When a fly ball is hit over a kid’s head, their first instinct is to back-pedal. Back-pedalling is slow and unstable. The right move is to drop the back foot and run sideways at an angle. This is the drop step. It’s the difference between catching the ball and watching it land behind you.
What you need: A glove, 5 tennis balls, a tennis racquet or a bat, open field.
Setup: Kid stands 30 feet from you facing toward you.
How to run it:
- Cue: Find, Track, Camp, Catch. The drop step is the first move during Track.
- Hit a fly ball over their head, slightly to one side.
- They drop the back foot on that side (right foot if ball is to the right) and run at an angle to where the ball will land.
- Catch with both hands above the head.
- Do 5 to the left, 5 to the right.
What to watch: The first step. If the first step is backward (back-pedal), they’re slow. If the first step is sideways (drop step), they’re fast. Drop step every time, even on short fly balls.
If they’re struggling: Hit shorter pops. Or just have them practice the drop step without a ball: you point a direction, they drop the back foot and run.
If they’ve got it: Hit deeper. Or hit at a tougher angle. Or alternate sides randomly so they have to read the ball.