Chaos Ball Drop and Catch Drill | Hand Eye Coordination

Sports such as baseball, basketball, football, and volleyball all require great hand eye coordination. In some sports, such as goalies in hockey or soccer, certain positions require a higher level of hand eye coordination in order to be successful.

Athletes in sports requiring a high level of hand eye coordination can use sports specific training which mimic game like scenarios and teach athletes to sharpen their hand eye coordination skills to successfully complete the reaction training.

Chaos Balls are a great tool to utilize when training athletes to improve their hand eye coordination. The Chaos Balls can be utilized to simulate scenarios from an athlete catching a ball over their shoulder to trying to field a Chaos Ball which has been thrown off the ground. Athletes can go to the Sports Training Section to see demonstrations of a multitude of hand eye coordination drills, which can be completed with the Chaos Ball.

Train With The Chaos Ball To Increase Hand Eye Coordination And Reaction Time

To complete the Chaos Ball Drop and Catch Drill athletes will need 2-3 Chaos Balls and a partner or coach to act as the “thrower” during the hand eye coordination drill. This Chaos Ball Drill will be completed in four separate phases. Athletes and coaches performing the hand eye coordination drill in groups can form a line 8-12 feet in front of the thrower so the reaction drill can run continuously. This set up will allow athletes and coaches to maximize their training time as athletes perform the hand eye coordination drill and take a short recovery as they wait for the other athletes to complete the Drop and Catch Drill, before they perform the drill again.

For the first phase of the hand eye coordination drill throwers will bounce a Chaos Ball off the ground toward the athlete. Once the Chaos Ball hits the ground the athlete will race toward the Chaos Ball and attempt to catch the Chaos Ball with one hand before it hits the ground. Baseball and softball players should practice making these catches with their glove side hand to help mimic game like plays. Throwers need to keep in mind that the Chaos Ball will spin and move if it is thrown off a hard surface. Partners will have to actively add spin and movement if the ball is being thrown onto a softer surface. This phase of the Chaos Ball drill will be performed for 8-10 repetitions per athlete as athletes move through a continuous line.

For the second portion of the hand eye coordination drill athletes will be simultaneously catching two Chaos Balls. As athletes run toward their partner the first Chaos Ball will be delivered off the ground just as in the previous portion of the Chaos Ball Drill. Immediately after the first Chaos Ball is caught by the athlete partners will throw a second Chaos Ball in the air for the athlete to catch. Athletes should move continuously and not break stride as they grab the first Chaos Ball off the ground and then quickly shift focus to the second Chaos Ball being thrown. For this portion of the hand eye coordination drill athletes will make these catches with different hands before returning the Chaos Balls to the thrower and getting back in line to perform the reaction drill again. Athletes will perform 8-10 repetitions of this portion of the Chaos Ball drill.

Partners throwing the Chaos Balls will keep the same pattern of throwing the first Chaos Ball off of the ground and throwing an eye level fly ball with the second Chaos Ball. Athletes performing the hand eye coordination drill will begin with their backs to their partner and quickly turn around on a verbal cue given by the partner throwing the Chaos Balls. Athletes will remain in one spot as they quickly turn and attempt to catch both of the Chaos Balls cleanly and with different hands. Athletes will perform 8-10 repetitions of this portion of the Chaos Ball drill.

For the final phase of the Chaos Ball Drop and Catch Drill athletes will begin with their backs to their partner throwing the Chaos Balls. After a quick turn around partners will bounce and spin the first Chaos Ball off of the ground then immediately throw an over the shoulder fly ball to the athlete. This over the shoulder throw should force the athlete to turn, make several strong steps and then catch the Chaos Ball over their shoulder. Athletes will perform 8-10 repetitions of this final phase of the hand eye coordination drill.

Use Body and Head Positioning To Enhance Hand Eye Coordination

When performing the Chaos Ball Drop and Catch Drill it is important athletes practice good body positioning to keep their bodies in good positions to not only make the play on the Chaos Ball, but to be ready to make another athletic movement after the catch. When running forward for a Chaos Ball bounced off the ground athletes need to work off the balls of their feet. This will give athletes greater body control and enhance their ability to quickly change directions if the Chaos Ball takes an unexpected bounce.

When athletes are quickly turning around to perform the final two portions of the Chaos Ball drill it is important they stay in a good stable position and do not get over extended. If athletes reach for the first ball off the ground and lose balance it will become much more difficult for them to successfully complete the drill and make the second catch. Athletes should have feet shoulder width apart, slight bend in the knees and hips, knees over the toes with the hands in a ready position.

Athletes need to keep their heads centered as they make these catches. This is especially important when athletes are turning and making the over the shoulder catches at the end of the Chaos Ball drill. If the athletes heads are moving too much it will be hard for them to focus and make this difficult catch at the end of the hand eye coordination drill.

Be a Good Partner During The Chaos Ball Drop And Catch Drill

The ultimate success and effectiveness of this Chaos Ball drill relies on the athletes who are performing it. However, in order for the reaction drill to run smoothly and be effective, partners throwing the Chaos Balls need to be sure they are making challenging throws and bounces which can be handled by the athlete performing the hand eye coordination drill. This means partners may have to gauge an athlete’s ability at the beginning of the drill. This will keep the drill fun and challenging for the athletes, while being very time efficient as small groups and teams will be able to move through a large volume of repetitions in a short period of time. Go to the Baseball Training Section to see other great hand eye coordination drills and equipment to enhance your training.