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

[The Man In Blue]

THAT’S NOT FRAMING! That’s selling!

 

[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 ✔

...and the catcher is now playing D1 and the coaches are thrilled with the mechanics the catcher brought to their program!

_________________________
A Special Thank you...

The light in the distance turned out to be one person holding a candle leading the direction from another way.

Now the instructor hands over the torch to the successful young athlete's now leading the way...
And the mechanics will continue!!!
Thank you big NAT!!!
☺ ~ Turbo

 

[Cannonball]

In reviewing some of your comments, where does coaching experience matter? If I coach a player at any position technique that I have learned and taught for my multiple decades of coaching then is that ego? I knew and really like Catching Coach's (Dave Weaver) ideas on the position and taught much of that. I have learned from some of the best to every coach at the D-1 level and took the time to travel to watch college practices at places like the U of Illinois and U of Indiana where the coaching staff was known for producing quality catcher in baseball. Several of my catchers have gone on to do well in college in both softball and baseball.

One final question, if "having an open mind" really having an open mind or is it really this is the way it should be coached?

 

[radness]

In reviewing some of your comments, where does coaching experience matter? If I coach a player at any position technique that I have learned and taught for my multiple decades of coaching then is that ego? I knew and really like Catching Coach's (Dave Weaver) ideas on the position and taught much of that. I have learned from some of the best to every coach at the D-1 level and took the time to travel to watch college practices at places like the U of Illinois and U of Indiana where the coaching staff was known for producing quality catcher in baseball. Several of my catchers have gone on to do well in college in both softball and baseball.

One final question, if "having an open mind" really having an open mind or is it really this is the way it should be coached?

Think your post is very relevant in the discussion of how come some people/coaches are
open-minded and some have a more specific thing they want people to do and will want to change players who are already successful.

Myself would not be able to give any one specific answer/guess on the reason why some coaches want to change success.

*its notable there are times people/coaches change what is successful, and remove the success.

Seems it is a good discussion point because its a notable conundrum to what can happen in softball/sports.

 

[FP26]

A coach can be experienced and still open minded. Working with any topic/subject for a long period of time is going to give a person a certain level of knowledge/expertise. In many cases they may already know the optimal way of doing things. However, listening to other people's thoughts and ideas could still result in refinement. Perhaps the result of the conversation leads the coach to making some minor adjustments in their thought process. Perhaps the result is further confirmation that they believe their method is still superior. A close minded coach is going to refuse to have the discussion because their way is right and everyone else is wrong.

 

[Anthony Vertuccio]

Field dirt pitches? Does that mean pick it like a 1st baseman does? When would the catcher block? Thanks as Im curious to learn

 

[radness]

Field dirt pitches? Does that mean pick it like a 1st baseman does? When would the catcher block? Thanks as Im curious to learn

Yes use glove to field/pick. bumped an older post in the catching forum. Has good discussion on that topic!
~Catchers dirt pitch recovery. Field the ball.

Good training video's also.
And video of
'Field & Fire'
Catchers Fielding dirt pitches and transitioning directly into our throw.
Zero down time,
Fastor pop times!
ZAP

 

[Hawk_]

I'll hold off judgment until I actually see it in action, I'm not a big fan of changing what works. Yadi blocks and that works.

 

[radness]

I'll hold off judgment until I actually see it in action, I'm not a big fan of changing what works. Yadi blocks and that works.

Glad you will look to see mechanics in action!
Since you brought up a baseball name...there are others in bb who field/pick.
For discussion,
Have you ever considered the difference in trajectory angle and spin between softball and baseball pitches?

Softball the pitch takes a much more linear approach to the catcher released from the knee area.
(Not released overhand from a raised mound)

Far less big chipy bounce in fastpitch. Pitch hitting dirt tends to skim and take low short hops.
Drop spin (over the top) will/can chip up. However a drop is usually a straight bounce easier than say curve or screw or rise that will bounce and move toward spin... skimming away.
Of which we can cut off that angle with our glove in front of us. Or Glove Under chest.
Not glove between legs.

Drop bouncing way out front can tend to need to be blocked as some bounce/chip up higher.

 

[Hawk_]

Glad you will look to see mechanics in action!
Since you brought up a baseball name...there are others in bb who field/pick.
For discussion,
Have you ever considered the difference in trajectory angle and spin between softball and baseball pitches?

Softball the pitch takes a much more linear approach to the catcher released from the knee area.
(Not released overhand from a raised mound)

Far less big chipy bounce in fastpitch. Pitch hitting dirt tends to skim and take low short hops.
Drop spin (over the top) will/can chip up. However a drop is usually a straight bounce easier than say curve or screw or rise that will bounce and move toward spin... skimming away.
Of which we can cut off that angle with our glove in front of us. Or Glove Under chest.
Not glove between legs.

Drop bouncing way out front can tend to need to be blocked as some bounce/chip up higher.

Do you have a youtube video you can show, I would like to see examples.