BVSA Teaches: Fielding a Ground Ball
On this episode of BVSA Teaches, Frank Ramppen talks about fielding a ground ball. Hey guys, today we’re going to talk a little bit about the basics of defense and fielding ground balls. Remember, we’re talking about teaching kids of all ages, from little kids to big kids. The smaller, less athletic, and less informed some of these kids are, the more specific you have to be in your teaching.
When fielding a ground ball, we need to get down low into a position where we bend at our knees and waist. We should be able to see our glove out in front of us and the ball. It’s important to bend at the knees and waist enough so that when we get into this position, the kids can see the top of our head. This ensures they are low enough to see the ball and the glove. Forming a triangle with our body is often talked about. Most importantly, we need to have our hands out in front of us when fielding the ball.
Some people teach the “alligator” technique, where the glove is turned up like an alligator’s mouth. However, we don’t teach that here. When players use the alligator technique, their glove tends to turn up, which can cause the fingers of the glove to miss the ball or hit the heel at the bottom, causing it to bounce away. Instead, we teach players to put their glove down with the fingers pointing down slightly but not touching the ground.
Proper Glove Positioning
Fielding the ball slightly left of center is also important because it puts us in a better position to throw the ball since we’re usually moving in that direction. It’s easier to perform the proper footwork when we field the ball slightly left of center. Additionally, holding the glove slightly left or right of center increases our depth perception, making it easier to focus on the ball.
As the ball is bouncing towards us, there’s rhythm and timing involved. We want to time our movement to get to the ball in the best athletic position possible. Having great hands also requires having great feet. Our feet get us to the right position, so it’s important to read the bouncing ball and move our feet efficiently to get into the ultimate position to field the ball.
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Here at BV Sports Academy, we are a passionate group of dedicated baseball and softball instructors with some pretty impressive resumes. More importantly we have been educated by Bobby Valentine himself. We teach a proven curriculum that has developed some of the finest talent in our area, and we’re just getting started. We’re have been blessed to be joined by some of the top programs around when it comes to other sports like lacrosse and soccer. Parties for all ages, we do those too! There is something for everyone at BVSA. We look forward to helping all athletes become the best they can be. If you would like to book anything or have any further questions, please email [email protected]Â