| Tee Ball is the most popular youth baseball program | | | | cheap colored vests. Maybe we call these games "All |
| in Little League, including other youth baseball leagues | | | | League Games", or another positive term that |
| around the country, and has the most participants. | | | | everyone can accept. |
| As the 5- and 6-year-olds whom participate in Tee | | | | The other part of the game that needs to be |
| Ball get older, there is a drop off in youth baseball | | | | addressed is that at the age of 5 & 6, the skill |
| participation each year. Traditionally the largest drop | | | | level will vary tremendously. Leagues need to treat |
| off of players in most youth leagues occurs after | | | | the tee ball season as a progression type situation. In |
| players reach their twelfth birthday. Soccer is almost | | | | a 20 or 25 game season, maybe use a larger ball |
| a year round sport and youth lacrosse is growing, | | | | when hitting off the batting tee for the first five |
| which are both in direct competition with youth | | | | games. In practices, coaches should use a larger ball |
| baseball. Baseball parents, coaches, and leagues are | | | | on a tee early in a season. One thing I did when |
| almost compelled to make the first baseball | | | | coaching tee ball is to take a bathroom plunger, turn |
| experience for young kids a positive one. | | | | it upside down and place it into the batting tee. Now |
| Youth baseball leagues can develop certain positive | | | | a coach can rest a beach ball or a kick ball on top of |
| philosophies that will maximize the chances of | | | | the tee for the kids to hit. |
| retaining baseball players in their leagues. I'll touch on | | | | When teaching fielding, coaches need to make the |
| just few that I feel most appropriate. First of all, Tee | | | | task as achievable as possible. I used to start the |
| Ball leagues should strive to make it as | | | | season using a Velcro ball and Velcro paddle to catch |
| non-competitive as possible. Some overzealous | | | | a fly ball. The kids love this. On ground balls, teach |
| parents who are very competitive will look upon their | | | | the players to make contact with the ball with their |
| own child's first tee ball experience as the Major | | | | glove, keep it in front of them, and not necessarily |
| League World Series. Leagues must set a standard | | | | catch it. |
| with this non-competition philosophy. Not keeping | | | | On throwing, keep the distance short, spreading the |
| score is an option leagues try. But, from my | | | | players out very liberally and moving them back after |
| experience with my own kids, as much as parents | | | | every five throws. |
| and coaches try, some of the kids themselves will be | | | | These are just a few ideas that leagues should |
| keeping score and reminding the coach and the other | | | | address, keeping in mind that we must start with |
| teammates every time a player crosses home plate. | | | | baby steps and progress as the season goes on. |
| This will also lead to the kids keeping track of wins | | | | Parents must realize that they will have their fair |
| and losses. One option leagues might consider is to | | | | share of competition as their kids move up in age. |
| mix the teams up every 3rd or 4th game. This option | | | | Tee Ball should be a positive experience in every |
| affords tee ball teams to still have a team concept | | | | sense of the word. Skills should be the theme of tee |
| because they will practice with their team, and 75% | | | | ball and less competition. In the world of youth |
| of their games will be together. One thing they will | | | | sports, which includes playing time problems, parental |
| have to overcome is two sets of different colored | | | | sniping, and on the field arguing, youth baseball Tee |
| uniforms playing on the same side. Maybe one way | | | | Ball should be immune to this problems as much as |
| to overcome this is to have players come to these | | | | possible. |
| games in white tee shirts and the leagues supply | | | | |