Fly Balls Three Toss Drill …multiple skills, fast paced, lots of reps, fun
How can we improve out players’ fly ball catching skills in a short amount of time? The ‘Three Toss Fly Ball Drill’ is part of the solution. It is great for infielders as well as outfielders; is challenging and fun.
The Drill
This drill is run at a lightning fast pace. The player is moving at full speed throughout. The pace, coupled with the changes of direction, conditions, builds agility, and develops a variety of catching skills. It is applicable to any age ...including teens and high school players.
The player catches three different fly balls in this drill, which takes 7-8 seconds per player:
Ranging Laterally
Coming in
Going Back
Ideally this is run with no more than 3 or 4 players. Once each player has been through the drill, the time spent waiting for their next turn is spent catching their breath. If we start with a bucket of 30 balls, depending on the age and skill level of the players, we can get through 15-20 reps, before having to take a break and pick up the balls.
The best situation for using this drill is as a station in a skills rotation. During a five-minute stop at this station each player will get a chance to make a play on 20-30 fly balls.
Keys For The Drill To Be Most Effective
Coach makes low arcing throws – this is Not a drill to train kids to judge high fly balls; we are working on the skill of catching a ball while on the run. Coach is a quarterback throwing passes to a receiver.
Use an underhand arm action when tossing – this is much more accurate than throwing overhand
If there is a left-handed player in the group, and you have younger kids (nine and under), run the left-handed player in the opposite direction for the first toss. Otherwise they are making a backhanded play, which is much more difficult.
Keys For A Fast Pace
Most important – if a ball is not caught the player does not retrieve it; they get ready for the next toss
Coach is constantly reminding the players to ‘sprint full speed’
Have as many balls on hand as possible
Limit instruction to two points:
Run full speed
Catch the ball away from your body – reach out with the glove arm
…this is a repetitions activity, not a teaching activity. Make a mental note of teaching points to share afterwards.
<SEE THIS DIAGRAM ON THE BASEBALL POSITIVE WEBSITE>
What is Going to Happen?
Coach will make inaccurate tosses – no big deal. Tell the player, “Hey, bad throw, I’ll get better; keep moving”
Players will miss catches – we clearly instruct them, prior to the drill, that when they miss a catch, to not stop to pick up the ball. They are to get to the next starting point asap and get ready for the next toss
The rhythm and flow of the drill, the first time it is run, will be a bit clunky – any new activity is less than perfect the first time around.