Where do I throw it? Teaching kids which base to throw to.

Every parent has seen it: a kid fields the ball cleanly, then freezes, looks around and throws to the wrong base, or doesn't throw at all. That isn't a glove problem. It's a thinking problem, and it's one of the easiest things to fix at home and at practice.

The one question to ask before every pitch

Young players freeze because they start thinking after the ball is in their glove. By then it's too late. The fix is to do the thinking first.

Before every pitch, each fielder asks: "If it's hit to me, where do I go?" Then they answer it out loud or point to the base. Kids as young as 7 can learn this habit.

To answer the question, a player needs three facts:

• How many outs? Coaches can hold up fingers; players hold them up back.
• Where are the runners? Name every base that has someone on it.
• Who is forced? More on that next. It's the key to almost every decision.

Force outs vs. tag outs, in kid words

A force out happens when a runner has to run because the batter is coming behind them. The fielder only needs to hold the ball and touch the base before the runner gets there. The batter is always forced to first, and a runner on first is forced to second when the ball is hit on the ground.

A tag out happens when the runner doesn't have to run. Then the fielder has to touch the runner with the ball. Tags are harder, slower and easier to miss.

For 7–12 year olds, that leads to a simple rule: a force out is easier than a tag out, so look for the force first. Our guide on how to teach kids to tag a runner covers the tag when it's the only play.

Five simple where-to-throw rules for ages 7–12

These cover most plays your player will see. Every team is a little different, so if the coach teaches it another way, go with the coach.

1. Nobody on base: throw to first. The batter is the only runner. Get the out.
2. Runners on base: get the sure force out. If you can step on a base for a force yourself, do it. If not, throw to the closest base with a force, as long as you have time.
3. Two outs: get the easiest out. One out ends the inning. Runners take off on contact with two outs, so don't chase the lead runner. Take the throw you know you can make.
4. Ball hit to the outfield: throw ahead of the lead runner. Outfielders throw to the base in front of the lead runner, or hit the cutoff player. Never throw behind a runner.
5. Not sure? Run it in. A ball run hard back to the infield, or to the pitcher, stops runners. A wild throw to the wrong base gives away extra bases.

These work for baseball and softball. Softball plays happen faster because the bases are closer, which makes deciding before the pitch even more important.

Two games that teach where to throw

Kids learn this faster on their feet than on a whiteboard. Both games use a soft ball and a few bases.

1. Call it out (10 minutes): put fielders in position. The coach calls a situation: "One out, runner on first." Each player points to where they'd go if the ball came to them. Then roll a ball to one player, who makes the play. Change the situation every rep.
2. Situation cards (backyard, 10 minutes): write five situations on index cards, like "Nobody on, nobody out" or "Runner on second, two outs." Your child draws a card, says the answer, then fields a soft grounder from you and throws to a parent or a bucket at the right base.

Praise the decision first and the throw second. A player who goes to the right base with a so-so throw is learning. A player who freezes needs more reps of the question, not a lecture.

How parents can help without coaching from the stands

Game day is the coach's day, so save the teaching for home. A few easy ways to help:

• Watch a game together and pause before pitches: "If it's hit to short, where does it go?"
• Ask, don't tell, after a game: "What was the play on that ground ball?" Let your child explain.
• Celebrate a smart throw to first that got the out, even if a fancier play was possible.

Coach BK likes to say "Belief is the most powerful human force." For a young fielder, that belief comes from knowing the play ahead of time, so the throw is quick and confident instead of rushed.

What to do this week

Make five situation cards and play the card game for 10 minutes, twice this week. Next time you watch a game together, ask your child to call the play before a few pitches.

SEE GAME IQ PLAYMAKER (LEVEL 2 BASEBALL IQ, $49) →

Sources: MLB Glossary: Force Play · Little League: Tee ball drills – offense and defense progressions · Little League: Coaching the Bases 101