Video- Lessons from a 10U Catcher

[chazbz1]

I got to watch one of my 10U's this past weekend and am extrememly proud of her. She is already utilizing her training and protecting her throwing hand, (Something we place a huge emphasis on at ACC) blocking pitches in the dirt, working on keeping strikes looking like strikes by not rooling her glove over, remembering that when the runner goes, the catcher throws (Thanks NECC ffor theis reminder) and realizing that you will make a mistake or two... Learn from it and move on to the next pitch.

[video=youtube_share;ET5lJzBFMt8]http://youtu.be/ET5lJzBFMt8[/video]

For more information, check out ACC on FaceBook and Advanced Catching Concept's website

 

[GOINGDEEP]

At 10u she looks real good. Now I'm no catcher expert, but as a old pitcher, I wonder what is the benefit of her arm in front of her? It's still exposed for say a foul ball to change directions and hit the arm.

I always taught my catchers to drop the throwing hand behind the leg. I've only seen a handful of catchers who keep it upfront. I do like her wide stance, most young catcher's legs/feet are too close together giving them no balanced range.

Maybe Greenmonsters can explain, I do think I've seen more in FP upfront than in BB.

One more catcher question and I'm not talking about the video and comparing this young lady to college pitchers. My college coach always instructed the catcher on low pitches not to turn the horn of the glove down, he said umps look for that as an indicator of a pitch that is too low. He wanted them to move the glove straight down and keep it horizontal. Is this correct? That's what I've always taught, but again I wasnt a catcher.

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[starsnuffer]

She appeared to be in the "runners on base" stance for that entire video. I know Dave Weaver taught that stance. The point of the hand behind the glove there is to enable the catcher to simply turn the glove over and pull the ball out to load for a throw. This 10u catcher isn't exactly using that as she's dropping her throwing hand down and extending the glove towards the ball (and thus exposing her hand for injury to foul balls), but she's just 10u. I'm not going to nitpick a 9 year old.

Dave's no runners on stance is like the first pic you have, hand behind the leg, only with proper foot position like the bottom pic. Catchers should never be on their toes once they're through giving signs, the top pic must be an "old guy".

As to the glove, the thought here is to use the edge of the glove (close the glove, the hinge makes a straight line) to frame the pitch. Outside pitches are caught with the fingers up, inside pitches caught with the fingers down, high pitches are caught as the glove position shows in your pic, so the straight edge of the glove frames the top of the zone. Now, this is NECC and ACC's way of doing things. Ken Ericson (former men's USA catcher and current head coach of woman team USA) has a very different approach to how he teaches catching, and it's way more KISS. Neither are right or wrong, they're just different (IMHO).

-W

 

[skwinters1]

can you explain how to frame a low pitch without pulling or rolling the glove over.

 

[redhotcoach]

She appeared to be in the "runners on base" stance for that entire video. I know Dave Weaver taught that stance. The point of the hand behind the glove there is to enable the catcher to simply turn the glove over and pull the ball out to load for a throw. This 10u catcher isn't exactly using that as she's dropping her throwing hand down and extending the glove towards the ball (and thus exposing her hand for injury to foul balls), but she's just 10u. I'm not going to nitpick a 9 year old.

Dave's no runners on stance is like the first pic you have, hand behind the leg, only with proper foot position like the bottom pic. Catchers should never be on their toes once they're through giving signs, the top pic must be an "old guy".

As to the glove, the thought here is to use the edge of the glove (close the glove, the hinge makes a straight line) to frame the pitch. Outside pitches are caught with the fingers up, inside pitches caught with the fingers down, high pitches are caught as the glove position shows in your pic, so the straight edge of the glove frames the top of the zone. Now, this is NECC and ACC's way of doing things. Ken Ericson (former men's USA catcher and current head coach of woman team USA) has a very different approach to how he teaches catching, and it's way more KISS. Neither are right or wrong, they're just different (IMHO).

-W

Chaz helped Jay (weaver) work with my dd. With all respect to Chaz, I would consider him the NECC Kansas City Franchise. That being said, and the young lady's age in mind, her stance does bug me. I know that is the first thing taught. She looks to me like she is almost standing up. NOW as I have worked with other catchers, I would bet it is just conditioning with this girl. I would say half the girls can't get in a good stance, and a lot of the rest have quivering quads after just a short time.

 

[Momo'sDad]

Looking good.

My DD's catching instructor (Jenny Topping, Olympic champion) does not want the throwing hand on the front side at all, though. Too much risk, not enough reward, especially since her primary position is pitcher.

 

[redhotcoach]

Looking good.

My DD's catching instructor (Jenny Topping, Olympic champion) does not want the throwing hand on the front side at all, though. Too much risk, not enough reward, especially since her primary position is pitcher.

When blocking you typically have throwing hand behind the glove when knees are on the ground, not unique, everyone teaches this. Ask youself, does your throwing hand stand a greater chance being hit if it is already behind the glove and stays behind it going to the ground. Or if it is behind the back/leg and has to come around the body to get behind the glove.

 

[starsnuffer]

can you explain how to frame a low pitch without pulling or rolling the glove over.

You frame it just as you would an inside or outside pitch. If it's too low for that, the catcher should be blocking.

-W

 

[GOINGDEEP]

When blocking you typically have throwing hand behind the glove when knees are on the ground, not unique, everyone teaches this. Ask youself, does your throwing hand stand a greater chance being hit if it is already behind the glove and stays behind it going to the ground. Or if it is behind the back/leg and has to come around the body to get behind the glove.

You're really not "coming around" the body when your throwing hand is protected by the leg. You're dropping the leg and the arm rolls over into position.

Here is a decent quick video which shows a few different stances from some of the best catchers and pitchers in 2011, MLB. Also notice when base runners are on, and blocked pitches. Some may not hide the arm behind the leg, but most move the arm away from the intended flight path.

 

[redhotcoach]

By "intended flight path" I assume you mean pitch?
It's foul balls that are the threat to the throwing hand. I still say behind the glove is the safest spot, or at least that is what Dave Weaver spent 15 minutes explaining and convincing me.