PRE-K & KINDERGARTEN T-BALL COACHES INFORMATION

PRE-K & KINDERGARTEN T-BALL COACHES INFORMATION

RULES & POLICIES

A. Coaches

1. Must represent the Dodgeville Recreation Department in a respectable and professional manner through out the course of the baseball season.

2. Must be positive in support of all players and use encouraging, non-abusive language at practices and games.

3. Must follow league rules and policies both written and spoken from the Dodgeville Recreation Department and Recreation Director

4. Must work with other coaches in order to provide the best instruction and encouragement for all players.

5. Remember coaches, we do not keep score. Hitting the ball squarely of the T, or making a catch is much more important.

6. Coaches may call the rec department at 930-5358 for cancellations due to poor weather. If there is poor weather, it will be a coaches and rec director decision to cancel the game. Every attempt will be made to play all ghyames. If a game cannot be played due to bad weather, the option for the game to be made up at the end of the season will be decided upon by both coaches. Please call the Recreation Department to re-schedule.

B. Parents and fans

1. Must refrain from coaching during the practices and games. They should just be giving positive support.

2. Must be positive in support of son or daughter, as well as other players, and use encouraging, non-abusive language at practices and games.

C. Game rules and policies

3. Rules established by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFSSHSA) and Adaptions by the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) apply in conjunction with the following modifications:

4. Coaches will umpire all games. The coach whose team is up to bat will instruct the batter, as well as, cover home plate. The coach whose team is in the field will umpire the field.

5. The game will end after 3-4 innings or sixty(50) minutes. If there is not enough time to play an entire inning before the fifty minute limit, the inning will not be played.

6. All players may play in the field. If a team is short players, use players from the other team.

7. All players present for the game and on the roster will bat every inning.. If you have children coming to practice that are not signed up, they cannot participate until they register with the Dodgeville Recreation Department. NO EXCEPTIONS!

8. The field will have an imaginary diagonal line drawn from third base through the pitcher’s mound to first base. All infielders must be behind this line until the ball is hit.

9. The pitcher must occupy the regular position on the pitcher’s mound.

10. Once the ball is returned to the pitcher following a normal play situation, runners cannot advance to the next base if they have not already started. Fielders must attempt a play if possible. An overthrow advances the runner one base, but the ball is then dead.

11. Runners may advance only one (1) base on an overthrow.

12. The tee is located one (1) foot behind home plate.

13. A coach will place the ball on the tee. The catcher must wear a face mask and occupy the normal defensive position–which is directly behind the tee.

14. On the last batter the ball must be thrown to any fielder who must then touch home plate to complete the inning.

15. The batter has up to three (3) chances to hit the ball. If the batter hits more of the tee than the ball, the ball will be declared dead by the umpire.

16. Bunting is not allowed.

17. Lead-offs and stealing are not allowed.

18. No sliding at any base!

19. All players will bat in any inning unless three (3) outs come first.

20. Fielders must change defensive positions every two (2) innings and they must not play a position more than once in a game. Coaches should play all the participants at every position throughout the season.

21. All games must be canceled if there is lightning.

Suggestions for the beginner coach

1. Stress the basics and fundamentals of baseball.

2. Nothing is too small to overlook.

3. Look for little inadequacies: which hand is glove hand, which way to run.

4. Enlist the help of as many parents as are willing–there is never enough positive role models for children.

5. Assign a child for treats each week.

6. Shake hands with the other team when completed.

7. Remember you have signed up for an 6 week commitment. Even is you son or daughter does not enjoy baseball or if he/she gets hurt throughout the course of the season you need to continue to coach your team and help them along for the remainder of the season.

8. Stay positive and have fun!

Practice Plan

1. Group stretching - be sure to stretch all vital muscle areas

2. Players play catch - (large group) warm up arms. Coaches play catch with smaller group.

3. Batting practice - make sure all kids get a chance to hit!

- # of swings depends on how many kids.

- each coach takes a group (eliminates standing around)

- coaches pitch, or set up T

- stress: level swing, watch ball, stance, position to plate

4. Infield/Outfield work

- coach infield/ coach outfield

- stress: Infield - positioning, stay low, glove out, stay in front of the ball,

Don’t wait, use both hands, good throws

Outfield - positioning - watch the ball, catch ball with both hands, and above the head, get underneath the ball, good low throws.

5. Base running - Run thru 1^st base (don’t let up), rounding the bases.

Coaching tips

1. Throwing and catching

a. Throwing

1. proper baseball grip

2. Throw overhand

3. Throw off the back foot

4. Front foot should be pointed toward target during follow through

b. Catching

1. Wrist and glove bent upward for throws above the waist

2. Backhand catch should be used when ball is below the waist or off to the side

3. Student should look the ball all the way into the glove

4. Student should use “two hands” whenever possible

5. Student should use glove, not body, to catch the ball

DRILL: “PLAY CATCH DRILL”

Line up your group into a spread semi-circle and simply play catch with each student emphasizing the points mentioned above along the way. Make five throws and returns, and then rotate to the next student, and so on. Instructor should be positioned ten feet into the semi-circle.

2. Fielding

a. Ground balls

1. Proper fielding stance

(Body low, head up, weight on toes, glove down)

2. Get body in front of the ball

3. Never retreat, but rather, one should hold his/her ground on a direct hard hit ball

4. Always charge a slow hit ball

(Don’t let the ball come to you, you should come to the ball)

DRILL: “SHUFFLE DRILL”

Student shuffles from side to side, while the instructor rolls the ball to the side they shuffle to. Make sure to “lead” the ball far enough away from the students in order to make them work to get in position to field the ball.

DRILL: “CHARGE DRILL”

Roll the ball slowly in front of the student in order to force him/her to charge the ball. Check to make sure their return throws are good!

DRILL: “INFIELD/OUTFIELD DRILL”

Use the diamond available, and have the instructors set up their teams in the field. Have the instructors hit ground balls to the infield and flyballs/ground balls to the outfield. Have the infielders throw to the pitcher and the outfielders to second base.

a. Flyballs

1. Student should try to position his/her body slightly in front of the fly or pop-up

2. Let the ball come in to the glove, do not stab at the ball

3. Try to use two hands whenever possible

4. Glove should be in an upward position, head high

5. Be paying attention, watch the ball come off the bat

DRILL: “TOSS-UP DRILL”

Student should be placed in a spread semi-circle. Instructor should toss the ball straight up into the air and follow the student’s progress in attempting to catch the ball (4-5 tosses and go on to the next student)

3. Hitting

a. Check for correct grip (hands together, not crossed)

b. Shoulder length spread of feet for batting stance

c. Weight on back foot (keep back foot planted)

d. Step into the pitch (don’t step out)

e. Level swing ( no chopping or uppercutting)

f. Back elbow up (don’t rest bat on shoulder)

g. Suggest choking up on the bat if needed

h. Keep eyes on the ball

i. Make sure student does not throw his/her bat

DRILL: “SOFT TOSS”

Line up group off to the side of the backstop. Take one student at a time and toss the ball from the hitter’s side so that the hitter would be able to hit the ball directly into the backstop. Hitter should be 4 feet in front of the backstop, while the instructor tosses the ball flat in front of the batter, 4 feet of to his/her side. Use 2 balls at a time, and toss each batter three sets of two and then rotate.

DRILL: “BATTING PRACTICE”

Position students on the playing field. Take one student at a time and pitch flat underhand pitches to him/her. Correct mistakes along the way. (Ten pitches -then rotate)

4. Base running

a. Over run first base on balls hit in the infield

b. Run on the outside of the first base foul line

c. Try to discourage students from making too wide of turn from base to base

d. Inform students of force situations (when they have to run, and when they don’t)

e. Inform students to watch to see if fly balls and pop-ups are going to be caught

f. Inform students that they could be put out if they over-run second or third base

DRILLS: “OVER RUN DRILL”