Pitcher/catcher

DD has had the opportunity to play for an older team that has superior catching to her current team. I’ve noticed a jump in speed with the better catching. DD has more confidence in her movement pitches and more confidence when placing a pitch inside on the batter.

I feel my DD needs the better catching to grow into what she’s capable of. When balls and strikes are a fraction of an inch apart it’s important to have a good frame.

How do your teams develop pitcher/catchers and what do you do if your pitcher is struggling with their catcher?

Plan a few years ago was DD had a personal C, they looked great in practice games it was a disaster.

HC moved his DD to catching, which they had no interest in doing.

I think our best 2 athletes are catchers now.

Bride them if you need too, you can bat anywhere you want if you C.

Not sure what to do if you are a parent.

we have used DVD's from New England Catching Camp, they have a lot of good stuff on their 3 hr video. We then take those thoughts and have catchers training clinics in our facility. We have had all our catchers go thru the training. Our HS had a personal catchers coach, all he did was work with the catchers each day on these items.

In practice catchers work with every pitcher. If a pitcher doesn't like the glove placement their taught to pick a spot off that glove for their "target" maybe it's the left knee or right shoulder of the catcher. Don't get bent out of shape on the glove placement. Pick your spot and OWN it.

In 8u and 10u, I had every girl put on the gear the first practice and spent a few minutes throwing softies at them to see who had potential as a catcher. Every year a girl I didn't think of as catcher material before the drill showed potential. In 12u and above, put your short stop behind the plate and see how she does.

Get them copies of the NECC DVD. Do whatever you can do to get Jay Weaver of NECC out to do a winter camp. I hosted him November 2015, a local high school AD hosted him Feb 2017, but he went to Vegas Feb 2018 for his west coast trip. Encourage girls to go to his summer camp. My DD went to his summer camp just before she turned 9. She rarely catches, but going to his camp definitely raised her overall defensive awareness and level of play.

I think Jenny Topping is still based out of Roseville, CA. See if she'll come up to your neck of the woods to give a clinic for your organization.

If possible, have the catcher catch your daughter at pitching lessons.

Hey NVfishing Jenny Topping just announced a 4 week online catching clinic for $80 starting August 13th.

Eric F I haven't looked at Jenny's teaching since I took L to see Jay 4 summers ago. What do you think of her teaching?

http://goldmedaltraining31.com/

We had a tourney were it was 11 billion degrees and we were being very careful with our catchers (rotating them out), I see my daugter who plays every second at 3rd this year putting on the gear. I'm like "what are you doing?" The other coach told her to gear up and give it a go. She hadn't caught since machine pitch 3 yrs ago. I laugh and just watch thinking it was about to be bad. Nope she was pretty lights out. Everything that was catchable was caught and she blocked better than our regular catcher. The next couple of games she got in as Catcher again but this time I didn't doubt her.
Over all - the more someone catches for a P the better they get. They will start knowing where the ball will locate and how it will move. It just takes time. Trust the process.

NVfishing said:

DD has had the opportunity to play for an older team that has superior catching to her current team. I’ve noticed a jump in speed with the better catching. DD has more confidence in her movement pitches and more confidence when placing a pitch inside on the batter.

I feel my DD needs the better catching to grow into what she’s capable of. When balls and strikes are a fraction of an inch apart it’s important to have a good frame.

How do your teams develop pitcher/catchers and what do you do if your pitcher is struggling with their catcher?

Click to expand...

Just bouncing around the site this morning and saw your other post about the new stud catcher. Is that with the current team? If so why not work with her and build the chemistry? Just curious.

Andy

Interesting and timely topic! Always trying to pull the best practices, drills and techniques from those who have actually been there/done that. Jenny Topping's name just came up as I was discussing catching mechanics with one of my girls new coaches. I'd heard of her but hadn't really studied at all, glad to hear some of you guys talking about her stuff on here as well.