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Softball drill

Kneeling fly ball drill

A beginner's fly ball drill: the player kneels, and a partner tosses soft high balls that the player catches above the head with the glove and throwing hand together. Taking the feet away lets young players learn where to catch the ball.

A young softball player kneeling on the grass with glove and bare hand raised above the head for a soft ball a coach has tossed high
Video by MegRem Softball on YouTube. The write-up below is ours.

At a glance

Sport
Baseball and Softball
Skill
Outfield
Ages
6U to 10U
Players
2 (a coach or partner and a player)
Time
About 10 minutes
Level
Beginner
Equipment
Gloves, Soft balls or baseballs/softballs
Indoors
Yes

Many young players are afraid of fly balls, and they catch them low, at the chest or the belt, with the glove turned the wrong way. Before they can run for a fly ball, they need to know where to catch it: up above the forehead, with the throwing hand right next to the glove.

Kneeling takes the feet away so the player can think about only the hands and eyes. The video then moves to self-tossed fly balls, a good next step for players who catch most tosses on their knees. Both work indoors or out with a bag of soft balls.

Setup

  • Pair a coach or partner with each player.
  • The player kneels on both knees facing the tosser, about 10 to 15 feet away.
  • Use soft balls for players who are nervous about the ball.

How to run it

  1. The tosser lofts a gentle, high ball toward the kneeling player.
  2. The player watches it and raises both hands above the head, glove open and the throwing hand beside it.
  3. The player catches the ball in the glove, above the forehead, and covers it with the throwing hand right away.
  4. The player tosses the ball back or drops it in a pile, and resets for the next one.
  5. When most catches are clean, have the player stand and toss the ball up for themselves, catching it the same way.

Coaching points

  • Catch it above the forehead, not at the chest.
  • Hands go up together: the throwing hand stays close to the glove to cover the ball.
  • Watch the ball all the way into the glove.
  • Stay calm and patient. Soft balls and short tosses build confidence fast.

Common mistakes

  • Letting the ball come down to the chest before catching it.
  • Catching off to the side instead of in front of the face.
  • Catching one-handed with the throwing hand left at the side.

Printable drill card

Take this drill to the field: the setup, steps, coaching points and equipment on one card, with the video's address to find it again. Free, no account needed.

Print the drill card

Smaller: half page or quarter page (PDF).

By age

Tee ball and coach pitch

Use soft balls and short, high tosses. Make it a game: how many in a row can they catch?

10U

Toss a little left or right so the player has to adjust the hands, then move on to self-tosses and short fly balls on the move.

Next: Free defensive lineup generator.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you teach a scared kid to catch a fly ball?

Start on the knees with soft balls and short, high tosses so the player can focus only on catching above the forehead with two hands. Move to standing and real balls once they catch most of them.

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