Coaching 4/5 Year Old T-Ball...any tips?

[JÂy RÛßeÒ]

protect the family jewels

[IDBillzFan]

Tater,

 

My son started t-ball this year, and while my baseball skills wouldn't make the special olympics team, I can offer you what I consider some good management advice I have learned from going to the practices and the games, and somehow becoming an assistant coach.

 

First, BillsFan NC has great advice for practice; keep the drills brief, and ensure the kids get water breaks.

 

Second, pay absolutely no attention to anything Sage is saying. While his advice may be good for other leagues, it's ridiculous for t-ball. The coaches I watch emphasize that t-ball is about kids learning the basics of baseball; hitting, throwing, catching, fielding, positions, etc. If you can get a child to field a ball, throw it to first, and have the first baseman catch it, awesome. Work the basics and make sure everyone is having fun. Some teams coach their kids to make the play at second, third, home, etc. during the game, but don't fool yourself into thinking you're going to teach a four-year-old the "smart play" beyond throwing the ball to another teammate.

 

I coached t-ball a while back. Make sure that you change the positions for the players in the field each inning. The pitcher and the 1st baseman get 90% of the action. I would try to let every kid have the opportunity to field a ball at least once a game.

This is very good advice. We keep our kids on base regardless, but he's right; switch positions (especially ensuring that all kids get to play catcher, if for no other reason than there are few things that make a parent's heart melt like seeing their child in catcher's gear).

 

Other stuff I've picked up:

 

Do whatever you can during a game to keep the flow moving. The moment you make a dozen four- and five-year-olds stand in a field waiting for something to happen for too long, you'll go nuts. For example;

 

Not sure how many coaches you have with you, but our teams have four. During a game, when your team is at bat, you'll typically have a coach at first base, a coach at third, another at the plate helping the batter. The fourth, which is how I got looped into coaching, is in the dugout getting the batters ready to go. Do not overlook this job. Make no mistake, this is a huge pain in the ass, but keeps the game moving.

 

We rotate the batters each game because (at least out here) we let each kid hit, and the last batter rounds the bases. Don't let any of the last four batters in a rotation play catcher. Most of these kids will take three days to put on catchers gear, so help them suit up after they return to the dugout so when the inning is over, the team is ready to take the field. I can't tell you how much time we waste waiting for the other teams to dress their catcher.

 

A good rule our coach gave us parents; if you child gets hurt (small stuff like stingers, etc), let us try to take care of it. If he needs to come off the field, we'll find you.

 

A baseball field has dirt. Four- and five-year-olds love dirt. Especially while they're waiting for something to happen. I had to go to therapy to accept this reality.

 

Let the kids know that if they are going to bring their own bats and helmets to the practices and games, they must do so with the understanding that they will share. "Hey, that's mine. You can't have it." gets old fast.

 

Finally, teach the kids early to let the player closest to the ball take care of the ball. Sounds silly, but until this was explained a couple of times, the team turned into a giant "everyone pile on the ball" exercise.

 

Oh, and if you have a team mom, see if you can pick her instead of waiting for a volunteer.

[SDS]

Start with push ups. End with laps. Legs feed the wolf...

[Delete This Account]

i played t-ball, and there's nothing i can really remember that my coach did to make a difference, which in many ways made that a good thing.

the one thing i do remember is playing in our in-house championship game and recalling how one of our scrub batters -- someone way down the order -- hit a rolling seeing-eye home run into center-leftfield in the final inning that helped us win.

 

funny, how even at a young age, we seemed to know who was good and who wasn't, and how cool it was for someone we weren't counting on to deliver in the clutch.

and our coach had nothing to do with that -- and if he did, we didn't notice.

if that's the case, the one insight is remember you can't spell fundamental without "fun." then again, you can't spell it without "mental," either, which might explain a lot about me, but i digress.

 

jw

[shrader]

Drop the bat

[IDBillzFan]

Drop the bat

 

Seriously.

[Beerball]

The only advice I would offer is this...don't spend too much practice time explaining. Keep the kids active & doing stuff as much as possible rather than listening (because they won't be listening). Keep it simple and let one practice build on another.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

oh yeah......have fun

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

Second, pay absolutely no attention to anything Sage is saying. While his advice may be good for other leagues, it's ridiculous for t-ball. The coaches I watch emphasize that t-ball is about kids learning the basics of baseball; hitting, throwing, catching, fielding, positions, etc. If you can get a child to field a ball, throw it to first, and have the first baseman catch it, awesome. Work the basics and make sure everyone is having fun. Some teams coach their kids to make the play at second, third, home, etc. during the game, but don't fool yourself into thinking you're going to teach a four-year-old the "smart play" beyond throwing the ball to another teammate.

 

This is always good advice.

 

I disagree, though. Yeah, the kids won't soak everything in or put it to very good use on the field...but I don't think there's anything wrong with trying to establish a foundation of using your brain on the diamond.

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

This is always good advice.

 

I disagree, though. Yeah, the kids won't soak everything in or put it to very good use on the field...but I don't think there's anything wrong with trying to establish a foundation of using your brain on the diamond.

 

 

Ok, nevermind, I take it back. I just imagined myself trying to teach my 4 year old nephew how to play intelligent baseball and realized how ridiculous a notion it is. Sorry.

[WWVaBeach]

I did this when my now 17yo son was that age. Two things we did were:

 

1. When practicing base running have them yell out the base number ---ONE, TWO, etc. Later on you can advance them to yell FIRST, SECOND etc.

 

2. From day one we taught them to NOT throw the ball to someone if they're not making eye contact. Cuts down on bloody noses and such.

 

Have fun!

[rockpile]

Drink heavily before practice.

 

I guess it's a good thing we never had kids.

 

 

As a past little league coach, I would advise you keep parents off the field! Remind them "It is not baseball, it is a tool for teaching baseball rules, motor skills, teamwork, and coordination, while getting childrens 21st century butts off the couch, while HAVING FUN so maybe they will want to graduate to baseball.

 

My best baseball player was my youngest daughter. She played fast pitch underhand softball. She was a rightie but the coach had her bunt leftie to put her a few steps closer to first base to try to outrun the throw or cause an error.

 

Best basketball player was my middle daughter. She was not tall (5ft) and getting discouraged, so I got her a "Muggsy" Bogues sports card. Bogues was the shortest player ever to play in the NBA, at 5' 3" Bogues - point guard for the Washington Bullets, Golden State Warriors, and the Toronto Raptors during his 14-season career in the National Basketball Association. (source: WIKI)

 

Rockpile, proudest father of four and grandfather of five !

[Lori]

Watch out before the game.

 

Youth sports are just crazy, even at the HS level...I'm glad my son is graduating HS this year. Enjoy your time and get out before it gets serious.

Wait. That little kid in the Moulds jersey? Graduating?!?

 

 

 

THUD.

 

Tempus fugit ...

[rockpile]

I never quite know how to feel about this. On the one hand, emphasizing winning as the ONLY objective is wrong. On the other hand, just throwing the score out the window is also a bad idea IMO. A little friendly competition at a young age can provide good perspective on how to handle losing.

 

I remember my tee-ball team losing lots of games, and I don't think it emotionally scarred anybody.

 

First team I coached only won two games (one "win" was a forfeit when the other team did not show up)!

 

Win or lose they got ice cream cones after every game, just to make it more fun. Kids need to win and to lose - to learn sportsmanship. I never understood not keeping score.

[DaGimp]

just get into fights with the parents and bang any hot milfs

[Beerball]

Wait. That little kid in the Moulds jersey? Graduating?!?

 

 

 

THUD.

 

Tempus fugit ...

I suppose you could call it graduating.

 

The alternative school has run out of alternatives so they've sent the kid packing.

 

congrats to you and the misses NG

[Nervous Guy]

I suppose you could call it graduating.

 

The alternative school has run out of alternatives so they've sent the kid packing.

 

congrats to you and the misses NG

[Nervous Guy]

Wait. That little kid in the Moulds jersey? Graduating?!?

 

 

 

THUD.

 

Tempus fugit ...

yep...he's all growed up...eh, not completely, but he's almost all growed up. He's got some exciting times ahead for him, depending on where he lands...maybe someday you'll see him on Sportscenter.

[MarkyMannn]

bang any hot milfs

 

 

Of course that is difficult if your wife is there too

[EZC-Boston]

Have your brother teach them how to throw, unless you want them to throw like girls...

[taterhill]

Have your brother teach them how to throw, unless you want them to throw like girls...

Im going to have 9 future dh's on my squad....these kids will be mashing