Overview
Many times kids learning to play baseball find one way to catch a baseball and then they stick to it without developing proper range and mechanics for receiving a baseball. This drill is designed to get them comfortable and confident that they can catch a baseball in all four “zones”. It is designed to be a quick paced drill that stretches their ability to catch and helps develop good footwork as well.
Target
This drill is appropriate for 8 & 9 year old players and can work for 10 year olds as well. Hopefully by 11 players have learned the proper way to receive a baseball but this might be a good reminder drill if you find a player who is favoring receiving the ball in only one way. (I.e. they back away from a ball to make sure they catch is forehanded instead of backhanding the ball).
Setup
All you need is a baseball and some players.
The players start in the ready position and when you say go, they start chopping their feet. Emphasis that players move their feet to catch a ball. They should be able to step to the ball when they receive. Then a coach standing 6 to 10 feet away tosses a ball to each of the players for receiving zones. They are:
- Forehanded (glove side, above the shoulder about head high)
- Backhanded (throwing arm side, about shoulder high)
- Below the belt (pinkies together) – throw is about mid thigh to knee level
- Above the belt (thumbs together) – throw is just above the head.
Once the player has received 4 straight throws in each zone move to the next player. This should be a quick paced drill with lots of repetition for the players.
Illustrations
Players start in the ready position. Also called the Gun Fighter. Knees are bent, weight is on the front/ball of the foot. Hands are NOT on the knees. Hands are up ready to receive the ball, head is up watching. When throws start players should start chopping their feet so they are moving when they receive the ball.
Forehanded catch players receive the ball to the glove side about shoulder high.
Backhand. Players receive the ball turning their body slightly sideways and reaching across their body to receive the ball. This is the most common position to catch and one of the most important that kids master. Make sure kids keep their elbows high and the glove open. Keeping the elbow up and opening the glove creates an ideal pocket for the ball to land.
When the ball comes in below the belt, the player needs to put their pinkies together to receive the ball.
When the ball is directly at the blower and above the waist, the player should put their thumbs together and receive the ball.
In the off chance that the ball comes right at the players belt (this is called being hand-cuffed) the player should bend their knees, dropping down to turn the throw into an above the belt type catch.
Variations
Once the players start to master each zone, start to stretch the kids by making them range a little farther to their left and right. You can also work on overhead throws, teaching the players to drop back when they sense the ball is over their head (and possibly just out of their reach) – if the hands go up the feet go back!.
Summary
The purpose of these drills again is to help the player rapidly develop confidence in his or her ability to catch a ball in every situation. I have use this drill with T-Ball and Farm level baseball kids for years.
– Scott
