Tee-ball equipment – all you need to know, and have

Tee ball, in spite of its reputation of being a child’s sport, is still a sport. That is why, it is only natural for tee-ball equipment to exist because as a sport, some equipment is necessary to be able to play with others.

Unfortunately, being a child sport does not help with its popularity, and that is why the knowledge going around about the sport is not sufficient enough for the majority of the public to know.

So, what necessary equipment are needed for tball?

T BALL EQUIPMENT

The role that equipments have on the capability of anyone to play any sport is massive. Miss one, and playing any sport is almost impossible.

Having all the equipment needed for T ball is just as important because eventhough it is a sport for children, they would not be able to play without the necessary kit.

There are several subcategories that can be considered when thinking of the many tee-ball equipment that is needed.

The Child’s Kit

Imagine one summertime, and you decided to enlist your child to join a tee ball camp somewhere in your locale. You would not expect the coach to bring all the T ball training equipment needed. However, not the the player’s kit.

A player’s kit is their responsibililty, and part a player’s kit are the following:

The Glove

The glove is an essential tee-ball equipment especially when you are the fielding team. It is what helps catchers take balls that are thrown very hard. Additionally, it also help make catching easier.

What matters the most with the gloves used by players in tee ball, and even in baseball and softball, is how the glove fits a player’s hand well which begs the question of how does someone determine whether the glove they are planning on buying has the right fit.

Experts on tee-ball equipment suggests to ask your child to open and close the gloves. This is a good indicator that the glove that your child has on is the right one for them.

On the other hand, there is a possibility that there will be some resistance as your child tests the glove, and this is only natural. New gloves are normally stiff which can be resolved by breaking it in.

How do you break in a tee-ball equipment such as the glove?

First, you have to apply either a glove oil or a leather conditioning oil on the glove’s surface. Pay particular attention on the inside and outside of the tee-ball equipment. Once the oil has been applied, put a ball in the middle of it and secure it tightly, and then wrap the entire glove with the same material that you used to secure the ball.

After 24 hours, start practicing catching balls with the glove. If there is any more stiffness, you just have to repeat the process until you feel like it has been broken down.

Taking the “breaking in” process into consideration, then a glove oil or a leather conditioning oil becomes an item that should be in every T ball equipment list.

See our post about 5 Great T-Ball Gloves for Toddlers and Young Kids.

The Bat

The bat’s importance cannot be reitereated enough – it is the very equipment that your children will need to have because the team’s victory depends on how well all the players swing this T ball equipment.

However, bats have a size range. What your child can use will depend on how comfortable they are with a bat even though as a norm, the smaller your child is the shorter the bat will be.

Luckily, most sporting goods stores allow children to test their products before they buy them. So, have them try as much as they could to ensure that they have the right bat for them.

Also, make sure to read our guide on choosing the best tee ball bat.

The Ball

The dimensions of this tee-ball equipment normally vary from one league to another. That is why if you want to one up the competition, knowing from the league what size of the ball is normally being used gives your child’s team a big advantage because they can get used to the ball even before anyone else’s.

Although, we can safely assume that the parents of other children will now be doing the same thing.

The Helmet

One of the tee-ball equipment that every player has freedom to choose whichever they feel they are more comfortable with. The most important decision that they have to choose from is deciding whether to have a chin strap and/or a face mask.

For others, the face mask makes the helmet heavier. That is why others prefer not to have it. Luckily though, this one can be removed if you bought one that has a face mask built in.

Additionally, the chin strap is another option that you can choose to have or have not. However, many suggest keeping the chin strap on. Many found it helpful in preventing the helmet from coming off which is important especially when your child is running around the bases.

IMPORTANT NOTE: It has been made a rule that helmets should not be shared between children out of fear of lice infestation.

Read our guide on how to choose the best T ball helmet.

Cleats

For those who are not yet aware, these are what they call their footwear in tee ball, and these are the most ideal ones because they provide the traction necessary to ensure that the plauers do not slip.

There several options when it comes to the make of the cleats themselves. However, it is preferred, especially for the ages of three to six, that they buy the ones with the rubber studs.

Moreover, it is important that you pick cleats that fits their feet. Parents have a tendency to pick a footwear that is one size higher. However, this should be avoided. Always choose a pair of cleats that fits their feet perfectly.

Bat Bag

With all those tee-ball equipment that were mentioned above, a bat bag should be an equipment needed for T ball practice. It is a convenient way to carry all of them, and prevents you from going backwards and forward to the car.

Additionally, your child could also carry the few that they could because aside from a one shoulder strap bag, sports goods stores also have a back pack bat bag.

As you can see, in spite of the sport being a child’s sport, there are numerous tee ball equipment that is required to play the sport, and that is just counting on one child.

However, the equipment needed for T ball does not end there because aside from those there were already mentioned, there are also T ball training equipment necessary for the coaches help these players improve.

The Coach’s Equipment

Coach’s too have their own necessary T ball training equipment to carry out the sessions necessary to help children improve their skills. This is important because to most of these children, this is their first encounter with baseball, and maybe sports in general, and it is both the responsibility of the coach to develop their skills in case this is going to be a career that they are pointing towards.

Additionally, to ensure that they maintain interested, it is the coach’s responsibility to make sure that this first time encounter becomes a long term relationship by making this experience a positive one.

So, what are the T ball training equipment that coach’s need to have?

Tee and Tee Balls

This is important especially when training the children how to hit the ball which is necessary to win a match.

For those who are not very familiar with what a tee is, it is a piece of T ball equipment that holds the ball for the batter before they swing to strike it because unlike baseball, softball, or cricket, tee ball does not pitch their balls. They will only have a player to stand as a pitcher for fielding purposes.

Bases

These are the plates that your players will be going through as they hit a fair ball. On most occasions, there should be bases in where you are training. However, there might be a chance that there is not.

In moments when there are not, it might be a good idea to include this in your T ball equipment list.

Sporting goods experts believe that there are cheaper options available in the market. However, the rubber ones are better because they are heavier which means they do not move around that much. Also, these are the better T ball training equipment because they are heavier. This means that the players are able to feel them under their cleats simulating the game even in training.

By simulating the match even during the training session gives any team a huge advantage during the real match.

Cones

This T ball training equipment is not as essential as the others on the list, but it can be very helpful in guiding the children where they should be during training.

Basically, cones will just make it more convenient to the coach and easier for the players to know where they should be without the coach having to chase them around.

First Aid Kit

Like any sport, injuries are also part of tee ball in spite of its nature of being a child’s sport. As the threat of injuries remains present, so does the need for a first aid kit remains, and should in fact be made an essential part of a team’s T ball equipment list.

Wristbands or Practice Shirts

These can be very helpful during training sessions in identifying who is in each others team. Which one to use is mainly up to the coach.

These elements of the tee-ball equipment are just to help your players know who their teammates are during a training session where you pit them against each other. As children, this is very important.

Heart Guard

In some circles, this is also called a chest protector, and this is normally worn by catchers. These are the players who are stationed just behind the batter whose responsibility in more adult sports such as baseball and softball is to catch the balls thrown by the pitcher.

In tee ball however, there is no pitching, and that is why there are arguments if there was a need for a heart guard.

However, catchers in tee ball are still expected to be the person manning the homebase to tag whoever is rushing towards it which is why it is necessary that they have this piece of tee ball equipment.

Imagine any person, running at you at full speed – you would like to have that extra protection if you can.

Here is a nice list of basic toddler T ball sets that you might want to start with.

A QUICK SIDE NOTE

There are others who are arguing that there are different the tee-ball equipment involved in the boy’s tee ball are different from those that are being used by the girls. This is a myth that needs to be put to rest.

Whatever tee-ball equipment that boys is similar to the girls tball equipment. The only difference between them might just be the aesthetics available. However, the way the boys play and the way they train should be similar.

In addition, there are difference in how the rules are being laid down for the girls.

Tee-ball equipment, just like all the other sports, is just as essential to the children as it is to the coach. Sometimes, no sport can be played if one equipment is lost, most especially if these are equipment needed for T ball.

Summertime is just around the corner, in fact, it might have already arrived in other parts of the world. Some, already passed. So, if you are a tee ball coach who is looking to either open a program, or continue what you did a year ago, then it is time to pick up those tee ball equipment that has long been waiting to be dusted off and used.

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