Help Catching

[HasBeenorNeverWas]

I coach a very weak 10u team who still after many practices is struggling to catch the ball. They have gotten a little better, but I feel like we aren't making as much progress as we could be. Right now adults play catch with them rather than have them play catch with each other to maximize time rather than just watching them chase the ball constantly. I'm just looking for more ideas to mix it up and help them learn faster? Maybe station work of some kind or different drills that emphasize catching the ball?

Thanks in advance

 

[uncdrew]

There are plenty of drills.

And you can/should assign homework. I like underhand toss at a wall, which returns the ball chest high.

 

[oakes11]

What worked best with my older DD and what I'm currently doing with my younger DD:


started out with the "velcro glove" throwing the ball to her left side...about head high...easiest catch.
We made a game out of it seeing how many she could catch in a row. Then started throwing it to the other side of her body forcing her to reach across and catch.

I think using the velcro glove helped with her confidence, and with the concept of tracking the ball with the glove hand instead of stabbing at it. Then we transitioned to glove. at that point she hit the ball in her glove almost every time it was then just a matter of squeezing it to keep it in.

I also think people underestimate the importance of having a decent glove. over my years of coaching I've realized most girls are going to show up to practice with one of the following:
1. dad's old 14" outfield glove
2. brand new stiff as a board glove that a grown man couldn't squeeze
3. plastic dollar tree T-ball glove
4. if your lucky a couple of them will have older sisters old glove. lol

 

[bmakj]

adult who can do decent underhand toss from 10 ft is needed for each girl, they can work on this endlessly at home. can start with tennis balls (softer, but really teach receiving and squeezing, they cannot stab at these)

-1 - (sorry for negative step, did not want to start over) get them all a mask and have them wear it, take a ball, bang it against the mask a few times (like knocking on a door hard, not smashing it) while they are wearing mask to demonstrate it will protect them.

0 - have them stand against fence or wall, so they cannot backup or turn away

1 - 7-10 feet away, have them put glove in hand waving position (ie waving hello). throw ball directly into glove/pocket, repeat ad naseum.

2 - have them hold glove in front of throwing arm upper arm (ie backhand) throw ball directly into glove/pocket, repeat ad naseum.

3 - have them hold glove directly in front of chest thumb down, throw ball directly into glove pocket, repeat ad naseum

4 - have them hold glove in front of them below waist, fingers pointing down, thumb pointing away from them, throw ball directly into glove/pocket, repeat adnaseum.

5 - have them catch a low thrown pop fly type ball (maybe 15 feet in air) thrown right into their glove held up and out from their face.

get them to pretty much master each one before moving on to next. once they have one mastered, begin next session with a few of those before moving on (warmup, confidence builder). within a few sessions, you should be getting all of these positions in. then, you can progress to where you tell them where ball will be, but they must move glove to proper position each time, you randomly picking location. next step is to not tell them and again randomly pick position, and lose the fence/wall.

this will all develop them a) squeezing b) confidence in glove and their ability c) receiving proper way. once they have all this, you can start gradually increasing distance, velocity, etc.

it works, I have done it with several coach pitch girls including DD2. start small/slow, and build

 

[uncdrew]

Lots of good tips, but I did want to highlight the one about the glove.

If you have a used sporting good store, encourage parents to get gloves there. I too have some new girls show up with brand new, stiff-as-a-board gloves. And that's no way for anyone to play softball, especially someone new to the game.

I try to get this message out before the season even starts, which I know is too late for your team. But gloves at "Play it Again Sports" (or whatever your used sporting good store is called) are about $10 and are nice and broken in and have years of life left in them. Even my travel ball daughter gets her gloves there -- breaking in a glove is a pain.

 

[Filterbing]

I agree with the replies here, I would like to add this video by Bobby Dickerson. He talks about and show how to get the face involved with catching. Once I got my daughter to move and involve her face, her catching improved dramatically.

 

[cnardone]

I've done the same as bmakj. Same hand positions and progressions. The one difference is that I start with a bare hand and tennis balls (or some other none threatening ball). Throwing hand is not to be used.. I've had to tell some girls 'don't catch it, block it with your palm'. Then move to catch it. Others get it and can start catching it at once. Once they stop turning the hand under the ball, I'll put the glove on.

I've had a couple of girls where this was like turning on a light. Others where it didn't do anything.