How to Play Catch the Right Way to Improve Your Game
Learning how to properly play catch from a young age can make a huge difference in a player’s ability.
No Matter The Age, Catch Play is Vital
Simply put, the act of playing catch is perhaps the most essential building block of a baseball or softball player, starting from the first time he or she picks up a ball. After all, every play on the diamond involves a player throwing a ball to another player.
The ability to throw and receive the ball grows with each passing year and, no matter the age, can be improved upon and never simply taken for granted during practice or warm ups. In games, each time we don’t “play catch” on the field (i.e. we don’t make a good throw, or don’t handle the throw when receiving), that’s basically like giving the other team an extra out. These can add up quickly! If you’ve watched youth baseball, sometimes there are 5-10 bad throws/catches in a single game. If you had 18 outs to score runs and the other team had 25 outs to score runs, who do you think would win that game most of the time?
Luckily, this is something we can easily work on every day at practice if we are intentional about it. When playing catch to warm-up before practice or your game, make sure to put an emphasis on playing good catch. The person throwing needs to be intentional about hitting their partner in the chest with a good throw. One easy tip is to pick out something on your partner’s chest and aim for it every time.
The person catching the ball also needs to be intentional. He or she should expect a bad throw and be ready to move to their partner’s throw. Usually, poor catch play is nothing more than being lazy. We may try to catch the ball off to the side or stay in the same spot and then jump for it as it goes over our head or we try to catch it on whatever hop we get if it bounces. Instead, we should be reading the ball as it is thrown and try to react and move to the ball so we can more easily catch it.
Here are simple tips and ideas to make sure your game of catch is effective, whether you’re a player or coaching a youth team:
Grip: Younger players may simply be trying to progress from gripping the ball with their whole hand or three fingers to two fingers. Once able, grip with a four-seam grip every time and get in the habit of quickly finding your grip out of the glove.
Pick a target: Aim small, miss small. Don’t simply throw to your partner, but throw to a specific spot on your partner.
Repeat the proper throwing mechanics and don’t be lazy! Focus your eyes on the target, step towards the target, use your whole body and follow through towards the target.
Keep talking to a minimum. Youth players especially can get easily distracted during catch. There are plenty of other times to talk during practice or the game.
Make it a competition. For younger/beginner players, see how many consecutive catches they can make. For older/advanced players create scoring systems based on accuracy.
Lengthen as you are able. It doesn’t do younger players much good to continually go farther and farther and throw the ball all over the field. Have them get to a distance where they can consistently make good throws and catches, then gradually progress from there. If the ball is overthrown or not caught, have the player run back to the spot before throwing it. Older and more advanced players can implement long toss programs as appropriate and arm strength grows.
Playing catch can improve all areas of your game, even hitting. Yes you read that right. One of the integral components of hitting is quickly picking up the ball out of the pitcher’s hand. Different hitters have different methods of doing that but one effective way is to focus on the logo on the pitcher/thrower’s hat. This will lock your eye in to about the same depth perception and window of where the ball will come out of so that you can quickly see it out of the hand. So, why not try that when playing catch? Every time a game of catch is played is an opportunity to improve your ability to pick up the ball out of the hand of the pitcher.
If you or your player has dreams of playing at the next level, coaches and scouts can learn a lot just by watching players play catch. Does he take it seriously and play catch with a purpose? Does he consistently play catch at game speed or is he lazy? Does she move her feet to the ball? If his partner makes a bad throw, does he hang his head and walk to the ball or hustle after it and encourage his partner?
Whether in the backyard, at practice or before a game, playing catch is a huge part of the game and makes a huge difference if done correctly!
With the skills you can improve by playing catch, perhaps it’s not so simple after all? Take pride in the way you play catch and implement this into your game today!
Above: Kevin Costner’s character, Ray Kinsella knew the impact a simple game of catch could have.
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