Three Great T-Ball Drills For Youth Baseball Players

• By Grant Young

T-ball serves as the launching pad for most aspiring baseball players' careers. It is often where youngsters first experience the thrill of hitting a ball running the bases, and fielding balls alongside some of their best friends. 

This introductory level of baseball sparks their passion for the sport and lays the foundation for their future endeavors on the field. The valuable skills and love for the game that players develop during their time in T-ball often propel them toward successful and fulfilling baseball careers as they grow and progress through the sport. And for coaches (who are usually parents experiencing coaching their kids for the first time), having a T-ball coaching guide will help them set their kids up for success. 

Having a plan when coaching T-ball is crucial because coaching T-ball poses several unique challenges due to the young age and varying skill levels of the players. Patience and creativity are essential when working with children who are just beginning to learn the basics of baseball. Keeping the players engaged and focused during practices and games can be a challenge, requiring coaches to find innovative ways to teach fundamental skills while ensuring that the experience remains fun for the kids. 

Additionally, effectively communicating instructions and maintaining a safe and positive learning environment are crucial aspects of coaching t-ball. Balancing the development of individual players with the overall progress of the team can also present its own set of challenges. Despite these difficulties, coaching t-ball can be incredibly rewarding as coaches witness the growth and enthusiasm of the young athletes under their guidance.

And Marty Schupak has a few great drills that blend fun and instruction that all T-ball coaches can utilize. 

Coach Schupak has been coaching baseball for 25 years. He has coached over 1,600 kids in various youth sports. Many of his former players have gone on to play in high school & beyond. He has served on many leagues' boards of directors and is a member of the American Baseball Coaches Association. He is the founder of the Youth Sports Club, a group dedicated to improving youth baseball practices, as well as the author of ‘Baseball Coaching’.

His ‘T-Ball Skills & Drills’ course is the perfect entry into basic yet effective drills that any T-ball coach can employ with great results. 

Hit the Tee

Before any actual hitting off a tee takes place, Coach Schupak suggests that players should begin by hitting the actual tee instead. 

He suggests that a coach can place three pieces of different colored tape at distinct levels on top of each other at the tee’s neck. The player will then get in their hitting stance. Once they do so, the coach will call out one of the three tape colors, and the player will then swing at that piece of tape. 

This will help players get used to swinging the bat at a specific target without getting preoccupied with the potentially distracting result that comes when hitting a baseball. It also keeps the player’s eyes locked in a specific section of the tee, which will help build hand-eye coordination that will become integral when they’re being pitched balls later on in their baseball journey. The longer their eyes remain on their target, the better chance they have at making contact. 

Another reason why this drill is excellent for beginner baseball players is that it’s nearly impossible for any player, regardless of age or skill level, to miss the tee completely when swinging at the various pieces of tape. This creates a level of positive reinforcement that will get the player feeling good about their swings, and make them eager to keep progressing from that point. 

Plunger Drill

Asking a T-ball player to hit a baseball off of a batting tee for the first time is a tough ask, given how underdeveloped their hand-eye coordination and balance will be at that age. For this reason, it’s best to give the player a much bigger target than a baseball to hit off of once they’ve graduated from hitting the tee directly. 

This is why Coach Schupak suggests what he calls the Plunger Drill. This involves taking a bathroom plunger, turning it upside down, and inserting it into a regular rubber tee. From there, the coach will want to place a large-sized ball (like a light kickball or any rubber or plastic ball) on top of the tee for the player to swing at, instead of a typical baseball. 

Once the player demonstrates an ability to make solid, repeated contact with whichever ball you chose for this plunger drill, you can progressively use smaller and smaller balls on top of the plunger, before ultimately taking the plunger out and placing a regular ball on top of the tee instead. 

Recycle Bin Drill

Being creative is crucial when it comes to getting your youth baseball players intrigued by baseball. A great way to be creative is by using Coach Schupak’s Recycle Bin Drill.

This drill simply requires getting the plastic bottles and other non-breakable objects out of a recycle bin and placing them on top of the tee (ideally with the aforementioned plunger so the items stay on the tee better) and having your players hit them. 

Each oddly shaped object presents a different sweet spot for the player to swing at, which creates a fun and intriguing challenge for them. 

After hitting these items off a tee, the coach can progress to soft-tossing these items for the player to hit from their side. This is best done with the player hitting the items into a wall or chain-link fence.