Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Curval on March 07, 2006, 06:21:29 PM
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Okay...for sure this is the place to ask about this one.
I just got a call from the organisers of a T-Ball league that my son is about to play in. It seems that 99% of the fathers ticked "assistant coach" on the form (myself included) as a volunteer. The organiser (who I went to school with many moons ago) begged me to agree to be a coach.
So I said "okay".
I don't have the first CLUE how to coach a T-Ball team.
Help!??!!!
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Volunteered, eh? Get ready for every parent to be on your case about their child. I umpired Little League for one season...ONE! Nevar again.
Seriously, tho... I would expect Tee-ball offense to be fairly simple. Swing the bat, hit the ball, run like heck. Your challenge will be defense. Learning to hit the cut-off man when throwing from the outfield, learning the double play, ect.
Best thing would be get a copy of the rulebook and study up.
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Are you sure he's enrolled in the right sport?....shouldn't it be cricket?!?! :)
Curv,
I've coached and coach both of my boys t-ball and baseball teams.
At the t-ball level just keep it simple. As rpm said, the defense is where to spend your time teaching.
But.....to start with....teach them how to throw and catch. When they get that, then everything else is gravy when it comes to t-ball.
I'll have to dig out some websites that were useful. But I can't stress enough how important it is to teach them to throw and catch...hell even my 11 year old's baseball team starts off every practice with the basic drills throwing and catching drills. That's what is great about baseball, the fundamentals never change.
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Originally posted by Stringer
Are you sure he's enrolled in the right sport?....shouldn't it be cricket?!?! :)
Curv,
I've coached and coach both of my boys t-ball and baseball teams.
At the t-ball level just keep it simple. As rpm said, the defense is where to spend your time teaching.
But.....to start with....teach them how to throw and catch. When they get that, then everything else is gravy when it comes to t-ball.
I'll have to dig out some websites that were useful. But I can't stress enough how important it is to teach them to throw and catch...hell even my 11 year old's baseball team starts off every practice with the basic drills throwing and catching drills. That's what is great about baseball, the fundamentals never change.
Don't get me started on the junior cricket programs here. :mad: Stupid goverment...*&*%%#@#!!#$
Anyway. Yea, catching and throwing are kinda important in baseball. If my son is anything to go by double plays aren't even on the "horizon". He's a great little hitter but I've got some work to do on his basics in the field.
What kind of drills did you guys actually do? Can you give me a couple of examples?
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Yes, we did some drills. They're hard to explain, I'll try to find some illustrations.
**Edit--This is a decent site to get started http://www.qcbaseball.com/
Here's the throwing section...also look at the drills section link on this page
http://www.qcbaseball.com/skills/pc_throwing1.aspx
Actually the drills section for throwing should be helpful:
http://www.qcbaseball.com/drills/baseball_drills.aspx?drill=26
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Yeah, you took on quite a challenge.
YOU are the guy that will get them started thowing, hitting, baserunning and playmaking correctly.
How well you do may well determine their interest in baseball for the rest of their lives.
But hey.... you knew that right? ;)
Seriously, get some basic drills on throwing and hitting. The playmaking is really simple 1) try to catch it in the air 2) throw to the base AHEAD of the runner and maybe, just maybe, try and tag a runner if he runs by you.
:)
Don't take it too seriously, make sure it is fun. Wins/Losses mean zip at that stage. Half the kids won't know or care who won 10 minutes after the game is over. The parents will but the kids won't.
G'Luck Mate!
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From playing sports as youngin' myself, here is one this that can not be stressed enough. FUN. If the kids aren't having fun then they obviously don't want to play. When my dad, who was also the assistant coach, got on my case the game was horrible to play. He thought he was helping and encouraging, but alas, the fun was depleted, and I was done with sports.
And like Toad said, wins and losses mean nothing whatsoever, you can keep count for yourself or anyone that asks, but you don't have to go spouting off about that loss last week to blah blah blah.
You'll do great, just don't be too rough on the little buggers.
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When I signed up my son, Gosling, I commented on the large turnout of T-Ballers. The guy in charge said that it was really a shame. I asked why. He said because there weren't enough coaches.
I never played baseball in my life. This is the tenth season I've either managed or coached my son's teams. It's some of the best times of my life. I'm convinced it's one of the main reasons we're so close.
Here my salvation: http://www.webball.com This is a web site with everything you'll need. I still look for tips there.
If I may offer a few tips: You don't need to tell a kid he messed up. He knows. It's far more important that he knows he did something right. Make it fun. Teach good fundamental mechanics. Make sure the parents bring the after game snacks. Get a good team mom.
Personally, call the parents weekly with reminders about practices and games. Compliment their child. Good communication with parents will head off or, at least, minimize any problems. In nine seasons, I've coached over 100 kids and had only two problem parents. I'll risk 2% anytime. Don't worry about parents. Love the kids. Teach them to be good players and good teammates.
Good luck.
HONK!
Gooss
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P.S. Our T-Ball league didn't keep score. The focus was on skill development and sportsmanship. We emphasized effusive praise for a "good try". Everything a kid did was lauded loud and long. After his first ever organized T-Ball game with his juice box and cookies in hand walking with me to the car, my five-year-old son looks at me with innocent eyes and says, "We kicked their butts, didn't we, Dad?"
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what is t-ball? baseball for kids?
i watched a fantastic episode of south park last night about how boring baseball is and the parents all get drunk and fight. I'm glad i have educational programmes like that to teach me the ways of the world.
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One thing to say, and its probably not even worth mentioning but a reminder never hurts. Dont single out your son on the field. Ever. My dad was a big sports nut who could never sit on the sidelines and watch "inferior" coaches. So he volunteered his time. And to be honest, he knew his stuff. He was a good athlete when he was in school and he knew how to instruct others. Baseball, basketball, football, wrestling ......
The thing is, when it was ME on the field, it got personal. He saw every failure on my part as a personal embarassment and didnt mind letting me know it. In front of everyone. He was a slavedriver when it came to practice at home, far past the point where it stopped being fun. I never was great at sports. I guess I should jump on the bandwagon and blame my father for all my failures in life and in sports, and say he drove me away from it. Truth is I sucked at it anyway. What I blame him for is taking the fun out of it, so I didnt even have that.
Anyway, just remember that its a game. Do your best to teach them the fundamentals and teach them teamwork. Dont spare them criticism, but serve it with a smile so it takes the sting out. Be a coach. Plenty of time to be Dad at home and off the field.
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Hell, Curval, just watch Bad News Bears and emulate the Walter Matthau character :)
culero
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Goos has some excellent advice (others did too but IMO he hit the nail on the head)
IMO.... Tball is for building the kids self esteem and teach them to play with others as part of a team.
It's not about drilling them on how make double plays, pitching to the corners of a stike zone or stealing bases. That comes over the next few years as they get older and the game truly becomes competative for them.
There are a lot of over-competative, over-zealous people who may think otherwise. You can't miss em ... off on the sidelines with veigns bulging and face red as they yell at thier kid, the ump or the coaches. Hopefully you won't see any of that though.
And kudos for getting involved! Your son will love you for doing it. Truly.
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Curve, just think, when the team and parents carrying you off the field after the championship game win, and they stick a mic in your face and asked you how you did it...you can say "I learnt it on the intardnet!" :rofl
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Keep us posted.... it should be entertaning as hell..... you poor bastard... :D
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hehe
Thanks for the links and advice guys.
I will keep you informed.
:aok
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Just remember - right about the time you get a superstar going on your team, the minors will call him up and you'll have to start from scratch!
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Curv,
Good Luck. I coached T-ball as well, for my son when he was 5-6. The kids were just the greatest pack of little eager-beavers I ever saw. I had a great time playing with them and seeing the look on their faces when they accomplished something they had been working on. You'll never beat how you feel when you've given that moment to a little one. And you'll nevber forgt those faces, either.
I agree that it is imperative to keep the heavy competition off the radar completely. There is plenty of over-the-top hostility and competitiveness to come if they stay with organized sports. Let them, for Pete's sake, have an experience that's just plain fun. We organized our league to provide playing opportunities for each and every kid...no draft, no cuts, no benching anybody other than to wait for their turn. Remember, they are just tiny ones, and really only want FUN. I considered my biggest obligation to be fending off parents who were just around-the-bend about playing time, drills, points, scores, winning, rank, etc...They simply don't understand that they (the parents) will never, ever play pro ball...but they expect little Johnny/Jane to be the next DiMaggio. Trust me, they'll tell you exactly how it'll work out, and how talented the little squirt is. They will abuse you at every turn, for things you simply can't fathom. Parents are why I left and refused to return.
Keep the drills simple and interesting. Keep the kids laughing while they learn. Make sure they cheer for and encourage each other all the time. Play for points, but not to win. At that age, there can be no losers.
And get ready for the funniest stuff you ever saw...
Kids hits ball, rounds first, heads for second...pauses, has a thought...drops trou and keeps running straight from second to the portable toilet at the other end of the park...and never looked back! Whistle up the kids Dad, and send him off to chase down junior and return him to second so he can finish his run!
Kid hits ball...finally!! ...and takes off for third, running the bases backwards. This one took a while, as they all tended to run to the first thing they could see, which was third!
Or my son...supposed to be playing outfield. Kinda dull out there. So when the ball finally came his way...he was literally chasing butterflys and singing to himself. I still laugh when I think about it.
I hope it's a great thing for you...you'll at least have a few laughs along the way.
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This has probably already been said but the real key to this age group (i'm guessing 4-6 yrs.) is to keep it fun.
I was a K-6 (thats Kindergarten through age 6) AYSO coach and league commisioner. My biggest issue was finding "drills" that didn't seem like they were "drills". Relay races, passing the ball around a circle, racing the coach to the water fountain... stuff like that. Pretty soon they start acting like a team and it gets really fun.
Remember to laugh at them every day... that builds character. And never ever take the game seriously... EVAR! It's a game.
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Originally posted by Curval
Okay...for sure this is the place to ask about this one.
I just got a call from the organisers of a T-Ball league that my son is about to play in. It seems that 99% of the fathers ticked "assistant coach" on the form (myself included) as a volunteer. The organiser (who I went to school with many moons ago) begged me to agree to be a coach.
So I said "okay".
I don't have the first CLUE how to coach a T-Ball team.
Help!??!!!
first, enjoy it. we did little league for about 11 years. ( we called springtime 'taco bell season' because we never ate at home) but t-ball was the most fun. after that you get kids thinking they are some sort of superstar, and they are nothing compared to the parents. even when my kids where on major and senior all-star teams I was wishing they were back in t-ball.
second, you will need lots of help. at least one person in the dugout to check for tied shoes and the like, and a couple to take kids to the restroom (if you don't have escorts you will get distracted and lose track of a kid)
if you have kids who are afraid of the ball try starting them out on tennis balls first. we even found a glove that had velcro in it to help one kid build his confidence. once he could make a few catches with the tennis ball and velcro gloves, he learned to keep his eyes open and actually became halfway decent.
bring your wife to as many practices as possible, especially the first 3 or 4 and at least every 4th or 5th one after that. many many single moms are out there looking for a new victim. any guy who pays attention to their kid will get their attention quick. having her there and visible will defuse the situation and make your home time much more livable (when you actually manage to get some time at home during the season).
and here is the most important thing. when you set the ball on the 'T', make the kids put the bat on the ground and take a step back. then you can put the ball on the T and step away. after you are clear of his swing radius you can let him pick it up and take a swing. never under any circumstances do you approach a kid with a ball in your hand while he holds a bat.
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awesome Capt. Thanks!
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Originally posted by capt. apathy
and here is the most important thing. when you set the ball on the 'T', make the kids put the bat on the ground and take a step back. then you can put the ball on the T and step away. after you are clear of his swing radius you can let him pick it up and take a swing. never under any circumstances do you approach a kid with a ball in your hand while he holds a bat.
THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT bit of advise you will receive from this thread......I say this from painfully earned experience!
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I always held the tip of their bat while I placed the ball on the T. That way I was ensured that the bat didn't swing until I let go...most of them are so anxious to get up there and swing away, its tough for them to be discipline enough to put the bat tip on the ground. Just hold the tip, that way you know you won't get hit. :aok
One other piece of advice that may or may not have been posted...NO ONE holds a bat in their hand except the batter at the plate. DO NOT have a kid "on deck" with a bat. All the kids should be behind the backstop, and bats down on the ground. They should only be allowed to pick up the bat when its their turn to bat. Otherwise you're going to have an accident.
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Originally posted by Stringer
THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT bit of advise you will receive from this thread......I say this from painfully earned experience!
You know this would have been more interesting if he learned this one on his own. :D
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I have been involved in coaching either as a head coach or assistant since shortly after college but not until the last four years for my own son. What SA2 says is worth its weight in gold about singling out your own son. In all sports there are only two times I will get on him. One is when he is not paying attention to the game/practice and the second is when he is goofing off making a foolish/dumb display like climbing the fence in the dug out.
Other than that though I send my son to other coaches for his drill's and position skills if I can. Most of the guys I know and coach with do the same for their kids as well. We all want the boys to do well and have fun and learn but most of the time I have found that any parent will tend to coach their kid first.
So remember be impartial but fair and most of all let the parents know your stance up front. One last thing; I had a friend of mine tell me recently that the only way his son was going to be the quarterback, pitcher, etc... on any of his teams was if his son was at least 20% better at the position than any other kid on the team.
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Originally posted by Ripsnort
I always held the tip of their bat while I placed the ball on the T. That way I was ensured that the bat didn't swing until I let go...most of them are so anxious to get up there and swing away, its tough for them to be discipline enough to put the bat tip on the ground. Just hold the tip, that way you know you won't get hit. :aok
My son hit me in my ribs when he was six and playing T-ball for the first time. He broke three ribs and cracked two more with that swing. Oh and I usually did what you say Rip...I just let that one slide because I got in a hurry. This was with two games left in the season.
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Originally posted by GtoRA2
You know this would have been more interesting if he learned this one on his own. :D
:lol
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next year volunteer for score keeper...
best seat in the park, you don't miss anything and your booth is usually air conditioned :)
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Originally posted by Reschke
My son hit me in my ribs when he was six and playing T-ball for the first time. He broke three ribs and cracked two more with that swing. Oh and I usually did what you say Rip...I just let that one slide because I got in a hurry. This was with two games left in the season.
I guess I should have added "and don't let your guard down!" ;) Ouch!
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ROFL
T-ball coach. My sympathy. :)
Retain a good lawyer and see if your Dr. will script ya some valium.
One of the biggest brawls that I have ever seen over any sporting event was at a T-ball game. This event showed the kids what great sportsmanship was all about. As ecpected it was started by a parent.
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Well, my roster arrived via e-mail. My son only knows one other player on his team, which is a good thing IMHO. Gets him out there and meeting kids from other schools etc.
Our sponsor is a Re-Insurance company here, but I noticed that other teams are currently without a sponsor....so I am going to check with my partners and see if we can't put up the cash to sponsor our team. The organisers have no problem switching sponsors.
I spoke to my assistant coach this morning and fortunately we are on the same page with respect to the goal for the season:
1. The kids MUST have fun
2. The kids will learn how to catch and throw and the rules of the game.
One thing I discovered recently....video games are not just for mindless fun. My son was totally ignorant of the rules of baseball. One of his friends had a Mario Brothers baseball game and he wanted me to get him the same game, for his Gamecube. I did so, mainly because I figured it would help him learn the rules. SUCCESS!!! Gotta love THAT action. He now has a pretty firm grasp of most of the rules of baseball. I may recommend this to other parents...we'll see. I don't want to cause a problem with other parents who don't like these games etc. Once I get all the other parent's contact details and speak to them I will revisit that idea.
Anyway...our first game isn't until April 17th so I'm hoping to get a couple of practices in before then.
Updates to follow.
Coach Curval...out.