Fielding starts with the feet and the glove staying low. Grounders teach this faster than pop-ups because the ball is moving toward them on the ground.
Equipment needed: 12 tennis balls or soft-core baseballs, a flat open space.
Setup: Line four kids up in a row, each standing 15 feet in front of you. Space them 8 feet apart so no one is in the line of the roll.
How to run it:
- Roll the ball slowly (2-3 mph) directly at the first kid’s shins.
- Their job is simple: get in front of it, bend their knees, watch it into the glove, and catch it.
- They roll it back to you. That’s one rep.
- Move to the next kid. Cycle through all four kids twice. That’s 8 reps each.
- On the final round, let them make a throw to a base (or just back to you). Add that motion only after they’ve caught 8 clean ones.
What to look for: Hands down, knees bent, glove on the ground first. Most kids will reach for the ball with their hands high. Reset them: “Glove goes first. Hands come after.”
Variation: For kids who are catching cleanly, roll the ball slightly to their right or left so they have to move two steps. That teaches footwork.