What is the best blocking technique?

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FastpitchFan

Softball fan
Feb 28, 2008
465
0
Montreal, Canada
I've seen as many as 4 different ways to block the ball with the two most common ones being:

1) Sliding sideways - what is commonly taught
2) Kicking the feet real quick to get into blocking position (that has been quite effective on the few catchers using it that I have seen).
 
Last edited by a moderator:
May 7, 2008
172
0
Hudson, NH
I've seen as many as 4 different ways to block the ball with the two most common ones being:

1) Sliding sideways - what is commonly taught
2) Kicking the feet real quick to get into blocking position (that has been quite effective on the few catchers using it that I have seen).

What is the best one?

Or the easiest one to teach to young catcher that is starting?

Marc,

I teach the same technique to catchers of all ages. The hands move first to the ball, the body then encircles the hands. The block show in the clip is used on fastballs in the dirt. The knees are basically landing on the line with where the feet used to be.

If this had been a change, drop or curve in the dirt the catcher would have been blocking forward to get over the ball to keep it from bouncing over their head.

I teach the fastball block first to get the basics down first.

Video of Softball Blocking to Left - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Coach Weaver
 
Nov 3, 2008
3
0
Coach Weaver,
The video shows the catcher with her throwing hand behind her glove as opposed to behind her back. Is this someting you teach or is it a preference of the catcher? Or is it a technique used when runners are on base?

Thanks
Rich
 
May 7, 2008
172
0
Hudson, NH
Coach Weaver,
The video shows the catcher with her throwing hand behind her glove as opposed to behind her back. Is this someting you teach or is it a preference of the catcher? Or is it a technique used when runners are on base?

Thanks
Rich

Rich,

I teach the throwing hand behind the glove whenever there are runners on base. It makes the transition to throwing and blocking significantly faster and more balanced then if it were behind their back.

When no runners are on the hand then goes behind the back/leg.
 
May 18, 2009
1,314
38
My daughters coach is teaching the catchers to move in a semi circle to the field so if the pitch bounces off the catcher it will bounce back towards the field of play. If the catcher is angled incorrectly the ball will angle back the wrong direction.
 
Nov 12, 2009
365
18
Kansas City
Blocking Video

Marc,
Here is about a minute's worth of video of three of my catchers demonstrating properly blocking skills. Note the first catcher (Frontal view) keeps her chest protector pointing towards the plate when blocking side to side. The goal is to always keeps the ball returning to center. [video]http://s1008.photobucket.com/albums/af207/chazbz1/Advanced%20Catching%20Concepts-%20Catching%20Skills/?action=view&current=ACCBlocking.flv[/video]
 

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