T Ball and Safety

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1

Tonight my Grandson had his first practice for T-Ball. He is four and the other kids are way more experienced. My concern is they were using regular baseballs and bats. He enjoyed running around, but seeing these 7 year olds hit them balls worries me a lot because he hasn't got a prayer of even knowing what to do to protect himself yet.

I assumed when we signed there was a 4 year old T-ball for beginners. To put him at a 3 year and some cases 40 lbs disadvantage makes me wonder if I shouldn't second guess myself. I have 3 t balls at home, they come with the mitt also the T Ball stand and I would think that's why they made T-Balls, so no other kid would have to face a serious injury if it could be helped. So why don't the league use what's apparently the proper ball for a young child?

I did notice the coaches tend to work with the good players. I get it though but still, maybe if you asked the 7 year olds to help the new kids it would make things work more smoothly. It's very nice of the coaches to give their time but I can see already even they got the competition fever.

I understand you got to start somewhere, but atleast make it safe as possible.

Am I being to Over-protective? you tell me.

What sport he plays it don't matter, as long as he has fun and it's played at the kids best interest and safely. 7 year olds hitting line drives at 4 year olds with regular baseballs I don't consider safe or responsible at all.

2

My daughter is 6 and plays tball. The balls look like baseballs but they are offical tballs that are in the middle of soft nerf and hard. They do use real bats but in our league but they are very strict on throwing bats and teach the children to set them down. It is all about having fun and my daughter loves it. We don't keep score and here in my league its all about the kids and noncompetitive

3

Have you really checked and squeezed the balls? Are you sure they are real hard balls? If they are in fact hard baseballs, then yes, you should say something to his coach...but chances are they are T-ball baseballs.

If a child is 7 yrs old and still playing T-ball, that child does not have THAT much experience, as you claim, or they would NOT be still playing T-ball...so I wouldn't worry that much about different skill levels, chances are good (if you have chosen a good league) that all the kids on your grandson's team are beginners.

Baseball can be kind of dangerous, just like any sport, so make sure you talk to your grandson about safety but hopefully the coach is being responsible and teaching them proper baseball safety rules...if you do not feel that this is happening maybe you should look into a different league.

What league are you going through? Here where I live, there is a SERIOUS difference between leagues, Little League vs. YMCA vs. SYSA vs. Babe Ruth Baseball...some are much more structured and stick to all the rules and regulations and some are NOT structured at all and don't really teach the kids anything about baseball at this age...more like just letting them run around like chickens with their heads cut off, kinda thing...which I personally, do not like.

My 7 yr old is on an 8U (8 and under) AA team, with our local Babe Ruth Baseball league and this is his 4th year playing baseball...but only his first year with a real hard ball, it is kid pitch and he had to go to try-outs and get drafted on a team and everything. He plays in a very structured league and we like it...but it is not for everyone....it is a competition, the end goal is to be good at playing baseball and to WIN! Having fun is a given for my son and his team mates, if playing ball wasn't fun to them they wouldn't be playing!

Sounds to me like you need to have a talk with the coach. T-ball should be a safe & fun experience....and they should absolutely be playing with a T-ball baseball...but they have to play with real bats, I do not understand your problem with the real bats? What do you want them to be hitting with?

~This probably wont help you much with the worrying...but...my son's very first day at T-ball practice he was playing at the pitcher position and took a line drive to the mouth and knocked out his top 2 front teeth AND his 2 bottom front teeth...by a T-ball! So, yes, injuries happen...even with a soft ball. Sorry.

4

why is a 4 year old playing t ball with 7 year olds?? i would be more worried about that. talk to the coaches. maybe you're in the wrong class?

5

In our town t-ball is 4,5 and sometimes 6 depending on when their bdays fall. They also use a tball bat (smaller then a baseball bat) and a tball ball which just isn't quite as solid as a baseball. We were told at this level they don't need a cup but if you are concerned they do make them small enough go purchase one for him.

Our town requires them to wear helmets when batting and running bases.

6

Hi, Karen:
What does the Parent's say about all this? Do they concur with you?
If you expected T Ball then get him in a T Ball program.
Just a thought.
Donna

7

I would take him out...4 and 7 year olds should not be together for t-ball. Not safe and not fun for EITHER group. I have never heard of a league arranged like this. Ours is 4/5/6 & 7/8 With there being 2 leagues for the younger ones...one is very instructional. Our 7 yos don't even hit off of Ts anymore-it is manager pitch.

8

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9

The bats and balls they are using are most likely tball balls and softer than they appear. In fact at last week's game one of our five year olds did get hit in the arm by a line drive. The coach ran over to check on him and kid got upset that they stopped the game..."I am fine". His mother looked at it and said it didn't even bruise. Our coach is big on showing our kids how to properly handle a bat (how to hold it and not to randomly swing it) and many times they use tennis balls and basketballs (to practice hitting) during practice, but not always. Our kids also have to keep batting helmets on while running the bases to protect their heads. If it was the first practice, don't stress too much about the coaches working with the "good" players. Most likely, they are kids returning to the team who have a relationship with the coach. It takes a little time to get to know the kids and the kids to know and trust the coach. Tball teams rarely keep score, so I can't imagine it being that competitive. In our league innings are over after each team has five kids up to bat. Outs are very rare at this age....very rare. So I can't really imagine coaches in tball being that competitive, if you tried to keep score, it'd probably end in a tie 99 percent of the time. I would double check and make sure he is on the right team. Our league has the ages split up a little more. Give it a little time, I imagine your grandson will have a great time on his team.

10

In my county T-ball is divided by ages. There are 4, 5, and 6 year old leagues so the ages are pretty close. Of course you will have some skill level difference and size difference but for the most part it's fairly even. If its thru the parks and recs dept I would definitely contact them. T-Ball should be played with a softer t ball even though the bats are regular just smaller for smaller kids. It does seem dangerous to me too. Also, on a social standpoint there is a huge difference between a 4 yr old and a 7 yr old. Also, from a coaches standpoint as my hubby and i coached 2 years of our sons t-ball, and he now coaches his kid pitch league, its totally different coaching a 7 yr old as opposed to a 4 yr old in maturity level alone and then add skill level to that. But no you are not being overprotective. See what some of the other parents think but I would still bring it up with the league commissioner or whoever is in charge. Good luck.

11

A tad bit over protective - however, in T-Ball, they NORMALLY try to keep the same age kids on the same team/league.

They should ALWAYS be wearing a cup. T-Ball or baseball - cups.
They should have their helmets on until they are off the field. That's the rules in our league - T-Ball, baseball and football - helmets ON while you are on the playing field (hitting team). the outfield team just wears their hats/lids.

Talk to the coach. let him know your feelings

12

I would look for a team of his peers. There's a huge difference between 4 & 7!

13

I am shocked that they have such a wide age range on the same team!! Our girls played fast pitch softball for years...and the T Ball was for 4 - 5 years old and then 6 - 7 year olds....two different "leagues"....are there more than one T Ball team? Why not suggest that they put all of the younger children together on one team and the old children together on another team? You can't coach a team when there is such a wide range of knowledge and ability on the team...the 4 year olds are just learning what direction to run when they hit the ball...and that it is NOT ok to sit down and relax when they are playing in the outfield....they don't need to be playing ball with the 7 year olds with 3 years of experience!!

14

My almost 4 year old just began Tball and he is in a league with 4 and 5 year olds. I would be very uncomfortable if he was playing with 7 year olds too! But, they do use "real" bats, balls, gloves, and of course batting helmet. If it was me, I would try to get him in a younger group, or wait until next year.

15

That is so unacceptable that they have such a wide age range on one team. My daughter's team is all her age. She started T-ball this year, and it's all 7-year-olds. She's been in soccer since she was four, and her team has always been her age. I wouldn't be comfortable with that either, look for a different organization.

16

You're right it's not safe! I cannot believe your area has 4 yo's playing with 7 yo's.

My husband has coached our son, starting at t-ball. This year, he's 8, 2nd grade and he has kids ages 7-9 on his team. You'll always have a bit of a spread in age but 4-7? That's a pretty large instructional age spread. 7 year olds should not be playing T-ball!

T-ball here is coach pitch. And yes...with real baseballs.

IF the child cannot get a hit from a pitch, they trot out the "tee" for the child to use. The kids learn NOT to be afraid of pitches this way.

Your grandson should be wearing protection (groin). You can also get a cage for his batting helmet and shirts with chest-padded areas. The kids here are required to wear head/cage protection when they play at the pitcher or catcher or first base positions.

17

You need to talk tot he coach. It sounds to me like your grandson is signed up for the wrong class. You need to find one that is just for 4 year olds.

18

I've had all 5 of my children in t-ball over the years and in varying states and towns and leagues. 3 are in "modified t-ball" now, age 6.

You will find that leagues will vary. We had the same situation as you're experiencing now. It's ridiculous! We never understood why the older kids were put with the younger kids.

Some leagues vary on a starting age. Some start at age 4 and some at 5. If you're going to start with 4 year olds, then it should be age 4 and 5 for basic t-ball and age 6-7 for modified t-ball. (modified t-ball is where the first half of the season you use a T stand to hit from and the second half the coach slow pitches to you, most at age 6/7 are ready for that by 2nd half of season.)

In your situation, it should be age 4/5 for basic t-ball only, but some leagues throw them all together for multiple reasons which most make no sense.

Depending on the type of coach you get, some will pamper the older kids because they feel they need more attention as the little kids only need to know the very basics at such a young age. But this just proves that they should be split up.

Yes, it is very annoying, but you can't change the league. You can voice your opinion and expect to have equal treatment of players.

As for the balls, all t-ballers use a real, hard baseball, nothing softer about them. Not heard of that. Those softer balls are things you can use at home but I've never seen nor heard of that in regular league play.

I would teach him as much as you can on your own. Part of the game is learning the basics and one of the first things you learn is fielding and that is learning to stop the ball and not let it get past you, even if you have to use your body. Also, learning to use two hands when fielding. Teach him to put his other hand top of the glove so when he tries to field a ball it doesn't roll up to his face. The free hand will stop it from rolling up and keep it in the glove or on the ground so he can grab it. Ask the coaches a lot of questions to teach him at home.

It's not right nor fair to have him playing with larger, more experienced kids. I always hated that! But if it's the only league in the area it'll be something he'll have to work around. I always thought it would be better to split those ages up and only have a few teams each and play each other multiple times rather than have more teams as it's not fair to the little kids who are being pushed aside and not fair to the older kids who are at an age where they need more guidance.

Let him play but practice a lot at home and ask for tips on safety and be more involved during practices. Voice your opinions to the league commissioner and don't allow yourself to be brushed aside as a worrying caregiver.

Karen B
mom to 5 including triplets

19

NO, I would not have my 4 year old in there. He could get seriously hurt, and he's too young to benefit from team sports. It may make him frustrated and not interested in a couple of years when he would be better. My gym has a great tai know do program starting at 4 years old. Find something without real baseballs and bats and 7 year olds!