T-Ball

Games will consist of an instruction session and a competition session: in total, both sessions will last no longer than 60 minutes. During the competition session, the following special rules will apply:

• All batters will hit off of a tee.

• There will be no strikeouts. The batter will swing until the ball is hit into fair territory.

• A ball that is hit and goes less than 5 feet in front of the plate in fair territory is considered a foul ball.

• The home team will supply the tee and game ball.

• The game ball will be a soft baseball or softball (nine-inch circumference).

• There will be one pitcher at or near the pitcher’s rubber. The pitcher may not leave the rubber area until the ball is hit.

• A base runner may not leave a base until the batter strikes the ball.

• Runners may not advance further than the base to which they were approaching once a fielder has touched a batted ball.

• On an overthrow, runners may not advance beyond the base to which they were approaching when the overthrow occurred.

• The infield fly rule is not in effect.

• Baserunners may not tag and advance on a fly ball.

• The distance between bases is 50 feet.

• The home plate umpire/coach will remove the tee from home plate if a play is likely to be made at home plate.

• One coach is allowed in the outfield to provide instruction to fielders. Play may not be stopped for instructional purposes.

• All available players may play in the field at one time, with no more than 6 players in the infield; the rest of the players must be in the outfield, at least 20 feet behind the first-second and second-third baselines.

• There is no minimum number of players required to start a game.

• Bat your entire line up.

• Coaches should make every effort to rotate players evenly between infield and outfield positions during a game.

• Each team is responsible for cleaning up their dugout and bleacher areas after the game.

T-Ball and Machine Pitch Practice Plan – 75 Minutes

• Bring energy, keep girls busy all the time!

TEAM HUDDLE – (2 minutes)

JOG – Girls go for run as team, go slow, not a race, have to stay together. Jog to far away fence and back. This gives coaches a minute or 2 to talk with the girls gone. (3 minutes)

SNAP and Fielding Technique – Girls line up across from partner on baseline, partner 5 yards away, 10-12 feet between groups; take off gloves, put behind them, demonstrate good fielding position, butt down, feet little wider than shoulder width apart, shuffle side to side. When coach yells snap, girls snap from any position into this position, with both hands down in front of them. Have player roll ball to teammate, have players use good form, roll ball side to side after a little bit, girls keeping ball in the middle of their stance as they shuffle. Hands should be pinkie to pinkie when fielding. Note: Drop this drill after first 2 practices. (5 minutes)

THROWING – Get 2-3 lines of equal number girls, roll them grounder from about 20-30 feet. Throw ball hard to coach, next girl in line hurry to front, snap, roll grounder, continue. (8 minutes)

H20 BREAK – 1 minute (get girls together and organized to send them to station areas with correct equipment!)

RUN 3 STATIONS, 8 minutes per station then rotate, 3 players per station (24 minutes)

Station #1 in outfield (1 coach)

Players spread out about 5 yards apart, 20 feet from coach, throw pop fly to each on glove hand side, have them throw hard to coach with glove target. 1 point for catch, 1 point for hard throw to glove. Tell them to keep track of their score and make it a game. Then have players line up next to coach, about 3 years to left, have them run 1 at a time straight out and lead them with pop fly about 7 yards away, catch ball or pick up and throw hard to glove. Run back on right side of coach to end of line. 1 point for clean play on ball and 1 point for hard throw to glove.

Station #2 in infield (1 coach)

Have players go to shortstop and second base positions, and one player next to coach off to side on 3rd base side of pitching mound. Roll grounder to shortstop, second baseman covers bag. Or roll ball to second, shortstop covers. Throw underhand if close to bag or overhand if further away. Show ball to person throwing to. Person who covers bag throws to player next to coach, then coach rolls another grounder. Rotate positions clockwise after 5 to 8 grounders.

Station #3 at backstop (1 coach)

Use hit stick in one area, tee with wiffle balls against backstop and soft toss into back stop. All 3 players go to a different one, rotate every 2 minutes. Wear helmets, keep girls spaced apart far. 

H20 BREAK – 2 minutes

RUN BASES – Have girls lined up at home, yell hit, girl at plate runs through first, then lines up there. Next player up, yell hit, both runners advance one base, etc. Run through first and home. Introduce tagging up/going back to base on caught ball. (6 minutes)

SCRIMMAGE – 4 on 4, 5 on 5 or 6 on 6, whatever your numbers. Use tee for Tball, coach pitch for Machine Pitch or use machine. Everyone bats once, then rotate out with players in field. Call out plays. Have girls in proper infield positions, have them line up on base path every batter, then tell them “2 big steps forward” or “2 big steps back”, etc. MAKE SURE PLAYERS ARE SNAPPING WITH EVERY PITCH AT ALL LEVELS! (22 minutes)

TEAM HUDDLE – Great job, Girls! (2 minutes)

T-Ball and Machine Pitch Practice Plan – 60 Minutes

• Bring energy, keep girls busy all the time!

TEAM HUDDLE – (2 minutes)

JOG – Girls go for run as team, go slow, not a race, have to stay together. Jog to far away fence and back. This gives coaches a minute or 2 to talk with the girls gone. (3 minutes)

SNAP and Fielding Technique – Girls line up across from partner on baseline, partner 5 yards away, 10-12 feet between groups; take off gloves, put behind them, demonstrate good fielding position, butt down, feet little wider than shoulder width apart, shuffle side to side. When coach yells snap, girls snap from any position into this position, with both hands down in front of them. Have player roll ball to teammate, have players use good form, roll ball side to side after a little bit, girls keeping ball in the middle of their stance as they shuffle. Hands should be pinkie to pinkie when fielding. Note: Drop this drill after first 2 practices. (5 minutes)

THROWING – Get 2-3 lines of equal number girls, roll them grounder from about 20-30 feet. Throw ball hard to coach, next girl in line hurry to front, snap, roll grounder, continue. (5 minutes) H20 BREAK - 1 minute (get girls together and organized to send them to station areas with correct equipment!)

RUN 3 STATIONS, 7 minutes per station then rotate, 3 players per station (21 minutes)

Station #1 in outfield (1 coach)

Players spread out about 5 yards apart, 20 feet from coach, throw pop fly to each on glove hand side, have them throw hard to coach with glove target. 1 point for catch, 1 point for hard throw to glove. Tell them to keep their score and make it a game. Then have players line up next to coach, about 3 yards to left, have them run 1 at a time straight out and lead them with pop fly about 7 yards away, catch ball or pick up and throw hard to glove. Run back on right side of coach to end of line. 1 point for clean play on ball and 1 point for hard throw to glove.

Station #2 in infield (1 coach)

Have players go to shortstop and second base positions, and one player next to coach off to side on 3rd base side of pitching mound. Roll grounder to shortstop, second baseman covers bag. Or roll ball to second, shortstop covers. Throw underhand if close to bag or overhand if further away. Show ball to person throwing to. Person who covers bag throws to player next to coach, then coach rolls another grounder. Rotate positions clockwise after 5 to 8 grounders.

Station #3 at backstop (1 coach)

Use hit stick in one area, tee with wiffle balls against backstop and soft toss into back stop. All 3 players go to a different one, rotate every 2 minutes. Wear helmets, keep girls spaced apart far. 

H20 BREAK – 2 minutes

RUN BASES – Have girls lined up at home, yell hit, girl at plate runs through first, then lines up there. Next player up, yell hit, both runners advance one base, etc. Run through first and home. Introduce tagging up/going back to base on caught ball. (4 minutes)

SCRIMMAGE – 4 on 4, 5 on 5 or 6 on 6, whatever your numbers. Use tee for Tball, coach pitch for Machine Pitch or use machine. Everyone bats once, then rotate out with players in field. Call out plays. Have girls in proper infield positions, have them line up on base path every batter, then tell them “2 big steps forward” or “2 big steps back”, etc. MAKE SURE PLAYERS ARE SNAPPING WITH EVERY PITCH AT ALL LEVELS! (15 minutes)

TEAM HUDDLE – Great job, Girls! (2 minutes)