10-Minute Catching Drills

Goal: catch the ball consistently with soft hands and good body control.

Setup (1 minute)

• Start close (10 feet apart)
• Use a youth-size football for younger kids

1) Hands position (2 minutes)

• Above the waist: thumbs together, fingers spread (“diamond” shape)
• Below the waist: pinkies together, fingers spread (“basket”)
• 5 easy tosses each way — focus on hand position only

2) “Look it in” drill (3 minutes)

• Toss the ball and say “eyes!”
• Catcher watches the ball all the way into the hands
• “See the tip hit your hands” — that’s the cue
• 10 catches, nice and easy

3) Catch on the move (3 minutes)

• Catcher jogs slowly across the yard
• Tosser leads them with the throw
• Focus: catch while moving, don’t stop to wait
• 8 catches — 4 each direction

4) Contested catches (1–2 minutes)

• Toss slightly high or slightly to one side
• Catcher has to adjust, reach, and secure
• End with 3 easy ones — “finish on a win”

Coaching cues

• “Soft hands” — let the ball come to you, don’t stab at it
• “Tuck and protect” — after the catch, bring the ball to the body
• “Eyes first, hands second”