e RunningRunning the ba

Ball Coaching Activities

T ball is a game played around the world by children between the ages of 4 and 8. T ball is a modified version of baseball, played without pitching. Instead, players hit the ball off an adjustable tee. Most t ball teams are coached by interested parents with varying degrees of t ball expertise. Volunteer coaches focus not on winning or losing but on activities to teach the children baseball fundamentals, sportsmanship and love of the game.To work on speed and accuracy of throwing and catching, have the children form two circles that will race each other. The size of the circles will depend on the ages and skill levels of the players. The first player in each circle will toss the ball to the next, then immediately sit down. The second player turns and tosses the ball to the player on the other side and sits down. The object is to be the first circle sitting down. If a ball is thrown out of the circle, the player chi hair straightener catching it must return to the circle before throwing it to the next player.Set a big box, cooler or other container on one of the bases and have the children throw or bounce a ball into it from the outfield. Broido suggests turning the activity into a game by giving 10 Cheap Snapbacks Hats points for getting the ball into the container, five points for hitting the container, and one point for the nearest bounce. When hitting balls to the players or having them catch, coaches should begin with rubber balls or spongy balls to reduce this fear, gradually progressing to tennis balls and soft practice tee balls. Have the children lay their gloves aside and, using the soft balls, hit grounders or roll the ball to them so that they can pick up and throw back bare handed. Then, hit balls to the left or right of players at infield locations. Insist on the fielding stance: crouched forward, glove open and down. The closest player to the ball should field it by moving with a step slide, or crab walking, three or four steps to the right or left, then throwing it back.Teaching Base RunningRunning the bases can be exciting for energetic children. Have two players both begin at home plate, suggests the T Ball USA website. One player runs toward first base and the other takes off toward third. The race is on to see who makes it back to home plate first Wholesale Snapbacks and steps on all the bases. While other coaching activities are going on with other parent volunteers supervising, pull the children off the field one by one chi hair straighteners to work on their batting stance and swing. Later, give each child several chances to hit the ball off the tee without worrying about running to first base. This will give the children both batting and fielding practice. At the end of your practice, play a short game of at least two innings to allow the children to put it all together.