Glove Work & Footwork: Intro to Short Hops
Glove Work & Footwork: Intro to Short Hops
By Matt Redman – RBI Australia
Short hops can be one of the trickiest things to field for beginner players, but with the right technique and a bit of practice, they become a manageable and exciting skill. In this Intro to Short Hops Drill, we break it down into simple steps so players can learn how to handle the ball with confidence, whether it’s a middle, backhand, or forehand short hop.
What Is a Short Hop?
Before jumping into the drill, it’s important to understand what a short hop is. A short hop is when the ball bounces just in front of you, and the key is to field it quickly and cleanly with a “stab” motion to avoid it bouncing past you. It’s different from a typical fielding grounder, where the ball rolls smoothly to you. Short hops come at different angles, and we need to react quickly and keep our hands low to scoop the ball cleanly.
Explaining the Drill
The purpose of this drill is to teach the player how to field short hops properly using small, controlled stabs with their glove. The key points we cover:
- Eyes behind the ball: Always try to stay as low as possible and keep your eyes as close to the ball as you can.
- Little stabs with the glove: We don’t want long, wide motions. Just small, controlled movements with the glove, whether we’re fielding it in front, backhand, or forehand.
It’s still basic – but it’s a crucial bridge before we get into faster-paced, reactive drills.
The Setup
- Group Explanation: Begin by gathering the players and explaining the drill as one group. Talk through the three types of short hops.
- Middle
- Backhand
- Forehand
- Positioning: Players will get into a kneeling position, which helps them focus on the technique without worrying about running or moving.
- Throwing: The coach will gently underhand toss short hops to each player, starting with the middle hop and progressing to forehand and backhand as the players improve.
Practicing Short Hops on Knees
To give your players a solid foundation, start them off on their knees. This eliminates the need for complex footwork and allows them to focus purely on their glove work.
- Group Practice: Split your players into three groups. Each group will take turns practicing their short hops.
- Coach’s Role: The coach will roll easy short hops to each player, one at a time. Each player will receive a short hop and “stab” with their glove to secure the ball.
- Progression: Start with middle short hops, then move on to forehand and backhand short hops. The key is getting your players to focus on eyes behind the ball and playing through the ball with small glove movements.
Wrap Up
The Intro to Short Hops Drill is a fundamental drill to teach young players how to approach a very specific but important skill: fielding short hops. Through repetition and the right technique, players will begin to feel more confident in their ability to handle these tricky bounces. Remember, the key is staying low, using those small “stab” motions with the glove, and following through with the body.
Keep practicing, stay patient, and watch those short hops turn into game-changing plays!
Watch the full video below to see how it’s done! 👇
