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I'm going to be a coach in Little League this year, at the very lowest level (6 and 7 year olds). I have no idea what I'm doing. I've played old-timey baseball for five years but I'm not exactly good at it and I wouldn't want me teaching someone how to swing a bat. Anyone got any advice, either for baseball training or general LL coaching stuff?
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In the best of times, our days are numbered, anyway. And it would be a crime against Nature for any generation to take the world crisis so solemnly that it put off enjoying those things for which we were presumably designed in the first place, and which the gravest statesmen and the hoarsest politicians hope to make available to all men in the end: I mean the opportunity to do good work, to fall in love, to enjoy friends, to sit under trees, to read, to hit a ball and bounce the baby. -
Hit 'em where they ain't.If we extend unlimited tolerance even to those who are intolerant, if we are not prepared to defend a tolerant society against the onslaught of the intolerant, then the tolerant will be destroyed, and tolerance with them. - Karl Popper -
But seriously, is it coach pitch or some other format?
I'd say one of the first things is to find out if they have ever played and whether they know the basic rules. Knowing whether to run toward first base or third base is not something a coach can take for granted at that age.If we extend unlimited tolerance even to those who are intolerant, if we are not prepared to defend a tolerant society against the onslaught of the intolerant, then the tolerant will be destroyed, and tolerance with them. - Karl PopperComment
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As a coach of little kids, I concentrated defensively on making sure everyone knew where to throw the ball if it was hit to them (older kids, too, for that matter). It's always embarassing to be standing there with the ball while runners circle the bases.
I always made sure to know the applicable rule book inside and out. It comes in handy.
Play everybody, regardless. That is my single best piece of advice.If we extend unlimited tolerance even to those who are intolerant, if we are not prepared to defend a tolerant society against the onslaught of the intolerant, then the tolerant will be destroyed, and tolerance with them. - Karl PopperComment
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All three of my boys play Little League. At that age, they're going to be hitting from your soft tosses or off a tee. Fielding is kind of secondary.
Most important, they need to know how to hold and swing a bat; to watch the ball; and the general rules (run to first, stop at the base, etc.)Comment
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Coach pitch, and I suspect at least some of them don't know the absolute basics. Including my daughter, but she sure likes hitting.In the best of times, our days are numbered, anyway. And it would be a crime against Nature for any generation to take the world crisis so solemnly that it put off enjoying those things for which we were presumably designed in the first place, and which the gravest statesmen and the hoarsest politicians hope to make available to all men in the end: I mean the opportunity to do good work, to fall in love, to enjoy friends, to sit under trees, to read, to hit a ball and bounce the baby.Comment
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I think low expectations are sometimes a good thing and they apply when coaching kids this age. I coached my daughters soccer team in kindergarten, and the first practice it took me more than 5 minutes just to get them to line up for the first drill. 6 and 7 year olds will be slightly better, but it will be a challenge to keep them focused. Try to come up with drills that keep them all involved, that is about all I'd recommend. Hard to do if you don't have some assistants helping you. Good luck and enjoy.Originally posted by mjl View Post---------------------------------------------
Champagne for breakfast and a Sherman in my hand !
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The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.
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It will be a blast.Originally posted by mjl View Post
Coach pitch is fun, although I saw a coach/dad brush a kid back one night. I asked him about it later. I knew he had pitched with the Phillies organization and had a cup of coffee one summer. He told me the inside half belonged to him.
Pitchers.If we extend unlimited tolerance even to those who are intolerant, if we are not prepared to defend a tolerant society against the onslaught of the intolerant, then the tolerant will be destroyed, and tolerance with them. - Karl PopperComment
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At the first practice, try to recruit one or two of the other fathers that is hanging around and appears interested to be your assistant coach(es). That would be a huge help. Let him(them) know up front that there will be no favorites and that every kid will play or sit the bench for a few innings at some point. I would also look for a book or a dvd about coaching little league to get some ideas for practice drills. Multiple coaches will help you get the most out of your practices. For example: one coach can hit flyballs to the outfielders while at the same time another coach hits groundballs to the infielders. Once you get a few practices and games under your belt it should be fun. Good luck!“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.”
― Albert EinsteinComment
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keep having them swing.....50 cuts each practice"You know what's wrong with America? If I lovingly tongue a woman's nipple in a movie, it gets an "NC-17" rating, if I chop it off with a machete, it's an "R". That's what's wrong with America, man...."--Dennis Hopper
"One should judge a man mainly from his depravities. Virtues can be faked. Depravities are real." -- Klaus KinskiComment
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Agree that getting more volunteers is really helpful. Kids don't like waiting for too long, so breaking them up into a few groups can make it more fun for them.
The Little League site has some helpful documents for coaches at every level - https://www.littleleague.org/play-li...e/coach-pitch/Comment
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I have an assistant coach, though she's never done it either. Good idea to get some of the other parents to help also though.
They actually have rules about hitting and positions at this low level. We don't keep track of outs or runs, we go once through the lineup each inning, and everyone changes positions every inning. We have two hours to play and they said to expect to get through about three innings in that time. I have 11 kids so about half will sit one inning each game.
Also these are Little League 6 or 7 year olds, which means they turn 6 or 7 sometime during 2018. Most of my team is kindergarten.In the best of times, our days are numbered, anyway. And it would be a crime against Nature for any generation to take the world crisis so solemnly that it put off enjoying those things for which we were presumably designed in the first place, and which the gravest statesmen and the hoarsest politicians hope to make available to all men in the end: I mean the opportunity to do good work, to fall in love, to enjoy friends, to sit under trees, to read, to hit a ball and bounce the baby.Comment
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Wow, younger than I was thinking. For kids that have never played at all, I'm surprised they aren't doing tee ball.
I remember this group. Lots of looking for four-leaf clovers in the outfield. Six fielders chasing the same ground ball into the outfield. Genuine excitement and glee, especially for the post-game ice cream. You're going to do great and love every minute of it.If we extend unlimited tolerance even to those who are intolerant, if we are not prepared to defend a tolerant society against the onslaught of the intolerant, then the tolerant will be destroyed, and tolerance with them. - Karl PopperComment
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It's never pure tee ball. In our league, the kids this age (and I have a 5-yr old and 7-yr old playing now) usually get 5 soft tosses before they switch to the Tee.Originally posted by Redbirds Fan View Post
Your biggest problem is going to be getting the kids to pay attention and not to all chase the ball at once.Comment
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Yes. you have to teach them to field their positions so there isnt a pile-on every time the ball is hit. Everyone has a territory...stand in this circle....OF are "grass people" and infielders are "dirt people" - that is huge. You also need to really be on the lookout for the cloud watchers and the ones who like to play with the dirt - I saw a kid get nailed once because he literally had his back to the game while standing at shortstop.
Above all, have fun. And give out a "game ball" after every game - my kids LOVED that.Comment
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