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Backhand and Forehand Picks

Field balls hit to either side without moving your feet first.

By Coach Evan Waechtler Youth coach (U11, Cache Valley, Utah) and founder of SSTracker Updated October 30, 2026

Set up

Kneel or stand in a wide base, glove ready.

Core: Medium. Beat your own best of clean plays out of 10.

Ages
11 and up
Time
12 min
Players
You and a partner
Space
Yard or field
Bring
Glove, ball, partner
Level · skill
Developing · Fielding

The steps

How it works

  1. Kneel or stand in a wide base, glove ready.
  2. Your partner throws short hops to your glove side, then your backhand side.
  3. Work through the ball with a quiet glove.
  4. Do 15 each side.

Coaching point

Glove out front, pick through it.

Make it fun

Play it, don't drill it

Game version

Fielding game: a partner rolls ground balls and you field and throw to a cone. The pair counts clean plays, then swaps.

Challenge

Pick a level: Less (slow rolls), Core (medium), More (to your sides). Beat your own best of clean plays out of 10.

Story

You are the shortstop in the big game, and every clean play is a big play.

My best

Beat your own count

Beat your own best of clean plays out of 10. Only your own number counts: today against last time.

Practice makes progress

Print it now, or save it free

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An email from you to the coach, with the words ready. Nothing is tracked and nobody is rewarded.