Baseball5
Baseball5, a new sport to discover to burn energy!
| Target: | Counselors |
| Members: | Everyone |
| Type of tool: | Activities |
| Ages: | 5-6 years, 7-8 years, 9-12 years, 13 and Over |
| Group size: | One group, More than one group |
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Physical activity
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Description
Do your kids miss doing the same sports day after day at camp? Introduce them to Baseball5 and we promise you they’ll never want to stop playing it!
It’s very similar to traditional baseball, but there is no bat or pitcher. The young people throw the ball into the air themselves and then hit it with their hand, fist or arm.
A game corresponds to 5 rounds. For each round, in turns, the teams are OFFENSIVE and DEFENSIVE. Roles must be switched after 3 outs or when all members of a team have hit the ball. The defensive team must attempt to catch the ball to remove a player from the offensive team. While the offensive team hits the ball in turns. Once a player hits the ball, he runs to first base. A bit like a normal baseball game.
When learning a new sport, it’s important to start from the basics, no matter what the age group is. This strengthens the self-confidence of young people and their motivation.
Start with a warm-up time where you ask the kids to practice the basic movements (throwing, hitting/catching, and running).
- Prepare your field: Look at page 6 of the tool to learn how to organize your youth on the playground.
- Make 2 teams of 5 players.
- Know the rules of Baseball5 to understand the nuances to play well your role as a referee.
Goal(s)
This activity allows young people to discover a new sport. It reinforces the development of the following motor skills: running, catching, throwing and hitting.
Tips and tricks
Don’t forget to present the tool in a logical and progressive way. For the youngest, prepare the game over several days, so each day is dedicated to a motor skill and on the last day they play! For the older ones, during the warm-up do a course that practices the 4 motor skills at the same time (running, catching, throwing and hitting) so you can start to play faster.
Required material
- A ball (the ball must be able to bounce off the ground and be adequate to hit with a hand)
Material to mark the ground :
- An object for the home plate
- 3 objects to make the goals (traditional goals, hoops, others)
Optional Material :
- Chalks of different colors to mark off the playing area on the ground
- Hoops of different sizes
- Bins or containers
Let’s have a chat!
Here are subjects to discuss with your campers before and after the activity. Ask them questions to see what they learnt.
- Inclusion: how can they help each other to be better in their actions.
- Sportsmanship: what is it? Why does it matter.
- Fun: Did they like this new sport? Would they like to do it again? What did they find easier or more difficult?…
Variant(s)
- If you can’t form teams of 5 players, it’s possible to vary the number of teams or the number of players. You’ll find in the pdf alternatives for when you have less than 5 players per team to help you adapt the game.
- Find in the pdf some tips and tricks to share with your young people when you do the activity so they can become pro players. You’ll find tricks for running, hitting, catching, and throwing.
More information
For more information, contact Jean-François Charles of Baseball Quebec at the following address jfcharles@baseballquebec.qc.ca. If you want to order an original Baseball5 ball, go to the Baseball5 online shop to order.
