COACH~THANK YOU FOR BEING OPEN MINDED & PAYING ATTENTION !

[radness]

Make it known here on DFP i teach catchers to field dirt pitches.
Sometimes it happens that catchers who are trained to field dirt pitches will have a coach tell them they need to block everything
(AKA take the dirt pitch off the body.)

Over the years became noticeable the
Do it my way coaches
vs.
Open minded Coaches
Which brings this post

I want to THANK the Coaches who choose to look for players success in their mechanics...
Rather than just force players to do one thing.

it can be an awkward situation if /when a coach will tell a player who has been training with an specific set of mechanics they have to change.

So I'm acknowledging this wonderful story of a coach and catcher who were both
'given the opportunity to grow'
Simply because of an open minded coach.
Player went to tryouts. Made the team. Coach saw dirt pitch glove work. Asked player/family about it.
Player said i go to lessons and train this way.
Instructor calls it
'Field & Fire.'
The coach wonderfully
was ok letting the player student catcher do what she has been training to do befor comming to the team!
Field dirt pitches.
Over the weeks, starting with a few innings in games, the catcher earned a starting position behind the plate.
The catcher given the opportunity applied her self.
The Coach applied looking for success...

And SOFTBALL GREW A LITTLE MORE ✔

 

[John 800]

Out of curiosity do you teach to catch/pick field everything they can? No blocking? Blocking only as last resort? Both depending on situation? What is conventional softball wisdom on this? Is baseball catching philosophy just to ingrained into softball when it should not be?

 

[Gags]

I like the concept of picking balls that bounce b/w you and HP, and blocking everything else. (pick the short hop, block the medium-long hops). I think this is what RAD has described in the past, but I'm sure she'll chime in shortly.

 

[bmakj]

DDs biggest issue is the once bouncing ON HP. coach wants her blocking (although she is pretty good at picking as well), but if she goes to block, half the time it bounces on HP and over her head.

 

[Rolling Hard]

Egos often hold back coaches from learning. It is very sad to see.
If catcher is getting long hops from 43 ft., the pitcher is the problem. Rarely should a catcher have to strictly block and if its bouncing over the catchers head maybe the pitcher needs more lessons.

 

[radness]

Out of curiosity do you teach to catch/pick field everything they can? No blocking? Blocking only as last resort? Both depending on situation? What is conventional softball wisdom on this? Is baseball catching philosophy just to ingrained into softball when it should not be?

Thanks for questions
Like it opens up conversation.

Perhaps saying blocking as a last resort will work. Situational and talent level may factor. But almost never have students block. Body behind the ball with glove in front...if ball bounces over its a natural block. Chippy high bounce.

What is conventional wisdom?
Could be broad answer narrowed down'ish.
~Philosophy about catching is
Catchers are extreme infielders with the added pleasure of framing.
~Softball philosophy is
Control the ball to control the game.
~Mechanics reasoning
Can field most dirt pitches.
Because of Trajectory of pitches & spin in fastpitch.
Everyone else on the field is expected to use their glove.
Mostly
Efficiency for pop-times.

 

[radness]

DDs biggest issue is the once bouncing ON HP. coach wants her blocking (although she is pretty good at picking as well), but if she goes to block, half the time it bounces on HP and over her head.

Not certain what mechanics your dd does.
Simply just thinking thru different mechanics.
Some blocking styles catchers go into ( I call it )
Hunch and Crunch
where they get smaller and their shoulders come down more parallel to the ground.
Not much of a big wall.

My preference is to stay in a more upright athletic position on the knees. Shoulders just in front of the knees
( like athletic position on the feet)
that way our leg/hip and core muscles support us and we have control of our upper body to use our glove just as we would fielding.

Still even with best preperations
Anytime a pitch is going to hit the plate is very challenging!
Just another reason to NOT PITCH OVER IT

 

[The Man In Blue]

Thanks for questions
Like it opens up conversation.

Perhaps saying blocking as a last resort will work. Situational and talent level may factor. But almost never have students block. Body behind the ball with glove in front...if ball bounces over its a natural block. Chippy high bounce.

What is conventional wisdom?
Could be broad answer narrowed down'ish.
~Philosophy about catching is
Catchers are extreme infielders with the added pleasure of framing.
~Softball philosophy is
Control the ball to control the game.
~Mechanics reasoning
Can field most dirt pitches.
Because of Trajectory of pitches & spin in fastpitch.
Everyone else on the field is expected to use their glove.
Mostly
Efficiency for pop-times.

Gave you the “like” Rad, BUT ... NOT FRAMING!

I absolutely agree catchers should be taught to field, not to be a punching bag.

I think blocking as a primary line of defense comes from coaches who have no confidence in kids, so they teach the lowest common denominator/easiest thing for the coach.

I was a stubborn kid, but I had fast hands. I never blocked as a first option and I always set up in the same position. Coaches would “yell” because I wouldn’t set up outside. My response was always “Coach, you want it outside. He’s throwing it outside. I’m catching it outside. Why do want to tell the batter that before the pitch?”

 

[radness]

Gave you the “like” Rad, BUT ... NOT FRAMING!

I absolutely agree catchers should be taught to field, not to be a punching bag.

I think blocking as a primary line of defense comes from coaches who have no confidence in kids, so they teach the lowest common denominator/easiest thing for the coach.

I was a stubborn kid, but I had fast hands. I never blocked as a first option and I always set up in the same position. Coaches would “yell” because I wouldn’t set up outside. My response was always “Coach, you want it outside. He’s throwing it outside. I’m catching it outside. Why do want to tell the batter that before the pitch?”

@The Man In Blue what is your favorite part of being a Catcher?

The blocking abuse is certainly a topic have heard from catchers who previously did that and converted mechanics/philosophy.
Thankful to learn more skillsets, and less bruises.

As for commenting about Framing
~in Fastpitch~
(subtle wrist glove work shaving the edges)
I know of it's success!

 

[John 800]

As for commenting about Framing
~in Fastpitch~
(subtle wrist glove work shaving the edges)
I know of it's success!

forgive me for using baseball as an example, bbbuuuuuuuutttt, I saw a show a few years ago that went deep into statcast and analyzing said data.One thing they found was this: take a catcher that does a great job framing, like the top in the league, and look over the course of the season how many runs it saves amd compare that to any position including replacing yourbottom of the rotation starter with a cy young winner, replacing your 9 hitter with a league mvp. Framing was as much or more of a season changing factor as having a top hitter or pitcher. Surprising, but not really.