Category: Catching
Type: Drill
GLOVE TO THE BALL - KNEES TO THE GLOVE
I think the two primary skills for high school catchers are blocking and throwing effectively. These two skills take the longest to develop, and therefore are the two we spend the most time working on. I would like to share our techniques for developing blocking skills. The basic process cue is : "Glove to the ball - knees to the glove". The difficulty is that most try to do it the opposite way. The teaching process is this;
1. In a catcher's stance, no glove, 3 balls arranged in a shallow triangle. The first ball is dead center behind the plate, the second to the right and forward, the third to the left and forward. Balls 2 and 3 are even with each other. Catcher falls forward to the ball on his hands, then brings both knees to his hands. Do this with each of the balls, emphasizing that the angle of the body must deflect the ball onto home plate.
2. In a stance, with glove. Catcher puts glove to the ball, then brings knees to the glove. Do with each ball position 'til the move comes easy.
3. Full gear, throw soft balls (tennis or indoor balls). Catcher blocks by glove to ground/ball then knees to ball. We are short tossing at this point.
4. Full distance soft ball toss. Same process.
5. Hard balls, short throws.
6. Full distance throws medium speed to called area.
7. Full distance throw hard to called area.
8. Full distance throws to varied areas.
Once we are satisfied with the technique development, we work regularly in bouts of 50 blocks, 10 at a time. Catchers work in pairs. In season we cut back to 25 blocks What we have seen is that catchers will cup over the ball naturally using this technique. They become active players, like infielders charging the ball, rather than targets for missiles. The final step is to add block the ball then get up and recover it. This is the best and quickest method I've seen and/or used. Hope it helps.
Submitted by: Karlos Patterson
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