Catch of The Day

Catch of the day

John P. McCarthy, Jr.

Youth Baseball: The Guide for Coaches & Parents

Catching fly balls is not that difficult, but it is one of the last things kids learn to do well. The main idea in catching pop-ups is to get under the ball so it's traveling right at the head. It may sound strange, but it's the best way to catch. You must keep your eye on the ball, and you can see it best when it's coming right at your eyes. The glove should be above the head when catching the ball; fingers up, palm outward.

Many kids are afraid to try this for obvious reasons, especially if they have already been hit by a ball. So, they let the ball fall to one side of them and try to catch it at the waist. The trouble with such a catch is they have to calculate two more angles, and it's easier to misjudge it. If the ball is coming right at the eye, all the player has to do is stick his or her glove in the way at the right time. Try practicing with rubber or tennis balls for younger kids. They know it won't hurt since it's rubber, so they will try harder to get under it. Take it slow, start with a short distance if you need to, then, over a few weeks, work out to a longer distance.

Try practicing with rubber or tennis balls for younger kids.

When your child shows that he or she can catch the ball, start to vary the distance. First, throw the ball over your child's head, then throw one short, then to the right or left. On throws over your child's head, tell him or her to turn and run, not just backpedal. Your child will get to the ball faster and be able to make a more relaxed catch.

Remind your players to try to catch the ball in the webbing of the glove, between the thumb and the index finger. This reduces the chance that the ball will pop out, and it avoids stinging in the palm of the hand. Also, tell the fielders to use both hands. The free hand stays by the glove and smothers the ball when it hits the glove. This accomplishes two things: It keeps the ball from popping out of the glove, and it gets the ball into the throwing hand faster so the fielder wastes no time getting the ball back to the infield.

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by
Jon Anderson
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