Lwer Merin Little League www.lmll.rg Abut Games & Practices fr 5 7 year lds: Tee Ball, Rkies, & Minrs Divisin Baseball This nte summarizes hw t run a game and a gd practice fr a lwer divisin baseball team (5 7 year lds), including drills, what t fcus n in games, safety, and general advice frm the cllective experience f generatins f LMLL caches. Cntents: I. Running a Game: Things t Knw II. Running a Practice: Things t Knw III. A Sample Practice Plan IV. Five Useful Practice Drills V. Teaching The Fur Main Baseball Skills I. Running a Game: Things t knw a. Pre game: Knw the rules fr yur divisin s games (are there strike uts? Walks? etcetera). Have a player rtatin scheme fr the field (see belw) Visiting team bats first Base layut is 45 apart (rughly is gd enugh) fr Tee Ball and Rkies (5 6 year lds), and 60 apart fr Minrs (7 year lds) and up. Bats in a pile away frm dugut area b. On ffense / batting: Have a batting rder and fllw it. In tee ball, cach at the bx. One cach stays near the batting bx, placing the ball n tee, helping (as needed) with stance, encuragement, and ensuring bat safety. 1
All ages: Kids seated in batting rder in dugut area. This speeds the game and is appreciated by the ther team (fr that reasn), shws parents yu are rganized, keeps them frm gfing arund, and s n. Bat arund rules. All players bat each inning in Minrs, Tee, and Rkies. Annunce when yur last batter is up. In Tee and Rkies, the last batter ʺclearsʺ the bases. Bat safety. N child picks up a bat unless he/she is tld t d s by the cach. N n deck bat swinging in Little League. c. On defense / in the field: Set kids in crrect field psitins every inning. Even if it takes an extra minute r tw. If yu have 10 players, these are: P, 1st, 2nd, SS, 3rd, RF, RC, CF, LC, and LF. Outfielders play shrt, cvering the hles between the infielders. Teach them the right psitins and reset them (gently) if they wander arund the field chasing the ball. Rtate player psitins frequently (nt just each game). Caches assign psitins, nt kids. Start field psitins differently each week s everyne gets a chance at all psitins as the seasn prgresses. Parents will ntice if their kid never gt a chance at 1st, etc., as the seasn prgresses. Ready psitins. Encurage players t be in ʺready psitinʺ (hand n knees, eyes n batter) befre each batter hits. Caches stand n field during Tee ball and Rkie games, encuraging ready psitins, reminding fielders where t thrw the ball, etcetera. Emphasize the ʺclsest persn gets itʺ fielding rule. Cnstantly. This is a safety rule, and is gd baseball t bt. Plays. Thrws g t 1st base. Make sure the 1st base fielder is watching the ball, nt the sky, grass, s s/he desn t get avidably bnked by the incming ball. d. End f game / clsing: All games end with 2 teams meeting n the field in passing lineup with ʺgd gameʺ hi fives. Snack time. Teams shuld ʺcircle upʺ fr a 10 min snack time (parent prvided) after a game. Say what players did that was gd that game. Psitive feedback has a tremendus impact n 5 7 year ldsʹ enthusiasm and enjyment f the game, especially frm a ptential ʺauthrityʺ figure like a cach. 2
e. Player rtatin schemes in the field: Caches have different styles fr this. Here are sme cmmn methds: Rtate players every batter, r every 3 rd batter (say), using the S r Snake scheme: RF CF LF 3B SS 2B 1B P RF Rtate players every inning, using the in then ut rule (switching infield and utfield psitins, mving ver ne infield psitin each time). Wrks well with 10 players (5 infield, 5 ut). Schedules r pre set rtatin schemes. Cach tells players where t g each inning, rtating in then ut each inning. Takes an extra minute r tw, but kids learn yur scheme fast. II. Running a Practice: Things t Knw Plan. Have a plan fr practice, and pay attentin t time. Plans can be just scratched ut in the car n the way ver, r fllw the sample plan prvided belw (item III). Training the parents. Start & end n time. If yu start n time, parents will (mre frequently) shw up n time t. Pacing. Kids this age have high energy but lw stamina. Vary the high effrt (running) and lwer effrt (thrwing) activities every 10 min r s. Water breaks. Pay attentin t water breaks when it gets ht. Many shrt water breaks are better than ne lnger ne. Names. Re intrduce / g ver players names t start every practice. Yu and they need t knw everyne s names t make practice fun. Start physical. Kids are full f energy when they arrive, t much t fcus n a cach talking abut the game. Start with shrt stretching and a high physical activity next, such as running the bases (gd t start with, warms ʹem up). Base running advice: Run bases in the crrect directin. Always. Baseball hustle. Teach kids t run ( hustle ) every time cach calls them in, sends them ut t the field, whatever. N Phillie ever walks ut t his psitin! Break time. Check with parents s they knw where t be next week, address their questins, and the like. 3
III. A Sample 60 minute Practice Layut a. Team Meeting (5 min) First practice distribute unifrms, game schedule, field maps Player s & caches names d every practice t start Explain tday s prgram b. Warm up and base running (10 min) Jg arund bases Stretch as a team (2 min) with cach Run bases fast, but ne base at a time, n caches mark c. Thrwing (10 min) Demnstrate grip 1 min Shw / reshw crrect bdy psitin and 4 thrwing steps (turn, pint, step, and thrw) 1 min Bnk the bucket game with whle team d. Split int tw grups fr batting and fielding (10 min) Batting: One cach takes half the players t utfield: D 5 10 hits/player (as time allws), 1 1 r 1 2 instructin with each batter Other batters field the hits while waiting turn Fielding: Other cach wrks with rest f team n ne f: Fielding grunders: Rll grund balls t players. Shw right glve psitin (dwn lw, ut in frnt) Charge the ball, catch and cver with ther hand Thrw t cach (pretend cach is at 1 st ) Hustle game Catching balls: Tss frm caches (& parent?) t players Players line up 2 arms length apart, facing cach Glve in frnt f chest, fingers up r sideways Squeeze and freeze when catching Cunt game (easy) r Ball Relays (advanced) e. Reverse the tw grups (10 min) caches stay at same spts! f. Psitins instructin and clsing (5 min) Run Break game t teach psitins, cl dwn befre end. 4
Variatins & ntes n the sample practice plan: Clse with a whle team activity like the Break game. Player psitins are a great thing t review as the last item in practice at this age. There is never enugh time t teach batting, being a ne n ne thing and nly ne tee. The kids lk frward t this the mst, usually. After 2 3 practices, kids will knw yur basic practice plan and yu will have time t teach a few mre skills at each statin. Here are useful extensins t wrk int yur practices ver time: Running right: Players run n balls f feet, nt n heels, in baseball (and sprinting generally). Kids call this te running. Base running: teach t run thru 1 st B, turn utside, then return. But yu must stp n the bag at @ 2 nd, 3 rd. Fielding: Spread players ut and rll/hit t them withut calling their names (teaches fcus). Teach: clsest persn gets it. Have them thrw t anther parent/cach standing where 1 st shuld be. Speed up s they re always n their tes. Fielding: Switch t hpping grund balls with better players, rather than rlling them n grund. Start with light 1 hp (1 bunce) tsses that g knee/thigh high and have kids catch & cver thse (yes, its hard fr them n the 1 st day, but mst are amazing gd at this by the 3 rd time they practice it) Fielding: Switch frm the cach rlling balls t the cach hitting balls (gently) part way thru the seasn. Catching: With better players, switch t lw thrws every ther tss s kids learn t switch frm glve up t glve dwn based n incming ball height (tugh fr them at tee ball age, easier as they age and crdinatin imprves). 5
IV. Five Useful Practice Drills ( Games ) Bnk the Bucket Put an empty bucket upright n a tee (take ut neck insert first). Line up players between 1 st & 3 rd base acrss pitcher psitin Players thrw at bucket simultaneusly. Kids like this game. Recmmendatins: Rll balls ut t all players, have them find grip, then wait fr cach; On cach s wrds, players: TURN, POINT, STEP, and THROW at the bucket. Pace apprpriately fr yur team. Big cheer if anyne hits the bucket. They like this. Really. Ass t cach helps crrect kids wh need 1 1 help with mechanics, bdy psitin, and s n during this drill. This drill teaches: Thrwing accuracy (essential t baseball at any level) Thrwing mechanics & muscle memry f crrect thrws. Listening t cach & instructins Success. Hustle ( Charge It ) Game Line up players single file, r in tw parallel lines if a parent is available as well Rll balls t players, have them field it, thrw t cach, and return t end f line. Fast mving. Many skills/lessns t teach here (belw) Recmmendatins: Teach t catch & cver ball when fielding grunders, then stand and thrw. N diving n ball field it n tw feet! Players shuld charge shrt r slw mving balls. D many t teach this. If tw lines & even # f players, make a game f which line can field all its grunders first withut an verthrw back t cach. Caches shuld have a pile f balls at feet. Let verthrws g. Keep it mving fast. With weak players, rll balls gently. Better players: Rll faster, r thrw hpping grunders. Mark a start line fr players (r they will creep up t yu fast). Use balls, r a bat, t mark where they start. 6
Cunt Game Ball Relays On thrws, emphasize crrect prgressin (turn, pint, step, thrw). This drill teaches: Fcus: Anticipating a ball s mvement Agility / bdy mvement / balance Where t thrw after fielding a ball (1 st base!) A simple catching game. Line up players arms length apart, all facing a cach. Cach underhand tsses a ball lightly t each player in successin (switch t verhand after a few practices / when they are ready) Cunt # f cnsecutive catches, and see hw high the team can get. Restart at 1 after anyne drps ball. Try t get t a higher number than best ne frm last practice. Recmmendatins: Start nly 5 away frm players. Mve back as seasn prgresses. All thrws t player s chest (abve waist!) fr first few weeks. Then switch t thrws t right, t left, r higher pp up catches Emphasize: Crrect glve psitin. Squeeze and freeze n catches. This drill teaches: Eye / hand crdinatin. Prper way t catch a ball (bdy in frnt, freeze n catch, squeeze glve tight n catch with ther hand n back f glve helping t squeeze imprtant at this age). A mre advanced thrwing/catching game after the cunt game has wrn thin and players can thrw smewhat reliably. Divide players evenly int tw grups (say, 4 each). Psitin in tw parallel lines, each player abut 10 20 apart. Place a ball at the ft f tw players at ne end f the lines. On caches mark: Players pick up ball, thrw t next player in their line, wh thrws t next player, t last player in line, wh returns thrw t player he/she received it frm, wh thrws back t next player in line in reverse rder, and s n back t starting player. Whichever line cmpletes drill first wins. Kids like this game. Then switch 2 players between the lines t even teams ut, and repeat. 7
Recmmendatins: On verthrws: Clsest player gets it, then must thrw back t thrwer, wh must make a gd thrw t cntinue relay. Teach kids t pause and aim (pint glve arm ut) fr accuracy befre thrwing ball Start with kids clse (10 r s), spread ut as they get better. Pay attentin that bth lines have same spacing, it is unfair if therwise and kids will realize it. This drill teaches: Thrwing accuracy Fcus and attentin Catching / eye hand crdinatin Turn arund time matters Break Game (learning field psitins) A simple 5 min game t teach players where t stand prperly in the field, t be in ready psitin, and t hustle ut and in. Assemble team arund cach at pitcher s mund. Have team clse their eyes. Tell them t remember their psitin. Tap a child s head and say a unique psitin (e.g., 3 rd base, center field, catcher, and s n). Cntinue thru team quickly. When everyne has a unique psitin, say Break Kids hustle (run) t their psitins and assume ready psitin (hands n knees, r hand in glve at mid waist like prs, ready fr the ball). See if everyne gets it right. Crrect mis psitins (e.g., teach that 2 nd desn t play n the bag, but halfway between 1 st and 2 nd ). Call them in, and repeat with new psitin assignments. Run this game fast, it takes nly 5 min t d it 5 times. Recmmendatins: Kids this age have truble with right versus left. Teach: Right is behind first, left behind third. Or fr righties, use: Right is yur thrwing hand side. As kids get better (after 3 4 practices): Teach crrect infield fielding psitins. Fr 1 st & 3 rd : Play 5 steps in and 3 steps back (apprximately right fr kids this age.) Fr SS & 2 nd, play 5 steps ff 2 nd base and 3 steps back. Use assistant caches t help utfielders find right psitins when they wander and frget. 8
Enthusiasm fr whle team s success when they all get it right. Kids will frget what yu tld them the first few times. By later practices, they will pay attentin and rarely frget. It wrks, really. This drill teaches: Visualizatin / spatial psitining / memry. Attentin t the cach s instructins. Right versus left. Hustle t frm assignments. V. Teaching the Fur Main Baseball Skills: Things t Knw 1. Batting: Fur steps: Stance, Fcus (eye n ball), Swing, Fllw thru Stance: Feet in straight line t pitcher, shulder width apart Knees slightly bent Frnt ft even with side pint f plate (t cnnect with ball in frnt f the player). Frnt ft 3 steps (each the player s she length) frm plate. Check: A level bat swung with arms fully extended shuld hit center f plate in widest part f bat. Kids tend t stand t clse t a tee, and t far frm plate in cach pitch. Check ft placement after every swing. If stance is wrng, the chance f a gd hit is pretty much zilch. Recmmendatin: Mark a perpendicular te line and a midline in the batter bx dirt (use a stick if n grass, r anything t mark it) that shws batter where t line up: Bdy ver midline, tes n te line, s batter is in crrect psitin t hit ball near end f bat with arms fully extended. Hw t hld the bat: Frnt hand ges belw back hand in grip (remind em!) Hands tgether, n space between them. Knuckles shuld be lined up (rughly is OK) Bat slightly ff shulder, mstly vertical. D nt wrap bat arund head r lay flat makes swing slw and inaccurate. Bat steady, n mvement stance ( wiggling the bat is fr the prs, t distract a pitcher. Nt fr little leaguers, ). 9
Fcus. Swing. Tee Ball: Place ball n T with same psitin every time e.g., a red letter E n Eastn balls facing straight back. Tell batter: eyes n the (e.g.) red E n ball. All levels: Kids lk away when batting, r blink as ball appraches plate. Head stays dwn thru swing. Crrect every time if batter lks up early during swing. Teaching fcus at cach pitch level: Put a black dime size dt n half f the baseballs. After each pitch ask the batter if the ball had a dt n it. When they reprt which d and which dn t cnsistently, they ve gt their fcus dwn. Kids like this. D first withut swings, then with swinging at the pitch. Shrt step (the stride ) with frnt ft. Back ft stays planted. Swing dwn then level acrss. Arms fully extended (elbws almst lcked) at pint f ball cntact Head dwn, chin mves frm tuching frnt t back shulder Rtate hips pen t face pitcher Frnt leg lcked (straight) at pint f ball cntact Fllw thru. Swing hard thru ball, nt just t ball Squash the bug with full 90 degree turn f back ft. Back tes still in place firmly n grund. Head dwn n plate, nt lking up at pitcher r hit ball. Finish with hands between shulder and tp f head Check swing with three things in fllw thru: Balance, tw hands n bat, head dwn facing plate. 2. Thrwing: The thrwing habits/skills yu teach a 5 7 year ld will stay with him/her, and affect their lifelng play, mre than anything else yu teach them. Here are the essentials f gd thrwing: The grip: Teach kids t grip the ball with fingers, instead f grabbing the ball in the palm. 10
Tee age: three fingers n tp, spread ut, pinky tucked n side. Thumb n bttm. Bigger handed kids thru adults use first tw fingers n tp, thumb n bttm. 3. Catching: Prper mechanics f the thrw: Bdy starts sideways t target Arms fully extended ut in a T : frnt (glved) hand pints at target, back (ball) hand straight back, thumb pinting dwn Circular mtin abve shulder t thrw Thrwing elbw shuld g abve shulder, arm in L shape at apex f thrw. Fllw thru with whle bdy, arm cmes acrss as bdy turns. Back leg cmes acrss frnt as weight shifts during release. Eyes n target entire time. Watch fr: Side arm thrwers. Intervene and crrect this. Rtatr cuff injuries are ahead fr a kid wh releases t side f bdy (as he/she gets lder). Lw elbw thrwers. Prduces elbw injuries ver time if nt crrected. Elbw ges abve shulder when thrwing. Fcus f catching training at 5 7 year ld level: Catch every ball with tw hands n glve in the center f bdy. Glve psitin: Thrw t kids at (their) chest height Teach players t catch with glve fingers pinting up r sideways, and ther hand n back f glve (t help squeeze it). This shifts t ne handed as their hand strength develps age 8 10, nt befre then. Squeeze and freeze : After (if!) the ball enters the glve, squeeze with bth hands and freeze the hands (mmentarily) in place. Kids tend t mve hands when catching, which makes the ball pp ut. (Tell parents t shw hw Ryan Hward catches at 1 st base n televisin. His glve is mtinless at the pint when he catches the ball). 11
Fr very early catchers: Start with tw handed catches withut a glve. If child can t catch a sft underhand tss frm 5 with tw bare hands mst f the time, that eye hand crdinatin must be develped t that level befre a baseball glve will be helpful. Ask parents t wrk n this each week fr 15 min (say, 2x week) with their child. Mre is better. Catching cmes with (and nly with) practice, practice, practice. Fr kids scared f the ball Kids may be scared f incming ball at any speed. This is expected fr balls at high speed. It is a prblem t vercme if exhibited fr sft, easy tsses. Crrect this early. Teach player: If scared, use glve t blck ball. The glve will stp the ball. Dn t hide frm it then yu can t see where it is! Game t help vercme this: Blck the ball. Tss sft underhand thrws t player s chest frm shrt distance (e.g., 5 feet). Have the kid whack (r blck ) the balls with his/her clsed glve befre they hit/get past him. Turn it int a game (they usually like this exercise). Repeat ften, until the player s eyes fllw the ball every time withut turning (averting) eyes r head. When they d this cnsistently withut exhibiting aversin t the incming ball, then they are ready t catch it with a glve. Then switch t blcking with glve pen i.e., catching it instead f blcking the ball. Abut glves: Shuld be runded shape, nt flat. Players age 5 6 shuld have 9 inch size glves, never mre than a 10 inch size. 7 8 year lds will usually benefit frm a 10 inch glve. Size is written n the glve. Keep a ball in glve when nt in use (maintains shape). Keep glves in a cl, dry place. 4. Fielding Grunders Basic mechanics: Field ball in frnt f and between legs Make a triangle between tw feet and glve Funnel ball with tw hands int mid sectin ( catch and cver ) 12
Cme up ready t thrw, feet in line with target. General pints: Teach kids t charge the ball if it is slw/rlling (but clsest persn gets it!) Hpping balls are difficult. Teach by tssing ne hppers t kids frm 10 feet ut. Requires a field nt t uneven. (Parents can teach this in a parking lt r n pavement during the week, which helps and is easier t field) Fielding grund balls requires repetitin. Teach with rlled balls fr lng time befre hitting t them kids. Play Ball! 13