1st T-ball swing

[skipper5]

. I couldn't count the number of times I would hear, "keep the shoulders level"

For the tiny kids it wasn't a bad teach because the tee wouldn't adjust below shoulder level, lol

[pattar]

For the tiny kids it wasn't a bad teach because the tee wouldn't adjust below shoulder level, lol

At t-ball age you probably should not do much "instructing" other than getting them into a decent stance and telling
them to swing hard...

[skipper5]

At t-ball age you probably should not do much "instructing" other than getting them into a decent stance and telling
them to swing hard...

Totally agree.
Also applies to 18u.
Btw, kudos for using a floppy-top tee.
When they swing hard and miss 4" low, there's no jarring negative feedback, which could reduce their intent-to-rip.
Not kidding.

[pattar]

Totally agree.
Also applies to 18u.
Btw, kudos for using a floppy-top tee.
When they swing hard and miss 4" low, there's no jarring negative feedback, which could reduce their intent-to-rip.

I do not coach..had no say in tee choice

[dominik]

For the tiny kids it wasn't a bad teach because the tee wouldn't adjust below shoulder level, lol

I'm a fan of the high tee. Wouldn't use much instruction at that age but make tee ball kids swing level shoulder to shoulder. That creates a good plane that later can easily adjusted with posture.I created that image of trout

Screenshot_20200908-081323.jpg

[pattar]

Just bought him his first bat...got a $180 bat for 90 bucks. He had been using his sister's old t-ball bat. Going to play coach pitch in the Spring..while he has had fun, t-ball has kind of been a waste of time. Coach means well I guess but if I hear him tell the kids to run the ball to a base instead of throwing it one more time my head is going to explode. Of course my head will probably explode when the coach lobs it in there slowpitch style...

[skipper5]

I'm a fan of the high tee. Wouldn't use much instruction at that age but make tee ball kids swing level shoulder to shoulder. That creates a good plane that later can easily adjusted with posture.

dominik
This is great advice.
Being realistic, however, in future years they'll have to learn how to adjust on their own because almost all youth coaches are clueless about how to adjust for the height of a pitch.

[JettSixty]

Just bought him his first bat...got a $180 bat for 90 bucks. He had been using his sister's old t-ball bat. Going to play coach pitch in the Spring..while he has had fun, t-ball has kind of been a waste of time. Coach means well I guess but if I hear him tell the kids to run the ball to a base instead of throwing it one more time my head is going to explode. Of course my head will probably explode when the coach lobs it in there slowpitch style...

My son didn’t want to hit off a sissy tee. If he only knew how much tee work he would do in the future! He preferred shagging balls and hitting at the end of his sisters 12u softball practice to playing tee ball. Fine with me.

[pattar]

My son didn’t want to hit off a sissy tee. If he only knew how much tee work he would do in the future! He preferred shagging balls and hitting at the end of his sisters 12u softball practice to playing tee ball. Fine with me.

Yes, the only time he really hits off the tee is during tee ball games/practices. He would rather I throw to him. The difference between him and his older sister is interesting. His sister would be fine with tee work and just me throwing to her at his age. While he doesn't mind "BP", he would rather we play a game of some sorts where he gets to run the bases, etc. His favorite is him vs Mom and Dad in the driveway, where Dad pitches and Mom is the fielder. We don't get to hit but we get runs if we catch a GB cleanly or a FB in the air..my infielder/outfielder needs some work though..I don't think we have won a game yet ( I think she has "thrown" a couple of games...)

[pattar]

Messing around LH with his new wood..it is a bit heavy especially when he swings LH

[pattar]

Some swings from both sides last night.

[jamesd1628]

Some swings from both sides last night.

Wow, that righty swing looks great, especially the lower half. Closed front foot; rear foot slamming back to the ground after contact; rear hip/leg moving in reverse after contact. I love it. He's doing at [5?] what my son is just learning now at 14.

[pattar]

Wow, that righty swing looks great, especially the lower half. Closed front foot; rear foot slamming back to the ground after contact; rear hip/leg moving in reverse after contact. I love it. He's doing at [5?] what my son is just learning now at 14.

Yeah he is 5. His LH swing is about a year behind his RH swing...at least in terms of results. Within the last year or so he decided it was fun to hit LH so why not..he is only 5. He actually does everything (eat,write,etc) but play sports (e.g. throw,hit, shoot a basketball) LH.

[jamesd1628]

Yeah he is 5. His LH swing is about a year behind his RH swing...at least in terms of results. Within the last year or so he decided it was fun to hit LH so why not..he is only 5. He actually does everything (eat,write,etc) but play sports (e.g. throw,hit, shoot a basketball) LH.

It's always strange to me LH/RH works. I think eyesight sometimes plays a role in that, but who knows. In any event, I honestly think that he's using his lower half in the righty swing like most pro hitters use their lower half. He's 5, so it might look a little different - though not much. Go look at some Votto swings - very similar. I think it's something that often gets coached out of kids along the way.

[pattar]

It's always strange to me LH/RH works. I think eyesight sometimes plays a role in that, but who knows. In any event, I honestly think that he's using his lower half in the righty swing like most pro hitters use their lower half. He's 5, so it might look a little different - though not much. Go look at some Votto swings - very similar. I think it's something that often gets coached out of kids along the way.

I think he saw his sister hit/throw/shoot RH when he was little and just copied her tbh. My youngest, who is 2, is all LH. I don't coach the 5 YO other than to tell him to swing hard..lol. I kind of wish that I had just stuck with that for my 11 YO daughter..