Final answer:
The cerebellum is the part of the brain responsible for coordinating head and eye movements when catching a ball, ensuring smooth and accurate motor responses.
Step-by-step explanation:
A person coordinating head and eye movements while catching a ball primarily uses the cerebellum. The cerebellum is a part of the brain located below the cerebrum and behind the brainstem, which is responsible for coordinating voluntary movements, including balance, coordination, and posture. When a person catches a ball, it is the cerebellum that helps to fine-tune motor activity, ensuring smooth and precise movements of the muscles.
In this context, the cerebellum manages the coordination between the visual input, the positioning of the head and the eyes, and the motor responses needed to successfully catch the ball. It uses information from the sensory systems and coordinates the timing and force of different muscle groups to produce fluid motion.