1. Hands, Not Body
If a pass is rocketing towards you a typical reaction is to use the body to soften the blow and corral the pass. This, however, is wrong and will more times than not lead to a dropped pass. You must catch the pass with your hands and then secure it to the body. Never point your finger directly toward the thrown football. This can result in broken or dislocated fingers. Use the hands but angle the fingers away from the incoming pass.
2. Come Back
Most people have a tendency to wait for the pass in a stationary position. This makes it easier for the defense to knock down or intercept the pass. A player should meet the pass rather than waiting for the pass to come to them. Not only does this help shield the ball from a defender but also allows a receiver to become more aggressive in getting the football.
3. Highest Point
Catching the football at its highest point is the objective of every capable pass receiver. This allows the receiver to control the play and shield any defender near the play. This is especially important on deep passes because they have especially high arcs and require a player to jump to catch the football.
4. Catching Drills
You only improve your pass catching abilities with repeated practice drills that sharpen and hone your skills. One drill is the "head around drill." In this drill, the quarterback stands ten to 15 yards away from the receiver and the receiver stands with his back to the passer. Immediately after the passer releases the football he yells "Pass!" at which time the receiver whirls around and attempts to catch the ball. This forces the pass catcher to react quickly to catch the football. The overriding theme of all pass catching drills should be a reinforcement of proper receiving techniques and concentration.
5. Don't Forget the Football
One of the main reasons players drop passes in football is that they take the catch for granted. A person must concentrate solely on catching the football before doing anything else. So many times a player drops the football because he is thinking about running after the catch. Another reason for dropped passes is focusing on what the defense is doing rather than on the football.
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