Tee Ball

Rules & Skills for Tee Ball

Main Skills to Emphasize

Throwing a baseball. This is probably the most important skill you can teach. Steve Bernhardt of the Baseball Factory has this great video about Arm Mechanics that's worth checking out. The main points are to get kids to throw with the correct foot forward, to line up their shoulders, to aim with their non-throwing hand at the target and to follow through completely.

Catching a ball. Basically every catch should be with both hands, not only the glove hand. This might take some players all season to master. That’s OK.

Fielding a grounder. The main idea is that all players get in baseball ready position when the pitcher steps on the mound, or in the case for tee ball, when the batter prepares to swing. When a grounder comes to you, squat, trap the ball in the mitt with your throwing hand, bring it into your mid section, and prepare to throw.

Batting. The idea is to get players to think that the knob of the bat is the “eye” and the “eye” should try to hit the ball. “Lead with the knob.” Legs should be shoulder width. We have found that hitting can be explained by breaking it into 4 steps: Load, Hips, Arms, Follow through: load (or cock the body slightly), hips move first, arms follow in a chop motion like chipping down a tree, follow through with both hands on the bat. Here are some great hitting drills to check out before your first practice.

Base Running. Time the kids running to first base and make it a race. Make it fun. Encourage kids to run slightly bent forward and kick up their legs. Pump their arms.

Official Rules

1. There is NO coach pitch in tee ball. Not in games, and I would encourage you, not in practice. If you have a player who can hit from a pitch, we need to move him/her
up to Farm A.

2. Please move the games along and try to get at least 4 complete innings in one hour.

3. There is no keeping score and no keeping outs. Defense is encouraged to make all outs, either force out of tag out or catching a fly ball, but the out is not counted
against the offensive team.

4. All players on a team will bat through the entire order each inning.

5. Coaches are encouraged to be on the field with the players when on defense giving instruction and offering encouragement.

6. A single coach helps each batter by setting the ball on the tee when on offense.

7. Batters should be encouraged to hit the ball to different spots in the field, not just back to the pitcher. Third base line, first base line, up the middle, short stop,
second base, etc. Try to mix it up.

8. The tee should be placed on the front part of the plate such that the ball is struck in front of the plate, mot in the center of the plate. This is correct batting
to encourage kids to go meet the ball in front of the plate. For a right-handed batter, the ball is struck on the pitcher-side of his/her left foot.

9. When on defense, spread players out as much as possible. There is a tendency to have players “scrum” near the pitching mound when a ball is hit there. That’s why
we’re encouraging players to hit the ball to all locations of the diamond to spread out the action. Play players in different positions throughout the game.

RAINOUTS

The tee ball field does not rain out as easily as the main diamond. The best way to determine a rain out is for head coach of each team to check out the field at least one
hour before the game and make a call.

Website Manager

Hollywood Rose City

Little League

Contact

ALL THE INFO

ALL THE INFO