Please be patient. Page may load slowly due to numerous animated gifs.
THREE KEYS TO CATCHING
1) Receiving
Fingers to the sky and thumb parallel to the ground.
Target at catcher’s knee height, low.
For primary stance: Feet just outside of hip width and full foot on the ground with toes pointed up the first and third baselines, slight weight shift forward onto balls of feet while keeping heels on ground (some kids tend to sit on their toes = no balance and weak base).
Barehand (Three Finger) Drill
Receive with three fingers (thumb, index, and middle only), soft hands. Use tennis balls for smaller handed players.
Barehand (Two Ball) Drill
Grip another ball between pinky, ring finger, and palm. Emphasis on three-finger only. Use tennis balls for smaller-handed players.
Wall Ball Drill
Focus on relaxing and trusting reactions, soft hands even as we speed up. Use tennis ball for younger players.
Shark Drill
Outside pitch to right-hander, working from underneath and around the baseball and back into the zone. Smooth continuous motion. Funneling ball back into the zone.
2) Blocking
Glove first.
Knees land wide with tail end back and down, slight forward angle over the ball with chest, watch and follow ball into body which keeps chin down.
Relaxed muscles rather than tense muscles.
Still Block Drill
Relax rather than tense, watch ball from pitcher’s hand into body.
Glove Then Body Drill
Focus on glove first and stack hands. On side-blocks go 45 degrees to ground in a straight line.
Three Ball Drill
Glove first, slight angle over the ball with chest, knees wide, throwing hand stacked behind glove.
Down the Line Drill
Quickness in the blocks, agility and endurance, focus on technique as you get tired.
3) Transfers
Out in front of the chest, limit dragging of glove closer to body.
Throwing hand in a fist directly behind glove or on outside of hip like a gun holster.
Strong front side with lead arm up (like pitchers).
Statue Transfer Drill
Transfer ball in front of chest, quick out of the glove and separate completely.
Transfer from Knees Drill
Transfer out in front of body, completely separate, rather than letting glove drag back into body. We want it to come in front of body for strong front-side on throw.
Standing Throws Drill
Smooth transfer and footwork focusing on athleticism.
Feet on the Line Drill
Right foot first, then left foot all the way around. Both feet land on line headed towards second base.
Quarterback Throws Drills
Building athleticism and power off back leg on last step.
