Live tee work teaches kids to track the ball as if someone is throwing it, even though the tee is stationary. This is the bridge between tee work and soft toss.
Equipment needed: A T-ball tee, 20 baseballs, a net or fence behind the tee, a bat.
Setup: Place the tee at home plate. You stand behind the tee with the bucket of balls. A net is 30 feet behind home plate to catch balls.
How to run it:
- Load the first ball on the tee.
- The hitter addresses the plate and gets ready.
- You call out “Hit,” and they swing. Your voice is the trigger, just like a pitch.
- After the swing, you immediately place the next ball on the tee while they reset.
- Do 10 reps at a normal pace. Rest. Do 10 more.
- Total: 20 reps in about 20 minutes with the pace of real batting.
What to look for: A consistent approach every rep. Feet set, hands ready, same breath, same swing. Rhythm matters. Kids who are loose will make more contact than kids who think too hard.
Variation: For older kids (10), tee the ball slightly forward of the front foot to force them to drive through the zone instead of getting jammed.
If they’re struggling: Drop the pace. Wait three seconds between “Hit” calls and let them reset their breath. Cut the set to 10 reps total.
If they’ve got it: Mix two ball heights in the same set. Put 5 balls high, 5 low, and don’t tell them which is coming until you load it.
Gear for this drill (affiliate)
Youth baseball glove → — the first piece of gear for every new player.
Batting trainer → — tee and trainer setup for solo swings.
Full baseball gear guide → — all picks by age, sport, and level.
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