Video- Lessons from a 10U Catcher

[GOINGDEEP]

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.

Yes, I mean pitch.

Catching is a lot like pitching, each has their own style and what works best for them I guess you could say. That's why I posted the video, even top paid catchers are not all the same in mechanical stances.

 

[chazbz1]

Well we have lots of great questions and comments! I will do my best to address them. Bare in mind this 10U is in her runner-on stance throughout the video clip...

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

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

We work with catchers to protect the most vulnerable parts of their body. Their hands. We do teach 2 stances, one for when there are no runners on base (and less than two strikes on the batter) and the second when there are runners on base. One saves the knees, the other prepares the catcher equally to either block or come up throwing. We want the throwing hand behind the glove for their safety. We see way too many catchers (especially fastpitch) with broken fingers or tendon/ligament damage from taking foul tips off their hands. Most catchers that put their hand back behind their legs with runner on will bring it around early to prepare to throw at the runner attempting to advance. (As is illustrated in this video)

Throw Down with Hand Exposed

Runner On Stance with Catcher Protecting her Throwing Hand

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

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

We never encourage our catchers to pull pitches to center to frame. They are taught to realize that their glove is a backup for the umpire and can be used as a reference for pitch position... Since they don't know which pitch the umpire may use the catcher's glove for reference, we teach them to receive every pitch as though it were to be used to determine whether it is a ball or strike. Catchers are encouraged to keep the glove level when pitches are down the middle... Low pitches should be caught level as turning the glove over and cupping low pitches at the ankles can influence the umpire to call a ball. Pitches caught with level gloves at the ankles can better illustrate the pitch as a strike... Lower than the ankles should be blocked. This comes with expereince and receiving many, many pitches.

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.

This may be from the camera angle... Her runner on stance is pretty disciplined with shins vertical and hips level with knees. When we first showed her this stance she had her shoulders in between her knees!

One thing we are mindful of (especially in fastpitch) is that different parts of kid's bodies grow at different rates. Many young ladies have their hips down grow much faster than their torso... Many are very akward at this age and we work with them to adapt their stances to fit their bodies....

This catcher does set her target high for her pitcher (Her glove) and we will focus on this in future catching sessions. When sharing this video with her, she commented to her dad that she noticed her glove was high in the video...

This is a big reason as a catching coach I love getting out to games. I learn how our students put their training to use. When something's not right, we can discover ways to help them correct and adjust. (Plus it's a great excuse to get out and watch some games!)

Thanks, Chaz @ ACC

 

[chazbz1]

Even catchers keeping their hands back behind them run the risk of getting hit by a foul tip when they drop their guard...

 

[guero_gordo]

Her runner on stance is pretty disciplined with shins vertical and hips level with knees.

I am not seeing vertical shins at all, her feet are considerably wider than her knees.

 

[chazbz1]

I am not seeing vertical shins at all, her feet are considerably wider than her knees.

Gordo, Great observation. I should explain better what I mean! When I refer to shins being vertical, I am meaning when viewed from the side. Not from the front. (This would not be good) Our goal for the catcher is to have the shins "vertical" (Or near vertical) and thighs level or slightly raised when viewed from the side.



Thank you for pointing that out.

 

[oswegoponysoftball]

Hmmm, I coach catchers as well and I have found that keeping the hand behind the glove you actually have more catchers that get their hands hit by the ball or the bat. As a matter of fact my 10U DD is a catcher and she had the hand behind the glove for many years and I have been working with her to change that recently. As far as the stance goes I teach 3 stances (signal, primary secondary). Although at 10U we really only use the primary and secondary. The bottom line is this .... catching is like hitting in that there are different styles in a stance but one you swing your core mechanics all line up. I believe that is also true in catching. I think stance's in some whys are also part of a person's style. If that catcher can receive, block, throw and has good footwork to make a throw to any of the bases .... I will only make minor tweeks. Just my .02 worth.

 

[Greenmonsters]

There's really nothing to add to what Chaz has said previously in this thread other than he's obviously well versed and experienced teaching using the NECC approach.

IMO and IME, the throwing hand inevitably runs a greater risk of getting hit by a foul tip if its not protected behind the leg (w/ no runners on) or behind the glove (with runners on or 2 strikes and 1st open). The thumb curled inside the fist helps, but the biggest thing to watch for IMO is the tendency for the throwing hand to float away from its protected location and become exposed unnecessarily.

FWIW, I don't think the different catching techniques we see are simply a matter of stylistic differences. IMO, catching is the least and most poorly coached postion in BB or SB. There are plenty of MLB catchers who are successful with less than ideal mechanics because they are elite athletes with elite hand/eye coordination; however, with better mechanics, they could be even better, particularly with respect to blocking. The same holds true for a number of the catchers appearing on TV during the WCWS and NCAA regionals - many of these catchers could be better if their mechanics were better particularly in the areas of blocking and receiving (including framing). The reality is that by the time a catcher has reached college or MLB they have to have already achieved a high degree of success to make it that far and its infinitely harder to change what you've been doing for years and spend an enormous amount of time to improve an incremental amount. But for those starting out or just learning, why not give them greatest advantage and train them the right way from the start?

 

[Greenmonsters]

Hmmm, I coach catchers as well and I have found that keeping the hand behind the glove you actually have more catchers that get their hands hit by the ball or the bat. As a matter of fact my 10U DD is a catcher and she had the hand behind the glove for many years and I have been working with her to change that recently. As far as the stance goes I teach 3 stances (signal, primary secondary). Although at 10U we really only use the primary and secondary. The bottom line is this .... catching is like hitting in that there are different styles in a stance but one you swing your core mechanics all line up. I believe that is also true in catching. I think stance's in some whys are also part of a person's style. If that catcher can receive, block, throw and has good footwork to make a throw to any of the bases .... I will only make minor tweeks. Just my .02 worth.

I saw too many PBs/WPs that were preventable during the NCAA regionals and WCWS because the catcher set up with a staggered stance, which makes it all but impossible to block a pitch to their left. That, IMO, is a technique flaw rather than a stylistic preference.

 

[guero_gordo]

I saw too many PBs/WPs that were preventable during the NCAA regionals and WCWS because the catcher set up with a staggered stance, which makes it all but impossible to block a pitch to their left. That, IMO, is a technique flaw rather than a stylistic preference.

Though I tend to agree with you, it could also be a calculated gamble too.

I sat in the bleachers at a Super-Regional with DD and watched a ball hit the dirt 5' in front of the plate that went all the way to the wall. Gauging the speed, I'd say it might have been a change-up.

 

[oswegoponysoftball]

A staggered stance is a stance that a coach would have the catcher get into and IMO is a risk that the coaches have to take. BTW, most of the time I see MLB and college catchers in a stagger stance there is a base runner on st. Was that the case in your situation?