Catching and Catchers discussion Training Catchers Not to Fear the Ball

[uhuruto2]

[FONT=&quot]All humans have the same general reaction when an object is plummeting towards them: flinch. Softball catchers do not have time to flinch; they need to keep their eyes on the ball and catch it after each strike or ball. Try these drills to prime your softball catchers for the big leagues:[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The best way to keep players calm while being attacked by 60 mph balls is through repetition. By the 30th, 80th, 1000th ball, there is no single catcher that will flinch upon seeing the ball coming. As with every skill, practice makes perfect.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Have your geared up catcher stand against a wall and the pitcher stand a foot and a half in front of her. The pitcher will lightly throw a tennis ball directly at the face of the catcher, bouncing the ball off of her helmet. Have the team of the game do this a few minutes each day, and soon enough your catcher won't even blink as soon as they see the ball coming during training! Having your pitcher throw the balls also builds a trust between the duo that is integral to game day success.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The next drill is two-fold: not only does it help keep the catcher on her toes when a ball approaches, but it also forces her to think about the next move.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Bombardment[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Have three players line up horizontally between the pitcher's mound and home plate. The catcher gets in position. She is wearing her full gear. The line "pitchers" each have a bucket of balls in front of them. The first throws the ball at the catcher, who then rolls the ball off to the side. The minute the ball leaves her mitt, the next player throws when playing. The rapid succession forces the player to immediately move on from one element of the game to the next, which is a skill that can benefit all players, not just your catchers.[/FONT]

 

[bkachaylo]

Thanks for the tips! I plan to implement both in my daughter's regimen.

As an aside, I recall a similar drill for infielders from my college baseball days, though I forget what we called it. It's a drill designed to improve quickness and hand-eye coordination.

It's done simply by having someone sit on the ground with their knees straight, and legs spread apart.
Meanwhile, a respective infielder stands in the "ready position" ~ 3 feet away. Facing one another, the person sitting rolls a ball left, right or center. As soon as the infielder bare hands the ball (both hands cupped like a glove), s/he quickly rolls it back to the person sitting. As soon as the ball leaves the infielder's hand to be rolled back to the person sitting, another ball is quickly rolled to the infielder in a new location.
Personally, this drill improved my reaction-time and ability to more quickly change directions. It even improved my ability to get back to the bag more quickly after a throw-over while leading off. It's a great drill. Unpredictability of where the ball will roll next is key.