What age should a child start playing baseball (t-ball)?
436486
At 3 or 4 years old they will probably most likely let him play on a youth t-ball team. And as he gets old get into playing actual baseball.
1006487
it would take amazingly long time to type up how to play baseball. ill give a short explanation. there is 4 bases in a diamond shape, then an outfield. a pitcher throws the ball trying to get it past the batter and over the home plate (a base) for a strike. 3 strikes and your out. \nthere are 3 outs in one inning. you play nine innings. if you hit the ball, you run up the dirt ob the right to first base. if the ball is cought while the first baseman touches the bag, your out. if you see that you could maybe get to 2nd base, turn and run there. you score by going all the way around the bases and touching home plate. oh, and if you hit a ball over the fence in between the to polls in left and right field, its a home run
788209
From the way you describe your cousin, I would have to say that either 2nd base or 1st base.  You need to be able to cover a lot of ground in the outfield, and you must be accurate on throws to play the infield, especially Short & 3rd.  2nd has the shortest throw, and 1st usually doesn't have to throw much at all.  \n\nIf he can hit the ball well, I would say 1st or 2nd.  He is not really the right size for a 1st baseman, but if he grows about a foot, he could be perfect.  I would tell him 2nd or 1st...but his size (right now) says 2nd base.
533987
I have coached 7 and 8 yr olds also....Fundamentals of the game is one of the most important things, along with sportsmanship and all that. Kids that age are VERY impressionable so let them see awesome sportsmanship from you and also play softball with them...That shows them that they can do what an adult can do. It helps. trust me
497159
My husband and I go through this every time we coach our daughters teams, she is ten.  We learned that we have to make it exciting and fun.  Even if it is all about learning the game, they don't have to know that.  We usually split up into two groups, he takes half and I take half.  We both work on something differ net, we tell the girls that if they do better tan the other girls, they will get a Power-Ade, or some little prize.  Of coarse by the end of practice, they have all won the same thing, but they all have bragging rights for something different.  Someone was the best hitter, catcher, pitcher, 1st baseman, and so on.  And of coarse we use positive reinforcement.  Try to be their friend, not just their coach.  Kids like to be talked and listened to, not just talked AT.  Make it seem like a GAME, which it is, not a job.  Hope this helps.
1165232
3 1/2 to 4 years old. As early as you can. The earlier the better.
277205
In little league you only need one pitch.  That is a fastball.  Forget about the ohters.  The real art to being a successful little league pitcher is to throw strikes.  If you can throw 2 strikes out of every 3 pitches then you will do great.
473656
Practice with him. My dad starting teaching me how to play baseball as soon as I could walk. Right now I'm 13, I've played in two national tournaments and I am going to play in two more this year. My team is one of the best in Virginia, and its all because I started early. Also, I got a good hitting coach(rotational swing, never weight shifting. There are many people out there against rotational hitting, but its the best). But don't play with him so much that he gets burned out and bored of the game. That has happened to some of my friends and they were very talented. Also make sure he stays in shape.
1099617
What I would do if I were starting a selective 14-15 yr. old team would first be to spread the word of a tryout. Talk to nearby High School coaches and ask them for any athlete contacts. Put an add in the newspaper. Make lots of phone calls. Next, hold a tryout and assemble a team. Hold practices. Sign up for games to be played and tournaments to be played in. I'm not sure of the overall cost, but you could potentially get some sponsors to help shoulder the load. Most baseball tournaments are at least 200$ per team. Next is uniforms, travel, overnight stay, etc. Good luck with your team!
179132
try going directly to little league, babe ruth/ cal ripen league, pony league. you'll find that most offer girls softball as well as boys baseball and girls are allowed to play boys baseball if they want to. I think the better question is whether boys are allowed to play girls softball. If so I wonder if you could find a boy willing to play in a girls league.
855736
that age, he'd start off in go carting or karting.\n\njust ask the local round tracks or look on the web under karts.
69509
In introducing a child to golf, or any game for that matter, don't worry about drills or any big formal training. Just take them out and let them try, teaching them just the basics they would need to know -- which for golf would be basically that they swing the club and hit the ball.\n\nYou can start them as young as they start to show an interest, and don't overlook those big plastic kids play toys. While not real golf clubs, they are a lot cheaper than the real thing and still enforce the basics of swinging the club.\n\nWhen you're ready to progress to real golf clubs, try just going to a driving range and using their clubs and don't overlook minature golf for working on putting skills. A real golf course with its vast size can be intimidating at first, but if the child has shown it can consistently hit the ball at the range, go for it.\n\nAnd if the child is still enjoying things at this point, it's probably time to finally consider bringing in training and drills and -- unless you are a scratch golfer and a teacher -- I would recommend bringing in a professional, who will be better suited to see where your child's game has problems and figure out the best way to work on them without having an adverse effect on the things they are doing right. Just remember, children's natural swings (be it golf, baseball or whatever) tend to be more closer to correct than what we start to do as adults, because after watching other people play and hearing all the talk on TV about how his pro does this or this is good and this is a problem, we try to make our swings match ... and often those things we're told are right for one person are wrong for us.\n\nThe biggest key is not to try and force anything on the child. If you push too hard, they probably won't have fun and, if they don't have fun they won't stick with any activity. Look at Tiger Woods ... he played early on, but he also has talked about how much he enjoys doing it. You generally never hear top level athletes, or even just casual athletes, talk about they're playing the game because their parents pushed them into it, but because of how much they love and enjoy it.
69281
well for the life isn't fair comment tell him he is lucky to learn that at a young age. As for his attitude. Thats a tuff one I have kids his age and I firmly believe in restricting the peers he/she hangs out with. Also if it is possible get him involved in activities after school. Baseball or whatever he is in to. If he is not interested, make him do it for one season or one whatever depending on what you choose. I did this and my daughter cried and stomped her feet. Now she plays softball every chance she gets, and I can tell her if she is not good she wont play. It's hard to give advice without knowing your exact situation but I hope this helps. Remember in a couple of yearsthere wont be much you can do about anything so stand your ground he will thank you in the end.
1000943
i think it depends on what age group you are umpiring......in illinois u only have to be 12. Also, you have to have some skill....My friend was 1 and she said she had to take a test and she was only 13 years old.\n\nGood luck!
1077678
First and foremost, don't push (I think you've gotten that message already). Let them find the sport (s) that they're interested in and you become just as interested, enroll them (and yourself in some cases like golf) in lessons and/or camps. Don't have unrealistic expectations, just because they like baseball doesn't mean they'll be the next superstar. Learn as much as you can about the game and surround yourself at the games/matches with other parents/coaches who know it well and pass on information.\nFinally, no matter what sport it is, encourage them to always try their best and have a good attitude. Coaches will almost always play the good player with a great attitude over the jerk who has all the talent.
536243
Here you go, just follow these simple steps.\n\n1.Hide the ball in your glove.\n \n2.Grip the ball with your middle and index fingers perpendicular to the seams at their widest point, with your thumb underneath the ball.\n \n3. Spread your top fingers apart slightly and keep your ring finger and pinkie tucked into your palm. \n \n4. Hold the ball firmly, applying pressure with your middle finger and thumb. Try not to let the ball rest in the palm of your hand, and keep your index finger relaxed. \n \n5.Wind up into the pitch. Use the same pitching motion as in your other pitches so that the batter cannot predict a curveball. \n \n6.Keep your wrist relaxed. After drawing back the pitch, hold your wrist so that the back of your hand points toward your body. \n \n7.Roll your wrist downward and to the right (if you are right-handed) or to the left (if you're left-handed) immediately before releasing the pitch. \n \n8.Release the pitch and follow through by bending your wrist. A right-hander should finish with the palm facing in toward the chest. The top of your thumb should be facing up.\n \n9.Throw the ball between the batter and home plate if you're a left-handed pitcher facing a left-handed batter or if you're a right-handed pitcher facing a right-handed batter.\n \n \n\n \n \nTips:\nYou can also try gripping the ball between and along the seams. Spread your fingers apart slightly and press your middle finger into the ball. Go with the grip that allows you a comfortable release, the proper spin and maximum control.\n \nTurn your wrist further to increase the ball's spin. You will lose some control but will gain more curve. Throw harder, and the pitch gains speed but loses some of the curving movement.\n \n \nWarnings:\nThrowing a curveball can cause serious and possibly permanent damage to your shoulder, elbow and wrist. For this reason, most managers and coaches advise that young players avoid this pitch until they reach physical maturity.
529114
Take a bag of balls find a padded wall somwhere or sturdy fence. Start throwing  balls at it repeatedly. Start from 15 to 20 ft and toss lightly. Move back every little while. Keep throwing. I'm not kidding it sounds silly but I'm serious. Don't get fancy, just throw the ball. Like catch, as you get further you can throw a little harder but don't get crazy. But you'll see that as you go back you start throwing a bit harder involuntarily.\n\nYou'll do two things. Get your arm more durable, and work the muscles you'll use to throw which will increase velocity. Pitching is an unnatural motion you have to develop the muscles you use to throw which don't get used as often in normal circumstances. There's no easy fix. Throw, throw, and when you're done throw some more. Young pitchers don't just throw anymore.\n\nRemember Jim Morris the 35 year old Science teacher who'd had arm surgery and at 35 was throwing 98 MPH, and later pitched for the Devil Rays. How'd he do it? He was throwing batting practice to the kids he was coaching. Just throwing over and over.