September 7, 2023 August 30, 2023 by Scott Bingham
There is always a need for Tee ball coaches. Tball is a great time for kids to get introduced to baseball in a fun, non-threatening way.
Most kids at this age are just starting to learn the game, and its a great time to get your kid into this great sport.
Too often hear kids say they don’t like baseball because it’s boring. Baseball is one of the best sports for teaching kids life skills and can be so much fun.
But if you get put on a team with a bad coach, who has kids standing in long lines waiting for their turn, then it can seem very boring!
One of the issues is that most of the time, parents didn’t sign up for the coach. The local league needed volunteers to help.
If coaches don’t come forward in many instances, the league will cap registration and cancel teams.
If you’ve stepped up and volunteered to be a Tball coach, THANK YOU. Without YOU, some kids may not ever have gotten the chance to try baseball.
Now that you have a team, you may look for direction in coaching these little athletes. If so then you have come to the right place. This is the ultimate guide to coaching Tball.
Tee ball is really the first real introduction to kids playing baseball. Tball players are usually between the ages 4-6 and often have never played baseball before.
You don’t need to be an expert in baseball to coach at the tee ball level. You just need some direction.
All you really need to know if the base path is 60 feet. Some fields you play at may not have bases set out, so you’ll need to set up a field.
Walk out roughly 60 feet from home plate to base to base. It doesn’t need to be exact for practice, so just try your best.
There really is no pitching mound in Tball since kids are hitting off a tee. Even though there is no one pitching, you still need a pitcher to field the position.
I usually have them stand about 35 feet back. You want to make sure kids aren’t standing too close because some of these kids can really hit lasers!
The main thing you need to know about Tball rules is that everyone bats, and we don’t record outs.
This makes sure the kids know, after they hit the ball, where to run.
Typically we start going ‘station to station,’ which means one base at a time.
This gets the kids more engaged in the game and teaches them the proper way to run the bases.
Some more advanced kids will want to take extra bases but keep them at bay until they move up a division.
The last batter of the inning usually acts as that team’s “home run hitter” Once they hit the ball, they run all the bases regardless of whether they get tagged out.
Gloves I always tell my parents to make sure their kids have a good baseball glove to use.
Bats – Bats CAN be shared, but if each kid has their own, it makes for easier practice.
Helmets – Helmets can also be shared, but it’s much easier if each kid has their own.
Baseball clothes – Make sure your athletes show up to practice in athletic clothes if possible. They will get dirty at practice.
Encourage your team to come to practice in baseball clothes if possible, it really sets the tone for good practice. And yes, TUCK THOSE SHIRTS IN! If you look good, you feel good and play well! -Another tip, if you play in sunny weather, is to have a pair of youth baseball sunglasses.
Cleats – Tball players don’t NEED cleats, but some kids love wearing the full gear.
What do you need as a Tball coach?
Bases – Usually, you’ll need a set of bases unless you have a field that comes with them. A lot of times Tball coaches will practice at a local park and will need bases to put themselves out.
Baseballs – Your league should provide some balls to use. If not, buying them from a second-hand reply store is a good option to find balls for cheap.
Make sure you have softer Tball balls.
Wiffle balls or Tennis balls – Having a softer ball to play catch with and hit sometimes helps your players to build confidence.
Some kids who fear the ball will need a softer ball to overcome that fear.
Cones – This is a very important piece to have when coaching Tball. I recommend setting up cones, so they know where to stand during warm-up (playing catch). Cones will also be useful in setting up games, which we will discuss later in this article. You can even use cones as bases if you don’t have a set.
Speaker – I find having music on during warm-up really sets the mood. Find music that is kid-friendly but upbeat.
Playing music during practice is enjoyed by everyone! It’s a fun way to set the tone for good practice, but obviously optional.
Now that we know the basics of what to expect let’s make this easy. I think each Tball coach needs to set 3 main goals that they want to accomplish in a season.
The first and most important goal of any Tball coach is to create a fun atmosphere.
Tball is NOT supposed to be competitive.
My kids love when I bring bubble gum, sunflower seeds, or other snacks to the field so they can feel like a big league player!
That said, you can create some competition for the kids who want it.
Setting up fun games that scratch that competitive itch can be super fun.
Who can throw the farthest, and who can hit the farthest?
All games you can incorporate into your practices and make them fun for everyone!
Most kids playing Tball have never been on a real field. Playing games that teach kids the basics is important.
Questions like – What is a dugout? Where is the home plate? Where is first base? How do you field ground balls?
We take these things for granted because we know the game.
Remember, some kids have no clue.
So, talking about the basics on a Tball field is important. Below we’ll discuss some fun drills and games to help accomplish this goal.
This really should be the main goal. At the end of the season, I always ask the kids if they had fun and want to come back next year.
If you get a good response to this question, you did your job as a Tball coach.
As Tball coaches, we should take the pressure off of ourselves if little kids don’t know how to catch at the end of the year.
If they can’t hit the ball off the tee or still run the wrong way after hitting it.
As long as the kids had an absolute BLAST playing baseball, and want to come back next year, then you did your job as a Tball coach!
Now that we have determined our 3 goals as a Tball coach, what are some practical ways to help us accomplish these goals?
The first thing we need to do is set up a practice plan. The more we are prepared as coaches, the better practice will be.
You will need volunteers to help you coach. Tball is very much parent interactive.
Some parents will like to sit and watch practice, but to have a fun Tball year, you need parents to help.
Make sure you set that expectation early. It’s good to have a parent meeting before the first practice, so they know what to expect.
You can get by with 2 or 3 main assistance, but the more, the merrier.
Kids don’t want to stand around. Many kids will think baseball is boring if you don’t keep things exciting.
Sometimes you will play games as a team when everyone is involved.
But when you are focusing on baseball drills, it’s important to have two groups or more and rotate.
That way, there is less standing around.
If you are hitting grounders, waiting your turn for 2 people is ok. Asking a 4-6-year-old to wait for 12 people is impossible.
Make sure your kids have breaks. Not only for water but also to help you transition to the next thing.
Try to schedule an hour for practice. Keeping 4-6 year older attention much longer than that will be difficult.
Try to keep things in 5-10 min increments and then move quickly through practice.
Below is a simple format for setting up a practice plan for Tball.
1200 START TIME
1200-1210 WARM-UP
Run, stretch, and catch with paddles
WATER BREAK
1215-1240- Drills (Pick 3 drills ahead of time. Have the groups spend about 10 minutes at each drill, then rotate, so each group does each drill.
This way, each coach at a drill can manage fewer kids. You’ll find great success in this format)
Group 1 Drill 1
Group 2 Drill 2
Group 3 Dill 3
WATER BREAK
1240-1250 Group Game
WATER BREAK
1255-100 BASE RUNNING
Just a quick recap. We understand the basic rules and field set up for Tee ballers. We have our 3 goals to set a successful season.
We are organized with help and practice plans. The next thing needed is some different drill ideas for Tball.
Quick run/jog
Before we get into specific hitting or fielding drills. Let’s start with the warm-up. It’s a good way to start practice. I like to send the kids on a quick run to get the blood flowing.
Then we line up on our cones across from a catch partner.
I lead them in a quick stretch routine. Try to keep the stretching routine the same every time. Focus on stretching hamstrings, quads, calves, shoulders, and forearms.
Practicing playing catch is very important. Maybe start with the kids throwing grounders to each other and then work into trying to play catch.
1. Hit off a tee with no ball
It really is that simple. Having a group of 3 or 4 kids hitting off a tee without hitting a ball is key. Keep it simple. You will start confusing them if you try to give them too much instruction.
I can’t stand hearing ‘Keep your elbow up’ from parents who are watching. Physically move kids into a hitting position, and let them swing HARD!
Once they visualize themselves hitting a ball, add in a big bouncy ball and slowly move towards the smaller baseball to hit. Feeling success is key here.
Here is a great video explaining this drill
2.Squash the bug drill
Again simple instruction is simple. Breaking down one task at a time is important. Teaching kids how to ‘squish the bug’ with their back foot is an easy way for them to visualize what to do.
3.Soft toss or slow pitch
YES, even Tball players need to start hitting off real pitching. I like to start with a big ball.
Bring out a beach ball or big rubber ball to give your players more confidence in making contact.
You will find some players are naturally better at hitting off pitching instead of off a tee.
Start by standing in front of your player and try to throw overhand.
Helpful hint – It’s ok to put a little speed on the pitch. It’s actually easier to hit a ball that is traveling in a straight line with some speed rather than a lobbed pitch that is arching.
Sometimes we try too hard to throw softer, thinking it’s easier to hit when it’s harder because you’re throwing with an arch.
Catch with velcro pads
Early on in the season, I like to buy these velcro pads and let the kids play catch with them before we introduce gloves.
This helps with confidence and prevents injury. It’s also super fun for the kids, who feel great success.
Set up cones about 10 feet apart. Having cones set up ahead of time helps keep catch organized.
Make sure the person catching gives a good target. The player throwing does not throw until the target is set up.
This helps make sure both the person throwing and catching are paying attention.
The goal of the thrower is to hit the target, the goal of the catcher is to catch it.
You’ll find much more success playing with these velcro pads early on, and its easy to transfer to gloves after a few weeks.
Set the kid up into the throwing position. One arm up, holding the ball, and the other arm bent, pointing their elbow at a target.
When the kid rotates to throw, they yell “YES” and pull their front arm down as if they are pumping their fist. I like to have them throw the ball into a big net or against the backstop.
They can retrieve their ball and all try again. You can have 3-4 kids doing the drill at once, but rotate who you are helping.
Accuracy throwing drill
Set up a target, and let the kids throw balls at it. There were times last year when we had parents and coaches out in the field as targets to throw at. Kids all stood in a line and tried to hit us.
Remember, make it fun; anything you can do to have fun with the kids, the better.
You can even use a tire or ring to try to throw through. Here is a good video showing an accuracy drill. The only thing with this video I disagree with is the point aspect.
Let’s get our kids to point with their elbows, not with their fingers.
I understand why we tell them to point, but when they get to the next level, we don’t want them pointing with their fingers before they throw.
Tee Ball Long throwing drill
Who can throw the farthest
Let kids throw 3 balls each and see who can throw the ball the farthest. Give them quick small tips to help them throw farther.
Kids will naturally find the correct way to throw when they aren’t trying to hit a target sometimes. Just tell them to let it loose and throw as far as they can!
Protect the castle
You can have a kid set up with or without a glove. Put an object behind them like a bucket as the castle.
Roll the balls and have them try to protect the castle by fielding the rolled balls. Making a game out of fielding is a fun way to work on ground balls!
Ground balls during warm-ups
When we shift from using the velcro pads to using our real gloves, I’ll have kids throw grounders to their partners instead of just playing catch.
As they are doing this, these coaches and parents can walk around and help kids field ground balls properly.
We talk about making your glove and bare hand like an alligator, making sure your nonglove hand is on top to help secure the grounder.
Baserunning
Teaching kids how to run the bases can be fun. Make sure they know they have to run FAST like a tiger.
Make sure you get enough space between runners but encourage them to try to catch the person in front of them.
I like to end every practice by running the bases. Understanding to run to first base first (NOT THIRD Base) and running fast are the 2 things we work on. I like to end the game with a home run so each kid can run all the way around the bases!
Now that we have some drills you can use to help incorporate into your practice, what are some fun games to play as a group to help your kids have fun?
Clean your room
This game doesn’t sound fun, but it’s always been a fan favorite. Set up cones for a centerline. Put a bunch of wiffle balls or softer balls out onto the field.
The object quickly picks up the balls and throws them onto the other side. Make sure the kids throw 1 ball at a time. The goal is for them to run around and practice their throwing in a fun way.
Have each player stand on a base. You can have multiple players on 1 base, including home. Have the player who is ‘it’ stand near the pitcher’s mound.
When you say go, each player must run to a different base and the person who is it has to try to tag them.
If someone gets tagged, then there are 2 people ‘it’, and the game resets. Say, go again, and now you have 2 taggers.
Keep going until everyone eventually is tagged. The game’s goal is to show the players that they are safe if they are on base.
If they are off the base and they get tagged, then they are out. Understanding this concept is step 1 of understanding the game of baseball.
Relay race around the bases
Split your team up into 2 equal teams. (both by the number of kids and speed). Have one group start at second and one group start at home.
The idea is to run around the bases 1 player at a time from each team. Once the player gets around the bases (TOUCHING EVERY BASE), the next player goes. Whichever team finishes first wins the race. Make it a competition, the losing team does 5 push-ups. Make it fun
Now that we have a good grasp on how to set up a fun practice. We know what it takes. Hopefully, you all feel more comfortable starting the season off.
Here are a few other tips and tricks I’ve thought of to lead a successful Tball season.
Rewarding player of the game/practice – Calling out a player of the game or player of the practice at the end is a very good way to build team bundling and make sure players work hard during practice.
Make sure you switch up your recognition and recognize everyone.
Baseball cards are a cheap, easy way to hand out a cool token. I usually buy this brick of cards . It’s fairly inexpensive and will last you the whole season.
Have an organized dugout
My wife always took this part of the team over, and it helps so much on game days. We would have everyone purchase a paint bucket to keep all their gear in. They would bring it to practice and games.
We would line them up in their batting order and put their buckets in order. Each kid would sit in that same order during games, so we knew who was batting next. Having a parent manage the dugout is crucial.
The more we wait for players to get up to bat, the slower and boring the games go. Having your team ready quickly is important!
Catcher’s gear
Putting a kid at catcher really isn’t needed. However, if your team hands out gear, then take it! Kids love to dress up in gear and play catcher.
Have them use the time taking pictures and soaking in the fun. There isn’t much to do, but some kids get into it!
I really hope this article helped you feel more confident heading into the tee ball season.
Remember if you are a mom or dad and you are helping out coaching the most important thing at this age is for the kids to have fun and try to learn all the different concepts of the game so they can prepare for little league. The last thing you want is to burn out your tball player and have them hate the game and never want to play again.
Learning the fundamentals of offense, defense, and hitting is critical at this age for children and you will likely be surprised at how quickly they pick things up.
One of my favorite things as a coach is to see how much players improve from week to week throughout the course of a tee ball season. Please email us if there are any other tips, tricks, or drills, you may know that would be beneficial for other tball coaches!
We would love to keep these ideas flowing and continue to add to this content to help other Tball coaches be successful.
Have a great season!
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