Teaching Baseball to Your Kids

by Suzanne Molino Singleton with advice from Ken Singleton, former Oriole

Baseball . . . hotdogs . . . apple pie and Chevrolet . . . that was an old car commercial jingle, referring to all-American things that we love. We may eat an occasional hot dog, and some of us know how to bake a juicy apple pie. We all know how to drive. But do we know baseball and how to teach our kids this all-American sport?

Taking an interest in America's favorite pastime and most popular sport as a parent can be fun for you and your family. Teaching and practicing baseball or softball with our youngsters can bring out the kid in all of us.

Baseball is more intricate than you might guess. It is a multifaceted game with countless rules, a sport that entertains many boys and girls.

Chances are, many of you played baseball or softball while growing up or you may have listened often to the familiar stadium sounds of a radio broadcast on a hot summer evening. Maybe you are a parent experiencing your child's first year of baseball or softball. Maybe you're a veteran of the game. Or, maybe you're totally baffled and uneducated about baseball because you're not a fan.

For the love of the game, to spend quality family time together, or for whatever reason, let's get your youngster on his or her way . . . it's time to Play Ball!

Children often start with T-ball in which the ball is not pitched but hit from a stationary position on top of a post. After T-ball age, coaches usually pitch to prevent the games from running too long. Coaches also stand in the field to guide play and direct players where to run. Children pitch solo generally in the leagues for nine to ten-year-olds.

As a parent of a little leaguer, you may want to become involved in some capacity in the baseball or softball world. Certainly, you'll learn too. Maybe you are unable to coach a team, but there are plenty of other volunteer opportunities. With hundreds of kids registered in baseball and softball programs, there is a need for umpires, managers, commissioners, team sponsors, coaches, equipment chairman and coordinators for opening day.

Ken Singleton, who played in the major leagues for fifteen years, predominantly with the Baltimore Orioles, remembers as far back as age four learning the game from his dad. Although he didn't play in an organized league until age eleven, Singleton and his buddies played baseball in the playgrounds of his hometown � Mt. Vernon, New York. He also played stickball and softball, and watched a lot of baseball on television. "It was my favorite show," he says. Singleton has never left the game as he continues in the press box broadcasting for the New York Yankees on the YES Network.

Singleton's advice to parents is "not to expect too much early on. Remember your kid isn't Alex Rodriguez � yet ." He reminds parents to have fun. "Try not to turn into an obnoxious little league parent," he cautions. "Don't worry about winning and losing. Look for the improvement in your children even if they are the worst players. Don't become discouraged or feel embarrassed; your kids have plenty of time to learn baseball. It won't happen all at once." As your children's hand and eye coordination becomes better, they will improve, too.

Learning baseball is much more than developing skill. Baseball teaches kids about teamwork � working for a common goal with peers, whether that goal is getting three outs, making a double play, or winning.

Sociability is also a big part of the game. Playing on a team is an opportunity for children to feel like they belong. It's a chance to meet new friends and to get the kids out of the house, away from addictive video games and cartoons.

Kids should understand that winning or losing is not the whole picture, although winning games can boost confidence. "No one ever appreciated winning until they lost a few times," Singleton says. When your child is upset about making a mistake such as striking out, Singleton suggests naming a familiar player who also struck out in a recent game. "Professionals strike out, miss fly balls, get tagged out, pitch poorly and have hitless games, too," he says. Kids can learn a lot from watching, so point out a particular player's style, such as a stance or swing.

Stress the importance of practice. As a youngster's skill improves, chances are the game will be more enjoyable; confidence will be elevated along with skill.

Ken Singleton offers his personal tips:

Getting Started

• Show patience first and foremost. Remember how young and small your player is.
• Practice a lot with your child before registering for an organized team. This gives a sense of the sport instead of blindly sending a child onto the field.
• Play ball with your child as early as possible. Singleton started teaching his kids at age two (which paid off � one of his sons, Justin, is currently in the minor leagues.)
• Show sensitivity to your child's moods. Be aware that some days kids aren't in the mood to play. Everyone has on and off days, even the pros.
• Interest in baseball should come from your child. Encouraging the sport is fine, but recognize and accept if your child would rather do another activity. Forcing a child to play a sport will result in frustration for both of you.

• T-ball is effective; most kids can hit a ball this way. Kids who are new to the sport can become too discouraged trying to hit a pitched ball.
• Graduate your child to pitches as soon as possible to get the real feel of how baseball is played.
• Start pitching with a big ball (such as a dodge ball) so your child can make contact. As proficiency is developed, decrease the size of the ball.
• Don't worry about form as much as enjoyment.
• Teach your kid not to be afraid of the ball by keeping both eyes on it. Point out the ability to control the ball. This applies to swinging and catching.
• Boost confidence by making the sport as easy as possible. Help your child hit the ball by pitching slow and easy.
• Use positive words; don't point out errors and faults. Instead, show a better way. And certainly no yelling.
• Be aware of the level of hand and eye coordination and practice accordingly.
• Provide the right bat: Start with a plastic bat. The bat should be easy and comfortable for your child to swing (not too heavy or too long). Go by "feel" when choosing and remember the bat is for the child not the adult.
• Switch hitting (hitting left- and right-handed) can be practiced and learned at an early age. The earlier it is taught, the better and more natural it feels. Let your youngster hit from both sides if preferred, but don't force it.

• Provide a baseball glove that fits a small hand.
• Roll the ball first, then graduate to a few bounces. Next, toss softly at close range.
• Remind your child to squeeze the ball after it lands in the glove and to trap it with the other hand.
• Most kids learn how to hit before they learn to catch. Kids are generally more afraid to catch a ball than to swing at one. Catching is harder to learn since kids feel that they can't control it.

• Be supportive and congratulatory. Offer tips in a positive way instead of pointing out mistakes or uneven skills. Because you are watching, your child will most likely do his very best.
• Support your child's interest by your attendance and enthusiasm at the games. This is very important to a child. Being the only kid on the team whose parents aren't in the stands might make your child feel left out. If you or your partner cannot attend a game, maybe someone else can be there on your behalf.
• You cannot teach skill. You can teach a child only how to apply what he has learned.
• If you are the parent and the coach, treat your kid the same as every other team member. This means no scolding or yelling, and certainly no special treatment.

• Watch baseball with your kids on television or listen to radio games. Take your kids to major league and minor league games or games at local high school and colleges. (Minor league teams in New York City include the Staten Island Yankees and the Brooklyn Cyclones.)
• Collect baseball cards to make the game more personal and interesting. As your kids learn who is on the field, they can identify with certain players.
• Rent videos on baseball instruction to watch together.
• Register your kids in a summer baseball camp. Sometimes camps are run by former players, and sometimes pros may visit to offer tips and to sign autographs.

The good thing about baseball and softball from a parent's perspective is that many parents have played the sport in some form during their childhood. "That's why fans think they're as good as major leaguers and have lots of advice to offer from the stands," Singleton says.

But remember that not everyone is talented in the sport, so create a belief in your sons and daughters that they can learn to play well. More important than skill, the type of bat, or the rules, is the quality time you are afforded together as a family.