BM
nice post. Do you have an opinion on whether you should field the ball at the top or bottom of the bounce?
Bottom whenever possible.........Meaning at the start, not at the end.
Nothing worse then seeing a kid who backs up on the bounce to catch it late........Only to find out the ball didn't bounce like he thought, and the runner getting 3 extra steps waiting for the bounce to reach him........
Technically, there is no defense........There's only offense.....There's "fielding offense"......
My players are taught early that THEY dictate the outcome, not the ball........Attack the ball always.......Don't give the ball a chance to decide where it's gonna bounce........Catch it at the start of any hop and you take away the unknown......
Consequently.......We spend 10-15 minutes at EVERY practice on short hop drills...........
We use a short hop drill by splitting the players into 2 lines 60 ft apart......
At the first line (short hop line) is a coach sitting on a bucket with a bucket of balls right next to his throwing hand........Line of players are facing him, one behind the next single file, about 5ft. away from him........
The other line (receiving line) is 60ft away also single file with the lead player waiting to receive the throw from the short hop fielder.......
The drill progresses with the coach "shooting" a short hop to the first player who fields it and throws it to the receiver.......
The receiver catches the ball and sprints behind the bucket coach dropping the ball back in the bucket and going to end of the fielding line.......The fielder of course follows his throw sprinting to the end of the receiving line.........
This drill moves VERY FAST and is a VERY INTENSE workout for the players.......With all the sprinting between fielding and receiving.......
We start with the RH players glove foot is toward the target for a short-hop shuffle and throw....
We short hop between the feet for one round......Then outside each foot for sucessive rounds simulating forehand and backhand short hops........
Then we turn the bucket coach and line around so the players throwing foot are facing the target and practice jump pivots and "kickout" pivots..........
This drill can easily go 15-20 minutes of intense fielding and sprinting practice.......
If you muff the short hop you don't get a second chance. You sprint to the other line regardless, and the receiver sprints to the fielding line........
If you make an arrant throw, you chase the ball down and get to the back of the receiving line.......
Players figure out really fast that good short hop fielding and accurate throws ENDS this drill MUCH SOONER........