Some More Game Footage - Be Gentle

[CobraAssist]

So, I have been gone for a while and haven't had a chance to get on and read. Thanks to all who respond to me. No thanks to whoever the person is that decided to be a jerk about how crappy my daughter's technique is. So, for your viewing pleasure, some more video. A little blocking, a pick-off at first, and my favorite part, a girl that delay steals her way from FIRST TO HOME on 3 consecutive pitches and really makes DD look like a goofball. Enjoy, but please realize, this is not a video of Pudge Rodriguez's DD. She's mine, and she's not perfect.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8iwjG6QC8tGT2MxYUdhM2FjRm8/edit?usp=sharing

Josh

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I like her a lot. She is learning quickly. Please discourage those around you to not yell directions to her. Can you imagine what that feels like? Plus, she wouldn't be able to hear her coach and her teammates.

 

[James Smith]

1st delay steal was a little silly, live and learn. The teams arms are not good enough to make throwing to 2nd make sense. You can try hard to pitcher, hard to 2nd base if the runner is getting out to far. Doesn't work very often.

2md delayed steal you had the runner if your DD retreated to the home after she threw the ball to 3rd. This is a hard play but worth working on as a Team, you can get some outs on this play. (This play might make for an interesting thread, it probably has been covered but I cannot remember)

 

[JJsqueeze]

I think she looks good for her age, she is quick, aggressive and has a good arm, the decision making will come with experience. You only have to throw down to second on a delayed steal a couple of times before you decide that just isn't working out. Catchers have a certain look about them and she has it.

 

[Eric F]

Great work by your DD, CobraAssist!! We can all nit-pick the little stuff, but the reality is that she is doing a FANTASTIC job for a 10yo. Her speed is great, her throws are very good, and her technique is definitely headed in the right direction. Clearly, she is a catcher to the core. That much is obvious. Keep it up.

On the play with the runner at 3rd, if I have to assign blame, it would be to the SS who covered behind 3B. She hesitated far too long to throw the ball back to your DD. If she makes that throw quickly, it's an easy out.

BTW - Ignore that guy who posted the negativity in your previous thread. On the same day, he posted in a number of other threads about catching, and his ignorance was evident.

 

[Rocketech1]

I really like her aggressiveness and she did some good blocking/catching keeping the pitches from getting to the backstop. Arm strength and glove to glove pop times are so important especially in 10U & 12U otherwise teams will steal 2nd at-will (and likely 3rd). Once she consistently throws baserunners out at 2nd, they mostly stop running on you. Don't know if you said you have the NECC catching DVD, but I think it is a must for any catcher learning the position.

 

[Greenmonsters]

CA - Great clips of your DD. I wish mine had been this accomplished and confident at 10! Game footage lets you see the actual mechanics a player uses under stress versus the idealized mechanics that they routinely work on when practicing. It seems that some of the things that she was working on before with her college instructor aren't fully ingrained quite yet. The upcoming NECC clinic will be a good and timely refresher. IMO, she's got the potential to be a great catcher if she continues working hard and smart.

Two specific pieces of advice
1. A question to ask your DD. Can she throw faster than she can run? Of course she can! So why waste time and energy running towards the bases before she throws (and leaving herself out of position in the case of a runner on 3rd)? Just throw, or fake throw, or don't throw, but no running (unless its to force a runner halfway between the bases to commit)!
2. Ask Jay to explain his thoughts to your DW re hand position with runners on.

 

[CobraAssist]

Amy - The yelling of direction part is SO DIFFICULT. DD just got a talking to 2 weeks ago, and I told her that she is not to turn around and acknowledge anyone because it gets her focus off of the job at hand. DW is constantly talking to her, encouraging her, and reminding her of things that she knows how to do, but will get lost in the moment of the game. Problem is, DD would always turn around and respond, which would get her in trouble most of the time. We have to keep reminding ourselves that she is 10 YEARS OLD, and she's still learning not only how to be a great softball player, but also a great person in general. It's still a work in progress, but we like to think she's ahead of the curve.

GM - on the running at the girls, I am in full agreement. You can't see from the clip, but the girl that was doing all the delaying was EXACTLY HALF WAY between first and second. The first time, she threw it too early, and the girl retreated back to first. The second time, she would have been out by a mile, but DD's throw was on the SS side of the bag, so the girl slid in the backside and was safe. You're right, the throw to second was silly. In that case, SHE SHOULD HAVE RAN right at her and made her commit. That girl should have been out 3 different times. The SS on her 12U team would have thrown that girl out at third though. The coach of the 12U team has always encouraged her to throw is she thinks there's a play. Has resulted in a lot of GREAT PLAYS, and a few NO SO GREAT PLAYS, but her confidence and aggressiveness are the two things that really separate her from some of the other girls I've seen out there. Like you said though...Live and Learn. This was actually footage from her playing down this past weekend. Her team has had a few weekends off, and the 10U team that practices at our fields was shorthanded. DD is an '03, so she can bounce around a little bit. 12U coach gave us the go ahead to help them out. You should have seen her trying to throw the smaller ball for the first game and a half. Everything went at the feet of whoever she was throwing it to. She was SOOOO FRUSTRATED. Had to really preach to her to get the ball on her fingertips, but she finally clicked. The girl that was giving her private instruction came to the games. Their schedules are starting to clear up, so they're going to start working together again (Thank God). She just signed to go to Lamar University and we're all SO PROUD of her. She's a great kid and has really been a good role model for my DD. I recommend to anyone to find someone for their daughter to work with that they can look up to and follow. The relationship that they have formed is remarkable.

Thanks everyone for the positive thoughts, comments, and the constructive criticism. Some of her biggest developments in her game have come from some great minds on here.

 

[seedamin]

Thanks for posting, reminds me of when my DD was a younger catcher. I think she is doing great. All of these "little things" make great lessons and will help her to become a stronger catcher. On the last play, as one of the posters above mentioned, the SS should have throw that ball a lot sooner. If you can't get the out, at least push them back the the base they are on originally (i.e. Only pump fake if they are going the direction you want them to be going). If the SS would have gotten rid of it quicker, your DD or the pitcher backing her up could have gotten either the out or pushed her back to third. I will also give some props to that base runner, she fit the "taunting baserunner" role very well and I am sure this isnt the first or last time she will get the other team throwing the ball around the field.

 

[guero_gordo]

Amy - The yelling of direction part is SO DIFFICULT. DD just got a talking to 2 weeks ago, and I told her that she is not to turn around and acknowledge anyone because it gets her focus off of the job at hand.

Just keep reminding her, she'll get better a lot faster than the cage committee will get smarter.