One thing I'm having trouble understanding is how the softball game is so much different than baseball that it requires a different approach for catchers, as has been mentioned in this thread.
In reality - really nothing - it is just that traditional beliefs are hard to challenge or be called into question if people have believed something for a long time. It is why you still hear 'throw the helmet off' being yelled at catchers every week or 'softball swing and baseball swings are every different' and so on. For most people the ability to change their mindsets or even being open to changing their mindsets is extremely difficult.
The best instructors are the ones who are willing to change what they teach over time and not live on past successes as they learn more and more and take the best of what others are teaching and incorporate it into what their own instruction and knowledge. I am fortunate to know a few - they are truly rare.
I will say that I have found some different priorities in softball for position players than in baseball. The skills still translate and still are executed the same but what is most important for each position and what high level skills are absolutely required in certain positions may change.
Catcher example - because of 60' bases in all ages of softball it is a higher priority that my catcher can throw out runners stealing two and are better than fielding bunts than in baseball because it happens more often and you have less time to execute. Another example: At SS we can live with slightly less range capabilities (because you are already so much closer and the ground needed to be covered laterally is smaller) but we value high reaction time and quick field/release on throws more because you don't have the time to gather yourself as you often as you can in baseball.
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