If you are someone who is coaching your local baseball league, you may find that the position of catcher is giving you some issues. Catching is both mentally and physically taxing, and the players that you are coaching do not always start out as prepared as you would like. You’ll find that working with youth catchers can provide any coach with some interesting challenges, and through using the right tips, you can improve the plays that are you seeing on the field.
If you are starting with young kids or even with a kid who has never played in the position before, it never hurts to cover the basics. Make sure that your youth catcher is comfortable with the catcher’s crouch and that they are good with soft glove techniques. After that, go through the basics of throwing and what to do with a bunt.
When you are trying to coach a youth catcher, always impress upon them the importance of their position. They are the person who has the best view of the field, and they are the one who often has control of where the ball is going to go if it hits the dirt. They need to make split-second decisions that can affect a great deal on the field. While you should always remember that this is a game, it is one where many people invest a great deal of time and effort.
One important thing to work on with your catcher is blocking. Blocking is one of those individual things that many catchers develop on their own. After all, the key is simply to stop the ball when it hits the dirt. There are many ways that a catcher can do this, but some are undoubtedly more effective than others. For example, suggest that they remain upright as much as they can. Some spectacular blocks are possible when they hit the dirt, but the truth is that it takes a few seconds to recover from this position. The key to good blocking is simple. The catcher must block the ball, and then they must be control over it. If it takes them too long to get control over the ball, valuable time is being lost.
Work with your catcher by presenting them with various scenarios. Ask them if they know what to do with different situations, and where they need to throw the ball if such and such a play occurs. You will find that the faster your catcher is at thinking on their feet, the better off the team is as a whole. You should also ask them to think about the hitters that they are watching. Hitter have different strengths and weaknesses, and as the catcher, they can figure some of them out. For example, ask them to think about what the hitters have done during their previous at bats, and also ask them to evaluate how the hitter tends to react.
Similarly, your catcher needs to be aware of what is going on on the field at all times. They should constantly be looking around them, and they should know where all of the opposing team’s players are on the field. Can they tell if someone is getting ready to steal a base? Are they alert to the signals that may be being thrown to them by their teammates on the field?
Remind them that they need to be in constant contact with the pitcher in terms of signals. The pitcher-catcher relationship is one of the most important in the game, so help the two players meet on common ground. A catcher is instrumental when it comes to judging how well a pitcher is doing, so remind your catcher that they should be constantly evaluating the pitcher’s performance.
Finally, be patient. It takes time and work to build up a good youth catcher. By working diligently with your player, you’ll be in a fantastic spot to strengthen your team and to encourage another youth towards a lifetime of sports achievement.