T-ball
Sport4All T-Ball for children between 3 and 6 and Tchoukball, our new sport from Switzerland, for children between 7 and 12. We are offering both a twice per week for 5-week program and a once per week for 10-week program. You can choose the option that best meets your summer schedule. Fields are located at Sam Ogle, Acorn Hill, Allen Pond and North Oak Park. Both sports are available only at Acorn Hill on Tuesdays from 7 to 8 pm for 10 weeks.
T-Ball is one of the few sports that is easily adapted to a cooperative or "collective score" game. In this program, all players except the batter and the on-deck hitter are in the field. The batter will hit a ball off of the "T" and run the bases. The battter will score a point for every base he or she touches before the fielders yell, "stop". Although the coach and the players decide when they can yell "stop", this is usually permitted when the fielders return the ball to the batter's bucket. This is the bucket that is placed near the "T" and into which the batter must place the bat after the ball is hit. After the batter finishes running the bases and goes to the field, the on-deck batter comes to the "T". A player from the field rotates to be the on-deck hitter. Fielding positions are numbered so that there is a known progression and everyone is assurred an equal turn to bat and to play the different fielding positions..
For the 3 & 4s, the fielder who catches the ball usually runs with the ball toward the batter's bucket and tosses it into the bucket. For the 5 & 6s, there is often a requirement that 2 or 3 fielders relay the ball by throwing and catching it until being tossed into the bucket. A game consists of each player batting one time. All points are totaled and the coach will challenge the players to "beat their record" the next time the game is played. This could be at the same practice or the next practice depending upon the amount of time designated by the coach for warm-up and skill practice.
We use plastic bats and soft balls. Sport4All will provide the game bat and ball. All players are encouraged to bring a baseball-type hat to keep the sun off the face and a soft ball that can be caught with the bare hands. We do not use gloves or cleats. They are not needed. Water bottles are mandatory.
We will be able to offer only those playing options for which a parent has volunteered to "coach" or lead the activities. Sport4All provides a detailed practice plan, a games manual and a training session. Any parent can lead one of our practices. This may be the opportunity you have been waiting for to be a youth sport coach. It is fun and rewarding. Please consider volunteering to be a coach or assistant coach when you register. You can call John Dutrow at 301-262-5050 if you have any questions.