Baseball · Throwing · Warm-up

Partner catch and count

A warm-up game of catch: pairs count clean catches in a row out loud, move back a cone after five and start again from zero after a drop.

count: 0count: 0A1A2B1B2CO
Start / 5
Time
10 min
Players
2–20
Age
U6+
Area
20 × 30 m
Equipment
10 soft baseballs (reduced-injury) or tennis balls20 gloves, one per player16 cones

Setup

  1. Start with arm circles, a light jog and some easy underarm tosses before any overarm throwing.
  2. Make a starting line of cones. Opposite it, set a row of cones at 7 m, 10 m and 13 m (shorter for 6 and 7 year olds).
  3. Pairs stand at least 5 m apart along the lines and all throw in the same direction, so a missed ball never rolls into another pair.
  4. Use soft balls for the youngest and anyone still learning to catch.

How it runs

  1. One partner stands on the starting line, the other on the 7 m cone.
  2. Partners throw back and forth, and the pair counts every clean catch out loud: “One! Two! Three!”
  3. Five clean catches in a row: the receiver moves back to the next cone and the count goes on.
  4. A drop or a throw the partner can't reach sends the count back to zero; the pair stays at the same cone.
  5. Play for 3 minutes, then ask each pair for its best count. Swap who moves back, then play again.

Coaching points

  • Give a target before every throw: glove up at the chest, throwing hand ready beside it.
  • Catch with two hands: the glove takes the ball, the bare hand covers it.
  • Thumbs together for a ball above the waist, pinkies together below it.
  • Move the feet to get the body in front of the ball, rather than reaching.
  • Find the four-seam grip, step towards the partner and throw to the chest.
  • Keep the throws firm but easy; this is a warm-up, not a long-toss test.

Common mistakes

  • Catching with the glove only, so the ball pops out.
  • Turning the head away or closing the eyes as the ball arrives.
  • Throwing before the partner is ready, which wrecks the count.
  • Moving back too fast and throwing harder than the arm is ready for.
  • Pairs drifting together until their throws cross.

Say it: “Target, two hands, count it.”

Make it harder

  • Ten in a row before moving back.
  • Quick catch: three seconds from catch to throw.
  • The receiver moves the target around; the thrower must hit it.

Make it easier

  • Count three in a row instead of five.
  • Underarm tosses with a bigger, softer ball.
  • Stay at the closest cone and just beat your own best count.

Pairs well with

Reviewed by the Sportdify coaching team.