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Message
re: Give me some T-Ball “coaching” tips
Posted on 3/28/19 at 7:44 pm to Glock17
Posted on 3/28/19 at 7:44 pm to Glock17
Organize a tight practice plan.Date it and keep up with them so you can make sure you're covering everything. Take notes.
Positive attitude! Remember tee ball is about teaching ball in a fun way. You don't want to run off tomorrow's stars before they get started.
Divide and conquer. Lots of little groups for fundamental drills. Find interested parents and put them in charge of the drills.
Brief times with the drills.
Middle break for refreshment and bathroom.
Rotate players at practice and praise, praise, praise!
Treats at the end. My normal practices lasted no more than an hour but because they were organized we got a lot in. Kids at this age have very short attention span.
Keep the parents involved and practice good communication. This may be their first involvement in youth sports.
Plan a team party for mid-season.
Don't fall in the trap of taking shortcuts to win ballgames. If you let your stud pitcher take over the infield you're cheating the rest of the team.
Don't teach your kids to upper cut the ball just to hit flyballs the other team can't catch.
Don't let your parents abuse the umpire or otherwise misbehave in the stands. Address this early before the games start. Make sure they tell whoever they invite the same.
NEVER mouth off about a youngster on the other team, or across the diamond at an opposing parent. That's when police get called.
In tee ball it's never a bad day at the ballpark and remember, that goofy six year old drawing circles in the dirt may one day be Alex Bregman, they all progress in their own time!
Hope this helps!
Positive attitude! Remember tee ball is about teaching ball in a fun way. You don't want to run off tomorrow's stars before they get started.
Divide and conquer. Lots of little groups for fundamental drills. Find interested parents and put them in charge of the drills.
Brief times with the drills.
Middle break for refreshment and bathroom.
Rotate players at practice and praise, praise, praise!
Treats at the end. My normal practices lasted no more than an hour but because they were organized we got a lot in. Kids at this age have very short attention span.
Keep the parents involved and practice good communication. This may be their first involvement in youth sports.
Plan a team party for mid-season.
Don't fall in the trap of taking shortcuts to win ballgames. If you let your stud pitcher take over the infield you're cheating the rest of the team.
Don't teach your kids to upper cut the ball just to hit flyballs the other team can't catch.
Don't let your parents abuse the umpire or otherwise misbehave in the stands. Address this early before the games start. Make sure they tell whoever they invite the same.
NEVER mouth off about a youngster on the other team, or across the diamond at an opposing parent. That's when police get called.
In tee ball it's never a bad day at the ballpark and remember, that goofy six year old drawing circles in the dirt may one day be Alex Bregman, they all progress in their own time!
Hope this helps!
0
Posted on 3/28/19 at 7:45 pm to Glock17
Put the hottest mom's kid at pitcher 
Posted on 3/28/19 at 7:46 pm to Glock17
Step 1...sit them all down and discuss the general idea of baseball, ask basic fundamental questions and take a mental note of which players have an idea of what's going on, you'll have others who couldn't even tell you what color a baseball is, take a note of these kids and know you've got to start from a square 1 with them
Step 2...teach them about the bases, where they are and simplify it down to just calling them 1,2,3,home(calling home 4 will come in coaches pitch). I'd recommend putting signs up behind the bases with labels...1,2,3 and do this for every practice for the first couple of weeks. Make a game out of running to 3, stop at 2, run back to 1, etc...
Step 3...teach them to throw, give them the regulation tee ball and just have them throw into a fence for an hour
Step 4...teach them to catch, you need to understand these kids will have no clue how to close a glove, or at least assume they don't...before they even touch a glove have them catch tennis balls in the palm of their hand, stress over and over to close their hand as soon as the ball hits their palm...do this using soft toss from a few feet away
Step 5...figure out quickly who your best athlete is, put him at pitcher. A lot of the time he'll field the ball and just out run the batter to first base. Put your 2nd best athlete at 3rd and place him 10 feet from the line, this is where most of the balls will go at first until coaches get smart and start positioning batters in the box to take it more up the middle. Find out who your best player is at catching throws that isn't your pitcher and 3rd baseman...put him at 1st, as season and practices progress you can start introducing throwing to first DO NOT HAVE PLAYERS THROW TO FIRST until you've got this down
Step 6...now you can work on batting, I really wouldn't start this until the 3rd or 4th practice. Figure out who your clueless, weakest hitters are. Have them hit slightly under inflated soccer balls off tee to get used to hitting and swinging toward a target. This is a good drill for better hitters to increase their power as well. Once they get uses to striking the ball without chopping at the tee...WORK ON POSITIONING IN THE BOX, walking up to the tee, proper distance from tee, foot placement...I'd recommend getting foot cutouts and having batters step on them to get the idea.
Spend the entire first practice on steps 1 and 2, second practice go over step 2 again and introduce steps 3 and 4, third practice go over step 2 again and start implementing steps 3 and 4 as daily drills(step 3 and 4 will evolve into them tossing to one another...this will be your daily warmup drill down the road). Step 6 will also become a daily drill and you can soon start rotating kids around stations. End each practice with base running drills. Good luck.
Step 2...teach them about the bases, where they are and simplify it down to just calling them 1,2,3,home(calling home 4 will come in coaches pitch). I'd recommend putting signs up behind the bases with labels...1,2,3 and do this for every practice for the first couple of weeks. Make a game out of running to 3, stop at 2, run back to 1, etc...
Step 3...teach them to throw, give them the regulation tee ball and just have them throw into a fence for an hour
Step 4...teach them to catch, you need to understand these kids will have no clue how to close a glove, or at least assume they don't...before they even touch a glove have them catch tennis balls in the palm of their hand, stress over and over to close their hand as soon as the ball hits their palm...do this using soft toss from a few feet away
Step 5...figure out quickly who your best athlete is, put him at pitcher. A lot of the time he'll field the ball and just out run the batter to first base. Put your 2nd best athlete at 3rd and place him 10 feet from the line, this is where most of the balls will go at first until coaches get smart and start positioning batters in the box to take it more up the middle. Find out who your best player is at catching throws that isn't your pitcher and 3rd baseman...put him at 1st, as season and practices progress you can start introducing throwing to first DO NOT HAVE PLAYERS THROW TO FIRST until you've got this down
Step 6...now you can work on batting, I really wouldn't start this until the 3rd or 4th practice. Figure out who your clueless, weakest hitters are. Have them hit slightly under inflated soccer balls off tee to get used to hitting and swinging toward a target. This is a good drill for better hitters to increase their power as well. Once they get uses to striking the ball without chopping at the tee...WORK ON POSITIONING IN THE BOX, walking up to the tee, proper distance from tee, foot placement...I'd recommend getting foot cutouts and having batters step on them to get the idea.
Spend the entire first practice on steps 1 and 2, second practice go over step 2 again and introduce steps 3 and 4, third practice go over step 2 again and start implementing steps 3 and 4 as daily drills(step 3 and 4 will evolve into them tossing to one another...this will be your daily warmup drill down the road). Step 6 will also become a daily drill and you can soon start rotating kids around stations. End each practice with base running drills. Good luck.
Posted on 3/28/19 at 7:48 pm to Glock17
One thing I forgot. Give them all nic names.
Posted on 3/28/19 at 8:10 pm to Hook Em Horns
quote:so you are talking wee Tee.
This fricking guy.. They're goddamn 3 to 5 year old. Idiot.
T ball is 5-6 year olds. They can do all the things I listed by the end of a year. I’ve done it for 6 years.
Wee Tee cant do anything and it is a waste of time.
Posted on 3/28/19 at 8:18 pm to LSUsmartass
quote:do not do this. Throw the ball to first.
figure out quickly who your best athlete is, put him at pitcher. A lot of the time he'll field the ball and just out run the batter to first base. Put your 2nd best athlete at 3rd and place him 10 feet from the line, this is where most of the balls will go at first until coaches get smart and start positioning batters in the box to take it more up the middle.
Also early in the year they will hit it up the middle. Then they will go down third. W runners on 1 and 2 they will go up the middle.
Best player goes on first. He makes all the decisions. Second best on Third. You can find a couple others that can catch ground balls and toss to first to play pitcher.
Do not let them run around the field chasing people. It will work early. Then the guys that are coaching to throw and catch will be much better.
Explain to the parents that it will be ugly at first but that it will get better
Posted on 3/28/19 at 8:20 pm to Glock17
Most important thing is just let them have fun.
Posted on 3/28/19 at 8:37 pm to Glock17
First things first. Tell them never swing a bat unless they’re in the batters box or warmup circle. Never throw a ball to someone until you’re both looking at each other.
Posted on 3/28/19 at 8:38 pm to Glock17
Say “keep your eye on the ball” 37 times a day and your team will be awesome
Posted on 3/28/19 at 8:53 pm to Glock17
always start on a knee
Posted on 3/28/19 at 8:54 pm to Glock17
Top 3 players go to 1st, pitcher, then 3rd. They’ll figure out how to hit, so focus on base running, where to throw ball when you catch it, and listening to base coaches. It’s my first year coaching tball also (5&6 year old). We started our season last week.
Posted on 3/28/19 at 8:54 pm to tigerfoot
Dude, the first 2 weeks of t-ball with a brand new coach and brand new team of 3-5 year olds...do not throw to first, and your best athlete always starts out at pitcher...2nd best at 3rd, rotate those 2 to counteract opposing coach's moves
Posted on 3/28/19 at 9:01 pm to LSUsmartass
Thanks for all the feedback... sounds like I’m somewhat on the right track. At the end of the day, if the kids learn a little bit about baseball and have a ton of fun, it’s a win in my book.
Posted on 3/28/19 at 9:02 pm to Glock17
Fundamentals. Fundamentals. Fundamentals.
You’re welcome.
You’re welcome.
Posted on 3/28/19 at 9:27 pm to Glock17
It's a thankless job that's for sure.
Posted on 3/28/19 at 9:32 pm to Glock17
Tee ball doesn't really help long term hitting development aside from getting a good baseline swing mechanic.
And even then, there's not much transfer to hitting off live pitching.
Let them have fun, learn the rules, learn to throw, etc.
Have fun pizza and ice cream parties so they learn to love being with friends and love the game.
They're 3.
And even then, there's not much transfer to hitting off live pitching.
Let them have fun, learn the rules, learn to throw, etc.
Have fun pizza and ice cream parties so they learn to love being with friends and love the game.
They're 3.
Posted on 3/28/19 at 9:41 pm to Glock17
Keep iced down beer in your car and drive without a seatbelt
Posted on 3/28/19 at 9:42 pm to StrangeBrew
quote:
Keep iced down beer in your car
For the kids right?
Posted on 3/28/19 at 9:44 pm to Stingy
One thing to keep in mind; kids will benefit as much at practice as they will the game if you practice right. Much more individual work on the fundamentals.
Another truth about teeball - no matter how much you downplay a game's outcome, one of your parents will definitely be able to tell you scores, batting avgs, etc.
And there will always be newbies in the stands who don't know or don't care about ballpark etiquette. Whatever observation they make will slip right out their mouth with no filter whatsoever. My mother in law, who had no real background in ball of any kind, suddenly became an expert and would blurt out things that made me cringe.
And don't let some huge 5 yr old run over a smaller kid on the basepath. You'd think a crime was created.
Now, you still want to coach? Are you ready for the fundraising, work days, and private parent meetings about their youngsters involvement?
I did, and had a great time. Served on operating boards and executive boards, headed umpiring, and spent several decades watching kids emerge into young athletes. You'll grow too.
Another truth about teeball - no matter how much you downplay a game's outcome, one of your parents will definitely be able to tell you scores, batting avgs, etc.
And there will always be newbies in the stands who don't know or don't care about ballpark etiquette. Whatever observation they make will slip right out their mouth with no filter whatsoever. My mother in law, who had no real background in ball of any kind, suddenly became an expert and would blurt out things that made me cringe.
And don't let some huge 5 yr old run over a smaller kid on the basepath. You'd think a crime was created.
Now, you still want to coach? Are you ready for the fundraising, work days, and private parent meetings about their youngsters involvement?
I did, and had a great time. Served on operating boards and executive boards, headed umpiring, and spent several decades watching kids emerge into young athletes. You'll grow too.
Posted on 3/28/19 at 9:48 pm to Glock17
To the OP, start all the single mother kids and bang the moms after the game.
This post was edited on 3/28/19 at 9:51 pm
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