Catcher calling her own game in 12U

Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch

Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.

May 2, 2018
200
63
Central Virginia
So 12U girl pitchers are throwing multiple pitches? For our girls the pitches are fast pitch in the zone......fast pitch in the dirt....fast pitch wild right.....fast pitch wild left.....fast pitch over head......

I know our catcher called fast pitch in the zone....

I would say by 12U they should at least have a fastball and change up that they can locate with a some kind of consistency. So calling pitches would consist of fastball/change and location. Having a catcher at 12U understand when and where those pitches need to be thrown based on count and situation is awesome (even if the pitcher only hits the spot sometimes).
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
Since at the higher levels there will typically be a dialog between signal caller and catcher, at the younger ages catchers should be in the loop in terms of why the coach is calling what they are calling. This needs to be trained just like every other aspect their skillset.
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
So 12U girl pitchers are throwing multiple pitches? For our girls the pitches are fast pitch in the zone......fast pitch in the dirt....fast pitch wild right.....fast pitch wild left.....fast pitch over head......

I know our catcher called fast pitch in the zone....
This feedback is important to acknowledge.
Yet not the standard across all ages of pitchers in 12u. Yes 12u pitchers can have several pitches to use.

Students 10 year old sister
pitcher is amazingly accurate.
Older sister is a catcher,
Who recognized last season how horrible the pitchers on her 12u team are in compairison.

imo
talent/control is not an age level.
Its development level!
Going forward, for talent, dont let travel age brackets hold you back from better competition!
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
Since at the higher levels there will typically be a dialog between signal caller and catcher, at the younger ages catchers should be in the loop in terms of why the coach is calling what they are calling. This needs to be trained just like every other aspect their skillset.
ADD teach the entire team why pitch calling is important.
It will be used at them in the box!

"if you have 0-2 or 1-2 strikes theres a good chance the next pitch will be a waste pitch"

Can we control what the hitter/pitcher does? Maybe not. But teaching how the game is 'really' played encourages goals!
 
May 6, 2015
2,397
113
So 12U girl pitchers are throwing multiple pitches? For our girls the pitches are fast pitch in the zone......fast pitch in the dirt....fast pitch wild right.....fast pitch wild left.....fast pitch over head......

I know our catcher called fast pitch in the zone....
actually, there times you do NOT want a pitch in the zone (0-2, 1-2)
 
Nov 11, 2019
105
28
It was at a tournament in Virginia, but the player sounds of similar quality. I only saw the catcher in the game I watched and the game where we played her team but she could easily play on a B level team and likely at least contribute/be a role player for some of the area A level teams.
Did it happen to be in Richmond
 
May 4, 2020
167
28
DD's team was at a tournament last weekend. Between games I was watching two other teams play.

The catcher for one of the teams, both C level teams (one should probably be B, not the one I'm referencing, but that is another story) was calling her own pitches for the pitcher. I paid attention and not once did she look towards her dugout for any type of sign for pitches and I didn't see anyone else signaling to her from the infield.

The catcher is easily that team's best player and could probably play for any team in the area from what I saw that game and the game where we played them. I'm not an expert, but it would seem she must have an exceptional understanding of the game to be calling her own game at that age. Is this common or am I just impressed because I haven't seen it before with this age of players?
Love it. We should see more of it at most age groups!
 
May 17, 2014
7
1
I like the catcher calling pitches at just about every level....If the catcher has confidence in her ability to catch the pitch. You don’t want a catcher shying away from the pitchers best pitch because they don’t have confidence in catching it. Common with hard breaking drop balls.
 
Jul 31, 2019
495
43
For the love of God, coaches please work on getting the signs to your catcher quicker. Maybe even planning ahead what you might be calling on the next pitch. Not only will you be helping your pitcher and defense, you will be making the game more entertaining. AND if you are using wristbands please stop until you are very efficient at doing so. In other words, if you are going to use them you need to spend a lot of your practice time working with them. We played a team recently that took a good 30 to 45 seconds between pitches. I would rather watch paint dry.
If I could hit the like button 50 times I would. Well said statement
 
Jan 17, 2020
20
3
If a coach is not working his/her catchers to take over calling games they are doing a disservice to the catchers. if the catcher is half way decent at it, she’ll be 2x better than the coach. Better view of the batter set up, better view of the delivered pitch (doesn’t ask “where was that” every pitch), and is right next to the ump getting good info if she works a bit.. there was a good article that came out 5 to 10 years ago begging coaches to stop micro-managing another Specialization that belongs in the girls hands...
 
Top