Question about fielding...

Long toss is one of the best ways to strengthen your arm.

GeorgiaDawg2

01--wear a cup

02-- the body is there to stop bad hops so dont worry about that

Get someone to hit you grounder after grounder at both positions so you get used to bad hops--even use a bad field if you can find one so the hops are not true

No cup ?

Are you setting up properly ? are you charging the ball or waiting for it ? Move your feet and charge the ball reducing the angle of a possible bad hop.

Wear a cup. Period.

Get in lots of rep's. I do not recommend intentionally taking bad hops. You need to build your confidence & hone your mechanics. You will accomplish these two things best on a good surface. You can't hone mechanics taking bad hops. And it can be tough building confidence fielding bad hops.

Once you have solid confidence & mechanics, you will be able to handle the bad hops when they come.

The best way to avoid being hit by the ball is to take control and use sound mechanics. Be extremely aggressive in your mental approach.

Good luck.

Georgiadawg

Another recommendation:

Take fielding practice - slow to moderately hit balls - without the glove.

Field the ball with your bare hands and make the play.

As for being afraid of taking one in the chops - there isnt much anyone can say - IMO - to help you with that. Hopefully that fear will subside as you gain more confidence in your own abilities.

Good luck!

Its are you familiar with the NC baseball Acadamy Allstars ?

Bobble,

No.

However - I am familiar with a bunch of very good youth programs IMO - like the On Deck O's, The Panthers, The Dirtbags and the Copperheads.

Thanks Its
My son pitched against them in the fall of 04 in Charleston Diamon Devil tournament. Said they had some power hitters.

Study and learn to correctly jab step. Not only does it start the momentum process but it gives you a better angle view of the ball. Remember, practice does not make perfect. PERFECT practice makes perfect. The way to overcome fear is with confidence. And confidence comes with learning to do something right, then repeating it until it becomes second nature. If you've never tried the jab step you can start by standing behind a bucket. Have someone roll a ball to you from 15 - 20 feet. (straight at the bucket) Your first step will be to the right (the jab step) so you can get around the bucket to field the ball. Your next step will naturally be to the left, to square back up. From there use infielders rythm. Right-left catch, right-left throw.

Hope this helps

Hey thank yall very much, all the advices were good, I appreciate it, I will try and see what happens.


Thanks again.