Tee Ball Drills Sample
There are lots of tee ball drills in the Drills & Practice Plans. Here is a sample tee ball drill, so you get an idea of what's included:
Kiss and swing
This will be a fun drill for the kids as they try to get the bat to kiss the ball
What you need – Place a ball upon the tee, and have a batter with a helmet and bat standing in the proper position to hit the ball. You can have two or more stations for this drill with a parent helper or assistant coach at each station.
How this drill works – Coaches will help the batter assume the correct stance in the batter’s box. The rest of the drill is up to the batter. Sometimes, taking a swing in slow motion so a player can visualize where they want to hit the ball is valuable in building memory.
Before the batter takes a swing, they need to slowly go through the batting motion and stop the bat right where they want to hit the ball. This is the ‘kiss’ the bat will give the ball. The player then brings the bat back up and then takes a normal swing at the ball.
Focusing on the spot they want to hit (the kiss) is a fun way for kids to learn what motion they need to hit the ball where they want.
Result – Your players will begin to develop the muscle memory and coordination to make consistent contact with the ball.
Learning the Crow Hop
The crow hop is a basic move that is taught at all levels to help a player gain a little bit of momentum on their throw.
What you need – Give each player a ball so they can throw it. Or, you can start this drill by using an ‘imaginary’ ball.
How this drill works – This technique helps younger players learn to generate power and momentum to get the ball a greater distance. Once a player has fielded the ball, they take a short step forward with the foot that is opposite the throwing arm and they shuffle and hop in the direction of the target.
Upon the follow through, the rear leg crosses over in front of the other leg and it lands at a right angle to the target. It would be a good idea to practice this yourself so you can understand how it works and then how you are going to show it to the kids.
Once you show them a couple of times, the kids will usually get the gist of how to do the crow hop.
Result – Once the kids are familiar with the technique, they will quite enjoy the ability to throw the ball further.