Check for athleticism with a medicine ball

The other day I wrote a post about the importance of being athletic.  To read the post, click HERE.

A reader asked in the comment section how a coach could drill for the things I mentioned in the post.  Below is my response.  I figured my response could be of benefit to everyone.

Hi Coach and thanks for the comment! A drill that I have used involves a medicine ball. At all stages of the swing (without using a bat), the batter should be able to catch a medicine ball tossed to him. If he has to adjust his body before catching it, he was not in a strong, balanced position. If he does it right, he should catch the ball and not budge. Have players stop at various stages of the swing and check with a toss.
Hope this helps!

This drill using a medicine ball does not have to be just for hitters.  Pitchers, fielders, and base runners can be checked at various times to see if they are in an athletic position.  As I mentioned above, if the player moves his body into a better position in order to catch the heavy ball then it is proof that his body wasn’t where it should have been in the first place.