Fielding (Tee Ball, Softball & Baseball)

tee ball set up

Fielding can be introduced in Foundation and Year 1, focusing on stopping a rolling ball and underarm throwing. Children needs lots of opportunities to practice their catching skills. We don’t normally see fully developed catching skills until the ages of 6-9 years. Throwing accuracy and selecting the appropriate type of throw for the game situation will continue to develop in the upper years. 

Teaching cues
  1. Ready position – knees bent, hands in front of the body, open glove, pointing to the ground 
  2. Eyes on the ball 
Teaching strategies

  • Focus on the ready position - teach knees bent, hands low, eyes on the ball.
  • Practice stopping rolling balls with two hands and body behind - known as ground fielding

Catching 

  1. Eyes on the ball
  2. Soft fingers
  3. Butterfly hands: thumbs together and fingers pointing up for balls being caught above the waist
  4. Wriggly worms: fingers pointing down for balls being caught below the waist
  5. Move hands to the ball
  • Use soft balls to build catching confidence. 

Throwing 

  • Start with underarm throws, then progress to overarm throws.

Introducing the Tee Ball Glove

  • Wear It Right: Make sure the glove fits and fingers are in the right spots.
  • Crocodile Chomp: Practice opening and closing the glove like a crocodile’s mouth to catch the ball.
  • Fingers Up or Down: Fingers point up for high balls and down for ground balls.
  • Two Hands: Use the free hand to trap the ball in the glove to "trap the ball like a sandwich".
  • Body Behind the Ball: Always get in front of the ball to stop it, even if it doesn’t go in the glove.
  • Catch, Take it Out, Throw: Teach kids to quickly take the ball out of their glove and make a throw.
  • Use cues like "glove ready" and "watch the ball all the way in". 

Fun Games

  • Emphasise quick reactions and balanced movement in the ready stance.
  • Introduce Ground Ball Fielding Drills: Practice one-handed pickups for faster throws and accurate scoops under pressure.
  • Challenge children to catch balls thrown at a greater speed or distance. 
  • Focus on selecting the appropriate type of throw (underarm or overarm) for game situations and hitting targets consistently. 
  • Play games like Triple Tee Dash or Cricket Baseball to allow children to practice their fielding skills in fun games. 

Ask questions:

  • How do you get ready to catch the ball? 
  • What’s the best way to watch the ball as it comes towards you? 
  • How should your hands be when you're about to catch the ball? 
  • What should you do if the ball bounces before you catch it? 
  • How can you stay balanced when you're fielding the ball? 
  • What’s the fastest way to throw the ball after you catch it? 
  • How do you make sure you don’t miss a ground ball? 
  • When should you get low to the ground when fielding? 
  • How do you make sure you’re ready to catch a fly ball? 
  • What do you do if the ball is coming really fast toward you? 

  • Practice catching on the move and diving when needed.
  • Game Awareness: Teach positioning, backing up throws and anticipating where the ball will go.
  • Progress to playing games like Mini T-Ball or Soccer Softball to practice fielding skills while under pressure in game situations.
Skill criteria
  1. Ready Position: Stand with your knees bent, feet shoulder-width apart and your glove out in front, ready to react to the ball.
  2. Tracking the Ball: Eyes on the ball, whether it’s rolling, bouncing or in the air.
  3. Fielding Ground Balls: Use two hands to scoop up or stop a rolling ball, making sure your body is behind it to block it.
  4. Catching: Use soft hands with your glove open—fingers pointing up for fly balls and down for ground balls—letting the glove absorb the impact.
  5. Throwing: Choose the best throw for the play:
    1. Use an underarm throw for short, quick passes.
    2. Use an overarm throw for longer, stronger throws to a base or home plate.
  6. Team Support: Always back up teammates by being ready to stop the ball if they miss it to prevent extra runs.
  7. Decision-Making: Reacting quickly to decide the best action—whether to catch, stop, or throw—and executing it accurately. 
Common errors
  • Ready position - not staying ready to move quickly to the ball.
  • Dropping catches - hands or glove in the wrong position or not watching the ball closely.
  • Missing rolling balls - forgetting to get your body behind the ball.
  • Throwing - not aiming properly or choosing the wrong type of throw for the situation. 
  • Not backing up - forgetting to help teammates by stopping overthrows.
  • Tee Ball Glove - not wearing the glove correctly. 

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