A coach just calls a better game till about 16. So much more experience and study avaiable as a resource to call on. The catcher should be the apprentice and learn by the coaches example until about 16U IMO.
Who calls the pitch ?
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Simo
Former High School Coach
As a coach, I called the pitches. I could see circumstances when a coach would delegate this duty to the catcher, especially at the college level, but with rare exceptions I have a much better handle on the situation than either pitcher or catcher. Secondly, and equally important, it allows me to communicate other instructions to the field. Pitch outs, pick off plays, first and third situations, and fielder alignment . The last two seasons I had very young pitchers in arguably the toughest conference in the state. I had a very strong catcher who was able to keep me in a lot of games because she was capable of carryiing out my instructions and gettting critical outs on the basepaths and taking some of the pressure of my pitchers. Last but not least, regardless of who is calling the pitches, you are no better than your pitcher's ability to execute the plan. Last year in district play, I called a change on a 3-2 count with the bases loaded. You have to have a lot of confidence in your pitcher to be able to pull that off. (BTW, she struck out the batter looking).
This must be an American thing, because I've NEVER seen a coach call pitches at any level of the game. If a catcher isn't calling the game by Under 14s, she's not considered very good. Sure, she's not as good as the adults would be, but how is she going to learn otherwise?
Funniest thing I've ever seen was playing a team where the catcher had injured her thumb, so was playing short-stop. They had no other decent catcher, so she was calling the pitches from shortstop to the girl who was filling in, who was then relaying them to the pitcher. Only problem was that everyone could see what was being called, so we smashed them over the park. My catcher at that point turned to me and said 'If I wasn't there, could you call your own game?' Its a massive failing of a pitcher to not be able to pitch what they want.
I only found out after the grand final that apparently my catcher has been calling pitches all season this year. News to me! (though my coach found it hysterical. At the bar after the game and he commented to me how much better my pitching was with catcher calling the pitches. My exact (drunken) response was 'She's been calling pitches? Since when?')
Funniest thing I've ever seen was playing a team where the catcher had injured her thumb, so was playing short-stop. They had no other decent catcher, so she was calling the pitches from shortstop to the girl who was filling in, who was then relaying them to the pitcher. Only problem was that everyone could see what was being called, so we smashed them over the park. My catcher at that point turned to me and said 'If I wasn't there, could you call your own game?' Its a massive failing of a pitcher to not be able to pitch what they want.
I only found out after the grand final that apparently my catcher has been calling pitches all season this year. News to me! (though my coach found it hysterical. At the bar after the game and he commented to me how much better my pitching was with catcher calling the pitches. My exact (drunken) response was 'She's been calling pitches? Since when?')
I'm glad you're not my daughters coach.
It's that kind of thinking that keeps girls stupid about the game and they are not little robots, they are the participants of this sport.
I respectfully disagree. Very few football quarterbacks ever call a play except to audiblize (like shaking off a pitch), never at the youth level. They are participants and they are not little robots.
At higher levels of travel there are kids that can absolutely blast the ball at 12U and certainly 14U. Coaches should have a better sense of what pitches to throw. The difference can be a slow roller to the second baseman or a bomb over the fence. I've worked with kids for years and I am certain at these age levels calling the right pitches against these big hitters can help you win and your catcher and pitcher will learn at the same time. Explain to your pitcher and catcher pitch selection. Allow certain players that freedom based on their proven maturity, not as an experiment to strengthen their pitch calling skills. Usually around 16U and then not as a rule.
Simo
Former High School Coach
lhowser, bingo! Right on the money!
Simo
Former High School Coach
I appreciate your sentiments, but kids need guidance and if they are smart they will pay attention to the ebb and flow of the game, the coaches strategy, and ask questions between innings at at practice. The coach in turn will explain what they are doing and why. When I am in the dugout calling the game, I am constantly teaching all those sitting next to me about what I called and why. The situation, where the batter is standing, how aggressive they are at the plate, and trying to exploit any weakness that I observe. I am also observing what runners are doing on the basepaths and have a perspective that neither the pitcher or catcher has. We were able to cut down runners on every base because of the non verbal communication between us. In most cases the catcher has the green light to throw to bases, but again, I have a pretty good knack of calling pitchouts and nailing runners, even at second base where they have a tendancy to be over aggressive. When the players have the confidence in your calls you can have a pretty effective defensive machine.
Guidance is a wonderful thing and like I said earlier in this thread, my DD is a sophomore. She's been pitching since she was 8. She has played travel since she was 11.
They did not start out at those young ages calling pitches but by the time they are in 14U they should be. I am thankful that during her 14U travel season, the catchers and pitchers called most of the games with maybe the exception of a championship game.
I believe that girls are capable of seeing all the same things that coaches are seeing and more.
MANY times I have seen coaches call the wrong pitch in the wrong situation and over the fence the ball goes.
Then they blame the pitcher for missing a spot.
I believe that when girls have ownership of their game they learn more, play harder and take responsibility for the outcome.
Every coach is different but I feel that we have been lucky to find coaches that allow kids that opportunity.
For me personally, it's a lot more fun to watch them doing it themselves.
Especially when I see the coach from an opposing team sitting over on his bucket calling every aspect of the game and then I watch our girls go in, call their own game and whoop the opponent handily. I LOVE it.
That's just my opinion.
They did not start out at those young ages calling pitches but by the time they are in 14U they should be. I am thankful that during her 14U travel season, the catchers and pitchers called most of the games with maybe the exception of a championship game.
I believe that girls are capable of seeing all the same things that coaches are seeing and more.
MANY times I have seen coaches call the wrong pitch in the wrong situation and over the fence the ball goes.
Then they blame the pitcher for missing a spot.
I believe that when girls have ownership of their game they learn more, play harder and take responsibility for the outcome.
Every coach is different but I feel that we have been lucky to find coaches that allow kids that opportunity.
For me personally, it's a lot more fun to watch them doing it themselves.
Especially when I see the coach from an opposing team sitting over on his bucket calling every aspect of the game and then I watch our girls go in, call their own game and whoop the opponent handily. I LOVE it.
That's just my opinion.
Greenmonsters
Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
Rant Warning - This is a pet peeve and I couldn't hold my tongue any longer. I'll confess now to being a former DI catcher and U16 travel coach and HS season crazy dad.
How do coaches become expert at pitch calling if, as advocated above, the coach should be calling the pitches? Please don't tell me its by watching games on TV. If you claim by experience, then it better have been as a former C or P who has done it 10000s of times in game situations where they have been accountable for the results. I see an awful lot of coaches calling pitches w/ no real clue as to what they're doing other than seemingly feeding their ego at the expense of their players' development. Players, not coaches, win games. Teach your players what they need to know to so they can be successful without you.
IMO, the coach's job is to teach the catcher how what to llok for and how to read the hitter and call pitches based on the situation and if known, batters' tendencies. Who has the best read on the pitchers stuff that day? Its a rare P that can be that objective. From the dugout 25' plus away and at an agle, the coach can't tell exactly where and by how much a pitcher is missing the strike zone (unless you're one of those coaches that thinks they have a better view of the strike zone than the umpire). Guess what - the strike zone is what the umpire says its and it varies by umpire and sometimes day by day and sometimes pitch by pitch. The catcher is best positioned to evaluate the pitcher's stuff and learn that day's umpire's strike zone, AND read the batter's body language and subtle adjustments in the box. Teach your catcher what to look for and how to set up hitters. If you have a scouting report, great, review it w/ the P and C before the game and give quick reminders before each inning. Give the C the Sat pool games to practice calling pitches on their own (w/ feedback) and, if needed, assist them during eliminatino games. Let the P focus on the execution, that's hard enough as it is, but allow her the chance to shake off if she's really not comfortable w/ the selection. By the end of 14U travel, a C should be competent at this phase of the game if the coach has done his job properly. IMO a lot of the college coaches call pitches by default - they have to because their incoming catchers haven't been taught this skill.
Rant over, I feel better now. Just my 2 cents.
Regards - GM
How do coaches become expert at pitch calling if, as advocated above, the coach should be calling the pitches? Please don't tell me its by watching games on TV. If you claim by experience, then it better have been as a former C or P who has done it 10000s of times in game situations where they have been accountable for the results. I see an awful lot of coaches calling pitches w/ no real clue as to what they're doing other than seemingly feeding their ego at the expense of their players' development. Players, not coaches, win games. Teach your players what they need to know to so they can be successful without you.
IMO, the coach's job is to teach the catcher how what to llok for and how to read the hitter and call pitches based on the situation and if known, batters' tendencies. Who has the best read on the pitchers stuff that day? Its a rare P that can be that objective. From the dugout 25' plus away and at an agle, the coach can't tell exactly where and by how much a pitcher is missing the strike zone (unless you're one of those coaches that thinks they have a better view of the strike zone than the umpire). Guess what - the strike zone is what the umpire says its and it varies by umpire and sometimes day by day and sometimes pitch by pitch. The catcher is best positioned to evaluate the pitcher's stuff and learn that day's umpire's strike zone, AND read the batter's body language and subtle adjustments in the box. Teach your catcher what to look for and how to set up hitters. If you have a scouting report, great, review it w/ the P and C before the game and give quick reminders before each inning. Give the C the Sat pool games to practice calling pitches on their own (w/ feedback) and, if needed, assist them during eliminatino games. Let the P focus on the execution, that's hard enough as it is, but allow her the chance to shake off if she's really not comfortable w/ the selection. By the end of 14U travel, a C should be competent at this phase of the game if the coach has done his job properly. IMO a lot of the college coaches call pitches by default - they have to because their incoming catchers haven't been taught this skill.
Rant over, I feel better now. Just my 2 cents.
Regards - GM
Simo
Former High School Coach
LOL love your rant. I suspect that you are the exception to the rule and also communicated with the coach frequently to develop a strategy. I would love to have someone like you play for me and take some of the load off my shoulders, but for every catching prodigy, there is someone is inconsistent, frequently makes bad decisions and is not a quick study. That is hell on the team. Ditto for some coaches. A coach has to decide how much rope to pass out and who is capable of handling the load. I had a senior catcher who proved to me that she understood our pitchers strengths and weaknesses and could call the game. I let her do it. In my experience this is the exception and not the rule. The exceptions go on and play college ball.
