Hi folks
We are back into KiwiBall this Friday night! For all those players keen to show off what 6 weeks of intense training over the break looks like, we'll see you there!
See you soon,
Paul
Monday, 29 January 2018
Thursday, 14 December 2017
Christmas break - key dates!
Hi folks
A couple of important things as we approach the Christmas break.
Last pre Christmas game is tomorrow
Our last pre Christmas game is tomorrow (Saturday) morning. For this one game, santa hats and reindeer antlers will be acceptable team uniform (either instead of or as well as baseball caps). If you're swapping out your cap, please be extra sun smart!
For anyone looking to see the older teams in action, here are our other teams in action tomorrow:
U11s Bayside B v HP U11 Yankees on Lloyd Elsmore U11 diamond from 9:30am
U16s Central v HP U16 Hawks on Lloyd Elsmore #2 diamond from 9:30am
U13s Bayside A v HP U13 Black Hawks on Lloyd Elsmore #3 (right field on the #1 diamond as you walk in) from 12pm
U13s Bayside B v HP U13 Red Hawks on Lloyd Elsmore #3 from 2:30pm
Club BBQ
Come along Sunday for a BBQ on the Club, and catch our Senior baseball teams in action! Games start from 9:30am, with the Premiers game starting at 12:30pm.
The BBQ will be firing up around 1pm and run until we finish (games finish around 3pm, BBQ is planned to run till 5pm or we run out of food).
First game back
We'll recommence in the new year 2 February and run until 16 March 2017. Please keep an eye on the blog at kiwisluggers.blogspot.co.nz for any breaking news.
Lastly, thank you to all our coaches and helpers for giving your time to help out our kids. And to you parents, we hope your young champions have enjoyed this first half of KiwiBall and we look forward to seeing you all again, raring to go, in the new year.
Merry Christmas all.
Paul
Sunday, 19 November 2017
KiwiBall regular season starts this week!
Hi folks
We hope you've enjoyed getting involved with Spring Training over the last few weeks! We are now moving into our regular season, which means to continue playing we'd like you to register (if you haven't already done so) and get your fees paid!
Registrations can be completed at:
If you'd still like some time to make up your mind, you're welcome to keep trialing on the Friday nights at training, but game days will be for registered members from this weekend on.
If you'd registered but decided not to play this season, we wish you well and ask you just let us know so we can take you off our members registration and contacts lists.
We'll announce the teams on Friday at training, and allocate out caps and baseball pants on Saturday morning during the pre game training time.
See you all soon!
Paul
Thursday, 9 November 2017
KiwiBall Spring Training - week two
Hi folks
Here's hoping the rain stays away tonight and tomorrow morning. Here is the run down for week two of Spring Training:
Junior Sluggers - Friday night training (45 minutes maximum):
Helpers required - at least 2 parents please!
Run the bases:
After a 5 minute warm up (can be a game of tag, stuck in the mud, jumping jacks and standing jumps), line all the players up at home base. The line follows the leader running around the bases (no overtaking) jumping on each base and yelling out it's name (ie "1!", "2!", '3!", "HOME!" finishing at home base. Either pick a player that seems confident to do this, or a parent/coach can be the leader. Do it again, and see if everyone can do it faster!
Basic throwing techniques:
A cone grid has been set up beyond first base. Line the players up between the cones just past first base. Give each player 2 baseballs (or 1 each if there aren't enough baseballs available).
First, demonstrate the beginner throwing technique.
Standing side on to the direction you will throw, holding the ball in your dominant (throwing) hand, ask the players if they've seen a bow and arrow. Then demonstrate old both hands out in front like you're about to draw a bowstring (ie think bow and arrow). Shout out "pull back!" and pull your throwing hand with the ball back to your ear. Now, pretend the ball is a telephone - when the phone rings (ie the parent/coach now makes a "brrrrrnnngggg!!!" sound), the players yell "hello!!!", then throw it!!!
If unsure on the technique, come get me (Paul) and I'll run a quick demo.
Now let the kids do it. Make sure they don't chase after their balls until BOTH balls are thrown.
First, tell the kids to look out at the cones - for each cone they throw the ball past, they get points - 100 points, 1000 points, 10,000 points, and 1 million points for the furthest throws.
Now parent/coach yells out:
"Hold out your bow and arrow!"
"Pull it back!"
"Brrrrrnnnnnnggggg" - the kids yell "Hello!!!!"
"FIRE"
Repeat for both balls, then get the players to get both balls and repeat the process.
Next, get a swiss ball (one should be available). Instead of throwing for distance, repeat the throwing process and roll out the swiss ball. Every time the players hit it they get 100 points. Repeat and see if they can beat their points total.
Game:
For week two we'll use the same format for the game as week one.
NOTE: If there are not enough players for two teams, instead of a batting team, have one player hit at a time, and everyone else fields. Rotate the hitter from the fielders until everyone has had a bat, then repeat until the end of the session.
Split the players into two teams - one team bats, one team fields. After everyone has batted on the batting team, swap over.
Batting team
Line the team up away from home base. Set up the batting tee on home base and have one ball to hit. Use one bat only for safety reasons. Bring up one batter at a time with a helmet on, everyone else remains seated in line and cheers for the batter.
Before the first batter, explain to the team what they need to do: Have the batter hit the ball off the tee and, once the ball is hit, the player carefully DROPS THE BAT - NEVER THROW THE BAT, and run a home run jumping on each base and yelling out it's name as they go.
Be patient with the batter. Get them to focus on the ball (batting technique is not too important at this stage). If they swing and miss three times, have a parent help them make contact. Watch out for enthusiastic swings of the bat!
Fielding team
Help the players to put on a baseball glove (they go on their non dominant hand, their dominant hand is for throwing ie a right handed thrower wears their glove on their left hand). Get enough baseballs so you have at least one per fielder. The parent helping the fielding team should stand near base two with the baseballs.
Spread the players out behind the red safety cones to avoid being hit by well hit baseballs. The area between home base and the cones is RED HOT LAVA and so must not be stepped in! When the batter hits the ball, the parent throws the fielders balls out to the fielders - each one fields one ball only. They then run the balls back in to base 2 back to the parent helper. Repeat for each batter. See who can get their ball back the fastest!
Junior Sluggers - Saturday game:
Warm up - a game of "Stuck in the mud" or something similar and some fun stretches to warm up (eg star jumps, standing jumps, arm circles)
Practice running the bases again and make sure they yell out the name of each base as they jump on them! Have them all stand in the middle of the diamond. Yell out a base name and get them to run to it - see who can remember the best! If Friday was washed out, then go through the learning the base name drill instead to teach the base names.
Play the game as per Friday night training.
Sluggers - Friday training
Warm up game of Stuck in the Mud and stretches.
Learning "ready position", "fielding position", "throwing position" and "hitting position".
Re test of last week's fielding postions. Mix in the above "ready position" etc as they run.
Working on catching basics again - glove off, then glove on.
Working on ground ball basics - glove off, then glove on.
Hitting off the tee - two stations, more if required (if time).
Sluggers - Saturday game:
Warm up as per Friday night, go through catching basics drills then working on throwing basics (4 seam grip and arm path).
For the game, using tees to begin with, but progressing to coach pitch from the 2nd inning for the more confident players. Hitters run until the ball is touched by a fielder, and then remains at the base they're approaching. Fielders throw to that base.
Here's hoping the rain stays away tonight and tomorrow morning. Here is the run down for week two of Spring Training:
Junior Sluggers - Friday night training (45 minutes maximum):
Helpers required - at least 2 parents please!
Run the bases:
After a 5 minute warm up (can be a game of tag, stuck in the mud, jumping jacks and standing jumps), line all the players up at home base. The line follows the leader running around the bases (no overtaking) jumping on each base and yelling out it's name (ie "1!", "2!", '3!", "HOME!" finishing at home base. Either pick a player that seems confident to do this, or a parent/coach can be the leader. Do it again, and see if everyone can do it faster!
Basic throwing techniques:
A cone grid has been set up beyond first base. Line the players up between the cones just past first base. Give each player 2 baseballs (or 1 each if there aren't enough baseballs available).
First, demonstrate the beginner throwing technique.
Standing side on to the direction you will throw, holding the ball in your dominant (throwing) hand, ask the players if they've seen a bow and arrow. Then demonstrate old both hands out in front like you're about to draw a bowstring (ie think bow and arrow). Shout out "pull back!" and pull your throwing hand with the ball back to your ear. Now, pretend the ball is a telephone - when the phone rings (ie the parent/coach now makes a "brrrrrnnngggg!!!" sound), the players yell "hello!!!", then throw it!!!
If unsure on the technique, come get me (Paul) and I'll run a quick demo.
Now let the kids do it. Make sure they don't chase after their balls until BOTH balls are thrown.
First, tell the kids to look out at the cones - for each cone they throw the ball past, they get points - 100 points, 1000 points, 10,000 points, and 1 million points for the furthest throws.
Now parent/coach yells out:
"Hold out your bow and arrow!"
"Pull it back!"
"Brrrrrnnnnnnggggg" - the kids yell "Hello!!!!"
"FIRE"
Repeat for both balls, then get the players to get both balls and repeat the process.
Next, get a swiss ball (one should be available). Instead of throwing for distance, repeat the throwing process and roll out the swiss ball. Every time the players hit it they get 100 points. Repeat and see if they can beat their points total.
Game:
For week two we'll use the same format for the game as week one.
NOTE: If there are not enough players for two teams, instead of a batting team, have one player hit at a time, and everyone else fields. Rotate the hitter from the fielders until everyone has had a bat, then repeat until the end of the session.
Split the players into two teams - one team bats, one team fields. After everyone has batted on the batting team, swap over.
Batting team
Line the team up away from home base. Set up the batting tee on home base and have one ball to hit. Use one bat only for safety reasons. Bring up one batter at a time with a helmet on, everyone else remains seated in line and cheers for the batter.
Before the first batter, explain to the team what they need to do: Have the batter hit the ball off the tee and, once the ball is hit, the player carefully DROPS THE BAT - NEVER THROW THE BAT, and run a home run jumping on each base and yelling out it's name as they go.
Be patient with the batter. Get them to focus on the ball (batting technique is not too important at this stage). If they swing and miss three times, have a parent help them make contact. Watch out for enthusiastic swings of the bat!
Fielding team
Help the players to put on a baseball glove (they go on their non dominant hand, their dominant hand is for throwing ie a right handed thrower wears their glove on their left hand). Get enough baseballs so you have at least one per fielder. The parent helping the fielding team should stand near base two with the baseballs.
Spread the players out behind the red safety cones to avoid being hit by well hit baseballs. The area between home base and the cones is RED HOT LAVA and so must not be stepped in! When the batter hits the ball, the parent throws the fielders balls out to the fielders - each one fields one ball only. They then run the balls back in to base 2 back to the parent helper. Repeat for each batter. See who can get their ball back the fastest!
Junior Sluggers - Saturday game:
Warm up - a game of "Stuck in the mud" or something similar and some fun stretches to warm up (eg star jumps, standing jumps, arm circles)
Practice running the bases again and make sure they yell out the name of each base as they jump on them! Have them all stand in the middle of the diamond. Yell out a base name and get them to run to it - see who can remember the best! If Friday was washed out, then go through the learning the base name drill instead to teach the base names.
Play the game as per Friday night training.
Sluggers - Friday training
Warm up game of Stuck in the Mud and stretches.
Learning "ready position", "fielding position", "throwing position" and "hitting position".
Re test of last week's fielding postions. Mix in the above "ready position" etc as they run.
Working on catching basics again - glove off, then glove on.
Working on ground ball basics - glove off, then glove on.
Hitting off the tee - two stations, more if required (if time).
Sluggers - Saturday game:
Warm up as per Friday night, go through catching basics drills then working on throwing basics (4 seam grip and arm path).
For the game, using tees to begin with, but progressing to coach pitch from the 2nd inning for the more confident players. Hitters run until the ball is touched by a fielder, and then remains at the base they're approaching. Fielders throw to that base.
Friday, 27 October 2017
Opening Day CANCELLED
Hi all.
I'm sitting at the diamonds in a flooded car park and it's raining - looks like we'll have to hit the reboot key and postpone our Opening Weekend until next week.
To clarify - KiwiBall is cancelled this morning.
Enjoy your weekend and we'll see you next week.
Paul
Thursday, 26 October 2017
Training CANCELLED
Hi folks.
Due to the rain today and likelihood of further rain this evening, out opening Spring Training is CANCELLED.
Please chack back here in the morning in case we need to again cancel due to the weather.
Paul
Tuesday, 24 October 2017
KiwiBall starts Friday night!
Hi folks
KiwiBall Spring Training begins this Friday! In advance of our season kick off, here are a few bits of information and a big request for help.
Start time
Friday night training:
Both Junior Sluggers (5-6 year olds) and Sluggers (7-8 year olds) will start at 5:30pm. The Juniors run for 45 mins and the Sluggers run for an hour.
Saturday morning game:
Meet time is 8:30am for warm ups with games starting at 9am. Again, 45 mins for Junior Sluggers, 1 hour for Sluggers.
Location
We'll be on the touch rugby fields over the far side of the Number 1 diamond (the first diamond as you walk into Lloyd Elsmore Park from the baseball car park off Cascades Road (opposite the vege wholesaler near Ben Lomand Cres).
Weather cancellation
If we are uncertain about the weather, and/or the fields are too wet, we'll cancel the training or game. Cancellation will be via the KiwiBall facebook page and on this site. For training, we'll notify of cancellation no later than 4pm. For the game Saturday, we'll notify of cancellation by 8am.
Parent help - Junior Sluggers
We're looking for help with coaching teams once the Spring Training period has ended. In the meantime, we'll need all the parent help we can get - particularly at the Junior Slugger level. If you are willing to help out with coaching, please put your hand up to assist during the Spring Training period. I've put together a detailed format for week one of the Junior Sluggers training and game day below so everyone understands what we want the players to do.
Please either email or phone/text me if you are able to help out - or even just make yourself known to me on Friday night. If you're able to help out, print out and bring along a copy of the Junior Sluggers training / game format as a guide.
I'll be there working with the Sluggers grade, but I'll also need help to wrangle the players, so parents with players at that level, please don't be afraid to step forward. I've included a brief outline of what we'll be working on for week 1 below as well.
Format:
Junior Sluggers - Friday night training:
Juniors - Base names, timed home run and a game.
Helpers required - at least 2 parents per diamond
Learn the bases:
After a quick warm up and stretch (jumping jacks, stretch to the sky, bend to the ground), the players gather around home base. Everyone points at the base and yells as loudly as they can "HOME" three times. Then get everyone to run to 1st base (everyone points at the base and yells "base 1" three times), 2nd base ("base 2"), 3rd base ("base 3") and returns to "home!".
Timed home run:
Line all the players up at home base. The line follows the leader running around the bases (no overtaking) jumping on each base and yelling out it's name, finishing at home base. After this practice, do it again but "time" it. See if everyone can set a world record!
Game:
For week one, this game will be the format of the game used on Saturday morning as well.
Split the players into two teams - one team bats, one team fields. After everyone has batted on the batting team, swap over.
Batting team
Line the team up away from home base. Set up the batting tee on home base and have one ball to hit. Use one bat only for safety reasons. Bring up one batter at a time with a helmet on, everyone else remains seated in line and cheers for the batter.
Before the first batter, explain to the team what they need to do: Have the batter hit the ball off the tee and, once the ball is hit, the player carefully DROPS THE BAT - NEVER THROW THE BAT, and run a home run jumping on each base and yelling out it's name as they go.
Be patient with the batter. Get them to focus on the ball (batting technique is not too important at this stage). If they swing and miss three times, have a parent help them make contact. Watch out for enthusiastic swings of the bat!
Fielding team
Help the players to put on a baseball glove (they go on their non dominant hand, their dominant hand is for throwing ie a right handed thrower wears their glove on their left hand). Get enough baseballs so you have at least one per fielder. The parent helping the fielding team should stand near base two with the baseballs.
Spread the players out behind the red safety cones to avoid being hit by well hit baseballs. The area between home base and the cones is RED HOT LAVA and so must not be stepped in! When the batter hits the ball, the parent throws the fielders balls out to the fielders - each one fields one ball only. They then run the balls back in to base 2 back to the parent helper. Repeat for each batter. See who can get their ball back the fastest!
Junior Sluggers - Saturday game:
Warm up - a game of "Stuck in the mud" or something similar and some fun stretches to warm up (eg star jumps, standing jumps, arm circles)
Practice running the bases again and make sure they yell out the name of each base as they jump on them! Have them all stand in the middle of the diamond. Yell out a base name and get them to run to it - see who can remember the best! If Friday was washed out, then go through the learning the base name drill instead to teach the base names.
Play the game as per Friday night training.
Sluggers - Friday training
Warm up game of Stuck in the Mud and stretches.
Learning "ready position", "fielding position", "throwing position" and "hitting position".
Learning the fielding positions - and then a test.
Working on catching basics - glove off, then glove on.
Working on ground ball basics - glove off, then glove on.
Hitting off the tee - two stations, more if required.
Sluggers - Saturday game:
Warm up as per Friday night, go through catching basics drills then working on throwing basics (4 seam grip and arm path).
For the game, using tees to begin with, but progressing to coach pitch from the 2nd inning for the more confident players. Hitters run until the ball is touched by a fielder, and then remains at the base they're approaching. Fielders throw to that base.
KiwiBall Spring Training begins this Friday! In advance of our season kick off, here are a few bits of information and a big request for help.
Start time
Friday night training:
Both Junior Sluggers (5-6 year olds) and Sluggers (7-8 year olds) will start at 5:30pm. The Juniors run for 45 mins and the Sluggers run for an hour.
Saturday morning game:
Meet time is 8:30am for warm ups with games starting at 9am. Again, 45 mins for Junior Sluggers, 1 hour for Sluggers.
Location
We'll be on the touch rugby fields over the far side of the Number 1 diamond (the first diamond as you walk into Lloyd Elsmore Park from the baseball car park off Cascades Road (opposite the vege wholesaler near Ben Lomand Cres).
Weather cancellation
If we are uncertain about the weather, and/or the fields are too wet, we'll cancel the training or game. Cancellation will be via the KiwiBall facebook page and on this site. For training, we'll notify of cancellation no later than 4pm. For the game Saturday, we'll notify of cancellation by 8am.
Parent help - Junior Sluggers
We're looking for help with coaching teams once the Spring Training period has ended. In the meantime, we'll need all the parent help we can get - particularly at the Junior Slugger level. If you are willing to help out with coaching, please put your hand up to assist during the Spring Training period. I've put together a detailed format for week one of the Junior Sluggers training and game day below so everyone understands what we want the players to do.
Please either email or phone/text me if you are able to help out - or even just make yourself known to me on Friday night. If you're able to help out, print out and bring along a copy of the Junior Sluggers training / game format as a guide.
I'll be there working with the Sluggers grade, but I'll also need help to wrangle the players, so parents with players at that level, please don't be afraid to step forward. I've included a brief outline of what we'll be working on for week 1 below as well.
Format:
Junior Sluggers - Friday night training:
Juniors - Base names, timed home run and a game.
Helpers required - at least 2 parents per diamond
Learn the bases:
After a quick warm up and stretch (jumping jacks, stretch to the sky, bend to the ground), the players gather around home base. Everyone points at the base and yells as loudly as they can "HOME" three times. Then get everyone to run to 1st base (everyone points at the base and yells "base 1" three times), 2nd base ("base 2"), 3rd base ("base 3") and returns to "home!".
Timed home run:
Line all the players up at home base. The line follows the leader running around the bases (no overtaking) jumping on each base and yelling out it's name, finishing at home base. After this practice, do it again but "time" it. See if everyone can set a world record!
Game:
For week one, this game will be the format of the game used on Saturday morning as well.
Split the players into two teams - one team bats, one team fields. After everyone has batted on the batting team, swap over.
Batting team
Line the team up away from home base. Set up the batting tee on home base and have one ball to hit. Use one bat only for safety reasons. Bring up one batter at a time with a helmet on, everyone else remains seated in line and cheers for the batter.
Before the first batter, explain to the team what they need to do: Have the batter hit the ball off the tee and, once the ball is hit, the player carefully DROPS THE BAT - NEVER THROW THE BAT, and run a home run jumping on each base and yelling out it's name as they go.
Be patient with the batter. Get them to focus on the ball (batting technique is not too important at this stage). If they swing and miss three times, have a parent help them make contact. Watch out for enthusiastic swings of the bat!
Fielding team
Help the players to put on a baseball glove (they go on their non dominant hand, their dominant hand is for throwing ie a right handed thrower wears their glove on their left hand). Get enough baseballs so you have at least one per fielder. The parent helping the fielding team should stand near base two with the baseballs.
Spread the players out behind the red safety cones to avoid being hit by well hit baseballs. The area between home base and the cones is RED HOT LAVA and so must not be stepped in! When the batter hits the ball, the parent throws the fielders balls out to the fielders - each one fields one ball only. They then run the balls back in to base 2 back to the parent helper. Repeat for each batter. See who can get their ball back the fastest!
Junior Sluggers - Saturday game:
Warm up - a game of "Stuck in the mud" or something similar and some fun stretches to warm up (eg star jumps, standing jumps, arm circles)
Practice running the bases again and make sure they yell out the name of each base as they jump on them! Have them all stand in the middle of the diamond. Yell out a base name and get them to run to it - see who can remember the best! If Friday was washed out, then go through the learning the base name drill instead to teach the base names.
Play the game as per Friday night training.
Sluggers - Friday training
Warm up game of Stuck in the Mud and stretches.
Learning "ready position", "fielding position", "throwing position" and "hitting position".
Learning the fielding positions - and then a test.
Working on catching basics - glove off, then glove on.
Working on ground ball basics - glove off, then glove on.
Hitting off the tee - two stations, more if required.
Sluggers - Saturday game:
Warm up as per Friday night, go through catching basics drills then working on throwing basics (4 seam grip and arm path).
For the game, using tees to begin with, but progressing to coach pitch from the 2nd inning for the more confident players. Hitters run until the ball is touched by a fielder, and then remains at the base they're approaching. Fielders throw to that base.
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