Teaching Young Players How to Catch:

I know that catching can be a difficult skill to teach, especially with young players trying to learn the position. In my experience, I have found that teaching the position of catcher to young catchers is typically difficult due to the fear that comes with the position. When young players catch, it is really only a matter of time before they get hit by a ball, and risk losing their motivation to learn the position.

Let's be honest, no one wants to get hit by the ball!

For younger groups, my first goal is to help acknowledge and address the fear that comes with catching, and explain to them first the fun of the position! Catching can be the best position in baseball, especially for young players, because you are involved in every play!

Once they get the taste of what being a catcher can be like, my next step is to take them through some of the technical aspects of being a catcher, like their stance or "ready position" and discuss primary and secondary stances. Typically with younger groups, at this time my main focus is to help them become stable and athletic in their stance. I believe this provides them an avenue to see success at the position, which ultimately gets kids excited about being a catcher.

From this point, the player's development is typically on an individualized basis. I will focus on the various nuances of being a catcher through progressions and skill development, and help them become more ready to catch real pitchers through scaffolded practices and development designed to build their confidence behind the plate.

Contact me for pricing information.

Helping Older Catcher's Develop:

When it comes to older catcher's, sometimes it just takes a new set of eyes to see something in the way they are going about their business, and a new routine to help them develop their own skills over time.

If you are interested in bringing me in to work with your catchers, there are two options:

1) Bring me out to one of your team practices:

If you have me out to a practice, it would be helpful to schedule pitchers to throw bullpens so I can watch the catchers during, and keep the other catchers busy off to the side with drills. At the beginning of practice, I would take them through a catcher's specific warm-up and throwing routine, various throwing drills and mobility routines to get them ready. My goal with older catchers is to help them develop a routine that they can implement in their day-to-day. Ideally, I would have about an hour with the catchers to go through warm-up, mobility, throwing and drill work. I do not need the infield, just a section of the outfield with throw-down bases or cones works just fine. After about an hour of specific drill work (flexible with team practice plans of course), ideally bullpens would start and I can work with your catchers while they catch bullpens. If there are no bullpens, I am happy to be implemented however your team needs me. If you need me to help them with gameplay ie. plays at the plate, bunt defense, communication with teammates, talking with pitchers, infield communication, misc. catcher's responsibilities during the game etc. I can assist with the practice. Let me know and I can help in whatever you need!

2) Have a "Catcher's Only" Practice:

This method tends to work best for individualized work and direct coaching with the catchers. In this situation, I would meet you and your catchers at any field on the LM and run through a 2-hour catching practice. Of course, booking field time can sometimes be tricky, so a back field with throwdowns is sometimes how it needs to be and I am more than happy to accommodate that! The practice itself would go the same for the first hour or so, with a specific warm up, mobility and throwing routine, followed by throwing drill work. Afterwards, depending on the team needs as communicated by the coach, I will implement a practice plan to take us to the end of practice. Some examples could be throwing focused, blocking focused, receiving focused, or a hybrid of all. Communication is important to me so that I can best plan a practice for your players.

Ideally, access to a pitching machine is preferrable for this method.

Contact me for pricing information.