T-ball Time!

A Field of Dreams for the Whole Family

By Mark Stackpole

For more than two million kids nationwide, "opening day" means more than going to the local ball yard to see their favorite team suit up and play. No, for them it will mean putting on their own uniforms, lacing up their own cleats and stepping up to the ... tee.

Before the big leagues, the minor leagues and even before Little League, there is a league that allows young boys and girls, usually between the ages of 4 and 7, to learn the ins and outs of America's favorite pastime. With a focus on skills and sportsmanship (for players and parents), T-ball leagues are home to "fields of dreams" all over the country.

Of course, where there are players, there need to be coaches. The rules and techniques of the game are not always obvious, especially for young players. This is why it's so important for parents to step in and also take to the field. While most parents like being called "Coach," many are hesitant to take on the role because of a fear that they do not know the sport well enough to lead that motley group of 5-year-olds onto the diamond. After all, the rules and techniques of the game are not always obvious, especially for first-time coaches.

 

Aside from playing baseball until he was 10, Michael Bielski, a 30-year-old father of two from Bolingbrook, Ill., had limited knowledge of the sport other than his childhood memories. But when the coach of his son's team moved on, Bielski asked the league if he could become the new coach. "I knew little about the sport and knew that I was getting in over my head, but I wanted to see my son enjoy it," says Bielski.

Bielski used the Internet as a source to find coaching strategies and picked up techniques for running practices. Along the way he found more support for his coaching efforts than even the Internet could provide.

Want to see more?

• Put Me in, Coach! Is Your Preschooler Ready for Organized Sports?
• How Baseball Can Help You Become a Better Dad
• Talk about it!