| Most young kids don't want to catch because, | | | | than with the tennis balls. Again, you're not |
| quite honestly, it hurts. Young pitchers are not real | | | | whipping balls...you're throwing darts from 10 of 15 |
| accurate and throw a lot of balls in the dirt, which | | | | feet away. You'll be surprised how fast he makes |
| then hit the young catcher on the forearms, | | | | the transition to hard balls. This all comes from |
| shoulder, wrist, etc. After a good number of | | | | the confidence built up with the tennis balls. |
| these balls in the dirt, many players will decide | | | | Now, have the catcher again go after the hard |
| that catching is just not the position that they | | | | ball...hit it in different directions and take whacks at |
| want to play. I see this quite often. | | | | it with his mask, eyes open the whole time. He'll |
| So how do you get a future catcher to stick with | | | | become good at this fairly quickly. What you've |
| it? The most important thing to do is to teach the | | | | just done is changed his view of the mask. It's no |
| young catcher to use his equipment to protect | | | | longer something that's there to help him get hurt |
| himself. This is done by showing him that a ball | | | | less, it is now a shield that he uses to protect |
| hitting his mask, chest protector and glove really | | | | himself as he blocks balls in the dirt. It's something |
| doesn't hurt and to let him begin to trust his | | | | that he'll learn to trust. |
| equipment. | | | | The drill above works fine with balls coming right |
| Here's how I do this with a relatively new, young | | | | at the mask, but now focus on the most |
| catcher. All of his equipment is important. | | | | dangerous movement young catchers tend to |
| However, I'll focus on what I believe is the most | | | | make...the turning of the head when the ball is |
| important piece for catchers just starting out. I | | | | bounced in the dirt in front of them. |
| start right at the top...the head and mask. The | | | | This drill is set up the same way, tennis balls first. |
| most dangerous movement young catchers | | | | You're again about 10 or 15 feet away. Now |
| make is turning their head away from balls in the | | | | instruct the catcher to kneel down, legs apart, like |
| dirt. I've seen kids get hit under the chin, on the | | | | in a blocking position. You are now going to |
| side of the neck and near the throat. This hurts. | | | | bounce balls in from of him so that they bounce |
| They then become afraid of the ball even hitting | | | | up and hit him in the mask. The most important |
| their mask. This is something I try to get rid of | | | | thing here is to have him keep his chin down |
| real fast. | | | | towards his chest. He must not pull his head up or |
| Here's what I do. I use tennis balls at first for this | | | | look away when you throw balls that bounce up |
| baseball drill. I have the catcher put his mask on | | | | into his mask. This is when injuries occur. |
| and kneel down. He doesn't have to be squatting. | | | | Practice this over and over until you see that his |
| I get about 10 or 15 feet away and kneel down | | | | eyes stay open, his head and chin stay down and |
| too. I tell him that I'm going to throw balls right at | | | | he's able to block the bouncing ball with his mask |
| the center of his mask and I want him to watch | | | | with no turning of the head or flinching too much. |
| the ball all of the way into the mask. I tell him to | | | | Next, move to hard balls with this drill. You'll have |
| work on trying not to blink...to keep the eyes | | | | to do some practicing yourself to bounce a hard |
| open and see the ball all of the way into the | | | | ball and have it bounce up and hit the mask. You |
| mask. No turning or flinching of the head. Now | | | | may need a harder surface to do this. Again, |
| you're not throwing hard, you're just tossing, or | | | | practice this ball-to-the-mask drill over and over |
| flicking the ball at the mask, almost like throwing | | | | until the hard ball in the dirt causes no real fear, |
| darts. Do this until you see that he's comfortable | | | | his head and chin stay down and the eyes stay |
| with the ball hitting the mask and you can see | | | | open as the ball hits the mask. He'll even look |
| that he's basically not blinking. | | | | relatively relaxed after a while once he's good at |
| When your catcher gets really good at this, have | | | | this. |
| some fun and tell him to now try and go after | | | | If you can get your young catcher to take hard |
| the ball with his mask, to knock the ball in a | | | | balls to the mask with no "scared" flinching, eyes |
| certain direction or just give it a good whack while | | | | basically open and following the ball during the hit |
| again, keeping the eyes open. Kids master this | | | | to the mask and have the head and chin down |
| quickly. You can see them using the mask instead | | | | into the chest, you've done great and your |
| of just wearing it. You also see a real increase in | | | | catcher is well on his way to becoming a good |
| confidence and way less fear of the ball, even if | | | | defensive catcher. I've always thought that it all |
| it's still just a tennis ball at this point. | | | | starts there...at the mask. |
| When you think he has mastered this drill with the | | | | The whole world of catching changes for a young |
| tennis balls, work the hard balls into this drill. The | | | | catcher once he loses the fear of the ball hitting |
| blinking will obviously be there again, but remind | | | | his head and mask. It's the most important step |
| him not to blink and to recognize that this doesn't | | | | to becoming a good blocking catcher. |
| hurt either, it's just a little bit bigger and louder hit | | | | |