- Baseball is a Game of Movement -
Day 1 - Tee Ball
0:00-0:10
Introductions
Players sit in a circle with Coaches (the Head Coach and Primary Assistants)
Explain the procedure: 1) Player hold ball talks 2) Tells about themself 3) Ball is passed to next player
Each player tells us their first name and one thing about them. - ideas:
1. Favorite animal
2. Favorite dessert
3. School they attend
Before each new player speaks, coach goes around circle and repeats the names of each player who has spoken.
0:10-0:15
Warm-up
Explain which direction players run around the bases. Point out the names of the bases
Put 2-3 players at each base (no structure; not ‘lined up’)
Yell “GO!” ...Just let them run. They will be spread out within seconds. 3-4x around the bases.
0:15-0:30
Understanding How the Glove Works
Glove Fold: press the pointer finger of the glove, down to the heel of the glove.
The Pocket: The ball is caught where the bottom of the webbing meets the palm of the glove. The ball is NOT caught in the webbing of the glove.
Don’t jam the hand into the glove: slip the hand in gently; the base of the palm of the hand is slightly below the base of the glove
Receiving Throws
Teach:
Ready Position (“Ribbit”)
Reach Forward
Train Hand & Arm Movements
DRILL (Part 1) Movements w/o Ball (developing muscle memory)
Low (below the waist) Pinkies Together (3x …the kids don’t need to practice this much)
High (above the shoulders) Thumbs Together (10-15x)
Middle (torso area) Thumb Down (5-8x …we will work on this more, Day 2)
…ideally, the coach who is demonstrating, and facing the kids, uses a Left-Handed glove (possibly one of the parents or coaches is a lefty; the Head Coach borrows their glove). This creates a perspective for the kids as if they are looking in a mirror. They mimic the coach’s actions exactly.
DRILL (Part 2)
Important: We must recognize, and accept the reality, that the kids ‘Can’t Catch’.
Toss Ball, standing 18’-20’ from the player
(ideally we have a 1:1 adult child ratio for this activity …see Overview)
Toss Balls firm and level^ - if the ball isn’t caught (and it won’t be) it should pass the player above* shoulder level, outside^^ the framework of the torso and head. Use Underhand Toss technique when tossing.
Do Not lob the ball ‘so they can catch it’^.
(Day 2 we will train catching balls at Torso Level)
***The first 2-3 tosses may sail right past the player without them reacting (keep tossing the ball firm & level). After a seeing the ball coming at them, and sailing past them, the player will begin to reacting to the ball and moving their hands into the path of the ball.
Many of the kids have had little or no experience, during their time on Earth, in having an object the size of a baseball flying directly towards them.
After they see a ball flying towards them 50x (which will take a few days), their brain and eyes will adjust and they will be much better at getting their glove in front of the ball. They still may not often Catch the ball, but they will begin ‘stopping the ball’ (knocking it down, so it doesn’t fly past them).
^ When the kids begin throwing to each other, the balls will be flying firm and level. We want to train catching (‘stopping the ball’) by tossing balls realistically.
* We are training them to reach up (point fingers up) to catch high throws.
^^ If we toss the ball within the framework of the torso and head, there will be a lot of bloody noses.
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0:30-0:40
Underhand Toss
The kids are tossing to adults only (they need more training in catching before we allow them to throw to each other. Remember, they ‘Can’t Catch’ …no joke; we don’t want kids getting smacked in the nose and quitting the game before they get to practice #2.
0:40-0:50
Fielding Instruction
Fast, Slow, Fast
‘Feet Wide to Catch’
...that is the extent of Teaching Points for the season....Seriously
Fielding Drill
20' Ground Balls
0:50-1:00
Throwing Drills
Teach: Power Position
Throwing Action
Move Feet to Throw - Drills
Day 2
Move Feet to Catch