DD catching now?

[HunterMO]

Multiple weekend tournaments rained out. DD was invited to practice with team she was going to fill for which turned into a discussion about our normal team and their team doing a scrimmage on Sunday (yesterday). That then evolved into a 3-team round robin.

DD pitched the first game. Did great until she dang near had heat stroke (our first hot day of softball. 85+). And DD is awful about telling us when something is wrong. I even made the head coach go check on her. She lied and said she was ok!! Luckily we were at time and had a game between our second.

After some rehydrating, rest, and food she was ready to go again. But both head coach and I said no to her pitching again. So we used our #3. DD asked if she could catch. Other than catching for me during my pitching practices.....she’s never played the position.

She gets behind the dish and is framing, blocking, chasing and sliding into passed balls, and threw out 3 runners (2 at 2B and 1 at 3B). Should have been 4 runners caught stealing but one was a 50/50 play. Safe to say the team stopped stealing unless it was on a wild pitch.

Guess who our new back up catcher is.........

 

[Traps71]

Congrats. Fly her out to CA to see @RADcatcher!!!

 

[bmakj]

oh you poor unfortuate soul . . jk

but at the younger ages, which is where it sounds like you are, often underappreciated, even by coaches. DD gets very frustrated when people groan when a ball bounces off the plate and over head while she is trying to block it. and get ready for some killer bruises.

last word, buy her the best helmet you can afford (avoid dark colors), and get her a quality mitt, thumb stingers suck.

signed, proud dad of a catcher

 

[289nate]

Sounds like you have a hard-core athlete with a get it done mentality. That’s the type of player any coach would one on their team. Great job!

 

[HunterMO]

Congrats. Fly her out to CA to see @RADcatcher!!!

That'd be great - haha. But, unlikely. As we continue down the path I'll definitely be bugging Rad for sure.

oh you poor unfortuate soul . . jk

but at the younger ages, which is where it sounds like you are, often underappreciated, even by coaches. DD gets very frustrated when people groan when a ball bounces off the plate and over head while she is trying to block it. and get ready for some killer bruises.

last word, buy her the best helmet you can afford (avoid dark colors), and get her a quality mitt, thumb stingers suck.

signed, proud dad of a catcher

I know I know. As a pitching Dad I was half happy/half dreading it when she said she enjoyed playing the position - haha. But, if it gives her that much more versatility then it's a good thing.

DD is 13 and we'll be moving to 14u in August. This has all been at the C-level and we are looking to join a B-level program as her overall game supports it. She enjoys catching and I'd like to give her the opportunity. I'll definitely spend the money on a proper helmet. And yes, no dark colors. I've worn one in the heat and can't believe the oven they turn into.

Sounds like you have a hard-core athlete with a get it done mentality. That’s the type of player any coach would one on their team. Great job!

She truly is. I do my best to try and not over-sell her. But, she's made some big strides this year and getting noticed in the local circuit here. The coaches who have seen her play (or had her as fill-in) warn their base runners about her arm from behind the plate. It's pretty neat.