Monday, February 19, 2007

Tee-Ball

Our kids took up a new sport this week..... Tee-Ball.

It is basically a child friendly version of the American game, Baseball.
The kids are in teams of about 10-12 and either bat or field. The batting team run around a small group of bases trying to get back home while the fielders try catching the base ball in their big mits to get the running kid in the other team out. Simple rules but try teaching them to a group of six year olds!!! The Australian Baseball Federation (ABF) heavily sponsors a 6 week course of Tee-Ball coaching and matches for young kids in the hope of tempting in fresh blood to the on-going baseball leagues.
Over the next six weeks the kids will go to a local sports ground every Thursday afternoon for 45mins of coaching followed by a 1 hour game against a team from another school. The coaches are all volunteers and the equipment is provided by the ABF. The total cost for the six week course is $10 (£4) and for this they also throw in a free T-shirt and baseball hat!

Keen to give it a go we turned up last Thursday and Sian and Rhiannon played their hearts out! They absolutely loved it! Loads of their school friends were there and lots of the parents too so it was very sociable. We had a sausage sizzle afterwards and that was tea sorted!
Having had so much fun on Thursday we went into a local sports shop at the weekend and bought a bat and ball to go down the park with. We also found a "tee" which is the pole that the baseball balances on top (Thus the name Tee-Ball!)

Eager to try it out we went straight down to Rathmines park and had a great couple of hours playing. Here are some of the photos.....





3 comments - click here to leave your comment:

  1. whey-hey !!!
    That looks like fun !!!
    ....Gareth try using one of the eggs from the fridge instead of the 'tee=bag'...i reckon it will be more fun !! dont tell mam or dad though !!!
    Good luck xxx
    uncle Steve

     
  2. Sian,
    Was that a brilliant catch by your father or did he just fall over? Hitting a stationary ball doesn't seem cricket somehow, but Grandad will still enjoy it.

     
  3. Oh, it was out alright, a great catch if I do say so myself...