Q&A for How to Catch a Football

Keep as much focus as possible on the ball as it flies and try to estimate where the throw will go. Keep your hand waiting there in a catching position. Also, move your hand back slightly when the ball comes to cushion the impact.

It's a matter of concentration. You have to convince yourself that at that moment the only things that exist are you and the ball. Once you've completed the catch, then you immediately look for your opponents and your teammates.

Practice makes perfect and short receivers are usually fast, so if you can actually get past your defender then the QB should see you wide open and you'll get the ball.

It depends on what type of receiver you want to be. If you want to be very aware and catch almost every ball, ask a friend to throw wild passes toward your body and space around you, and make your hands like a pocket so the ball literally fits or slides into your hands. To take it advanced, do it while running routes and/or while you are jumping in directions.

Wind-sprints, curls, cuts, double-cuts, and stop-and-go's. Work on routes and footwork. Practice catching right at the sideline. Strengthen your legs to improve your ability to jump high. Carry a football with you as much as possible. Keep tossing it up and catching it.

In high school, my wide-receiver coach had a drill that worked wonders for all the WRs on our team. Without gloves on, hold a brick with your palm covering the top (this would be the shorter, more square side) and drop it. Touch your ear with the hand with which you were holding the brick, and catch the brick with the hand from which you dropped it. Do 50 reps with both hands. To make it harder, touch your head or raise your hand instead of touching your ear.

Practice makes perfection. Practice throwing at a target, so you can hone your accuracy. Practice your 40 yard dash and running, so if you have to flee the pocket, you have the speed to get out of there.

It requires a lot of practice, but if you want to make yourself more likely to secure the football on a one-handed catch, you should try to sort of bend your fingers forward slightly so that the ball doesn't keep going after it hits your hand. Then, make the palm of your hand more cupped so that the end of the ball has a place to nestle into. After that, work on pulling the ball into your body as soon as possible. Be aware that this is very hard, since it's a one-handed catch after all, but with practice it can be done.

If it's a bullet pass, you are more likely to catch it if you use your chest to decrease the impact, resulting in a complete pass. For passes that are higher up, just gripping with two hands is fine.

Keep the finger wrapped. Try to let the other hand take most of the impact of the incoming ball. It's likely you'll have to use both hands to some extent. Let your arms and chest help cradle the ball.

You cannot defeat gravity. The only way to maximize your air time is to build up your leg muscles and jump as high as you can.

You can use a machine that throws a football back to you, though they are really expensive. Otherwise, you can throw the ball backwards and quickly run backwards too, so it will simulate a real throw and catch.

First you need to build trust with the QB. You also want to be fast so you can fly past the CBs. Make sure you can catch.

The second the ball gets within reach, you should catch it at all costs. Only dive if the ball may hit the ground.

You can always work on speed/agility drills, and watch film of top safeties. You should also read the quarterback's eyes to see where he's planning on throwing.

Improve your vertical by doing exercises such as squats, lunges, calf raising, and stretches. For more info, check into Increase Your Vertical Leap .

A fly route is straight down the field toward the end zone. It's also known as a streak route, go route, or (when run near a sideline) a fade route.

Experiment a little, and see if enlarging the diamond helps you. The important thing is to let your hands relax and "give" a little, so the arriving ball doesn't bounce off them. (That's called having "soft" hands.) In your case it will help sometimes to let your chest and arms act as a "nest" to cradle the ball as it enters your hands.

In practice look at the sideline and visualize it as you turn your head to look at the arriving ball. Secure the ball as you stretch your feet (or foot) down toward the ground, continuing to visualize the line (if you don't have time to look at it).

With two hands and your palms up while facing the opposite direction the football is coming from. Steve Largent, one of the greatest of all time at wide receiver, says to focus on the middle of the football, where if it is thrown in a perfect spiral the axis of the spin would be.

Yes. If you have good hands, can get open and perform all the other necessary things, you can play reciver.

By throwing the ball with spin using your wrists. If you are right handed, put your right hand on the bottom and the left on top, then throw the ball with sharp spin.

Cup your hands, but leave some space in between them. Place them down near your thighs to catch the ball as it comes in. It's a difficult catch that will take some practice, so don't feel bad if you don't get it right away.

Make sure your eye is on the ball at all times. I know all your coaches are probably saying that too, but it's because it helps! I mean, don't fall because you're not looking where you are going, but just concentrate on where the ball is, and going to be. And if over the shoulder is hard for you, then don't feel scared to turn around and catch it. It might take a bit more time to turn around and run, but it is better than an incompletion.

As soon as it goes in your hand, grab it and put it to your body; when it’s secured, take and tuck it.

It's a hard habit to break but the size of your hands shouldn't matter. If you are struggling, spread your hand apart a little.

Maybe because whoever's holding the ball during a play will probably get tackled.

It won't fall if you cradle it in your arm (or arms when you're being tackled).

Jump higher than your opponent(s) or pull the ball away from them while you're still in the air.

See Quarterback for a Football Team and related articles.