SHOUT OUT to CATCHERS ~ For at home work-outs

[radness]

SHOUT OUT to CATCHERS !!!!!

Hearing and seeing fantastic video's
of at home workouts!!!
Want to say GREAT JOB CATCHERS !!!
Way to put in the effort, time and dedication!!
Encouraging everyone stay positive,
and give it your best when training,
Todays effort will show come game day!!

Lets look forward to
THROWING RUNNERS OUT!


Lets read your workouts....
Lets see those videos....

WOOHOO !!!
ZAP !!!

 

[Tatonka]

Mine's been working almost everyday at some aspect of catching. Sometimes it's her inner pitching coach coming to the surface as she works with her sister, often it's a complete workout that includes her hitting in some form as well.

 

[erniekru]

For my DD, the part of the game that she needs to continually improve on is glove skills. From my perspective the greatest separator between catchers at her age is how they approach poor hops on throws to home. It obviously crosses over to fielding pitches in the dirt too, but our org and her catching coach are staunchly in the drop and block camp with emphasis on controlling the ball off the body.

The glove skills drills that we've been practicing continually are:

• using web gloves to catch golf ball wiffles (a lot more difficult than it seems). Lot's of concentration as you can see in my DD's expression..

• I've bought valle training gloves, both the Eagle KK and T28. The KK is good only for baseballs, it is a soft pancake glove with a palm pad. Crucial to get the ball in the exact right spot to catch. The T28 is a full featured and well constructed 28" fast pitch catchers mitt. There's not a lot of room for a 12" ball in there. Grounders, short hops, and every other possible ball hit and thrown to her.
• Buckets and buckets of hit balls to home with tag and immediate throw to 3B, 2B, and 1B.
• 3 x week long toss. It's amazing how this is an overlooked part of the game (well kindof, but used more as a warm up scenario).

To me these are the skills to best use her time for now. Once the team starts getting together again, command of the game and situational awareness will be behind but is easily worked on in a team environment.

 

[radness]

For my DD, the part of the game that she needs to continually improve on is glove skills. From my perspective the greatest separator between catchers at her age is how they approach poor hops on throws to home. It obviously crosses over to fielding pitches in the dirt too, but our org and her catching coach are staunchly in the drop and block camp with emphasis on controlling the ball off the body.

The glove skills drills that we've been practicing continually are:

• using web gloves to catch golf ball wiffles (a lot more difficult than it seems). Lot's of concentration as you can see in my DD's expression..

• I've bought valle training gloves, both the Eagle KK and T28. The KK is good only for baseballs, it is a soft pancake glove with a palm pad. Crucial to get the ball in the exact right spot to catch. The T28 is a full featured and well constructed 28" fast pitch catchers mitt. There's not a lot of room for a 12" ball in there. Grounders, short hops, and every other possible ball hit and thrown to her.
• Buckets and buckets of hit balls to home with tag and immediate throw to 3B, 2B, and 1B.
• 3 x week long toss. It's amazing how this is an overlooked part of the game (well kindof, but used more as a warm up scenario).

To me these are the skills to best use her time for now. Once the team starts getting together again, command of the game and situational awareness will be behind but is easily worked on in a team environment.

Over the past 5 years while attending college camps i started hearing the college coaches saying to catchers
On plays at home,
"This is a play at the plate. We need you to field the ball and place the tag." as some catchers kept blocking throws and then tagging.

Additionally in game situations commenting to catchers
"Do what you have been taught behind the plate. Make sure the runner does not advance on you." commenting the runner is very important!

Have sat with and also heard college coaches tell me
They are amazed when catchers cannot catch wild pitches in the air that are reachable.

These are indicators telling us they want a defensive player behind the plate!!!!

Colleges want catchers who can handle all the responsibilities of the position!!!

 

[injnyr]

For my DD, the part of the game that she needs to continually improve on is glove skills. From my perspective the greatest separator between catchers at her age is how they approach poor hops on throws to home. It obviously crosses over to fielding pitches in the dirt too, but our org and her catching coach are staunchly in the drop and block camp with emphasis on controlling the ball off the body.

The glove skills drills that we've been practicing continually are:

• using web gloves to catch golf ball wiffles (a lot more difficult than it seems). Lot's of concentration as you can see in my DD's expression..

• I've bought valle training gloves, both the Eagle KK and T28. The KK is good only for baseballs, it is a soft pancake glove with a palm pad. Crucial to get the ball in the exact right spot to catch. The T28 is a full featured and well constructed 28" fast pitch catchers mitt. There's not a lot of room for a 12" ball in there. Grounders, short hops, and every other possible ball hit and thrown to her.
• Buckets and buckets of hit balls to home with tag and immediate throw to 3B, 2B, and 1B.
• 3 x week long toss. It's amazing how this is an overlooked part of the game (well kindof, but used more as a warm up scenario).

To me these are the skills to best use her time for now. Once the team starts getting together again, command of the game and situational awareness will be behind but is easily worked on in a team environment.

Almost a year has passed, just curious how the Valle T28S has held up? How often is it used? How loud is the pop when receiving the ball? How is the padding and thumb protection as compared to a full-size mitt? I love small gloves and as a bucket dad, wondering if the T28S could be used as a full-time mitt.

 

[erniekru]

Almost a year has passed, just curious how the Valle T28S has held up? How often is it used? How loud is the pop when receiving the ball? How is the padding and thumb protection as compared to a full-size mitt? I love small gloves and as a bucket dad, wondering if the T28S could be used as a full-time mitt.

The T28S has held up really well, it is absolutely a fully featured glove... Padding, fingerstalls, thumb loops, etc. You can use it as a full time mitt but it really is small, especially with the 12" ball.

Regarding the pop, I'd say that getting a clean "hit" on the web and area between thumb and pointer is much harder due to its size. Not a great glove for the pop.

I have no regrets purchasing it.