There are steady progression when learning to throw and catch a baseball. One of those steps is learning to throw the ball to another player. All little kids seem to be Nolan Ryan when they are throwing to dad, but dad is a big targer and a great catcher. Young ball players must learn to throw the ball to a player their own size. The same goes for catching. Youth players must learn and practice catching a ball from another player. The following drill is a simple drill that will teach young players to throw and catch.
The more players can throw to other players the quicker they will be ready for game day.
Drill Set Up: Team players with similar talent with each other. Have the players start at distances which they can be successful. 10 feet away is a good starting point.
The Drill:
- The players will start by throwing to each other on the coaches demand.
- Move the players back once they start to succeed at this drill.
- Be sure to watch for proper throwing and catching techniques.
- Reinforce proper technique to throwing (and catching).
Coaching Tip: Tennis balls work well when starting
Game: Have each pair count the number of successful catches and throws. The team with the most catches or most catches in a row is the winner.
