As a level 1 rugby coach and level 2 1/2 (Club Coach) cricket coach, I often get asked by parents, why can't my son catch the ball? We work on catching from an early age in both sports so, why can't he catch the ball. Well the truth is, he can. The problem occurs when the player is put under pressure. So, we try to put the player under pressure at training to try to replicate the game situation. I was sure we had the solution but, in last weeks cricket match we had 3 dropped catches. I then went back to use video analysis, it was here that I found a major flaw in the process of catching the cricketball. Every time a player dropped the ball, i noticed, that he took his eye off the ball, about a metre before it arrived at his hands. By doing the drill myself, I worked out that you watch the ball all the way but, when the ball is 1 metre away from your body, you remain focusing on that point. The ball has moved on towards your hands but your eyes have stopped following the ball. So, we had an easy solution. Keep your eyes on the ball right into your hands. Have a look, at how many cricket pro's actually do watch the ball right into their hands. Seems simple but, this weeks game would be the true test. Well, it appears to have helped, as we had four difficult catches taken without ever looking like being dropped. Time will tell but, try at your next training session. Let me know if it helps. If your players keep dropping the ball it may be down to confidence, have a look at this article, on ways to build confidence when catching a Cricket Ball http://trcb.com/Sports-and-Recreation/Sports-and-Recreation/Catching-a-ball---a-coaches-guide-35766.htm .
