Mission Minor Baseball (1990) Association
P.O. Box 3115, Mission, B.C. V2V 4J3
T-Ball and Tadpole Program Overview
Mission Minor Baseball recognized about ten years ago that the “normal” T-ball program we and
everyone else used was not working well. The program bored the players; frustrated most parents
and did nothing to make baseball something the community looked forward to each year. Over the
last ten years MMBA has made considerable changes to our T-ball (7U) and Tadpole (9U) programs.
The current version of our program is still a trial version and will continue to be a trial version
forever. If we have discovered anything, it is that positive change is only possible if we are willing to
be critical of ourselves, willing to listen to others and, foremost, consider the best interests of the
players in all decisions. The program that follows is being used for the 2015 season and may be
altered for 2016. If it is altered it will be because someone made a suggestion, we had an open
mind and made a decision to act on it for the benefit of the players after due consideration. As with
all things when you change something there can be a positive side and a sometimes unintended
negative side. Our efforts have been to work on ways to turn the negatives into positives or at least
give us a chance to obtain enough benefit to outweigh the negative – as long as the negative has no
direct impact on the players. There is a huge reality that started this whole process hidden in the
sixth sentence of 1) below.
Our program is the pre-cursor to the Rally Cap Program that Baseball Canada promotes today. These
are the highlights of the program:
1) Small team sizes, appropriate to age. Ages from four year old and early five year olds (born in
last half of year) maximum of five players per team. We call this division T-Ball Minor. Ages late
five year olds (born in first half of year) and six year olds maximum of 6 players per team. We
call this division T-Ball Major. The benefit of this is more activity for the players and easier
“coaching of the team” from the coach’s perspective. We also assess third year T-Ball players
that wish to move up to Tadpole to ensure they are playing at a level that is safe and will keep
them on a path of learning and staying with the game. Our biggest concern moving up is safety
related. Can the player maintain focus throughout the game in Tadpole to enable them protect
themselves?
2) All activity is fun based, time sensitive (must be done quickly not hurriedly) and cannot have a
negative result for a child. The first consideration was pain. Baseball was a painful sport to
learn at any age but when you are 4-6 years old and your eyes have not matured enough to
process true depth perception how then do we make it painless? It was quite easy actually. We
made an equipment change. During any skill learning based activity that involves the need for
depth perception we use beanbags instead of baseballs. Catching in the air and throwing drills
use beanbags. This continues throughout the season to develop hand eye, confidence, and
proper throwing technique without the fear of pain from the practice partner across or beside
the player. Getting hit with a beanbag feels much nicer than getting hit with a baseball. Any
drill where the player must field from the ground we use a smaller practice level 1 “softy” ball
Real Baseball Real Fun!
Inclusion, Participation, Skill Development, Sportsmanship
Mission Minor Baseball (1990) Association
P.O. Box 3115, Mission, B.C. V2V 4J3
we are working with Prostock and ProNine to develop. We also use this ball for the “games”.
This equipment change was brought about by our league’s head coach (Mike Davison)
vacationing in Mexico where he helps with the local disadvantaged players in the area and he
found that Mexico uses the smaller hardball from T-ball right up until players are thirteen years
old. The smaller ball makes a lot of sense as one of the biggest issues we have had with 11U
players is stopping the throwing of a palm ball (full grip changeup). This allows us to teach the
grip necessary to throw a baseball properly as soon as a player enters our program. The second
thing Mike Davison recognized is that our equipment for hitting was causing us issues later on as
the Tees we used were the good old regular Tee that is used for adults. The pain here was
failure at a later stage in the player’s development when a player that succeeded early on was
failing repeatedly, thus we would lose a Mosquito or PeeWee player as they were no longer
having fun. Even in the Tee’s shortest configuration this tee caused T-Ball and Tadpole aged
players to develop a low to high swing which made for some early success and sustained
massive failure later on. MLB stats show that a home run swinger (low to high swing) had an
average batting-average of 170 while a line drive swing produced an average batting-average of
780. This is at the professional level where players are basically a human sport phenomenon.
Here we were ingraining a swing that produced success only 17% of the time for a pro; in a
word, foolish. Mike cut six inches (6”) off all our tees for the T-ball and Tadpole programs and
removed the top adjustable tube so the point of contact could not be upper chest related.
3) There is no reward offered to the player or the parent for skills attained but there is
considerable confidence-building and cheerleading for the players during all activity. We keep
absolutely no stats, scores, standings or other performance based measurements in these
divisions. As the coaches and parents are really the only ones that give a damn about all that it
has no benefit for the player hence no part of the program. We do not use the “Rally Cap”
reward system where a five year old obtains a hat for learning to hit a ball. This rewards an
early-maturer (a function of nature) and says to a late bloomer that you’re not good enough.
When we examined which players stayed with the game and which dropped out it was the late
bloomers that left early. Players that are good at something don’t need to be encouraged to
stay in sport and show their skills although we enthusiastically support these players as well.
Players that have not reached the physical maturity needed to hit a ball or catch a pop fly need
to be paid just as much attention with just as much support and encouragement on the way to
developing the skills needed in baseball without the feeling of being a loser or “Johnny just isn’t
very good at sports”. If this player stays at the sport, being taught the correct way to perform a
skill, all the while having fun with peers, the chance of that player dropping the sport are
diminished greatly. Having said that the player may turn out to be very average at best, but at
least they are playing the sport and deriving fun and enjoyment from the activity. I should have
said we do have a reward for this division it just isn’t activity based. All players take their hat
and Tee-shirt jersey (with a Major League team logo front and number on back) home with
them at the end of the year. This is included in the cost of the registration. The jersey also has
Real Baseball Real Fun!
Inclusion, Participation, Skill Development, Sportsmanship
Mission Minor Baseball (1990) Association
P.O. Box 3115, Mission, B.C. V2V 4J3
our club logo on the back of the neck to ensure others know where they got it. We’ve been told
that the player won’t take this off all year and that the tee has to be peeled from the player so it
can be washed.
4) Parent participation. Our parents are told when they register that yes we will have a coach in
place but we also expect them to help out on the field and on the sideline. There is a condition
that we emphasize heavily for parents; if their player is playing first base they are to help at
third or shortstop. It is too easy for a player who is “working a parent” to destroy the
experience for all other players and themselves. If for any reason the player is not 100% ready
to play this will turn into “I’m tired, I’m hungry or thirsty etc.” if the parent is in constant
contact. You will find that by having another parent encourage them on the field (no reason the
parent can’t cheer as well – just don’t be the primary or closest person) they will be more
attentive, happier and will discuss with the parent their baseball experience sometimes like the
parent wasn’t there. We encourage parents on the defensive side to be at each location that a
player takes, while on the offensive side to help the coach with non hitting instruction needs;
line up players in the dugout, get their helmets on, make sure glove and hat are placed away
and easily found when he player comes off the field. We also do not allow personal bats at the
T-Ball or Tadpole levels. We supply a good quality bat that is appropriately sized and weighted
for the age group it is used for. We do not allow any player to hold a bat unless they are being
supervised by a coach at the tee or in a practice scenario. If a player takes out a bat in the
dugout generally the first instinct is to take a swing; that’s what it is for isn’t it? Again the pain
removal process. We empower each parent should they see this developing to firmly remove
the bat from their hands and put it out of harm’s way. It is explained to the parent that our
coaches have a lot to do in a short period of time and being attentive to a child that could
potentially cause an ambulance incident is not what we are looking for. They are free to use
their bat at home but not at the park for games or practice.
5) From 1) to here there are a couple of ugly heads that reared. One was number of coaches. We
had created a monster. We needed 30 coaches for T-Ball alone. We had been trying to wring
half that many out of our parent base and had to cajole, plead and downright threaten (if we
don’t get a coach the team will need to fold!). We started to invest a lot of time in this group.
We run cost free programs in the gyms from early January up to two weeks before the season.
These are appropriately timed at forty-five minutes once a week to teach the basic skills of the
game before we see a field. Once the parent and player arrive at the gym we let the players let
off steam for about 2-3 minutes throwing beanbags up in the air and trying to catch them, while
we welcome (read separate) parents and give them the ground rules. Their players are in the
gym to have fun and the parents are in the gym to learn the basic skills of the game. It is
explained that we will see their player a maximum of 3 hours a week and have contact or be one
on one teaching, correcting and encouraging them more like 10-20% of that time while the
parent will have a huge influence on their skill development so we need to teach the parent the
Real Baseball Real Fun!
Inclusion, Participation, Skill Development, Sportsmanship
Mission Minor Baseball (1990) Association
P.O. Box 3115, Mission, B.C. V2V 4J3
proper technique for throwing, catching and hitting. For T-Ball all this is done with beanbags
and no gloves. NO PAIN! We ask the players to assemble then have them align themselves in a
straight line on one side of the gym. Then we have the players pick a parent that is not their
own, to play catch with. One of the hardest things is to try and teach or deal with a player that
is clinging to mom or dad for dear life. In a group environment it is much easier to get that first
separation than it is later in a much smaller setting at the field. Most times in these situations it
is the parent that has to be encouraged to let their player participate without them protecting
or overcorrecting to the point that the player is paralysed. This activity has to be fun for the
player and by virtue of that, of value to the parent. Here is a place that is free, fun, confidence
building, informative and wears out their child so they are easier to deal with at home. What
parent can’t see the value in that? We teach that the upper arm should be shoulder height or
just below when preparing to throw with the elbow at a ninety degree angle, the ball held facing
the same way as the chest, that the non-throwing shoulder points to the target and we take a
step towards the target with opposite leg to the throwing arm while turning so our chest faces
the target. Wow, that is a lot of information for a four or five year old to absorb so we use
repetitive instruction and gentle correction on the parents and players to emphasize the
technique. Then we start to build confidence in the parents so that hey maybe they could be a
coach. When we see someone that has the concepts absorbed and is doing well we start to
plant the seed that they are coach material and why don’t they consider helping out. Then we
try and break down the barriers that the parent tries to put up in their mind on why they don’t
want to coach. We have large metal lockable storage boxes right at the backstops with all the
equipment needed for the T-Ball and Tadpole divisions. It’s all there for the coaches at the field,
tees, bats, balls, bases, pitching machines, first aid kit; the only thing a coach takes off the field
would be their player and a team list. This is a non-drop off division. Parents must be
attendance. If the parent can’t be there then the player cannot play. We explain this to the
parent that they need to be there for their player should there be an injury or other situation
that requires a parent. We charge each family upon registration a volunteer fee of $75.00 that is
refunded when you are a head coach (assistant coaches do not qualify at any level especially at
the T-Ball level as every parent is expected to assist) or contribute four hours to our concession
or a day at a tournament for field preparation, scorekeeping, and things such as fund-raising
tables. We run two free on-field coaches clinics on the basic skills and how to teach them with
fun included in the two weeks before the season to ensure they are not lost on the field. We
also have a concession that is required to be open 30 minutes before game time anytime there
is a game going on and is required to keep their prices down to where a family of four can eat
for $20.00 or under. So now we have a potential coach that is saving $75.00, has no need to
make a spot in the garage for the equipment bag, only has to deal with four or five players and
parents (which will be there with their player), has parents that have been encouraged to help
from day one of contact with the league, has been offered clinics so they have the knowledge to
confidently pass along to the team, and can come directly to the park from work and be
guaranteed that they can for a reasonable cost be fed after the game with their whole family;
Real Baseball Real Fun!
Inclusion, Participation, Skill Development, Sportsmanship
Mission Minor Baseball (1990) Association
P.O. Box 3115, Mission, B.C. V2V 4J3
HOME RUN! Having said that we still sometimes have to find one more coach to get the season
started. Nobody said it was going to be totally easy.
6) Two weeks before the season we stop the gyms and run two clinics where our head coach,
player development coordinator, division coordinator and president take the T-Ball coaches
through the basics of skills, dealing with parents, safety rules and concerns, and make sure they
understand that all things T-Ball need to be fun for the players. It is imperative the coaches
understand they occupy a very important place in our association. This is the foundation, where
we want the players leaving at the end of the season having learned skills and had fun doing it
so they can’t wait to get back for the next season. We have a booklet of drills and fun exercises,
that our player development coordinator put together that we give to each Coach that they
keep forever to use as a reference while practice planning.
7) Season starts. We play a game twice a week for 45 minutes with a 15 minute practice before
the game. We have found this to be the general maximum time on field before the players lose
interest and their fun turns to boredom. Better to go away wanting more than going away not
wanting to be there. The game has very few rules for the players and a few for coaches and
parents. We run the bases at 35 feet. We place no defensive player in the pitcher position (they
are ball hogs there!). We have a first baseman, second baseman, third baseman, and two
shortstops, one each side of second. The player from “Team A” hits the ball from the shortened
tee, runs to first base (which is a honk base from BlastBall) where the parent of the shortstop is
making sure they then run on each successive hit to the next base where the parent of the 3rd
baseman encourages them to run to the next base, until the last person hits a home run and the
side is retired. On the defensive “Team B” side all throws in this division go to first base and all
first basemen must touch the base. Did you notice that the parents helping in the field on the
defensive side of the ball are helping the offensive players around the bases? This is absolutely
a must as the parents of the offensive team have jobs to do to keep the offensive players safe
and organized. There is no reason on earth that these parents cannot encourage the defensive
and offensive players at the same time. It is T-Ball not the World Series and it is a bunch of kids
playing not adults earning a living. There are no standings, no “us against them” mentality, and
no “the other team is your enemy” attitude. We promote that each division is a total unit that
works together for the benefit of all players. To make the “game” move along there are four
balls available at the batting area to be placed on the tee, the parent at first base holds the balls
there that have been thrown to first and any wild throws (only about 50-60%) are rounded up
outside the playing field by a parent who is in the cover position behind first base. Balls are
placed in a small plastic bucket to go back to the batting area when needed. While these two
teams play there is a team “Team C” in the outfield practicing at stations set up for throwing,
hitting, and fielding before the game starts. When the side is retired team A goes to the
defensive positions, Team b goes to bat and “Team C” remains practicing. We play for 45
minutes which with our configuration allows for each team to bat twice, field twice and practice
Real Baseball Real Fun!
Inclusion, Participation, Skill Development, Sportsmanship
Mission Minor Baseball (1990) Association
P.O. Box 3115, Mission, B.C. V2V 4J3
twice. The unintended benefit of this is when players don’t show up for whatever reason we
can generally make up two teams with the fragmented three and at least get a game in. At the
end of the game we have a base race with all three teams which the players love. On Saturdays
we practice this division as a drop-in gang practice with four throwing stations (using small balls)
with pitching targets, two hit the coach stations (using bean bags), six to eight hitting stations
(using cut tees), two running the base stations with a bucket in the middle that they must get a
ball in to run, and three fielding stations where they are thrown balls as grounders and must
catch and throw. We use a Midget diamond for these practices to get the space needed to do
this safely. We divide the players by number of stations (the batting counts as only one station)
to get started and allow five minutes to participate at each station then they move on to the
next station in the rotation. Players are free to come or not and may leave when they are tired
or bored. Not many leave early unless they have another activity to go to. It’s not unusual to
have sixty to eighty T-Ball players practicing on Saturdays.
8) Back at the beginning I said there was a huge reality that started this process. That reality is that
all of this division and the next (Tadpole) are based on fun activities that teach skills needed for
baseball but are only activities – this is not baseball! Yes we hit a ball and we try and field the
ball and throw the ball but it is not baseball! Baseball is a game with a multitude of rules and
formulaic play. There is no way to have T-Ball players understand nor function in a true baseball
setting and still have fun.
9) At the Tadpole level we extend the base paths to fifty feet and step up the learning of the game
with proper defensive positioning, and throwing for the lead runner, three outs (after the first
two weeks) and such. We use a mechanical throwing machine that throws from a height very
close to what a player of their age would. We do not allow player or coach pitching. Player
pitching is another PAIN source, both for the batter that gets hit (don’t tell me it doesn’t
happen) and traumatic for the pitcher that hit a batter. Coach pitching generally turns into a bad
swing with the coach aiming to hit the player’s bat thinking that this success is good. It’s not.
No hand eye is being developed as the coach is doing all the hand eye adjustments. By having a
pitching machine throw, the player must make the adjustments. We allow 5 pitches then a tee
is put in place for the player to hit from. There is no stigma attached to this it’s just the way it is
– one of the rules of the game. There is no player placed at the pitcher position (again take the
pain out of the game – some of these players can really hit) and the adult pitcher has a bucket of
six to seven balls. The catcher in tadpole (in full protective gear) does not run around after the
balls if they do not catch them. They put the balls into a small plastic bucket that is behind and
to the side of them if they catch the ball, and an adult runs down any balls that get beyond the
catcher. The bucket gets taken out to the pitcher when his/her bucket is empty. In other words
we swap buckets not chase down balls and watch as the ball goes everywhere but to the adult
pitcher. All this is done to ensure that that the game proceeds quickly not hurriedly and we get
as much quality time for all players to participate within the framework of the division.
Real Baseball Real Fun!
Inclusion, Participation, Skill Development, Sportsmanship
Mission Minor Baseball (1990) Association
P.O. Box 3115, Mission, B.C. V2V 4J3
10) Game length is extended to one hour fifteen minutes with a fifteen minute practice before
game time. This occurs twice during the week then on Saturday mornings we allow a two and a
half hour window for practice and games so that coaches can teach as much as they play on the
weekend.
11) Again no stats, scores or standings are kept for this division as it is the same as T-Ball. We even
extend that to our Mosquito division, only allowing a final tournament to be scored and a
champion of the Mosquito division to be crowned. The Mosquito division runs pitching,
catching and general practices once a week where there is no division by team. This stops a lot
of the “bad” parts of the game – coaches overusing an early maturer in the pitching position,
coaches getting upset with each other due to unnecessary competitive attitudes, arguing with
first time umpires etc.
12) We have all parents sign a “Parent Contract” (copy attached) when they register their player.
This is taken from Sport BC. We explain that should their behaviour be on the negative side they
will be asked to leave and the contract they signed gives us the power to do that. It is amazing
how behaved people can be when they have read and understand that the sport is for their
child not them.
I hope what we have done over the last ten years and explained here will help you with your
program. It will change in the future always for the better if we proceed with the maxim of
“whatever is best for the players”. If you wish to get in touch with me my e-mail is
[email protected] and my cell phone is 604-302-9377. Have fun on the field!!
Dan Williams, President
Mission Minor Baseball (1990) Association
Real Baseball Real Fun!
Inclusion, Participation, Skill Development, Sportsmanship