Long barrier and pick-up

Setup

1. Make a gate with two cones about 5 m apart. Fielders queue a few steps behind the gate.
2. The feeder stands 12–15 m in front of the gate with the balls.
3. Use soft balls or incrediballs so a missed ball doesn't hurt shins or fingers.

How it runs

1. The feeder rolls the ball firmly along the ground towards the gate, sometimes straight, sometimes to one side.
2. The first fielder moves their feet to get behind the line of the ball and drops into a long barrier: side-on, one knee down touching the heel of the other foot, so there is no gap between the legs.
3. Hands go down in front of the knee, fingers pointing to the ground, and the ball is scooped up into the chest.
4. The fielder stands, turns side-on and throws or rolls the ball back to the feeder, then joins the back of the queue. Five balls each.

Coaching points

• Feet first: get your body in line before you go down.
• No gaps: knee to heel, so the leg backs up the hands if the ball bobbles.
• Eyes on the ball until it is in the hands.
• Call 'mine' once you have it covered.

Common mistakes

• Reaching out to the side with the hands instead of moving the feet.
• Leaving a gap between the knee and the heel so the ball rolls through.
• Going down too late, while the ball is already at the feet.