Outfield Depth Perception

[Mudita12]

10U ball. Girls are still struggling to adjust their feet, take angles, flip their hips, and track the ball. We teach drop step, flipping hips, angling their approach, and getting under the ball. Unless it’s hit right to them, they struggle. They’re just not grasping the depth of the fly ball. This is on me as a coach - not blaming my players at all, I’m just not approaching this the right way so they understand. I’ve watched every drill, utilized different clinic technique, and we just can’t seem to get it right. Any pointers or help?

 

[CoachCeetar]

reps.

more reps.

hit it over the their head. 99.99% of live game hits they've seen in their life have been in front of them.

 

[Towny9]

Take their gloves away from them. Tell them not to try to catch it but to have it land in front of them. Once their goal changes, they will adjust their approach.

 

[Dabears17]

Take their gloves away from them. Tell them not to try to catch it but to have it land in front of them. Once their goal changes, they will adjust their approach.

I stumbled across this by accident when coaching a 10u team. We were throwing fly balls with a pitching machine and did one practice where we had the players concentrate on catching the ball on one bounce. It worked pretty well on improving tracking.

 

[Towny9]

I stumbled across this by accident when coaching a 10u team. We were throwing fly balls with a pitching machine and did one practice where we had the players concentrate on catching the ball on one bounce. It worked pretty well on improving tracking.

It forces them to adjust.

 

[daywalkerdad]

Take their gloves away from them. Tell them not to try to catch it but to have it land in front of them. Once their goal changes, they will adjust their approach.

That’s ingenious.
Most coaches hit the ball harder and yell louder.

 

[Mudita12]

Thanks, everyone!

 

[Mudita12]

Take their gloves away from them. Tell them not to try to catch it but to have it land in front of them. Once their goal changes, they will adjust their approach.

Trying this at our practice this week!

 

[Towny9]

Trying this at our practice this week!

Let me know how it goes. Almost every kid learning to catch flyballs misjudges them by letting them fall behind them before they figure it out. No matter what you say they still want to catch the ball as their first goal. Remove the glove and change the goal usually works.

If that doesn’t work I once hit tennis balls with a tennis racquet at them with no gloves and a helmet on. I told them to let it hit them in the head. They loved it but not sure we got better at flyballs haha.

 

[Mudita12]

Let me know how it goes. Almost every kid learning to catch flyballs misjudges them by letting them fall behind them before they figure it out. No matter what you say they still want to catch the ball as their first goal. Remove the glove and change the goal usually works.

If that doesn’t work I once hit tennis balls with a tennis racquet at them with no gloves and a helmet on. I told them to let it hit them in the head. They loved it but not sure we got better at flyballs haha.

Lol, that’s good stuff.