Batting Tips for Tee Ball

Tee ball is an introductory sport to the game of baseball and softball. According to the T-ball USA Association, an estimated 2.2 million kids participate in tee ball. The game gives the opportunity to children ages 4 to 8 years old to participate in a team sport, develop the primary baseball skills of hitting, running, fielding and throwing while eliminating the fear of being hit by pitched balls. Practices and drills should be structured in a way that is exciting and fun for kids.

  1. Batting Safety

    • Set a rule during the first practice that no player is to pick up a bat unless instructed to do so by the coach. Setting this rule will help minimize the impulse that young players have to swing bats mindlessly, doing so will ensure no one gets hurt by getting hit by a rouge bat. Place a glove near the tee during practice. Instruct the players, after hitting the t-ball, to drop their bats onto the glove before running to first base. This helps eliminate the excitement young players have to throw their bats after a hit. Have each batter practice this tactic after each at bat. After a few repetitions the players will begin to catch on.

    Picking a Bat

    • Take into account size and strength of the player, skill level, bat material, weight, length and barrel size. Choose a lighter bat weight; players can generate more bat speed with less weight. Have players hold a bat straight and to their side out with their hitting hand. The player should be able to hold the bat without shaking and dropping the bat for 20 seconds or more, if they aren't able to do this, the bat is too heavy. Consider aluminum bats as opposed to wooden bats. Aluminum bats are lighter in weight and more durable than wooden bats. They can provide more "pop" on the ball.

    Proper Stance

    • A good training aid for beginners and seasoned players alike is learning the proper batting stance. Use a standard piece of equipment such as a batting helmet or pitching rubber. Place the aid in relation to where you want the toes of the batter next to the tee. Players will assume the proper batting stance after a few times.

    Pivot Foot

    • Before batters pick up a bat they should know the mechanics of a swing. Having players "squish the bug" with their pivot foot is a good training tool for children to learn to generate hip speed when swinging a bat. Take a bat and place it between the arms and the back shoulder blades of the batter; this will enable you to watch the motion of the batter's legs while swinging. The back pivot foot should hold about 60 percent of weight and the movement should simulate "squishing" a bug with the foot. The front leg should remain straight and squared and the pivot foot should end on the ball of the foot, not the toe. The hips should be opened towards the pitcher.

    Proper Swing

    • Mark the ball, place it on a tee and tell the batter to swing while watching the bat hit the mark on the ball.

      Having the mechanics of a proper swing is an important foundation of hitting. Have players learn the proper swinging motion by practice swinging an invisible bat. The players must assume the proper batting stance without holding an actual bat. Instruct them to swing through as though they were hitting a real ball. Walk them through the steps of a batting swing including watching the ball as the bat makes contact and follow through. Keep it light and fun and have them imagine they are hitting a home run.