High-low drill
Why it works
There are only two hand shapes in catching and the ball picks which one. Calling the height out loud makes a kid choose a shape early instead of defaulting to the one he likes, and defaulting is what turns a catchable low ball into a shin bounce.
Run it
6 MINTen throws each, alternating the call so nobody gets a pattern to lean on. Two rounds. Six minutes, then move on even if the line is still keen.
Say this
“Thumbs together up high.”
Above the shoulders the hands make a diamond, fingers pointing up.
“Pinkies together down low.”
Below the waist the hands make a basket, fingers pointing down.
“Call it before you throw it.”
The receiver gets to choose a shape before the ball is in the air, which is the whole skill.
“Tuck it, then run.”
Two hands on the ball, high and tight, before the first step.
Good looks like
- The hands change shape before the ball arrives, not on contact.
- You can see a diamond above the shoulders and a basket below the waist, and they are never mixed up.
- The ball is caught in front of the face or in front of the knees, never against the body.
- The tuck happens before the first step back to the line.
- Eight out of ten on the call, then move the receiver back to ten yards.
The mistakes
Fingers pointed down on a high ball, so it hits the heels of the hands and pops straight up in the air.
Say: “Thumbs together up high.”
Reaching up for a low ball with a diamond. It is the single most common drop in youth football and it is a hand shape problem, not an effort problem.
Say: “Pinkies together down low.”
A thrower who calls it late or not at all. That trains guessing, which is the habit the drill exists to break.
Say: “Call it before you throw it.”
Turning to run with the ball still sitting in the fingertips. Every one of those is a fumble in a game.
Say: “Tuck it, then run.”
Four yards, and only throw low. One hand shape at a time is plenty at this age, and low is the one that costs games.
Call the height after the ball is already in the air. Then put one at the shoelaces they have to go down and get.