How many of you forgo the bucket?

[Sparky Guy]

I know when I worked with my DD over the years I never used a bucket. I would always kneel without any gear at all. I had some very good pads that were actually packing material for car parts. I wore out the knees of a lot of jeans over the years. I tried a bucket a couple of times but I felt too exposed.

The other reason I always knelt was I've never seen a catcher on a bucket in game. All too often I have to keep reminding the bucket dads/moms to lower the glove to the height of the hitters their DD's will face. Plus I felt it gave me a better view of exactly what the pitches were doing. I always knelt at back of the plate instead of where the catcher sets up. That way I knew exactly where the pitch was crossing the plate and how much it was moving before it got there.

 

[riseball]

I know when I worked with my DD over the years I never used a bucket. I would always kneel without any gear at all. I had some very good pads that were actually packing material for car parts. I wore out the knees of a lot of jeans over the years. I tried a bucket a couple of times but I felt too exposed.

The other reason I always knelt was I've never seen a catcher on a bucket in game. All too often I have to keep reminding the bucket dads/moms to lower the glove to the height of the hitters their DD's will face. Plus I felt it gave me a better view of exactly what the pitches were doing. I always knelt at back of the plate instead of where the catcher sets up. That way I knew exactly where the pitch was crossing the plate and how much it was moving before it got there.

Which is why I prefer a milk crate.

 

[JAD]

I am a big fan of sitting on a bucket - I hate to think what my knees would feel like after squating for an hour. Not to mention my ability to get out of the way of errant pitches would be almost zero from a squat. The extra 10 lbs I put on between Thanksgiving and Christmas are not helping either!

 

[knightsb]

I sit on a bucket and scooch way back for a little added protection if you know what I mean

 

[Perfect Circle]

I sat on a basketball last night... But I'm BucketDad...3.5 gallon.

Here's is my Cadallic for the back Yard...

 

[PEPPERS]

I'm a bucket dad myself, these days I do good to balance on a bucket much less squat. I set the target (glove) at about the height of the bucket for every pitch and have her throw to different areas by picking different parts of my body. This includes knees, shoulders, chest and ETC.

I wear shin guards (Wal-Mart $20)(, steel toed work boots and an old batting helmet with face guard, I'm not as quick as I once was and DD throws faster than she used to with movement that is hard for me to keep up with.

 

[knightsb]

I have been watching some videos of Rich Balswick lately. I have to think he has 10 years on me, but I never see him use any gear other than a bucket and glove. In the Cheridian Hawkins skills video you can hear him say, "if you throw it, I'll catch it". I wished I had that confidence.

Maybe JJ can chime in here. What gear does RB use JJ?

 

[abbygale]

On my knees, I'm in the dirt and on a short little wheeled mechanics seat when inside. Wild pitch, I just bail out nowadays.

 

[RubberBiscuit]

Out of all the years I caught "bucket-style" - never has a ball snuck in to hit a ball ;-) Like somebody else said - get your butt very far back on the bucket - it takes more balance but it's worth it. In fact when all the drop balls started I would FAR rather prefer being on a bucket to kneeling - I want to get out of the way of those nasty suckers when they go into the dirt (as much as possible).

Yes the target height can be a concern. DD does remind me when I drift too high.

 

[FastPitchCat]

i never use a bucket, but i use an ump's mask and shin guards. my left big toe nail has been hit twice by drop balls so steel-toe boots will be next