QBeginner Throwing

I started coaching 7&8 year olds this year and noticed how hard of a time they have throwing the ball. Do you have any tips to teach beginners how to throw? Any help would be great!

AI know even the GrassRoots page of WebBall on throwing may be more than you need. Look also at the page on stop-action training (tai-chi) and remember these key points.

1. Work backwards - show the kids how to line up their legs toward the target and throw across their body (most young kids tend to stand facing the target.)
2. Teach the kids the difference in getting their elbow up to shoulder (but not above it). (Most young kids want to throw only with their forearm by aiming
3. Then work on picking the ball off the ground with two hands and coming up to throw. Then go to actually fielding the ball.

QHead Pulls on Swing

I am coaching 7 year olds in coach pitch baseball. We have several kids who pull their heads out when swinging the bat. They either keep looking at the pitcher and just take a wild swing at the ball or look somewhere in the field while they are swinging. Other than repetition, do you have any suggestions for drills that will break this?

AFirst, it is typical at that age and it has to do with body structure - young kids are simply stiff when they swing - the hips, shoulders, arm, neck and head all turn as a unit - they haven't yet learned to disconnect and sequence so that hips pivot under a fixed upper body, then hands move separate from shoulders, then shoulders turn while head stays steady. You can help them by doing isolation drills - get them to stand with bat cradled behind the back between the elbows - tell them you want them to turn their belt buckle to the pitcher but keep their head and shoulders from turning. Then have them work on a drill in which they load back on hands and move bat into contact zone - but their shoulders don't move. Then get them working on chin-to-shoulder drill in which the chin is touching the front shoulder, then the shoulders turn so the chin is touching the other shoulder - do this one first without the bat. In fact all these moves can be worked on first without the bat. Work on repetition series with each of these moves. It won't fix them all, but it will help them understand the steps.

QHitting at the End of the Bat

My 9 year old son hits every thing off the end of the bat (inside or outside pitch). Apparently he rotates his hands too early. I can't seem to find a drill to keep him from breaking his wrist too early.

AHe shouldn't break or roll the wrist at all. By that I mean you don't want him to think that that's ever part of the swing - if it happens in follow-through fine. Here's a drill - use a Frisbee held upside down between the palms. Have him do his swing motion so that the Frisbee flies off like a line drive. This palm-up palm-down position is what he then needs to apply when swinging with a bat. Work with the Frisbee until he has full power swings that produce line drives.

QLeaving the Tee Behind

I coach T-ball. They will be entering coach-pitch next season. We are coming up to are last 5 weeks. When we are practicing, should I introduce coach pitch.

AThere is a big development spurt among many kids in the year between T-ball and coach-pitch. But the timing of the ability shift is not consistent. It is likely that some of your players could handle a little coach pitch before this season is out, but many if not most might find it scary - and the result is it might throw them off playing well for the remainder of this year, and it might scare them away from baseball next year because they don't think they will ever be ready. Our advice - stick to T-ball for now. I am sure there is much you could do in helping them develop power off the tee and that will help them throughout baseball. Even MLB Pros still work with the tee. (And have a look at Ron Wolforth's "Advanced T-Ball" DVD - pretty amazing stuff can be taught with the Tee.)

QNot Throwing

I have two parents that have coached their T-ball son not to throw the ball. He is a fast runner and they tell him to tag everyone out. I want him to throw the ball to the first baseman so he can do his job. But more important so that he learns baseball is a team sport not a one man show. I just can't seem to reach his parents. The real shame is he has natural talent and could be a good player if his parents would support instead of push him down a one way street.

AHospitals would run much better without patients getting in the way. Ditto with baseball and parents.

If a bit of toughness is called for, ask the parents what sport little Johnny will be going into next as he obviously is not going to make it in baseball. Explain why. Maybe the math will help - a base to base throw takes under 2 seconds, a run takes 4 seconds or more. Unless he learns to throw now he will never be able to play baseball well.
Also give them perspective. Explain to them that it really doesn't matter if he is any good at age 6, 7, 8. What matters is that he gradually gets better through proper training for ages 12, 15, 18, 22.

Plan B (or is it C) get the parents out of the loop. At the next practice work on improving everyone's throwing mechanics and accuracy. Make it a game, a challenge - points system, etc. In other words give yourself a chance to work with the player to learn the fun of throwing.

QPlayer Rotation

What would be the best way to setup your lineup for a 12 member T-Ball team. I want to try to keep parents happy. Most of all I want the kids to learn and have a good time. I can play 10. How would I rotate so the kids can at least play every game and play every position before the season is over. We have 14 games, I understand not every kid is going to be there every week.

AAt this age do you have a team practice each week? I would start there in rewarding the kids who come to practice - making sure they get to play more.

Once all parents realize how it works they will get their kids to practice - it's not unreasonable - kids that age in gymnastics or dance will go to a practice each and every week for the whole season for the chance to perform once or twice. Baseball is in many ways harder - so try that.

As for game rotation, the idea of everyone at every position might seem like a nice idea but kids need to learn basic skills and will not be ready for anything too complicated, and moving a kid from third base to first base and reversing his point of view on the field is that kind of complication.

Rotate your kids on each side - 4 kids get the three positions of LF, SS, 3B. Another 4 kids rotate 1B, 2B, RF, and 4 kids rotate P (or what passes for middle of the infield, C and CF. That puts 9 on the field.

Assuming everyone shows at any given time you have only one from each group not in the 9 - so give each of them a couple of innings at the rover spot and one is assigned as batboy and one gets to keep you company on the bench (jr. coach?). Next game they will be in a regular spot and another of each group will be available for rover/coach/batboy duty.

Anyone misses a practice, they are on bench first then rover duty for sure, anyone misses a game, as long as they are at the next practice, they get back in the line-up.

By the way, this is mostly for the parents' benefit - the kids can't keep track and don't care. So make sure you explain your system to the parents.

[Look for another idea under Coaching > Grass Roots]

QStarting to Play

What is a good age to start a child in baseball? I have a little boy that is three and a half. He loves to attend tee-ball and older division games with me. He enjoys throwing and tries to hit. What should I do as far as teaching the game. ( ie. any drills or playing tips will be greatly appreciated.)

AThree and a half is very young. Read the pages under Grass Roots on weightless training to appreciation some of the physical limitations. If you confront him early with the actual game and he gets discouraged by his inability (natural age limitations) you may lose him to baseball in later years.

Go slow.

Simply play with him in the backyard or at the playground - throwing or letting him chase after balls. Buy him a plastic T - maybe the pop-up kind. Better yet - get him to appreciation the experience of playing by introducing him to what we up here in the North call California kickball. (It may have other names in other regions and like "french" fries in France or "Danish" pastry in denmark may not be "California" kb in the Golden state.) Kickball will get him and his playmates running around bases, chasing after the big ball, and general experiencing what it's like to be on the diamond - without him having to confront the fine muscle control needed for accurate baseball throws or hitting live pitching.

Also read about Other Games to play.

Most of all, enjoy the next dozen or more years and consider yourself very lucky - so much of the game is ahead of you and him. My own son is now heading towards his 19th birthday - for him and me the dreams of youth are behind us. We are left with some great memories, though, his first catch of an outfield fly ball, his first at bat against living pitching, his first real hit off a pitcher, his first power hit that reached the outfield fences, his first stolen base. From the mound... his first appearance as a pitcher and his first strike out. His first win, first loss, first tournament, first all-star selection - heck even his first injury was a growth experience for both of us. All of this you can still look forward too. I, and the many WebBall regulars who are playing in highly competitive high school and college leagues surely envy you.

QTelle Me Everything

I am teaching 5/6/7 year olds the basics of the game. Mental-positive is my first goal. Using the glove is second. Throwing is third. Batting stance and swing, then actually hitting the ball off tee/or pitched. Then baserunning/sliding and possibly game situations/rules. I need help in drills (indoor/outdoor) in learning to catch the ball, glove position, type of toss (high/hard). And what drills would you use or tell parents to practice at home? Also batting: swing speed. Some players have problems with the bat being to heavy or swing speed very slow. Is there any equipment to help this situation or drills to strengthen the swing speeds?

ASo basically, you need to know everything! :-) There is a Grass Roots section on WebBall and some of your questions are covered there - including fun drills and also some of what we call 'soloball' techniques - like bouncing balls off walls that kids can practice at home. I would, however, work on catching with tennis balls before I worked on catching with the glove. In fact, I would also work on throwing before the glove.

Why? Because throwing and even catching can be instinctive but the glove is an unfamiliar element. And what help is the glove if the throw (or hit) isn't coming in very hard. Also most young kids have very poor mechanics on the basic throw - they don't understand the idea of standing sideways and throwing across their body.

As for the bat problem, maybe it's compounded by the tee being too high? Make sure it is hip height not waist height. Also get them to choke up or use a shorter bat - it isn't just the weight, it's how far the weight is from their bodies during the swing. Work on 'hands first' not barrel first in the swing - so they keep what strength/power they do have under control and not let the bat swing them.

For sliding, start in sock feet on moist grass with a loose throw-down base. Enough to get you started I hope.

QToo Soon to Play?

My son will turn 4 in April and at the risk of sounding like a overzealous dad, do you have any suggestions for simple hand eye coordination drills "games"? At three, his hand-eye is developing and we do some things that I think help, but I would like an expert's opinion. Also foot speed - any games for that? Not looking for serious baseball drills - we throw a tennis ball off of a brick wall and take turns trying to stop it - and I think I am going to buy him an air hockey game (hand-eye) for his B-day. I used to toss bubblegum to him and his sister. They would use a small bucket and if they caught the gum they could chew it - we still have a call for that from time to time. Any info or suggestions you have will help. I look froward to visiting your site more in the future.

AI am neither a child development specialist nor a psychologist. So far be it for me to judge if you're overzealous.

T-Ball starts around 6; no kid really needs to get into baseball till 8-10; and even 12 is not too late to start (unless you're aiming for Williamsport).

Hand-eye coordination comes naturally to almost everyone. Besides, that's not the primary need in baseball. (Fielding and hitting are more about technique and anticipation than super-natural coordination.)

Nothing wrong with being a good dad, but please, let him have fun with his friends, socializing is a team activity, too. And I'd go easy on candy (i.e. gum) as a reward. Kids tend to take pleasure in simple achievement for its own sake. It is we parents who teach them to measure their accomplishements with rewards, victories, trophies, and ultimately money.

Also give him a few books to read too. (Baseball IS a thinking game.)

And baseball is also a ballistic game - requiring lots of fast-twitch muscle, a good anaerobic alactic energy system, the ability to "slow time down", plus good vision, etc. None of which can be, or should be, overdeveloped too early.

Remember by thinking too seriously about it at 4, your long term goal might be Little League superstardom at 12. But baseball can be a life long experience - let him grow into it naturally.

If you want a collection of good inexpensive ideas then check out one of the Videos for youngest players called "Backyard Baseball Drills". It is for rookies, and Marty Schupak is a trained educator.

QTravelling at Age 9

What is your opinion of competitive travel baseball for 9 yr. olds? In my opinion it takes a true commitment to practice and prepare for this level of competition. I am finding that it is difficult to get the necessary commitment from the full team due to other interests, i.e. other sports, scouts, parties. Everyone is willing to practice during the traditional baseball season, but the off-season is a problem. Is it too early to expect this kind of commitment from a 9 yr. old?

And what about the parents? I think it is too early to expect that financial and time commitment from parents - let their kids grow into the game more and see how good they are. Take the extra time you would have spent on the road travelling to schedule extra practices and training sessions during the season. You might not experience the championship glory, but the kids will become better ballplayers and isn't that our first responsibility as a youth team coach?

QYoung Minds

I coach a 7-9 year old boys team. My kids have pretty good skills but their little minds wander a lot and only react positively if they have done it before. For me to go over every possiblity would take a long time. I was wondering if you had a list of possible situations that I may quiz my kids on - especially on rainy days? Also my problem at this level is keeping their anxiety in check. They are so hyper, they often make mistakes as a result of their hyperness.

AYour kids are too young, probably, to care about the finer points. What you might do is work with them on 'dry mechanics' - swings and throws without bats and balls - just for the mechanics. This can be done in any small space. Or teach them the Soloball ideas so they can work on their own at home if another practice gets rained out.
At this age, quiz not on strategy but on timing or distance, for instance. And get them to act out the answers - they'll want to naturally. For example...

• How many steps do you take as a fielder before a ball is hit? (2, forward).
• How many steps after you hit the ball do you look to see if it has cleared the infield? (4)
• How many steps do you lead off a base to be able to get back safely. (3+1/4 side steps off, with 2 strides back.)
• How many times in a game do you move left to catch a ball, how many times right? (Get them to think about positioning.)

As for the hyperness, repetition is the key - the more they practice a specific skill (without getting to the point of boredom, but briefly at every practice), the more likely they will do it reflexively - without anxiety - during the game.

On the other hand, don't get to heavy on them now. At this age let them have fun and be a little crazy - in just a few short years, they may get so serious and play so intensely you'll long for those playful younger kids.