Purpose

To practice recovering the ball in back of the body after an error or bad bounce.

Set Up

  • Divide team into pairs, players line up across from each other forming two lines about 30 ft apart.
  • For safety, each player should be about 5 feet from player next to them.
  • All players have gloves, one player in each pair should have a ball.

Instructions

  1. On the coach’s 1st whistle, the player with the ball gets into a good fielding position.
  2. On the coach’s 2nd whistle, the player with the ball rolls the ball behind them. The same player, then goes to the SIDE of the ball, fields it, and throws it to their partner.
  3. The partner catches the softball and immediately transfers the ball to get into a good throwing position.
  4. On the coaches whistle, new player with the ball gets into their fielding position. On the next whistle, they roll the ball behind, field it, & throw to their partner.
  5. Drill continues until each player has had 10 throws.

Coaching Tips

  • Make sure that players use proper fielding technique based on the ball movement on the ground:
  • If the ball is ROLLING: Players should scoop up the ball with both the glove and the bare hand.
  • If the ball is STOPPED: Players should bare hand the ball straight on top and push in into the ground to ensure they have a good drip.
  • Players should never pick up the ball with the glove only.
  • Make it easier: Make a live throw across the diamond from third to first.
  • Make it harder: Instead of rolling the ball out, place the it on the ground 5 feet in front of the fielder. She then scoops it up barehand and gets into throwing position.