Purpose

To practice using a dive to catch fly balls or field grounders.

Set Up

  • In the outfield grass, have a fielder kneel about 15 feet away from the coach.
  • Fielder has glove, coach has bucket of balls.
Fielders learn to make a diving catch from a kneeling position, then progress to more difficult dives

Instructions

  1. Coach begins the drill by quick flipping a ball just outside the extended reach of the fielder.
  2. The fielder must dive from a kneel to catch or field the ball.

Coaching Tips

  • Make it harder: Have players partner off and throw diving catches to each other.   Have players stand up and make the dive from an athletic upright position.     Throw pop-ups that require the player to run into the diving catch.
  • Make it easier: Instead of flipping the ball to the fielder, stand directly above her and simply drop the ball straight down to one side or the other.