- Baseball is a Game of Movement —
Overview - Tee-Ball
Three Goals for the Season
Players learn that their Legs power their bodies, and the movements for throwing and swinging the bat.
Recognize that when not fielding the ball, a player covers a base. – Baseball is a Game of Movement
Have Fun - Definition of Fun: Movement and Activity. Waiting in line for their turn, listening to an adult talk, standing in the outfield watching the other kids play. These common circumstances are not ‘Fun’.
Childhood Motor Skill Development
(from Joseph Lao, Ph.D.)
…Catching balls takes a little longer, (typically an additional 3-4 years), i.e., until 5-7 years of age. During infancy children can only catch large balls rolled directly at them. If a smaller ball is thrown directly at them they tend to close their eyes, turn their heads, and stiffly extend arms and legs.
It is not until seven years of age that children develop the capacity to track flying objects, make appropriate leg and body adjustments, and prepare their arms, hands and fingers quickly enough to catch a three-inch ball.
Note: This is a sample excerpt of one article. There are many written by child development researchers that state that seven or eight is the age that kids become better able to judge the movement of a thrown ball and execute a catch.
Keep in mind that during this research, the testing likely does not take place in a park with other kids and additional distractions. The Tee-Ball practice environment, very likely, makes catching a thrown baseball more challenging than in a research atmosphere.
The Science: Human beings' eyes work together as part of a process called 'Binocular Vision'. The eyes working together creates depth perception. Many Tee-Ballers’ brains have not yet developed Binocular Vision …the capacity to accurately track the movement of a flying ball coming in their direction.
Tee-Ball is an Adult-Child Activity
Managing a group of 4-6 year-olds is difficult, if not impossible, for 1-2 adults to do successfully. The ideal, for a Tee-Ball practice, is a 1:1 adult-child ratio. This is especially important for throwing and catching drills.
Also, spending time on the field with your child is a great bonding activity. And Fun …playing with them!
During fielding and batting drills, the extra adults serve as ‘Traffic Cops’, managing the players, while the coach is Coaching.
Tee-Ball Games are 5 v 5
The Ideal Tee-Ball Game has players at the four infield positions and a player at the Pitcher’s defensive position^. The coach that is working the Tee takes throws to home plate …and they Always ‘miss the tag’ :)
On the offense side, when there are only 5 players, the kids get to bat a lot more.
Unfortunately, most Tee-Ball teams have more than 5 players. However, many have 10 players.
Why not, if both teams have a bunch of kids, split them into two groups and have 2 games going on side-by-side??
Tee-Ball doesn’t require an actual diamond. Set up two fields, using throw down bases or anything to represent a base.
Now we have more kids Doing …getting better and having more ‘Fun’ - reference ‘Three Goals for the Season’ above.
^ What happens when a ball is hit to the Outfield? A: the kids run after it; running after the ball is Fun!
Don’t Try/Expect Them to ‘Get It Right’
A common mistake coaches (at all levels) make is trying to have every activity run well, and for the players to fully master the skill/drill that is being worked on. (Often the result is a lot of talking and not enough Doing.)
In most cases, player will not Get it Right. That is why we practice. Give a few words of direction (words are for Guidance), then let the kids get as many Repetitions as possible, then build off this day the next time you are on the field. (We are going to review and repeat the activities.)
Try to limit ‘coaching’ words to: (1) “Good Job” (they did it right) (2) “Try it again” (they weren’t as successful as we hoped) (3) Reminding the player(s) of a point^ made in the initial instructions.
^ A ‘point’ is not a 30 second diatribe …which often includes additional (new) information that causes confusion more than it helps.
No Chasing Missed Throws During Drills
If we allow kids to chase missed throws, our practices turn into an activity of kids chasing balls instead of developing skills. Tell them, “You are Not Allowed to chase missed throws. Unless the coach asks you to”.
Repetition is The Key to Developing Skills
Coaches’ words are to Guide an activity. Players don’t learn from words; they learn by Doing.
…Less Talk, More Action!
Multiple Tees and Wiffle/Squishy Balls
Reference the Point above. Multiple Tees going at once = More Repetition. We use Wiffle/Squishy balls; this makes it safe to have multiple balls flying around at the same time.
Anyone who has their own Tee, Bring It! Suggestion: If your child is enthusiastic about the game, buy a Tee^ at the local sporting goods store. We want 3-4 Tees on the field during every practice, so multiple kids are swinging at the same time.
Ask your League to supply your team with wiffle/squishy balls, and more Tees (if they are kept in an equipment box at the field, they are there for the older teams to use). A Batting Tee is a tool that is used at all levels of play …including Major Leaguers. If your league leadership hesitates, have them call me: 206 714 5276 (I am dead serious about them calling me). Kids don’t get enough reps to develop their skills if only one player is swinging the bat at a time.
^ When away from the team practice environment, your enthusiastic child will have a blast getting extra swings off Their Tee.
Kids Will Find Interests Other Than Baseball While On the Field
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The Base is for the Runner
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Ready Position
This coaching directive puts players in the best position to Move athletically. It is used prior to each drill repetition and, in a game, when the batter is getting ready to swing at the ball. This statement focuses (and re-focuses) player(s) on the task at hand. It is an effective tool for player management; also for safety: keeps the kids alert to thrown or batted balls.
Feet ‘outside the knees’ (inside edge of feet outside the hips). Defensive players want their feet wide apart, which puts them in a more powerful position to react and move to the ball. Note: this is stressful (not in a bad way) on the leg muscles; its much more comfortable for a young child to stand with their feet under their hips. Initially few, if any, of the players will follow this instruction. Keep teaching it; we will say ‘Feet Wide’ hundreds of times during the season. It will be a constant mantra all practice long, each practice.
Elbows & Hands held in front of the body. Had See Note above re: few will follow this instruction. This aspect of the Ready position is stressful on the shoulder muscles. Hands are at 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock with palms facing in.
A player in a proper Ready Position looks like a linebacker getting ready for the ball to be snapped or a basketball player defending an opponent dribbling the ball. Note: initially our kids won’t get in an ideal Ready Position. It takes weeks of constant instruction and reminding from the start to the end of each practice and game.
Move Feet to Catch
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Move Feet to Throw
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Baseball is a Game of Movement
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