...And those that charge it stop charging as soon as they get to it, instead of charging through the ball..
Any suggested drills folks have used with success?
One thing I've seen over the years when players don't charge the ball, especially younger players, is often the coach (usually a big, burly male) has been hitting hard ground balls at them in an effort to teach them quick hands. The problem is, what it really teaches them is to sit back on their heels and defend themselves from balls hit much harder than a kid their age can hit.
I prefer hitting softer ground balls on a regular basis and getting them in the mindset of charging everything. If I want to work on quick hands, we do it at a short distance, with their butts up against a backstop or net, hitting balls that require fast reactions. At full distance, though, get them charging.
One way to do it is create a competition. Put a stopwatch on them, with a prize for whoever is the quickest, or for anyone who gets below a certain time. It doesn't have to be much of a prize either. My players will generally kill themselves and run over their teammates to win a $1 McDonalds gift certificate.
What do you guys think of charging the ball then scooping on the run on all balls that you have time for?