The primary goal for Tee Ball is for the kids to have a positive experience playing with friends, to learn the very basics of the game, and to want to return to play the next season. Here are the skills to teach in each of the key areas of the game, along with recommended videos on fun drills to help:
Sportsmanship
Sportsmanship is in many ways the most important skill to teach in baseball. We want our tee ball players to know we expect them to:
- Have fun!
- Try hard - give best effort at every practice and every game
- It's okay to make mistakes. Mistakes are an opportunity to learn.
- Be a good sport - treat teammates, opponents, coaches, officials, and parents with respect
- Think as a team – play your position and let your teammates play theirs
- Cheer for teammates
Baseball IQ
The general concepts that a graduating tee ball player should have are:
- Names of the defensive positions
- Names of the bases
- Infield v. Outfield
- Proper direction to run the bases
- The team bats in a specific order
- Object on offense is to hit the ball, advance to each base safely, and to touch home plate to score a run.
- Object on defense is to get in front of a batted ball, tag a base runner with the ball, or touch a base before the runner on a force.
Fielding
Throwing
We want to start teaching at an early age solid throwing fundamentals. At tee ball, we should instruct the following while understanding that each player will develop at their own rate.
- Grip - 4 seam (2 or 3 fingers)
- Thumb under the ball
- Position entire body perpendicular to target (shoulders, hips, and feet)
- Look at target throughout the throw
- Point glove shoulder and elbow toward target
- Step directly toward target
- Arm moves in a circle
- Throw overhand - elbow above shoulder/hand above head
- Rotate and follow through with hips, legs, and arm
Catching
The fundamental catching skills we want to teach at tee ball are:
- Square/facing the person throwing the ball
- Both hands in front of the body, fingers up, thumbs together, arms relaxed and extended slightly toward the ball
- Keep eyes on the ball
- Step to/get in front of the ball
- Catch with two hands
- Hold the glove up, don’t catch with the ball held horizontally
- Watch the ball in the glove and squeeze it
- Some players will be afraid of the ball at this level. It may be useful to start with rolling the ball, and perhaps use foam balls or tennis balls.
Fielding Ground Balls
The vast majority of batted balls in tee ball will be ground balls. Emphasize the fundamentals of fielding grounders:
- Get in front of the ball - body squarely facing the ball
- Feet shoulder width or wider
- Bend knees and drop behind to the ground (limit bending at the waist)
- Extend glove in front of body
- Keep throwing hand close to glove (alligator)
- Watch ball into the glove
- Grab the ball with throwing hand
- Throw the ball to the target
Fielder Roles
All players are on the field during games in standard positions (except catcher – no catchers in tee ball)
- Baseball ready every at-bat
- Stay on your side of the field, think as a team
- Catch ground balls and step on or throw to base
- Tagging a runner with the ball (ball in glove or ball in throwing hand with hand in glove)
- Listen to the coach for where the play is.
- Try to work on teaching infielders that the play is at first and outfielders that the play is at second, but to listen to the coach so that the third baseman gets some action!
Batting
Hitting a baseball is the most difficult skill to master in baseball! It will take lots of practice over the season to cover all of the mechanics. We want to break it down as follows:
Grip
- Grip the bat firmly (don’t squeeze or death grip)
- Hold hands together above the knob
- Hold bat with fingers (not deep in palms)
- Middle knuckles generally lined up
Stance
- Body perpendicular to pitcher
- Feet comfortably wider than shoulders
- Toes straight ahead toward the plate (or slightly pigeon-toed)
- Knees slightly bent with weight centered on the balls of the feet
- Upper body bent slightly at the waist
- Hands (not elbows) up.
- Elbows out from the body and flexed, pointing toward the ground (Never tell a kid to put his elbow or elbows up.)
Load
- Eyes on the ball
- Move hands up and back (in a backwards "C" motion)
Stride
- Eyes on the ball
- Take small step with front foot directly toward the pitcher
Swing
- Eyes on the ball
- Keep head down through swing (eye on tee after ball is hit)
Exiting the Box
- Do not watch the ball
- Set the bat down safely
- Run through first base (don’t stop!)
- Listen to base coach
Base Running
Base running in tee ball is simple, and fun! Here are the basics we want to teach:
- During at-bat, keep one foot on the base and lean forward toward the next base
- When the batter hits the ball, use the base to push off
- Look at the base you are running toward (not the ball)
- Touch every base
- Listen to the base coach