4 Year Old Baseball

You're thinking, but hey they shouldn't start until kindergarten or until they turn 5. Then you might start thinking we push our kids too young and make them play sport too young. Or you might be thinking that's cool, why didn't I think of it. Well my response is relax, it all about fun.

Seriously there are about 50 4 year olds at this place at one time and its organized chaos. There is not much  you can do with 50, 4 year olds in 45 minutes except introduce them to the sport. So mostly they are learning about baseball right now.

When they first arrived they got divided in two groups of 25 kids. Here is Erik waiting for his turn.

Then they get their first throw, Erik choose to throw underhand for some reason.

Then when we all walked over to our clinic spot, the kids got to run the base for the first time and the coach taught them some of basic concepts of baseball. Most of the kids actually listened and asked questions. Erik even raised his hand, but was never called on.

Then the kids were divided into smaller groups to work on skills. Parent participation was highly recommended at this part because they needed parents to help throw the ball. The goal was to catch and throw, skills that we need to work on still.

 

 

He was wearing his hat really low on his head, not sure but didn't correct him because he just kept putting it back on that way.

I thought Erik wasn't doing well with the "arm stretch throw" technique, but of course when I look at these pictures I realize he was practicing it perfect. In these pictures they were aiming for a target. Of course Erik LOVED it.

Poor Elliot was insanely jealous the entire time and was getting mad at the attention. I should have realized a almost three year old is like that now. I forget he is pretty much a preschooler at this point. He begged me to take a picture and this is for my poor baby who couldn't play baseball and really wanted too.

Erik sat down while the coach was talking, Carl demanded I take this picture. I was going too anyway, pretty cute.

The next clinic was grounders with the alligators arms. Erik was really good at squatting and getting in front of the ball for grounders, but we need to work on alligator arms. No surprise on the form, his mommy is a natural infielder and he does take after me.

It was really important to Carl this day to have the interaction with Erik and play with him. I just wanted to go the first practice to take pictures, but in the future will leave this up to Carl. He was having fun throwing Erik grounders.

 

The last rotation they did was hitting the ball off the tee and Erik did really well here. He can definitely hit he ball off the tee without knocking it over.

The last clinic was the hit the ball and run the bases. Totally a thrill because Erik really just wanted to play a "real" game. Instead of just practicing skills.

The bane of any photographers existence, this kid got right in front of my shot. Doesn't he know there is a mom shooting back here.

 

The sign of a good day is that Erik still hasn't taken off his baseball cap and wanted to play again as soon as he got home. We're definitely on our way to becoming a baseball family.