Catcher overuse

[catchdad]

I have a question for coaches and parents. My DD is the #1 catcher for our TB team, she is playing up in 14's. Can you over use your catcher, she has only asked to be taken out 1 time in 3 yrs, at the end of the 3rd back to back game in 100 degree weather because she said she was getting dizzy. She came out and true to form by the next inning she was begging to go back in because in that inning their were 4 passed balls and 1 dropped 3rd strike. The problem this year is that she is starting to complain after games about knees really hurting. This last weekend she was catcher in 8 of 8 games in a 36 hour period. We ice her knees after every game. I have been told that there are some exercises that she needs to be doing to work the complimentary muscles in her legs that aren't normally worked while catching. Any help or advise welcome. I don't want her hard charging attitude to be the cause of a real problem.

 

[Lozza]

Yes you are overusing her. She is going to break, sooner rather than later.

I understand that she wants to be the best catcher, but if she is catching eight games in 36 hours than it is FAR too much. Any team that plays a weekend tournament needs two top catchers at LEAST. Three is better.

You need to talk to the coach now. That stuff isn't pulled at the international level, so why would you put your 11 year old daughter through it? (I'm assuming the age based on her playing up)

 

[InsidePitch]

We carry 3 catchers on our 12U team so we don't wear them out in the summer. We also keep them an extra 30 minutes after each practice to make sure they are all getting the drills and training to do a good job behind the plate. If you rely on one catcher you will soon have no catcher.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I have a nephew that by age 35 had 2 knee replacements, caused directly by catching every game from the time he was a 10 yo. He said that he wished he had never caught a game, at all. The pain isn't worth it.

I know that when I played, we used one catcher and they always seemed to be crippled up. (We played into our late 20s.)

But, MLB and the universities continue to use one catcher. I don't think that that makes it right.

You are correct to ice her knees. I would also take her to an osteopath or sports ortho doc and get an exam.

 

[catchdad]

That is what I thought, the problem we have is that we lost our #2. Our #3 really doesn't even want to catch, I have always trusted my DD when it comes to injuries and how she feels because she has never taken the easy way out and knows the difference between hurt and injured. I am starting to think her love of the game and competitiveness is clouding things. We actually have our 1st weekend off and I have told her there will be no squatting or blocking allowed for this 2 weeks. We are making her an Dr. Appt. this week just to be safe. Is there any special exercises she should be doing?

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I am not a doctor, just a long time coach and PE teacher. But, you can't go wrong with rest, ice and elevating the knees. As far as the 4th component of that adage - compression - I now use Kinesiology tape. But, I feel that that is medical advice that you will need to get after you see what is wrong (if, anything.)

 

[Lozza]

I have always trusted my DD when it comes to injuries and how she feels because she has never taken the easy way out and knows the difference between hurt and injured. I am starting to think her love of the game and competitiveness is clouding things.

I grew up with a guy who was a state catcher at 12 (national championships at that point was U16s. He was GOOD) He was going to be an Australian player. He was so good that he caught every game he ever played, which was about two or three games a weekend. He had two complete knee reconstructions as a teenager and could never catch again.

If she's telling you now that she's suffering from bad knees, then it will get worse as she's older. Complete rest is a very good start. Getting another catcher for her team is very, very important. Her future health is not worth it.

 

[WinThemAll]

She also needs to ice her throwing arm shoulder. DD was a catcher all during her career (12U-DI) -- also played elsewhere. Not only are knees a problem but she also has problems with her shoulder. Just think of all those throws back to the pitcher.

While catching is certainly were the action is at, your DD also needs to be able to play other positions as well to be a well rounded "softball player".

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Are her feet flat or is she up on her toes, throughout the game?

 

[catchdad]

She is up on her toes, you could say that she plays other positions, when she is not catching she plays 1st or OF. She is used in practice trying to get some of the others to give up the body and sell out to get the ball in the outfield. The problem is that we have played 35 games already this year and she has caught either 31 or 32 of those. One game she missed because she had 104 temp. We work on the side to keep the other skills up. The girl that she takes lessons from told her the same thing, if the only thing you can do is catch you will be behind the power curve. I worry part of the problem is that I did things different than the norm. I convinced her to not worry about the throw down in the beginning and dedicated all of our time to blocking and receiving and told her the throw would come with time. Therefore she spent an amazing amount of time in the squat and dropping, it has paid off. We have gotten spoiled, we feel like the world is ending if there is any passed balls in a game but at what cost?