Catching and Catchers discussion What are typical and great POP times for Cathers at 12,14u etc.

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:cap: Have heard 1.8 sec good for 12u ,what are your thoughts?

 

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This was a post from Dave Weaver, aka Catching Coach, on another forum. Coach Weaver was the founder of New England Catching Camp, has helped many young catchers hone their craft, and contributed valuable information on multiple forums. RIP Coach Weaver, you are sorely missed.


Here is a quote from Cindy Bristow's recent article on the subject. Note these are game times with catcher properly catching the pitch first in her crouch then coming up to throw.

The times Cindy relates are consistent with what Ihave timed in games at these levels as well.


"I want to give a little more details to the Pop times I listed in my previous article. These times are game times and include a batter and the catcher staying in her squat prior to receiving the throw and the catcher staying behind the plate (instead of cheating out ahead of the plate):"

EXCELLENT = 1.6 seconds or less (Olympic Level Catchers)
GOOD = 1.8 seconds (Top College Level catchers)
AVERAGE COLLEGE = 1.9 to 2.1 seconds
AVERAGE HIGH SCHOOL = 2.3 seconds

Len​

 

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:cap: Have heard 1.8 sec good for 12u ,what are your thoughts?

Heck better then most college kids. Really doubt any 12U catcher has that for a pop time.

 

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Lens's numbers are pretty much right on. If you look at the NFCA camp (www.nfca.org results) numbers from the various venues around the country the average is 1.9... 14U to 18U players
At these camps the catcher is basically in a throwing position to start with, no batter or runner and the fielder is waiting with a bucket on the bag so if the player can do 1.9 or better in "game conditions" that would be upper class.

 

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Pop time goes out the window if it's not near the tag...... Have seen hard throwers with zero accuracy.....

 

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Thanks for the info, as allways get a good mix of answers and skeptics ,keep it up, okiedad1961

 

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Pop time

I am just looking for OFC'ers opinions. I am trying to determine what is considered an appropriate pop time range for a 13 year old catcher who aspires to play college ball. It is something I have become obsessed with! LOL. My daughter has had some recent knee troubles that have hampered her so I haven't been able to 'test' her recently. But at last check from glove to glove her time is consistent at 2.3...While that is not the fastest for her age group (She was had a couple of 2.1 pops) it is significantly better from 11u when the pitching distance and ball size changed (2.6). I'm hopefull with her new catching coach and her continued dedication to physical training that in the next two years her time can and will be in the 1.8-1.9 range. That's my hope, any way. So...is she on the correct path or should she already be consistent at 2.1 right now?

talk to me, OFC.


Also, I apologize if this is a thread already on here....I did do a search, I just didn't find one.

 

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Re: Pop time

Asked that same question a couple of months ago ,will try to get you to that post, brought it back for you good information for coachs and parents of catchers Enjoy

 

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Lenski is on the money with his post. A 12u with 1.8 pop time is like a 12u pitcher throwing 60..........we have all heard about them, but never have seen them....

 

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Lenski is on the money with his post. A 12u with 1.8 pop time is like a 12u pitcher throwing 63-65..........we have all heard about them, but never have seen them....

Maybe its big foots kid throwing the 1.8 at 12u. They are both seen but never proven. Would make sense they go together

 

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Re: Pop time

My daughter as a freshman, 14 years old was at 1.85 on average. This from nfca camp and confirmed at miami, dayton, and osu camps. She threw out 27 runners on 31 attempts as a freshman. She is a junior now and has improved to 1.74 average. I would say if she has some 2.1 times with a bum knee at 13, that she is not far off the mark. get the knees healthy and she should improve quite a bit.

 

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Maybe its big foots kid throwing the 1.8 at 12u. They are both seen but never proven. Would make sense they go together

There's been a sighting and she's coming to feild near you lol

 

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Alot of catchers when being timed are so worried about the time they forget about form. Most will cheat unless you watch them, they will already be half way standing up when the ball hits the glove so that will make their time drop. In order to get an actual POP time one must be in their stance and throw properly!

 

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Re: Pop time

Thank you, chrox...this is the kind of comparison/info I'm looking for! 1.74? wow!! that's impressive!!!

 

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Okie, thanks for finding this thread and bringing it back to the front page. I have found the information very helpful.

 

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Re: Pop time

Get an ipad and calculate the FPS. It seems to make some guys feel better about their kids chances of being the next superstar.

 

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Interesting question and even more interesting responses. We have had our share of very good catchers. Each has their own camp pop times and each has had improvements - regressions over the years. I had this discussion last month with a current D1 HC that happens to be married to a former D1 catcher. He said he, and many of his collegues, pay little attention to pop times captured at camps like NFCA and school clinics. He said while those do show arm strength and basic foot skills they only tell a portion of the catchers throwing ability. His assessment is that when a catcher is in game situations, catching varying pitches in different locations, and determining if the runner is leaving or not is the real determining factor in her real pop time. He said they never downplay controlled pop times - but they don't recruit catchers based on controlled pop times either. The only way they do is to watch and time catchers in game situations. Which most caches do.


A perfect example of that is that the catcher of ours that he is recruiting has our second fastest controlled pop time. But she is far better/faster in the above mentioned OTHERS. Her true, game pop time is what got his attention.

 

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Agree with all your statements, at 18u she should have all the skills needed to be graded well w D1 coachs,Glad were hearing your catcher has go it all,your certianly proud of her,hopefully my dd can see her play ,on her way to being the best she can be.

 

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Alot of catchers when being timed are so worried about the time they forget about form. Most will cheat unless you watch them, they will already be half way standing up when the ball hits the glove so that will make their time drop. In order to get an actual POP time one must be in their stance and throw properly!

How about from the knee's like a lot of top catchers are doing,guess its still glove to glove just takes the standing part out ,increases chances of outs on pic offs

 

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Agree with all your statements, at 18u she should have all the skills needed to be graded well w D1 coachs,Glad were hearing your catcher has go it all,your certianly proud of her,hopefully my dd can see her play ,on her way to being the best she can be.

LOL - our catchers are far from "having it all". We are proud of all our players - our catchers just happen to be our hardest workers - and most scrutinized. They happen to be closest to the dugout...lol.

On your other post - I recently saw a you tube video showing how to explode from the knees. We are going to try it this week.