement at the end of the swing indicates a batter who is likely off balance during the swing)

• No Load – “See Ball, Turn Back” (standing like a statue while pitching is delivered and heading towards home plate) - watch 1:22 - 2:15

Receiving Throws

·        Failing to “Reach Forward” when receiving a throw

Receiving a Throw at a Base

·        Force Play - Standing in a stretch position Before the ball has been thrown

·        Tag Play

1.      Not standing on the side of the base the ball is coming from (note: at the youth level - 12U, we do not want to teach players to straddle the base.  They often become anchored to this spot and fail to leave the base to stop off-line throws.  Straddling a base is something players age 13+ are taught)

2.      Not following the RULE: “Ball First, Base Second” when a throw is off line …not “Moving Feet to Catch".  A common mistake young players make is thinking they need to keep a foot on the base when receiving a throw.  In the picture below, David Wright concedes the fact that the runner is going to be safe (we need to explain to the kids that runners are safe A LOT over the course of a game) in order to move off the base and stop the ball.

Throwing

·        Failing to “Move Feet to Throw”  - Watch 0:45 – 1:10

• Failing to utilize the Underhand Toss on short distance throws and not executing the action correctly - the first baseman runs with the ball to create momentum, guides the ball by gently extending the tossing arm LEVEL then CONTINUES to run toward the target AFTER tossing the ball.

Fielding

• Getting in front of the ball too soon.  Footwork (and keeping the feet moving throughout the action) is the key to fielding.  When a player gets in front of the ball too soon their feet stop working, which leads to problems.  ...in the third replay of Durham's error (shot from above) you can clearly see that Durham 'gets in front of the ball' when it is barely half way to him, then he is stuck with nothing to do but wait; he has no rhythm with the ball and inevitably the ball goes through his legs.  ........a fielder wants to stay slightly to the side of the ball (and maintaining some movement with their feet) until they are about to field the ball.  They 'get in front of the ball TO FIELD THE BALL', not any earlier.  The fielder moves their feet leading up to the fielding action and keeps their feet moving through the fielding action......"The fielders feet makes their hands work.'

·        Back peddling on fly balls and pop-ups (insert drill link)

Base Running

·        Eyes on the ball rather than the base (when running to first base). Drill Diagram   

·        Improper route when advancing multiple bases. Drill Diagram  

Relays to Home

·        Using the SS/2B instead of the pitcher as the cut-relay player. Drill Diagram

In conclusion, regardless of what we choose to work on let’s make our greatest effort to limit the time we are talking to our kids and having them standing around listening.  Let’s run practices that are dynamic and have the kids moving and Doing the majority of practice time.

Two Things To Help Our Kids Improve: Tee, Time  …no we're not talking golf

A post in the archives under the 'Parents' tab, “Baseball is Like a Piano” discusses a key ingredient for our young softball or baseball player to have the best possible experience: working on their skills away from team organized activities.  Just like alearning to play the piano, a youth ballplayer needs to practice at home.

Batting Tee

Aspiring young piano aficionados have equipment at home to practice on, the young ballplayer needs equipment to for practicing at home as well.  Fortunately the equipment needed by a youth softball or baseball player doesn’t cost hundreds or thousands of dollars.  What is the key piece of equipment for our young ballplayer?  - a Batting Tee. 

A batting tee can be found at the local sporting goods store for around $25.  It doesn’t need to be fancy, just something that will support a ball so a kid can take a whack at it.  A ball isn’t even required; a rolled up pair of socks can serve as a baseball or softball.  I know this to be a fact because as a child I hit socks off a Tee in my bedroom (I am not sure if my mother was aware I was swinging my bat in the house).

Batting is said to be the most difficult action in all of sports.  This statement refers to hitting a live pitch, but as golfers know, hitting a stationary ball off a tee is not that easy either.  Why is hitting a ball (moving or stationary) so difficult to master?  Because the primary movement in swinging a bat (or club) is rotating the lower half of the body.  When was the last time we (or our kids) rotated the lower half of our body in our daily activities?  Unless we are a dance instructor it might be difficult to remember the last time.

Kids run, jump, skip and climb.  These and other daily activities involve the leg muscles working, more or less, in straight lines.  Then we hand them a bat and ask them to hit a ball, an activity that requires the lower body to rotate, an action they rarely or ever execute in their day to day activities, and we wonder why they struggle.  Yeah, but we tell them to ‘keep your eye on the ball’ and to ‘line your knuckles up’ and to ‘raise that back elbow’.  Unfortunately these things have little, if anything, to do with the actual swing itself.  “The legs swing the bat” and when the legs swing the bat, they rotate.

Making a $25 investment in a Batting Tee can do wonders in helping a child develop their batting skills

Video of Josh Hamilton working off a tee...most every MLB player employs the use of the tee in their daily in-season swing routine as well as part of their off season routine.  Tees aren't jsut for Tee-ball, they are a tool used throughout a successful baseball career.

Time

The second thing we can give our young ballplayer is our time.  Gosh, we brought them into the world, then signed them up to play, the least we can do is spend 10 minutes a day tossing the ball back and forth with them – just 10 minutes a day!? 

The most fundamental skill in softball and baseball is playing catch and many kids do not do this enough to develop a minimum level of competence in order to execute a throw or a catch in their team practices or a game.  Not only do their muscles need repetition, but also their eyes.  The more repetitions a child’s eyes get seeing a ball flying towards them the more skilled their brain will become in matching up the ball with their glove.

The good news is that we don’t have to travel far in order to play catch with our child.  In most cases walking a few steps out our front or back door is all it takes to find a spot to play catch.

One of the aspects of softball and baseball that makes these games so popular is the social component.  Conversation is a big part of the baseball and softball experience.  Players socialize in the dugout and they socialize while playing catch.  

Understandably, in today's busy world, it can be difficult to find time to hold an extended conversation with our kids.  Another contributor to the problem is finding a scenario where we can gain and hold our child's attention. However, many parents report that the time spent playing catch with their child is the time they have their most in depth conversations with them. 

While playing catch a child is ultra-focused on the person they are playing catch with – in this case its mom or dad.  How many other activities can give us our child’s undivided attention?  It is also reported by many adults that, when looking back on their childhood, some of their most vivid memories of spending time with a parent are from the time they spent playing catch.

There are the two things we parents can do to help our kids get the most out of their experience playing baseball or softball.  Get a Batting Tee for them, so they can work on their batting skills (they don’t need a partner to do this) and give them few minutes of our Time each day.  Get them swinging the bat more and let's start playing catch with our kids; we just might find we get to know them a little better in the process.

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