Kidball has a long history of giving baseball lessons and does well with parents' participation. I can't say the same about its basketball program. It did little on fundamentals, and it gave lessons to teach game strategies that are hard for average 2-3rd graders or younger to comprehend. The program favors kids with early athletic ability, but little was emphasized on good behavior or not being a jerk. They give much attention to kids who score and have little development room for 2/3 of other kids. If you think paying a much higher fee for having a good early experience, I-9 sports and many other programs will be much better. We all know kids develop athletic ability differently. Don't kill that interest! read more

The WORST! My kid has been playing Flag Football in the area for the past 6 years. Kidball is BY FAR the worst. I don't even know where to begin. The teenage refs who don't care and are on their phones during the games? The owner of the company, who, when she asked me to coach and I said I wasn't familiar enough with the sport told me "Well, maybe you you take interest in your son's life". REALLY? I'm not the only parent she is nasty to. She's awful. Has Zero respect for the parents who pay the money.... her salary. The kids get a jersey and an unorganized schedule for $295. The coaches are volunteer, so if the team you are placed on doesn't have one... the owner will do nothing but send an email or 2 asking for someone to step up. If no one does... you kids is out of luck. They show up every week not knowing if there will even be a coach. She will start the game even if the team has no coach. That's right... $295, my kid got a jersey, a coach-less team... got beat by 50+ points every game, while the owner stood there and insulted the parents. Sounds like fun!! read more

So I am basing 3 stars off of a 1 Star Kid Baseball experience and a 4* star kid basketball one. I do not suggest any Pre K kids partake in the baseball. Too long, weather can be a challenge (it snowed our first practice, was muddy and rendered the field basically useless for several others and then was 100 degrees plus) and at that age they can be a handful. It should be called at 1 hour, at the most. Most kids lose focus and baseball is now the "slow" sport. I would not do kid baseball unless A my child wanted to try it and B was old enough to handle the challenges of Mother Nature and was patient. Not mine! Coach Ronnie was also very easily frustrated with the kids and then would yell at the parents....which is just not right when it's your child's first time playing a sport. Kid basketball on the other hand is a great experience, highly recommend for all ages. Smaller than baseball, more focused, more attention to the kids. No Mother Nature issues and coach Ronnie was in a great mood the entire camp, would do this on a heart beat. Coach Phil gets a shout out as well for his specialized attention to helping the kids who are obviously less talented and talking them up. Excellent encouragement and experience. read more

Our son has had a fantastic experience in Kidball, basketball, and baseball programs over the past five years. There is not a better program in MoCo for pre-k through 3rd graders to have fun and learn the important fundamental skills, which are often missed in programs for younger kids. Practices are extremely well organized and cover a lot of ground, but they still have a light and fun rhythm. Coach Ronnie and his team are excellent. They get to know the kids and appreciate where they are strong and where they can still develop. They come at the coaching with patience and encouragement and help kids develop without judgment. Their system has a hefty amount of parental involvement, which surprised me at first, but it works. Kidball is a great environment for a child to be introduced to a sport. As kids get older, we found that baseball practices continued to be an excellent skills development supplement to the rec league. In basketball, the competitive 4 v 4 leagues are a great way to introduce kids to competitive basketball while maintaining the emphasis on skills development and good play. Probably the most important thing I can say about Kidball is that my child had fun, and after every season of play, his skills improved, and his enjoyment of the game grew. Thanks for all the great training, Coach Ronnie, Coach Kelly, and the rest of the Kidball team. read more

Stay away. The refs are teenagers, the rules change weekly, and the kids aren't protected. Flag football advertises itself as a non-contact sport, yet the refs allow full contact and kids walk away concussed. I've never been more disappointed with kids sports. read more

I wanted to give a positive shout-out to the Kidball system - Baseball. Led by Ronnie Jenkins, he's a coach that not only understands baseball (all 3 of his boys received baseball scholarships for college) but he also enjoys the game. Yet, while most of us simply tune into what's happening on Sportscenter and the MLB, Ronnie is very much in tune with what's happening at the LLWS and games that happen during one's teen years (HS / College) where development becomes most critical. My boy had started with him when 4 years old when he could start with them playing TBall. He's been there through coach pitch to machine pitch to kid pitch and continues to enjoy his development and the camaraderie of his teammates to this day. Kidball drills kids at various stations throughout their upbringing - infield, pitching, outfield until they begin to show a special talent for two positions (to allow them variety when playing in the field). The practices are two hours long during the season. One night a week is required while a 2nd night is optional, although your kid will certainly develop faster if you're practicing two nights rather than one. There is also a commitment for off-season practice during the winter months before spring season starts. As per any serious team, there are tournaments peppered throughout the schedule with the more ambitious ones being the Ripken Experience in Aberdeen and then Cooperstown (when the kids are 12u). I would not question Coach Ronnie's commitment. He will hold practices even on days where there is questionable weather. If he can find a field that is semi-playable and there is no threat of lightning, he'll go out early and rake the field and prep the equipment in advance of the Kidball players showing up. He subscribes to the John Wooton school of thought. If you only give 80% today, you can't give 120% tomorrow. The most you can give is 100%, so if you don't give it your all at all times, then you'll develop habits of mediocrity. Whether the team wins or loses games does depend on how well the kids hit as a team and field as a team; however, I've never questioned his focus or regimen on helping all the kids rise to the next level. Kidball, though, is just one instrument. If you are very serious about helping your kid develop, you should also look into supplemental clinics offered by nearby Baseball facilities like Baseball Zone, D-Bat, Dig In. Finally, one thing that I really like is that parents are "required" to help with the practices. That would include initially throwing the ball back and forth with their child at varying distances, throwing wiffleballs during batting practice, playing the role of a "catcher" so that the child can pitch (prepare to catch a 50MPH fastball, everyone!). And, there are instances during "live inter-team scrimmage" where a parent can field a position on defense. It's not about being able to play baseball. But for 8 years, I've been able to bond more closely with my child through baseball. And, I notice that while a lot of other kids in general are aloof when around their parents or take things for granted or do not really adhere to principles of courtesy/humility/appreciate/respect, Kidball has helped my son and I remain close because of our Kidball time together. I do think that the Kidball system develops not just ball players but young gentlemen as well. read more

This kids sports camp is horrible in the most important respects: COMMUNICATION They direct families to view their website for last minute updates and changes. However their website seldom reflects current information. And in cases where practice is cancelled, they don't do families the courtesy of sending a mass email or text. Just 2 weeks ago, they cancelled practice because of a light drizzle, and did not contact us. So our family drove 30 minutes to Bethesda, for an 8:30AM practice on a Sunday, an showed up to an empty field and about 5 other new families. (I guess a few of the returning families had passed on the word among themselves, but being a new family, we were not connected in that way. The manager Kathy (she's also the head coach's wife) never responds to emails or calls. In the beginning, their website had conflicting information about the location of practices, so I reached out to her 3 times via email, and have yet to hear back from her. (We had to figure it out by ourselves and hope for the best.) I also emailed her several times about the incident above, and again, to date, still no response. To add insult to injury, they send me daily solicitations about signing up for more camps; so I know they have my contact information on file. INSTRUCTION You pay $250 for 8 sessions, and the coaches don't do anything but walk around and monitor you teaching your child. The sessions host about 50 kids, and there are only 4-5 coaches to manage them. My husband and I have no issue working with our child on technique, but we can do this at home for free. I could go on and on about how piss poor this business runs, but I don't want to get carpal tunnel, so I'll leave it at that. My child is about to turn 5, which means we'll have a lot more options out there. In the meantime, we will not ever patronize this business again!!!! read more

My son was new to flag football this year. We were encouraged to play because it was supposed to be a a low-key, fun and safe way to play football with his friends. Of all the sports we as a family participate in, including contact sports in high-level travel teams, it's shocking to me that flag football is where I would witness such a serious injury. The refs are inexperienced and lack the maturity and responsibility to keep kids safe. No one is protecting the refs from abuse and in turn the refs aren't protecting the kids from injury. To say I was disappointed is an understatement. Our quarterback sustained a head injury from such an egregious foul and in hindsight we should have left the game in protest. What are we teaching our kids? Where is the accountability? I hope your organization takes this seriously before another kid sustains such an avoidable and unnecessary Injury. read more

Kidball is a hidden gem in the Rockville community. The program has a prescribed method of instruction for all ages and level of play. My son and I started Kidball baseball, basketball, and flag football at the age of 3 and now he is 8. I can think of no better way to bond with my son over the weekend than playing catch, learning how to hit a baseball, and making layups with his inside foot. Thanks Kidball! read more

All 3 of my children are Kidball kids (2 boys and 1 girl). Over the last 15 years we've been part of their baseball (year round), flag football, and summer camp programs. I have seen this program day-in and day-out for a really long time (my oldest is now an adult) and we keep coming back (my youngest is now in elementary school). We tried other organizations in the beginning but Kidball is the best by far. I'll start with general info (countering some of what other reviewers have stated) and then provide specifics for baseball, flag football and summer camp further below: - Instruction/coaching is professional and firm. Kids are expected to listen and are asked to sit out for a couple of minutes if they can't control themselves. This is important to know because if you're looking for a program that will let your child 'express' him/herself whenever and however they'd like...then Kidball is not for you. I have never EVER heard anyone in the program yell at a kid or be disrespectful to a parent. That just isn't their style at all and believe me when I tell you I have seen some bad behavior from both parents and kids over the years. - The only time the program will cancel a practice/game is when the County closes down their field/facility. Even then they will try to figure something out (ie practice on the blacktop). Rain, cold, whatever... Kidball will be there. If the County does shut things down for the day, notification is immediately sent via their FB page and Twitter. They will also send email and update their website. Also, Kidball rents fields from the County/MCPS/etc ...they aren't responsible for unlocking gates. - Communication: back in the early days (10+ years ago), communication was a bit slower. Now, regardless of which method I choose (website, email, text or call), I get a response relatively quickly. - The best age range for Kidball is really dependent on your kid. If they have very little interest in sports or organized activity, then you'll want to sign up with a lower cost program. On the other hand, if you have a little athlete you can start them as young as 4yo...as long as they can listen and follow instructions. Starting Kidball as an older kid is ok too. This program is definitely best suited for kids with an interest in sports and some level of athleticism. -Baseball: as previously mentioned, if you're looking to drop off your kid then this program isn't for you. Kidball expects parent participation so your kid gets more touches on the ball. Lots of kids in a session allows them to get a good scrimmage in at the end of each practice. Each session builds on what was previously taught so your child is always growing. They teach YOU and your kid proper form and technique so you can follow up at home (most parents think they know..but they don't). Kids are advanced to the next level based on skill, not because of the date on their birth certificate. They teach the rules of the game as well as situational awareness at a young age. I know many Kidball kids who were/are top ranked players for their HS teams. Baseball is a thinking man's sport and coaches appreciate the fact that these kids know what to do and when. My youngest is right around the same age as a previous reviewer and was in the same baseball session (Sunday morning). Our experience couldn't be any more different. We LOVED it. -Flag Football: this is a fun league for the youngest kids through to early teens. A group of friends can join as a team or individual players can be grouped together. Parents are the coaches. Kidball provides the fields, jerseys, and refs. For the youngest (3-5yo), there is an instructional league (Kidball coaching plus a scrimmage at the end). For older kids (K through middle school), the first 30-60 mins is spent warming up and practicing your plays and then a game is played against a team in your division (parent QB or kid QB). I have seen teams that are out there to have a good time (flag football is their 'down time' sport) and I have seen teams who think an NFL scout is watching. The games are played and ref'd in a way that is safe but fun for the kids. As with any football league (flag, touch or tackle), the intensity of the parents tends to spill over sometimes! For the last 2 weeks of the season, the games move to a HS turf field. Be ready to play on the coldest of days...Kidball does NOT cancel due to weather. - Summer Camp: I like to have a variety of activities and camps throughout the summer to keep things interesting for the kids. The one thing that rings true with all 3 of my kids: all year long they tell me they can't wait for Kidball summer camp. ALL year. Campers are broken out into age appropriate groups and then they go through a series of different sports throughout the day. They LOVE it. At pick up, you can see that every kid is having a good time and none of them want to leave. Joke of the Day, King of Lunch, the scavenger hunt, etc are all part of the fun. read more

I was not happy with our Kidball Flag Football experience. I coach multiple sports in the area and this was the worse one. It's very simple - all the refs are kids with no oversite. One adult at the fields that sits at his desk and doesn't get involved. This is frustrating when the rules aren't called consistently or correct. But, that is ok, that happens in all kids sports. The problem here is safety. These refs are either scared to call fouls or don't know rules. I've seen multiple kids get hurt. In our last game a kid on our team got a concussion from getting tackled and a flag wasn't even thrown (we have video). I don't blame the kid that did the tackle. It was out of control and dangerous, but it was a kid that couldn't control his body. I blame Kidball for not teaching the kid they can't do this and potentially stop it from happening again. In conclusion, the way they run this is dangerous and they need to change their model to be more safe by putting adults out there that have oversite and care. read more

I am not sure what the previous reviewer is talking about, but I could not have disagreed more. My son is 9 years old and has been doing Kidball since he was 5 years old. We've done i9 Sports (baseball and basketball) and Montgomery County rec basketball; and nothing compares to the instructions, discipline and teaching methods of Kidball. Kidball is a smaller organization because Ronnie (owner or Director if you want to call it) or Andre (assistant coach) run all of the sports sessions. Personally, I'd rather pay more to have experienced coaches give quality, hands-on instructions, than a high school/college student who has no patience with young kids. My son loves Kidball and has advanced his skills so much, we are enrolled in Kidball year round - Spring/Fall/Winter baseball, basketball, football and Summer Camp! When we started tee ball with another organization, my wife and I distinctly remembered a high school girl "instructor" dropped off a bucket of tees, bats, baseballs and plates and walked away - the parents all looked at each other and were left to fend for ourselves to teach our own kids...kids were running around everywhere...total chaos. Then we understood why the class was so cheap...the "instructor" was outnumbered, shorthanded and also hand to tend to other groups. Kidball was not like that at all - it was a small group of 10-15 kids and organized to the minute. The best part we loved and noticed - the Kidball kids were focused and attentive and chaos is not tolerated. In our four years, we have never heard Ronnie or Andre yell at a kid. They are FIRM instructors that requires attention and respect of all the kids. Kidball is not the cheapest, but you get what you pay for. My wife and I love Kidball and we have referred numerous families. If you're a parent that just wants to drop off your kid so they can just keep busy for 1-2 hours and check your phone, then Kidball isn't for you. A parent is always involved and engaged with their child so the parent understand and can reinforce the instructions at home. If you want your kid to learn, understand and be better at the sport, Kidball is the place to be. read more

Fantastic program to develop young kids skills in many different types of sports. Baseball lessons for the young kids are great and taught in a fun learning environment read more

Kidball is a fantastic organization that teaches skills and team work. We have been doing for years and absolutely love it. We have done baseball, basketball and flag football. The parent is involved in helping there child learn the game and get better which to me has always been the most rewarding. We highly recommend to everyone that they give it a try and see for themselves. read more

In terms of communication to parents and sensitivities toward children with any special needs this program is the worst I've ever experienced. The owners barely communicate by email and they are rude, mean and even resorted to "name calling". I was stunned. I would never put my child in a program such as this. Beware! read more

We had the TBall class. If you want to train your kid yourself, just open a youtube video and do it, dont pay $250 like I did! The class did mention parent participation, but i did not realize i will be doing ALL the work, while coaches chatted among each other and paid no attention to us. Basically they tell you what to do and you get to work. There was one grandma who brought her grandson, she could not do anything! You better be in shape ! My 4 year old had no interest playing ball with his mom, he got very excited when the coach stopped by one and only time during the whole practice, but that only lasted a few seconds. The company is greedy, there were too many little kids, no way they could get even a little bit of attention each. When tried to email the owners asking for partial refund or at least to switch so my older child can take place of the younger one, I got no reply to any of my emails. No wonder, they already have my $250! (I know they got it, i got replies from this address before the session started) . This is a money making scam, get as many kids as you can, and then get parents to do all the work because you cant possibly give them all any attention read more

This is NOT a good company and I strongly suggest that you look elsewhere to send your children to learn how to play baseball. I agree with the other reviews that they are completely disorganized and don't seem to care much about the kids that need a bit more attention or assistance. And the office is completely unwilling to respond to emails and it is very frustrating dealing with them. I would stay away and find another place to go. read more

Poorly run, disorganized and beyond disrespectful to its customers. In the last two weeks the director and assistant director have yelled in front of children, blatantly changed rules of games in progress, engaged in aggressive behavior toward parents, and said "you are irrelevant!" Really? I guess my money is irrelevant too, since we will never join one of their leagues again. More details: they don't pre-publish schedules or standings, rules of game are applied arbitrarily, referees and pre-pubescent kids, unable to run a game, and they hold games at fields with the gates locked, bathrooms closed and generally in a manner implying there was no planning, forethought or preparation at all. In short: the assistant director who said to one of our coaches "you're irrelevant, I don't care about you or your team" was actually honest! He doesn't, they don't, and they should not be entrusted with either our money or the safety of our children. This business is appalling, and the anecdotes of their ineptitude, loose rule interpretation and disrespect go years deep and seem to get worse each year. Awful organization, on every imaginable level. Note: the company is called Kidball Baseball: this review applies to football, although they are not good at baseball or basketball either! read more

This is for 2-3 basketball. The format seems okay with 1/2 hour director instruction, 1/2 hour parent led coach instruction then a 1 hour game. Be warned. There are some rules put in place to help little ones like no pressing and equal playing time. But the kids and parents are told the games will be refereed to the letter. This means every walking violation, every screen violation, line infraction, everything. I understand the intent but too much for this age and it took the joy right out of it. The refereeing was so strict they would blow whistles before an infraction. Also, their interpretation was so strict that they have lost sight of the rules. I would recommend a refresher course for the refs even if they "played the game". The strict interpretation leads to some head scratching when some rules aren't applied. For instance, there is no 3 second land violation. This led to the Coach K of the league to position his tallest kid under the basket and never move creating a clear advantage. It does the kid no good to teach him this and puts all the other kids at a disadvantage. The director refused to acknowledge the complaint. The strict interpretation continues regardless of game score and time left in the game. Also grade 2-3 classification is a loose interpretation and there is no enforcement. There will be a wide variance in level of play where some teams play and practice in multiple leagues even though the director tries to manipulate game schedules to make a more level playing field. I'm afraid we can't endorse this league given the game play situation. read more