| Initial introduction of the activity should include: - appropriate warm-up and warm-down activities
- rules, safety procedures and prerequisite skills before students play the game
- progressive and sequential skill development
- modified games that match skill and fitness levels of students.
Teachers should ensure students cut or tape long fingernails to prevent injury to any participants. Activities should be sited away from buildings, pedestrians and other activities. Activities should be sufficiently spaced to prevent any equipment entering another playing area. The playing area needs to be level and free from obstacles and loose objects. A minimum clear space of 10 metres should be allowed outside the foul lines. Pitches should be sited in a north south direction to limit visual interference from the sun. The teacher should check equipment should be checked for damage before play commences, and remove from use where necessary. Equipment should be suited to the size, strength and ability of the students. Vinyl balls should not be used. Regulation bats should be used. Bats without taping or bats which have been altered in any way should not be used. Uni-body bats are recommended. Batters and base-runners should wear helmets.
Catchers should wear helmets, face masks, throat and chest protectors and leg guards. Male catchers should also wear a protector. Gloves should be maintained and stored carefully to keep their shape. Students should be encouraged to wear the glove with two fingers in the last finger stall, leaving the index finger stall vacant. If available, a netting backstop should be placed at a safe distance from the catcher. Leaders should know the rules relating to diamond dimensions for the various age-groups. The batting team should be positioned at least 10 metres back from either the first or third baselines and well clear of the catching area. Situations during practice in which the catcher's vision is impaired by the sun should be avoided. Warm-up batter practises in the designated area should be preferably 10 metres from the catcher. The rules regarding physical contact should be enforced to prevent rough play. The teacher should instruct: - fielders to watch the ball in play
- students regarding sliding before it is allowed
- students not to slide into first base but to overrun the base on a single hit.
Batters should be instructed to drop, not throw, the bat before running. The dropped bat should be removed as soon as possible. The umpire standing behind the catcher should wear the protective equipment that is prescribed for the catcher. If this equipment is not worn, the umpire should stand behind the pitcher. Teachers should remove students with open cuts and abrasions from the field of play for immediate treatment. If bleeding cannot be controlled completely, the player should not be allowed to return to the field of play. All clothing, equipment and surfaces contaminated by blood should be treated as potentially infectious. | 
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