Tennis Baseball

  1. Ball Games
  2. Readiness Games

  • Large Group (10 and up)

  • Grades 1-2

  • Bases

  • 10 minutes or more

Development Goal

To develop the hand-eye coordination needed to hit a ball with a racket.

Before You Start

  • Have bases or cones, tennis balls and a tennis/racquetball racket on hand.  
  • Divide players into two teams.
  • Teach the rules of the game and ask the students to explain them back to you.
  • Review the concepts of softball and baseball that you are reinforcing through this game.
  • Demonstrate the skills needed.
 

Set Up

Set up a typical baseball diamond with four bases--first, second, third and home.

How to Play

  • The fielding team gets distributed in their positions; everyone is in the field, even if you need to have more than nine players in the field.
  • Give the batting team a batting order and line them up in a safe area to the side of the field.
  • This game is played following softball & baseball rules with the exception that the pitcher allows the ball to bounce once before it reaches the batter. The batter then hits the ball with a racket rather than a bat.


You are the pitcher and control the play of the game: 

  • Play starts when you throw the ball underhand towards home plate. 
  • Play stops when the ball is returned back to you.

Teams switch places when: 
  • The full team has taken a turn at bat. 
  • A time limit is reached.
  • Three outs are scored.
 

Variations

  • Boom Ball:€“ Play with the same rules and boundaries as tennis baseball except the ball being used is a volleyball or soccer ball and the batter uses an actual soft/baseball bat or a five gallon water jug attached to a handle.