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OT: Youth Baseball

CochiseCowbell

CochiseCowbell

Heisman
Oct 29, 2012
15,917
15,071
113
About a month ago I asked the pack for coaching advice, as this is my first rodeo.

Well, we had our first game tonight, & though we lost (by only a run to a team that won their last game by double digits) I couldn't be prouder of these kids. Y'all were right. I'm thoroughly enjoying this. More so than I ever thought I would. Coaching 7-8 yr olds is like herding cats, but with only 4 practices before tonight, I was amazed that they actually were putting some of our lessons to use.

Just wanted to thank y'all for the preseason advice & encouragement.
 
00Dawg

00Dawg

Senior
Nov 10, 2009
3,353
620
93
Having played T-ball at 7 and 8, coached 5 and 6-year olds in T-Ball in the early 90's, and now watching my own kid play coach's pitch at 5, I'm convinced most kids can't mentally buy in to the game until 7. Yeah, a minority are picking up valuable lessons, and most kids can have fun playing, but last week I watched the best 6 year-old on our team make repeated simple mental errors in game #15 of the season, and it happens to every team we play, too.

All that is to say I think you're in the sweet spot for starting to see real benefit from your work.

Oh, and whomever decided 4 year-olds should playing T-Ball was a glutton for punishment.
 
J

jb1020

Freshman
Jun 7, 2009
1,866
88
48
I'm coaching a 6 year old team right now. The athletic kids are starting to separate themselves from the pack a little bit, but for the most part none of them know when to tag a runner or just step on the bag how to hit a cutoff man....the basics of baseball. they still have fun, but you're right about buying in to the mental aspects of the game until 7.

3 and 4 year old tee ball is just a money maker for these associations. its terrible.
 
seshomoru

seshomoru

Senior
Apr 24, 2006
5,661
454
83
00Dawg said:
Oh, and whomever decided 4 year-olds should playing T-Ball was a glutton for punishment.
Click to expand...

This is not a joke. I know some one who's kid played All-Star T-ball at the age of 4. Yes... an All-Star T-Ball team at the age of 4. They freaking traveled to tournaments.

At this point, I'm actually hoping my kid hates playing sports. I'd suffer through buying him a drum set and putting it in the living room if I never have to deal with him wanting to play "select" baseball.
 
J

Jeffadcock

Redshirt
Apr 20, 2016
1
0
0
I once heard someone say Tee Ball bears the same relationship to baseball as Bull Fighting relates to Agriculture. Jeff
 
D

Daddy Rabbit Dawg

Redshirt
Mar 3, 2008
243
0
0
Seshomoru said:
This is not a joke. I know some one who's kid played All-Star T-ball at the age of 4. Yes... an All-Star T-Ball team at the age of 4. They freaking traveled to tournaments.

At this point, I'm actually hoping my kid hates playing sports. I'd suffer through buying him a drum set and putting it in the living room if I never have to deal with him wanting to play "select" baseball.
Click to expand...

Take your child to the golf course and let them learn a game that can be played for life...and I'm not picking on you, it just seemed like a good place to interject this.
 
R

rynodawg

Senior
May 29, 2007
1,174
428
83
Definitely, my son played at 4,5, and 6. I sat him out this year, just not mature enough yet to care about the rules. I figured if you add up all the time spent driving to practice/games, and the time spent standing around doing nothing in the field, most kids would be better off just using that time for one on one practice in the backyard. Also thinking about getting him started in a 'life' sport like golf or tennis.
 
J

jb1020

Freshman
Jun 7, 2009
1,866
88
48
Not that there is a better way to do it

but in our league of 6 year olds you can tell a huge difference in the kids that are the oldest. My sons b day is 7 days before the cut off. most of our team is first graders, and about 3 or 4 of them know what they're doing. The rest are still in kindergarten...and pretty much clueless.
 
M

MaroonNation

Redshirt
Jun 9, 2015
3,729
0
0
The Kent Murphy series on YouTube will teach you all you ever need to know about coaching youth baseball.
 
D

DerHntr

All-Conference
Sep 18, 2007
16,209
3,714
113
Seshomoru said:
This is not a joke. I know some one who's kid played All-Star T-ball at the age of 4. Yes... an All-Star T-Ball team at the age of 4. They freaking traveled to tournaments.

At this point, I'm actually hoping my kid hates playing sports. I'd suffer through buying him a drum set and putting it in the living room if I never have to deal with him wanting to play "select" baseball.
Click to expand...

My brother-in-law has his daughter in 5 year old Tball and she has been "selected" for the travel team. Unreal. I will laugh heartily if my son is selected in his league.
 
StatesboroBlues

StatesboroBlues

All-Conference
Aug 23, 2012
1,525
1,461
113
MaroonNation said:
The Kent Murphy series on YouTube will teach you all you ever need to know about coaching youth baseball.
Click to expand...

Agree with this 100%....also look him up on Twitter if you can, he pretty much will have shortened daily videos of the ones on YouTube.
 
C

Crazy Cotton

All-Conference
Aug 26, 2012
4,028
1,933
113
Good Lord, that is an inspired suggestion. I have a 6 year old daughter that's about to get her first set of clubs this week.
 
1

13thEagle

All-American
Dec 3, 2004
16,716
5,051
0
Best advice after coaching 2 from coach pitch on up is this...

The secret is in the draft room at the beginning of the year. When you get to the point that the kids have little ability, MAKE YOUR PICK BASED ON WHAT THE MOMS LOOK LIKE.
 
R

RocketDawg

All-Conference
Oct 21, 2011
20,496
3,124
113
CochiseCowbell said:
About a month ago I asked the pack for coaching advice, as this is my first rodeo.

Well, we had our first game tonight, & though we lost (by only a run to a team that won their last game by double digits) I couldn't be prouder of these kids. Y'all were right. I'm thoroughly enjoying this. More so than I ever thought I would. Coaching 7-8 yr olds is like herding cats, but with only 4 practices before tonight, I was amazed that they actually were putting some of our lessons to use.

Just wanted to thank y'all for the preseason advice & encouragement.
Click to expand...

I was one of those who offered what advice I could, based on experience. My first year (my kids were 5 & 6 year olds, heavy on the 5 year olds), we went 1-11. Not a stellar year. The next year I had most of the same kids back (lost a couple and gained a few) and we went 11-1 and won our area. This is due to the kids having a little experience, an additional year of maturity (and that 20% at that point in life for them), and a non-rookie coach. :) So hang in there ... it's not all about winning, but it's nice to do so as long as it's done with good sportsmanship.
 
A

Arnold Babar.sixpack

Redshirt
Aug 24, 2012
112
41
28
 
R

RocketDawg

All-Conference
Oct 21, 2011
20,496
3,124
113
13thEagle said:
Best advice after coaching 2 from coach pitch on up is this...

The secret is in the draft room at the beginning of the year. When you get to the point that the kids have little ability, MAKE YOUR PICK BASED ON WHAT THE MOMS LOOK LIKE.
Click to expand...

Excellent advice.
 
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