8u Rec - Throwing/Catching in game

[stox]

Hello DFP,

I wanted to get opinions on how to coach kids in 8u rec.

Given how new some girls are to the game, a lot of times if you ask them to throw to another defender in game 90% it'll be a wild throw. My question is, do you keep having them make this throw (thus leading to passed balls and runners taking more bases) or try to limit opportunities to throw the ball (a lot more running to stop lead runner, for example like running from shallow OF to stop a runner at 2nd).

My hunch says to keep letting the girls throw but it leads to chaos when wild throws are happening left and right and a single becomes a little league home run for the other team.

Thanks

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[Nuwin]

Try practicing with a baseball and see if it gets any better. That ball is HUGE for most kids' hands.

 

[Lightning]

They're learning to play the game. Let them throw the ball.

 

[sluggers]

(a lot more running to stop lead runner, for example like running from shallow OF to stop a runner at 2nd)

This is a valid play in softball, but not in baseball.

With the distance between bases at 60 feet, a runner with a decent lead after a hit can take an extra base if the OF "automatically" throws the ball to the SS. Softball OFs can easily throw runners out at 2B or 3B from most of the OF. Runners won't even try to advance as long as the OF has the ball. The real danger is when the ball is in the air, not when it is in the hands of the OF.

The better approach is for the OF to ensure the runners have returned to their bases. If not, the OF should begin running toward the IF. I've seen college OFs run the ball all the way to pitcher. (It's not much of an effort for OF to get back into position because the field is so much smaller.)

 

[earlg3]

In my opinion, they should all be encouraged to make realistic throws (e.g. distances that their arms can actually make like 2nd to 1st), but in my experience a lot of 7-8 year olds can't physically make the throw from 3rd->1st, for example, so those are probably better to just control.

But, the one thing I've seen is really critical is to take throwing practice seriously. Warmups shouldn't be just slinging the ball wildly to your partner. Get that right and then the in-game throws become a lot easier.

Our 8u rec league also limited a maximum of 1 additional base on an overthrow to encourage kids to at least try to make the throw without the risk:reward being broken.

 

[sluggers]

Hello DFP,

I wanted to get opinions on how to coach kids in 8u rec.

My hunch says to keep letting the girls throw but it leads to chaos when wild throws are happening left and right and a single becomes a little league home run for the other team.

No, don't let them keep chucking the ball wildly around the field. If they have a legitimate chance to get the runner, they can throw. If not, they should stop play.

I hate the "ball in possession of pitcher to stop play" rule. It's stupid for 8U kids. The rule should be "ball in possession of infielder stops play." To teach the game, you need runners on the bases.

 

[Dabears17]

A friend taught his 8u infielders to throw the ball to the base on a bounce, or an overhand throw that rolled on the ground. At first I thought this wasn’t a good idea, but in practice the players threw more accurately and the baseman got confident at catching the ball.

They may have changed some, but last time I looked, the 8u rules for the rec league in my town were:

1) On an infield hit, runners and batter-runners are only entitled to advance one base,
2) On an outfield hit, runners and batter-runners can attempt to advance as many bases as they want until the ball is back in the infield. Back in the infield is defined as back inside the diamond of lines drawn inbetween the bases.

Rule #2 used to say if the runner wasn’t at least halfway to the next base when the ball reached the infield, they had to return to the prior base. It was changed to if they were inbetween bases when the ball reached the infield, they could attempt to advance to the next base with liability.

 

[stox]

Thanks everyone

Our team has had the philosophy of completely eliminating the opportunity to throw bad throws this season. As a result, the only girls throwing live balls in coach pitch games are Pitcher -> 1st, 2nd -> 1st, and 1st -> Pitcher. If the ball goes to the fence we tell them to just chuck it in. Everyone else is taught to just stop the lead runner using their legs.

We're really good at not giving up extra bases but I just feel we're doing something wrong when girls who don't play P/1B/2B are going to go through a whole season never having thrown a live ball.

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[stox]

Just for clarity, our rules to stop play are either

1. Control by pitcher in the circle
2. Stopping lead runner on base
3. Overthrow to 1B to foul territory

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[tim_s]

this was something i had to stress to t-ball/8u coaches in our rec league - they cared about the "win" even if score wasn't kept, and had kids run to bases/chase runners for outs

we stressed make the throw, make the throw, cover the base - and we had a one base on an overthrow rule to try and cut down the craziness......we would have kids make the first throw, teach them to throw/cover the bag/back up.......if it was overthrown, 9 times out of 10 the runner was going to get the next base regardless, so one base on the overthrow, hopefully someone backed the play up, runners took the one base, play stopped, ball back to the pitcher

it was easy to break them of the one base on the overthrow habit on offense, and teach them that play continues on defense, then it was to deal with chasing runners down/not learning to make throws



we also started every clinic, every tball practice, every 10u practice (and almost every 12u & 14u practice) with the same throwing progressions......multiple throws have to happen every play on defense, kids need to be able to throw and catch, so we (over) stressed it.......and when kids from outside our org came to one of our clinics, the differences in skill/throwing patterns was evident