Rookie & Machine Pitch

Rookie is for 6 & 7 year olds.

Machine Pitch is for 7 & 8 year olds.

Building on the Tee Ball program, South Oldham Little League proudly offers a Rookie league and a Machine Pitch baseball league. Both leagues continue the training process by which youngsters can learn, develop and practice fundamental baseball skills at an early age and receive maximum enjoyment from the experience. Conventional baseball and softball requires that a pitcher throw accurately across home plate within each batter's defined strike zone. Most youngsters 6, 7, and 8 years old have not developed skills to pitch accurately nor to hit a pitched ball. Consequently, neither the batter nor fielders are given ample opportunity to develop fundamental hitting and defensive skills.  To alleviate this problem, S.O.L.L. offers two leagues in which all pitching is delivered by a coach via a stationary pitching machine.  The Rookie league uses a "softer" ball which elevates player and parent comfort levels while the Machine Pitch league uses a traditional baseball.  The ball is pitched consistently at a prescribed speed allowing the batter to benefit in several ways. The youngster has the opportunity to develop hand-eye coordination and swing technique without fear of being hit by a pitched ball, and the defensive team is allowed more opportunities to develop fundamental fielding skills. Youngsters will learn to play and enjoy baseball and softball through good instruction and participation experience in the Machine Pitch league.