- Baseball is a Game of Movement -

Day 4 - Tee Ball

(links to drills and explanations of teaching points, to be added soon [11/11/25])

We now switch to a set practice template that is followed the remainder of the season: 50/50 practice. 

Fifty percent of practice is skills and drills; fifty present of practice is scrimmage/Play.  Our #1 goal: the kids want to Play Baseball (or Softball) again next year.  We are working with young children who want to Play Baseball.

 

We start practice with the entire team running around the bases, then we split the team into three groups:

  1. Playing Catch

  2. Fielding

  3. Batting

 

Identify coaches/adults to run each station.  The ideal: we have the same coaches/adults working at the same station for the remainder of the season.  They stick with ‘their area of expertise’.  Working in the same skill area allows them to better monitor the players’ skill development and put added emphasis where needed.

 

 

0:00 - 0:05

Run Around the Bases

 

0:05 - 0:10

Team Batting Instruction:

  • Turn Back (hold a ball up in front of the kids like you are a pitcher. When they finish the ‘Turn Back’ action we want them to still ‘Face the Ball’, meaning they still have both eyes on the ball. Young players tend to Turn Back too far.)

  • Switch Heels – NEW

  • Elbow Drive

  • Sideways Karate Chop (Elbow-Hand – NEW)

 

0:10 - 0:35

Break-up team into three groups.  Go to their stations and get to work.  We have 7 ½ - 8 minutes at each station.

 

Playing Catch (in Left Field …beyond Third Base)

Arm/Hand movement drills (as needed): Fingers up & Thumb Down

  • Receiving throws from a Coach/Adult

  • Throwing Drills (always extra emphasis on ‘Wrist Action’)

  • Overhand Throws (Feet: Shuffle, Shuffle)

  • Underhand Toss (Feet: run towards target)

 

 

Batting (in Right Field …beyond First Base)

Drills (five repetitions each: 60-90 seconds total time)

  1. Switch Heels^

  2. Sideways Karate Chop (Elbow-Hand)

 

^ The result of the Switch Heels drill is the ‘Turning of the Hips’.  We don’t tell kids, “Turn Your Hips”.  Instead we teach the movements that cause the hips to turn. 

(when teaching a physical movement we don’t say, “Do It”.  We instruct the athlete, ‘How to Do It’)

Batting off Tees^

Focus Points

  1. Switch Heels (first, ‘Turn Back’)

  2. Sideways Karate Chop (Elbow, then Hand)

    Face The Ball (Head In Place) …Always! Lack of head control is a major contributor to poor swings.

*** all aspects of the swing are executed at Full Speed/Full Effort when batting off the Tee.

   …the exception is the Turn Back action prior to Switch Heels.  The Turn Back action is Medium-Slow (under control).

 

 

Fielding (infield)

  1. Ball or Base Drill

  2. 50’ Ground Balls

 

 

0:35 – 1:00

Scrimmage

 

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