A relay is when two short throws are faster than one long throw. The middle player catches and turns and throws in one motion. This is the throw that gets a runner out at home from deep right field. Teach it now and it sticks.
What you need: 5 baseballs, three gloves, three players (or two players and one parent).
Setup: Three players stand in a straight line, 30 feet apart from each other. Total distance from end to end is 60 feet.
How to run it:
- Cue: Turn, Shuffle, Point, Fire. The middle player has to do all four in one smooth motion.
- Player on the left throws to the middle. Middle player catches with the glove side toward the left.
- Middle player turns toward the right, shuffles toward the right, points, fires to the right player.
- Right player catches and throws back to the middle. Middle turns the other way and relays to the left.
- Do 10 round trips. The middle player rotates out after 5 to a new spot.
What to watch: The middle player’s feet. Their feet should turn toward the next target before the catch is finished. If they catch flat-footed and then turn, the throw is too slow.
If they’re struggling: Shorten the distance to 20 feet between players. The middle player just turns and throws without the shuffle.
If they’ve got it: Stretch to 50 feet between players. Or add a fourth player so there are two relay throws in a row.