1.Tee Ball is an instructional level. No Score is kept during play. All players must be given the opportunity to play every position equally over the course of the season, unless there is a safety concern.
2.Teams with less than 7 players are allowed to bat every player in each inning, unless the team on defense records 3 outs first. Teams with more than 7 players must bat a maximum of 7 in one inning, or stop batting after the team on defense records 3 outs, whichever comes first.
3.Coaches are allowed to be on the field with their team on defense, instructing the players on where to throw and how to cover bases. The number of coaches on the field is discretionary for your team. A good rule is 2, but more may be needed to keep the attention span of the players. Coaches should make the game fun for the kids. Having fun while learning is the best way to get the kids to retain the information.
4.Fielders must throw the ball to a teammate to record outs. A 2nd baseman or SS can tag 2ndbase if it is convenient, as can a 1st baseman or 3rd baseman. Outfielders must throw the ball in, they cannot run into the infield and tag runners or bases. Base-runners are considered safe if an outfielder runs into the infield to record an out. We want to teach children to work together on defense, throwing the ball and catching the ball.
5.Pitchers must throw the ball to home if there is a catcher. Pitchers CAN NOT run home on a force out to tag home plate. There are no wild pitches in tee ball, therefore there is no reason to send a pitcher home to cover the plate. This is the best way to avoid a home plate collision with runners coming in from 3rd.
6.Batters and base-runners must move one base at a time. There are no doubles and no running 1st to 3rd. Teach batters to run through 1st base, and teach runners to stop on 2nd and 3rd.
7.Games have a hard stop at 90 minutes or 6 innings, whichever comes first. If you are approaching 90 minutes, finish the last inning you are in.
8.Managers must rotate players to different positions at least once per game. We want players to get accustomed to the different positions, but we also don’t want boredom to set in. Players can play in the outfield no more than 2 innings per game.
9.Depending on team sizes, all teams should field an infield on defense first. This includes a pitcher and 4 infielders. Make sure to have a coach with the outfielders to keep their attention. Most tee ball teams cannot hit the ball to the outfield, so coaches can decide to work on drills with the outfielders during game play. Coaches, use your own discretion.
10.Coaches should hand out a game ball at every game and talk about the lesson that could be learned from that day’s events. Game balls should be distributed as evenly as possible throughout the season.
11.All batting helmets must NOCSAE certified and include a facemask or face guard. The Markwart C-Flap and other similar third-party helmet accessories are not allowed.
12.Be silly with the kids. This is the first stage where we try to help them love the game while learning basic fundamentals.
