Practice at home

Pop-up call

Catching5 minutesYou need: A soft ball and a glove each

1. Stand about ten steps apart.
2. Toss the ball up in a gentle arc so it comes down between you.
3. The player calls "I got it!" as loudly as she can, then catches with two hands.
4. Switch jobs after five tosses.

Easier: Toss lower and closer, and use a softer ball.

Harder: Toss it a little farther so she has to take a few steps to get under it.

Why it helps: On the field, a loud call keeps teammates from running into each other.

Catch and count

Catching5 minutesYou need: A ball and a glove each

1. Stand close together and toss back and forth.
2. Count each catch out loud.
3. If someone drops it, start again at one.
4. Try to beat yesterday's record.

Easier: Stand closer and count every catch, even bobbles.

Harder: Take one step back after every five catches.

Why it helps: Counting turns a lot of repeats into a game, and repeats are how catching gets easier.

Glove target

Throwing5 minutesYou need: A ball and a glove each

1. The parent holds their glove up in front of their chest as a target.
2. The player steps toward the target and throws to the glove.
3. Cheer for a throw that reaches the glove, not just the perfect ones.
4. Switch after ten throws.

Easier: Stand close, and let her throw underhand if overhand feels hard.

Harder: Move the target left, right, or a little low and have her aim for it.

Why it helps: A good throw starts with where she is aiming, and a big target helps her aim.

Where do I throw?

Throwing10 minutesYou need: Three towels or paper plates as bases, a ball, a glove

1. Lay the towels out as first, second and third base, with the parent at home.
2. The parent calls out a situation, like "Nobody on base, the ball is hit to you at shortstop. Where do you throw?"
3. The player says the answer, then pretends to field the ball and throws to that base.
4. Use the Rookie cards if you need ideas for situations.

Easier: Use only first base, and give her the answer to start.

Harder: Add runners: "Runner on first, bases loaded."

Why it helps: Knowing where the ball goes before it comes is the biggest thing a new fielder can learn.

Open the Think fast cards

Ready position freeze

Fielding3 minutesYou need: Nothing

1. Show the ready position: feet apart, knees bent, glove out in front, eyes on the batter.
2. The parent says "Pitch!" and the player gets into ready position as fast as she can.
3. Say "Relax" and let her stand up. Repeat ten times.
4. Make it funny: freeze like a statue until you say "Relax."

Easier: Do it slowly and talk through each part.

Harder: Say "Pitch!" at random times while she is doing something else.

Why it helps: A ready position makes every other fielding skill easier.

Roll and field

Fielding5 minutesYou need: A ball and a glove

1. Stand about five steps apart.
2. Roll the ball along the ground, not too fast.
3. The player gets in front of it, puts her glove down on the ground, and uses two hands.
4. After she fields it, she throws it back.

Easier: Roll slowly and let her stop the ball with her glove before picking it up.

Harder: Roll it a little to the left or right so she has to move.

Why it helps: Get in front, glove down, two hands is the whole job of a ground ball.

Run through the bag

Running5 minutesYou need: One towel or paper plate

1. Lay the towel down as first base, about as far as she would run to first.
2. Say "Go!" and have her run as hard as she can, right through the towel without slowing down.
3. Make it a race against her best time, not against you.
4. Do five runs, resting in between.

Easier: Shorten the distance and cheer for hustle.

Harder: Time each run on a phone and let her try to beat her own best.

Why it helps: Running through first base means she doesn't slow down before the base.

Coach says go, coach says stop

Running5 minutesYou need: Two towels as bases

1. Put one towel as second base and another as third base, spaced like a short field.
2. The parent is the third-base coach. Spinning an arm around means keep running. Both hands held up high means stop on the base.
3. The player runs and watches the coach, not the ball.
4. Switch signs on each run.

Easier: Use only the arm spin and the stop sign.

Harder: Add a pretend fly ball: she goes back to the base and waits.

Why it helps: Base runners have to look at their coach, and signs are easy to learn in a game.

Eyes on the ball

Catching3 minutesYou need: A soft ball

1. Stand a few steps apart and toss the ball gently underhand.
2. Ask the player to watch the ball all the way into her hands, and say "Ball!" when it lands.
3. Toss different heights and speeds.
4. Praise watching the ball, not catching.

Easier: Use a large soft ball and stand closer.

Harder: Mix in tosses that bounce once before they reach her.

Why it helps: Watching the ball all the way is the habit that helps with batting too.