Catching ACADEMY
Welcome Catchers!
I’m so excited to have you here! Catchers are truly special athletes – you will work harder than anyone on the field, you will put in more hours that anyone on the field and you will get 1% of the credit (if that much). That’s okay though, we don’t play this position for the notoriety, we play because we love the game, we love being involved in every play, we are natural born leaders, athletes and may be a bit crazy.
Everything you see here I learned from the best catching coach in the game, former Team USA Coach and Catcher, Karen Johns. Everything you will see below, I learned at the University of Florida. The reason I’m still in the top 10 for fielding percentage (single season and career) is due the fact I had a head coach who knew what catchers need to be successful! Soak up every word I have to say, master every drill and do them daily. YOU are the key to your pitchers success as well as your team success – the mental, leadership and personal development skills you learn as a catcher will set you up for success in life. I would hire a former catcher any day! Why? Because you know how to communicate, you know how to work hard, you know how to lead a group of individuals to a common goal, you know how to work through pain and adversity and you have GRIT! #CatcherStrong
**CLICK ON THE DESIRED BOX BELOW TO GO TO THAT SPECIFIC SECTION**
- Stance & Set Up
- Framing
- Drills
- Proper Body Position & Alignment
- Spin
- Arm Slot
- Upper Body
- Follow Through
- Lower Body Position
- Mechanics & Drills for Throws to 2nd & 3rd
- Emphasize on How to Decrease Pop Time
- Emphasis on Proper Throwing Mechanics for Accuracy & Power
- Emphasis on Proper Mechanics
- Drills to Improve Quickness & Power
- Strategy - When to throw from feet & when to throw from knees.
- Proper Mechanics for a Pitch Down the Middle vs. Side to Side Movement
- Mental Approach to Blocking - Anticipation
- How to Decrease Fear & See the Ball
- Blocking w/ a Return Throw
- Mechanical Instruction and Drills for the following...
- Tag Plays w/out A Runner on Base
- Tag Plays w/ a Return Throw
- Force at Home w/ 2 Outs
- Home to 1st Double Play
- Calling the Play - BEING VOCAL!
- Proper Body Positioning
- Pop Up w/ a Return Throw
- Who Has Priority - Calling the Play
- Body Positioning for Throws to 1st, 2nd & 3rd
- Determine Where to Throw w/ Runners on Base
- Footwork & Play Calling
- Fielding Mechanics & Approach to Ball Location
- How to Throw the Ball Back to the Pitcher & Location
- Approach
- Pitcher Set Up
Stance & Receiving
- Relaxed stance vs. ‘up & ready stance’ – Get off of our calves!
- Receive the ball with your wrist under your glove (vs. behind or to the side)
- Soft hands, commanding upon receipt of the ball.
framing
- Shift your weight so you the midline of your body is inline with the corner of the plate.
- Receive the ball with your palm facing the strike zone/ plate.
- Curl your fingers in toward the strike zone – nose and chest behind the ball.
Framing/ receiving - tennis ball drill
- See the ball all the way in.
- Soft hands – Command the Ball
- Receive the ball in the mid-line of your body.
FRAMING/ RECEIVING - TENNIS BALL BOUNCE DRILL
- Let the ball travel (vs. reaching out for it).
- See the ball all the way in.
- Soft and subtle movements.
Throwing Mechanics Series
Proper throwing mechanics (or lack thereof) will make or break your career as a catcher! When we talk about the concept of having 1.6 seconds to throw a runner out at second, every little movement and detail matters! Proper throwing mechanics are not only important to decrease your pop time but also ensure accuracy, power and prevent injuries.
Episode 1 - SPIN & ARM ANGLE
- Spin = 12/6
- Elbow as high as shoulder (should not drop below the shoulder coming forward.
- Use a spinner to reinforce proper wrist snap, feeling the ball come off of your index and middle fingers.
Episode 2 - Accuracy & body position
- Set Your Feet! Right, Left Throw (for Righties); Left, Right Throw (for Lefties)
- 2 Things have to be pointed at your target when you throw! Instep of back foot & glove shoulder.
- Stay on your power line – step toward your target.
Episode 3 - Generating Power
- Leg drive! Push hard off of your back leg through your target.
- Glove Pull! Pull your glove from ear to arm pit keeping your glove close to your body.
- Push your chest through your target.
Episode 4 - admire your throw
- Finish long through your throw.
- Touch your opposite knee.
- Keep your eyes and your chest throw your target.
STEEL THROW SERIES
(To 2nd From Your Feet)
To be a successful catcher, you must be able to throw a runner out from your feet AND from your knees. All catchers should learn how to throw runners out from their feet before progressing to throwing from your knees. If you haven’t gone through the throwing mechanics series yet, please go through those videos to ensure proper throwing mechanics as they will lead you directly into this series. If your throwing mechanics aren’t on point, you may struggle with quickness and accuracy for steal throws. Remember catchers – a 1.6 second pop time is what you need at the Division I level – every movement matters! Let’s do this!!!
Episode 1 - Upside Down T Line & Set Up
- Catching is about anticipation – think a pitch ahead.
- Get a solid base/ foundation in your legs (get up off of your calves)
- Feet a little wider than hips when up and ready.
Episode 2 - GLOVE TURN, Transfer & FEET
- Your glove must be the FIRST THING TO MOVE.
- Palm to your ear for your glove/ hand transition; Glove shoulder pointed toward your target.
- Pick up and turn the back foot (on the T line); Feet parallel on your power line.
Episode 3 - POWER POSITION & finish
- Stay low all the way through the throw!
- Glove Pull & Leg Drive
- Admire The Throw
Episode 4 - GLOVE TURN BARE HAND DRILL
- Get under the ball with your wrist – palm to ear.
- Feet on T-Line
- Quick Transfer At Your Ear
Episode 5 - GLOVE TURN & sEPARATION dRILL
- Start with the ball in your glove.
- Palm Up – Separate Quickly
- Feet on the T-line
Episode 6 - transition drill w/ front toss
- Let the ball get deep.
- Palm to Ear – Separate at the Top
- Feet on T-Line
Episode 7 - kneeling quick glove/ transfer/ drop
- Isolate your upper body with a focus on your glove turn and transfer.
- Focus on a quick glove transfer to your ear.
- Focus on a quick separation from glove to hand
- Get the ball turned away from you.
Episode 8 - kneeling quick glove transfer/ throw
- Isolate your upper body with a focus on your glove turn and transfer.
- Be sure to get the palm to the ear and ball turned behind you BEFORE come forward.
- Quick Hands!
Episode 8 - Steal throws to 3rd: Overview
- Thinking a play ahead.
- How to know when to go in front of the hitter vs. behind the hitter.
- What is interference?
Episode 9 - Steal Throws to 3rd: Going behind the hitter
- What To Look For
- Stay Low
- Footwork & Finish
Episode 10 - steal throws to 3rd: going in front of the hitter
- What to look for.
- Footwork
- Power
STEAL THROW SERIES KNEES
(to 2nd from your knees)
Episode 1 - GLOVE TURN & PIVOT
- BIGGEST RULE!! Get your body tuned BEFORE you launch forward!
- Pivot on the throwing side foot (get instep turned to 2nd).
- Keep your shoulders OVER your glove side let when you turn.
- PUSH HARD off of your pivot leg.
Episode 3 - The Throw (video coming soon)
- Drive/ launch off of the pivot leg toward your target.
- Use glove pull and leg drive for power.
- Your glove side knee shouldn’t hit the ground until 3 to 4 feet from your launch point!
Episode 3 - Medball Throws for Power Drill
- FOR SAFETY: Keep the medball on the inside of your shoulder/ chest – do not throw the ball like a softball….rather shot put the medball (hand behind the ball).
- Focus on using your legs for power!
Episode 4 - Drill coming soon!
BLOCKING SERIES
Blocking….one of the most crucial, yet difficult skills to master and execute behind the plate! The ultimate goal when it comes to blocking is to keep the ball in front of the plate, or in the vicinity of the plate to prevent a runner from advancing and make a secondary play on the ball if needed. There are a specific set of mechanics necessary for a catcher to be consistently successful when it comes to blocking balls in the dirt. MOVE YOUR FEET – BEAT THE BALL TO THE SPOT – SEE THE BALL ALL THE WAY IN…. Catching is about anticipation, thinking a play ahead and understanding what is possible on the next play. If you call a drop with a runner on 3rd, you better be ready to smother that ball if it’s in the dirt. At the end of the day, blocking isn’t glamorous…BUT…if you’ve succeeded in getting some part of your body in front of the ball and kept it in front of you, YOU’VE DONE YOUR JOB!
Episode 1 - BLOCKING OVERVIEW
- Beat the ball to the spot.
- See the ball out of the pitchers hand, all the way until it hits you.
- Use your gear!
Episode 2 - kICKBACK
Hi guys! I had some issues with this video and am currently re-shooting this video…hang tight, it will be here soon! Thanks for your patience!
Episode 3 - KICKBACK DRILL
- Start in the kickback position – Feet replace knees, chin to chest, glove down, elbows out.
- Stay down over the ball.
- Trust & use your gear!
Episode 4 - Short hop kickback drill
- Build off of the previous drill.
- Working quick feet on the kickback.
- GLOVE IS THE FIRST THING TO HIT THE GROUND.
- Chin to chest, eyes down.
Episode 5 - kickback no hands drill
- Get used to using your gear and trusting your gear.
- Smooth kick back – Stay low, smother the ball and beat the ball to the spot.
- Absorb the ball!
Episode 6 - Quick Block drill
- Builds Foot Speed/ Quickness
- Builds Glove Quickness
- Builds Balance & Control – Be quick but don’t hurry!
Episode 7 - blocking side to side
- Move your feet!
- Beat the ball to the spot.
- Get around the ball to keep everything in front of the plate.
Episode 8 - NO HANDS: GLOVE SIDE BLOCKING DRILL
- Beat the ball to the spot!
- Get your belly button behind the ball.
- Move your feet!
Episode 9 - NO HANDS: THROWING SIDE BLOCKING DRILL
- Beat the ball to the spot!
- Get your belly button behind the ball.
- Move your feet!
Episode 10 - blocking drills
- Stay on the balls of your feet.
- Work through the resistance on the first side step.
- Build strength in hips for increased agility quickness.