How to teach a kid to catch a fly ball.

A high fly ball is one of the scariest things a young player sees. It hangs up there forever, then drops fast. With soft balls and a simple step-by-step plan, kids can turn that fear into one of their favorite plays.

Safety first: what ball should we use?

Fly balls come down fast, and a missed one can hit the face. Start soft so your child can learn without fear.

• Foam or soft training balls: best for 7- and 8-year-olds and anyone nervous.
• Tennis balls: a great next step. They fly true and do not sting.
• Open space: a park or big yard with no fences, trees or other kids nearby. Never indoors with a hard ball.
• Adult tosses: start with underhand tosses you control, not hits off a bat.

For a step-by-step fielding progression by age, our free fielding skills guide shows how to start at 8U, add movement at 10U and add live reads at 12U.

Hands up: catching the ball above the head

Before any running, teach where to catch it. Many kids wait with the glove at the belt and try to basket-catch at the last second.

1. Get under it: stand so the ball comes down just in front of the forehead.
2. Glove up: reach up with the glove, fingers pointing up, thumb toward the ear.
3. Two hands: the throwing hand stays right next to the glove, ready to cover the ball.
4. Look through the window: the ball should be seen above or just beside the glove, not blocked by it.

Start with simple tosses just above head height from a few steps away. Ten catches, then a short break. When your child catches most of them, toss a little higher.

If your child flinches, go back to a foam ball and lower tosses. Fear is normal, and the fix is success: lots of easy catches before anything hard. Never toss a hard ball high to a nervous player.

The drop step and running to the spot

When a ball goes over their head, most kids backpedal. Backpedaling is slow and leads to falls. The fix is the drop step.

1. Ready: feet apart, knees bent, eyes on the thrower.
2. Drop step: if the ball is going over the right shoulder, the right foot steps back first and the body turns. Left shoulder, left foot.
3. Run, do not drift: sprint on the balls of the feet with the glove down while running, not held up the whole way.
4. Get there early: try to beat the ball to the spot, then put the glove up and catch it.

Practice the drop step with no ball first. Point over one shoulder, say "go," and have your child step and run five steps. Do five to each side. Then add a soft toss over the shoulder.

Balls in front are tricky too. If the ball is short, the player runs in hard and catches it at chest height, or lets it bounce and plays it safely. At 8U, a ball stopped on one hop is a good play. Praise the hustle as much as the catch.

Calling the ball and fly ball games

On a team, two kids chasing the same ball can collide. Calling it is a safety habit, not just good baseball.

• Call it loud: "Ball! Ball! Ball!" or "I got it!" said three times so everyone hears.
• Back off: if a teammate calls it first, say "Take it!" and move away.
• Ask the coach: teams have rules about who has priority, like outfielders over infielders. Follow your coach.

Now make it fun:

1. Call and catch: two kids, one tennis ball. Toss it between them; whoever calls it first catches it. Points for loud calls.
2. Over the shoulder: your child runs a short straight line, you toss over a shoulder, they drop step and catch. Count catches in a row.
3. Ladder: five catches in a row and the tosses go a little higher. A drop means one step lower.
4. Bucket drop: toss a high ball near a bucket; your child tries to catch it before it lands in the bucket.

Practice calling even when nobody else is out there. It builds the habit, so it happens without thinking in a game.

How to build up over a few weeks

Fly balls take time, so go step by step. A sample path:

• Week 1: soft balls, catches above the head from short tosses.
• Week 2: drop steps to each side with soft tosses over the shoulder.
• Week 3: tennis balls, a little higher, plus calling the ball.
• Week 4: mix it up: short, deep, left and right, then a game.

Keep sessions to 10 or 15 minutes, and stop when your child gets tired or frustrated. For a full four-week plan, our Complete Defender program ($49) includes 16 coached sessions, with fly-ball first steps and communication in the air built in. Session 1 is a free challenge.

What to do this week

Do three 10-minute sessions with a soft or tennis ball. Start with catches above the head, add drop steps to each side on day two and finish day three with a round of call and catch.