Ground balls
Ready when: Catch with two hands (b2) done.
What you are learning
Fielding a ball that rolls along the ground: the ready position, moving to the ball, getting low with the glove on the ground, and returning the ball fast. For a hard roll, the long barrier (one knee down) stops it getting through.
Words on this card Fielder, Bases, Glove, Ground ball, Ready position, Long barrier
- Fielder
- A player on the team in the field, trying to get batters and runners out.
- Bases
- The four corners the runners must reach in order. A cone or a flat shoe can be a base.
- Glove
- The padded leather glove fielders catch with.
- Ground ball
- A hit that rolls or bounces along the ground.
- Ready position
- Feet apart, knees bent, weight on the front of the feet, hands in front.
- Long barrier
- Fielding a hard ground ball with one knee down, so the leg is a wall behind the glove.
Set up
Two tennis balls, a glove, 3 m apart. A cone as first base.
Weather: dry ground
Show it first for the one teaching
- Ready position: feet apart, knees bent, glove low, weight on the front of the feet.
- Move so the ball comes straight at you.
- Squat low with the glove on the ground in front and the other hand above it.
- For a hard roll, the long barrier: one knee down sideways so the leg blocks behind the glove. Then stand and throw to the cone.
Your part while they practise
Roll ground balls; start slow.
Step by step
- Ready position.
- Track the ball and move to it.
- A low squat with the glove on the ground, or a long barrier for a hard roll.
- Return the ball fast to the cone.
- 15 rolls, then swap.
How much: 15 rolls each, 4 rounds 8 min a session 3 days a week
Say one thing Pick one line from "What you will see" for today and say only that.
The game: Stop and return
A point for each clean stop and a second point for a throw that reaches the cone.
Who plays: two players: one rolls, one fields; then swap.
How to play, turn by turn
- Turns
- The roller rolls from 3 m, to any side within reach
- The fielder stops the ball and throws it to the cone
- 15 rolls, then swap
- Fair play
- The grown-up rolls slowly.
- Points
- 1 point for a clean stop; 1 point for a throw that reaches the cone.
- Fouls
- No points for that ball
- It goes through the legs or past the fielder
- It bounces out of the glove
- A roll out of reach is rolled again, and scores nothing
- Winning
- More points after 15 rolls each.
- 15 points for 1 star
- 21 points for 2 stars
- 26 points for 3 stars
Easier or harder
A slower roll.
A faster roll or a bounce, to either side.
What you will see, and what to say
- the ball goes through the legs
Glove down, bottom down
The glove touches the ground; the body gets low. - the head lifts early
Eyes on the ball into the glove
Watch it all the way in.
Self-check
8 of 10 ground balls fielded cleanly.
Stop and get a coach when
A ball hits the face or hands hard; use a softer ball.
Fitness for this
Warm up first: how to warm up, at workonfitness.com. For strength and stretching, its exercise library shows each exercise step by step, with an easier version.
This card trains fielding, footwork.
awiseathlete.com/sports/baseball-softball/baseball-softball-i1