Catching

*Keep strikes  &  Make strikes*

Receiving ~ I believe this is where it all starts! A catcher needs range,  just like any other position.  You need to beat the ball to its location, and be ready to receive it.   I like to see the strike zone kept between the knees, side to side movement creates this.  Keep your shoulders close to parallel  with the ground, avoid leaning side to side. Line up your belly button to chin to glove.  Control the ball and keep the strike with an relaxed elbow,  firm wrist and cupped hand.  Get your hand  and pocket of the glove behind the ball and the ball out of the web.  Catching deep in  the web will  lead to a floppy glove getting pushed out of the zone, and we want to be keeping strikes, not losing them.   In order to start making these tight pitches look better, maybe even get to the level of "making strikes"  we need to approach the outside of the ball, relevant to the strike zone.  We want to be able to close our glove into the zone to gain maybe 1/2 -1 ball off the plate...sometimes.  Usually pushing or "punching" a pitch into the strike zone,  along with closing the glove into the zone can  maybe get you that 1+ ball off the plate..sometimes depending on the ump.  Keep your movement minimal, avoid moving the elbow to frame, everyone can see it.  You're not gonna trick the umpire,  but maybe convince  them on a close pitch.  If you're getting those calls  continue to "stretch the zone".  See how far the ump will let you go.  Often if you're set up off the plate and your pitcher hits a spot, your chances of making that strike increase.  Even more so 0-2 count.  In fact, don't let that 0-2 pitch be over the plate!

Blocking ~ If we're already moving to the ball, we should be in a good spot to square up the ball and block it.  Lead with your glove and push it into the ground, and the body should follow.  We want to "bury" the ball.  Get over it, smoother and absorb the ball.  I like to tell catchers to be a cave, and trap the ball within you.  rather than a "wall" that the ball just deflects off of!  Your shoulders will be be cupped,  and elbows pushed out just a little.  We don't want to create a hole for the ball to sneak through, but pushing the elbows out enough to continue cupping the body.  Track the ball with your eyes into the "cave",  this will lead to a tucked chin, protecting your throat.  Knees are wide enough for the glove and barehand to fit behind.   Now prepare for impact, we want to absorb the ball to soften any deflection.   Using your chest guard is key!  Do not lift your glove to catch the dirtball.  If the ball ends up in your glove, that's just a bonus.  

ThrowingThe more range you have the more options your defense has.   If the ball is  going foul on the ground, let it, unless you know you got the lead runner. Make them try and execute again, don't just give them the sac and advanced  baserunner, or they've succeeded.  When retrieving the ball, we want to approach the ball at an angle to create a good "power line" with our target .  With a ball that's very close to us or towards the foul line, even a dropped 3rd, or blocked ball that we want to get to 1st or 3rd, its important to clear a lane with the 1st baseman or 3rd baseman.  Don't hit the runner or hitter.  Set your feet with your target and create your power line. If the ball is more in the center of the field, create an angle to the ball that allows your feet and body to be in line with the base you're throwing to when you retrieve it from the ground.  A bunt down the 3rd base line is where we take a different approach (for righty) if we're throwing to 1st.  We want to approach the 1st base side of the ball, our back will be turned to 1st.   Your feet should set with your back foot closer to the 3rd base foul line and front towards 1st .  Basically a spin, plant and throw.  Every time, every bunt we want to retrieve the ball from the ground by having athletically wide foot stance, body over the ball, and a 2 hand raking motion to pick it up. Bend your knees to get to the ball,  We will bend at the waist, but don't depend just on that to reach the ball. This basically creates the same start to the hand transition into throwing motion as when we throw from our catching stance.  ams.  Then continue the hand with the ball back towards the ear with a whip like wrist action, showing the ball behind you. Still keeping the elbow around  90 degree angle, the front  forearm is now becoming close to parallel with the ground, top of wrist pointing towards target, and  our shoulders are in line with our target, pointing downhill.  Its during this transition we are either dropping the glove side knee to the ground, staying tall on the back foot for a throw from our knees or a "right > left" jab step under our body throwing from our feet. We don't need to gain to much forward ground with the jab step, we just want to get our feet under the body and in line with the target, quick footwork is important.  On the Knees the load into the back foot represents the jab "right step", while the other knee is the "left step".   Finish with fingers into the target, then hand across the body to about the knee, and push off the back foot creating momentum to swing it forward pivoting on your glove knee and landing past the front foot.

Bunts ~ The more range you have the more options your defense has.   If the ball is  going foul on the ground, let it, unless you know you got the lead runner. Make them try and execute again, don't just give them the sac and advanced  baserunner, or they've succeeded.  When retrieving the ball, we want to approach the ball at an angle to create a good "power line" (feet in line with target) and a clear lane with our target .  With a ball that's very close to us or towards the foul line, even a dropped 3rd, or blocked ball that we want to get to 1st or 3rd, its important to clear a lane with the 1st baseman or 3rd baseman.  Don't hit the runner or hitter.  Set your feet with your target and create your power line. If the ball is more in the center of the field, create an angle to the ball that allows your feet and body to be in line with the base you're throwing to when you retrieve it from the ground.  A bunt down the 3rd base line is where we take a different approach (for righty) if we're throwing to 1st.  We want to approach the 1st base side of the ball, our back will be turned to 1st.   Your feet should set with your back foot closer to the 3rd base foul line and front towards 1st .  Basically a spin, plant and throw.  Every time, every bunt we want to retrieve the ball from the ground by having athletically wide foot stance, body over the ball, and a 2 hand raking motion to pick it up. Bend your knees to get to the ball,  We will bend at the waist, but don't depend just on that to reach the ball. This basically creates the same start to the hand transition into throwing motion as when we throw from our catching stance.  

Tags ~ There are two put out situations at the plate that we will discuss.  A force out and tag out.  In both of these situations we want to start in front of the plate, rules even make you stay out of the way and give the runner a lane.   With a force out, bases will be loaded and we are hoping to get the secondary play at 1st after the out at home, making it a double play.  So starting in front of the plate, square up with the player who is throwing to you.  This gives you best side to side range and squared up if we need to block the ball.  As we are receiving the throw, glove should be out in front for both a target and to replicate our same hand exchange and throwing motion use on pitches.   After we have beat the ball to its location (sound familiar) and we get our feet beneath us, receive the ball and drop your throwing side foot back to push off the plate in order to clear a lane and set your feet in line with 1st for a strong throw.  Remember the right left foot sequence, 1)right pushes off the plate, 2)left plants beginning to get in line with the target, 3)then right foot jab step plants during ball transition, 4) and left posts up in line with the target and throw it!  If you don't need to clear a lane, you can cut your steps in half, by drop stepping to the plate with your throwing foot to receive and exchange the ball, push, land left foot and throw.  Still remember to keep the front shoulder lower than the rear and some bend in our knees with the body over our feet.

Next is the tag out, a motion setting us up for the secondary play after tagging out the runner at  home.  We will begin the same way as the force out.  In front of the plate, squared up with the thrower.  As we receive the ball, you will drop the left foot back, ball in glove secured with other hand, with a sweeping tag motion.  This motion should continue to turn you, in order to plant your right foot to throw from.

Pop-ups ~ Tracking the ball well and not blinking will help you see where the pop up goes.    1st base, 3rd base and pitcher have a better angle coming in, maybe even better gloves for catching a pop up, but anything close or behind you is yours.  You got to get turned around with your back to the field.  The spin of the ball is going to make it come back towards the field, and away from the backstop, and its easier to catch a ball coming into you, rather than running away.  Last thing if you do make the catch, the runner can still tag up, or you might get them off the bag and have a chance to double them up!  Secondary play awareness is a key skill for a catcher to direct the game and be a true leader.

Pass Balls ~ Just don't....refer to blocking!   

Wild Pitches ~ These may occur!  Hustle, don't even give them time to round the base they advanced.  But mostly the play at the plate is what we're referring to here.  That runner on 3rd trying to steal home, one of the most exciting plays in the game!  Work on this, it's too often neglected, yet frequently a crucial part of the game.   We need to find the ball first, then slide onto our shinguards to retrieve the ball.  We want our body over the ball and begin to load into our right foot as we pick the ball up.  If the ball is stopped and not spinning, use you bare throwing hand.  If the ball is still rolling or spinning, use the rake style with glove and throwing hand to insure you secure the ball.  Lastly,  put the ball right there for an easy tag.  This may be an underhand toss or an overhand toss.   Keep your pitcher safe and remember your distance regarding how hard you throw it!  If you're close enough to make the out,  get it yourself.  You have gear and it can be quicker than a throw and a tag. 

Leadership ~ Hustle and control game tempo.  With no-one on base, I love to see a catcher hustle down the line on an infield ground ball to back up the throw.  Create an angle that gets you in a position to get a pass ball.  This will differ depending on where the ball is hit and where the throw is coming from.  If you have a right fielder with an arm, you might be backing up first on a hard hit ball she can get to first in time for the out.  Once there's a runner on 2nd your responsibility is the plate.  Talk situtations, a defense that knows what they're doing with the ball will get outs!  You'd be blown away how many players don't know what they're gonna do with the ball, if even how many outs there are!  Talk game out there, be prepared!  My last concept here is controlling the flood gates by calling a time out, or else speeding up the tempo.  This is a game of momentum and contagious hitting!  When things are going your way you've gotta open the flood gates.  Speed the game up and put the pressure on.  We constantly talk about being relaxed.  Being relaxed is a challenge to deal with when the other team is putting the pressure on.  So when the water is rising and the pressure is on you, close the flood gates, call a time out and go talk to your pitcher.  Stop their momentum!  

"Learning by Turning" ~ This is a phrase that explains what  students of the game are doing, those that continue to increase their softball IQ.  Many athletes end up with similar physical skill set by the time they reach high school or college softball, knowing the game is often what separates these athletes.  When you're learning the defensive side, turn it around to understand what the offense is trying to do, relate if to what you would or should do.  A catcher has a big advantage to hitting for this reason, being involved in the development of mechanics, recognizing grips, spins, pitching motions and pitch sequences.  I'm not gonna claim anyone understands a pitcher, haha, but you spend a lot of time with them.  Throwing runners out and talking situations to your team should make you a more aware base runner, as well as knowing defense strategies like bunt defense, 1st and third awareness.  Turn the lesson around, there's two sides to what's going on...."Learning by turning"