Coach, my five year old is getting ready for his first organized baseball action. Can you help me teach him to hit? J.R., Owings Mills, MD
The first place to start is with Tee work. If you are going to buy one, find a Batting Tee that can be adjusted for height. If you are looking for a cheap alternative, find a traffic cone. They make great batting tees. I recommend Tee work for all ages, not just little kids.
Start with no stride. Many parents want their kid to step into the ball. Stepping causes the body to move forward and you want to eliminate as much movement as possible. Work on using the hands and just rotating the hips to hit the ball off the tee. Make it fun by measuring how far the ball goes. As he tries to swing harder, be certain that he maintains good balance. He will start to overswing and you will need to pull him back to find the hardest swing but still maintaining balance.
Move to soft toss. Align your son as if there is a home plate. You will flip him balls from the opposite batter’s box. You will be on one knee slightly in front of him. Flip balls underhanded about a foot in front of his front hip. Again, work on having him rotate or “Pop” the hips and use his hands. Work on tossing the ball on a line and not in a big loop. It is harder for little ones to follow the ball when it changes vertical planes. As he experiences success, flip to varying heights to mix it up.
If he begins hitting the ball consistently, introduce the front foot step by having him pick up his foot when you drop your hand to toss the ball. He should pick up his foot and put it down not more than two inches forward. Do not let him slide forward with his body. This is one of the most common hitting faults. The picking up and putting down of the foot will serve as a “hitting trigger” as he gets older. Click here for some videos on this topic.