5U Rules

North Shore Baseball Association 5U Division Rules

Electronic Copy – Revision 1 (February 2018)

 

PURPOSE

The purpose of the 5U Division program is to introduce young players to the fun game of baseball, and to teach the players how to throw a ball, hit a ball from a tee, and catch a ball. The most important lessons in 5U is good sportsmanship and team spirit. The key outcome we want is for the players to have fun!

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

5U is an introduction to baseball for players aged 3 and 4 years old as of January 1st of the year in which the baseball season commences.

5U introduces some basic concepts of baseball and teamwork.

Parent participation is required. This provides encouragement for the young players and assists the volunteer coaches who have dedicated their time to help our children learn baseball.

  1. GENERAL RULES
    1. Baseball t-shirt and hat is supplied to all players in 5U. Base runners and batters must where batting helmets with chinstraps attached.
    2. Players must wear long pants on the field. Players must have a batting helmet and a glove. Players should wear running shoes.
    3. The home team is responsible to remove and return all required baseball equipment from the equipment box next to the baseball diamond.
  1. STARTING AND ENDING THE GAME
    1. Games should start within 10 minutes of the scheduled start time.
    2. These are “games” in so much as we have three (3) innings and there are two (2) teams at the ball diamond.
    3. We allocated a maximum of one (1) hour for game time. However, usually the game ends within forty (40) minutes of the start time.
    4. There are a maximum of three (3) innings played.
  1. GAME RULES
    1. Both teams have an opportunity to hit (offence) and field (defence) each inning. In each inning all players have a turn at bat.
    2. Offensive players use a bat to hit a Blastball (foam baseball) off the tee and then run to the “first base” (which is a Blastball HONK base).
    3. There are no “safes” or “outs” in baseball. Each batter will run to the Blastball HONK base and then the batter returns to the dugout after their hit.
    4. Defensive players field the batted ball and attempt to tag the offensive runner or throw to our Blastball HONK base.
    5. Defensive players rotate fielding positions much like in a regular baseball game with the defensive players taking an infield or outfield position.
  1. THE BASE RACE AFTER THE GAME

Perhaps the most fun part of the game is the base race following the game. This is how it works:

    1. Coaches will have access to four (4) bases. They can set them up like a traditional baseball diamond (approximately 40 feet apart).
    2. One team lines up at home plate; the other team lines up at second base. Make sure the players in line are away from the base path.
    3. The first runner for each team has a ball in her/his hand. They will “run the bases” carrying the ball and they will hand it off to their teammate once they have run all around the bases.
    4. A coach will yell “go” (or coaches can throw a ball in the air and the “go” is when the ball hits the ground), and the first runner for each team, with ball in hand, will run the bases counter-clockwise. Once the first runner has run all the way around the bases, and hands the ball off to her/his teammate, this second player runs the bases with the ball. This continues until all players have run the bases.

 

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