Teaching Catchers To Take The Lead
There are few defensive positions I will compromise offensive ability for defensive ability; after all, the old saying still holds true- If you hit, you play.
The exception to the rule would be at the catching position. Sure, you can throw anyone back there to be a backstop, but a great catcher brings the skills you can’t see on paper; the intangibles necessary to run a defense, and manage a pitching staff are simply invaluable. So how young should we start teaching our catchers to be leaders on the field? Short answer: YESTERDAY.
Catchers need to have a certain personality (on the field). They are the quarterbacks of the team. Although they garner much less attention, they’re just as critical to the success of a team.
Catchers are similar to umpires. When you have an exceptional umpire behind the plate, you don’t notice them. When they’re not so great, you notice the entire game.
Managing an entire team can be a daunting task to a young athlete. It’s important to introduce their leadership role without overwhelming them with too much information. With that said, they need to find their voice early and often. When a catcher is calm, their team is calm. When the catcher directs, the team will follow.
I recently ran a camp with The Packaged Deal and one of the drills was specifically for catchers to practice directing. I ran this station and gave each catcher a simple scenario and in turn, they were to walk in front of the plate and explain the scenario and possible plays to their imaginary defense. I was shocked at how many teenage catchers were terrified to speak loudly. It was clear they were not being pushed to be leaders behind the plate. Although the drill was uncomfortable for many, we got through it. I emphasized eye contact, voice projection, and speaking with conviction.
Any new skill is similar to learning a new language; the earlier you start, the easier it is. When the catcher is quiet, the field is quiet. When the field is quiet, bad things happen on defense. This is a complete and total controllable in a game where many aspects are out of our control. All we’ve got to do as coaches hold our catchers accountable to being the leaders a team needs behind the plate. Communication may be the most common frustration I hear from coaches I work with. Communication starts behind the plate so we’ve got to focus our energies on the conductor first, and the rest of the defense second.
We’ve got to empower our anchors so they know it’s THEIR team on game day. Give them the reins and teach them to be more than just a glove. Here are a few tips to get your catchers on the right path to becoming leaders.
When practicing team defense, do not hit a ball until your catcher steps out and gives scenario to the defense. It’s uncomfortable at first, but effective.
Give her the green light to call timeouts with the pitchers and/or the team when things are getting hairy out there. If she doesn’t do this on her own. Tell her she has 2 timeouts to call per game where you DO NOT go out to join them on the mound. Have her do this in practice as well, that’s what practice is for!
Before or after practice, have a conversation with her about her pitchers. Ask about their personalities and what they seem to respond well to and vice versa. She may not know the answer right away, but by asking the questions she’ll begin to notice how each of her pitchers’ ticks.
Emphasize consistent body language. I know we talk with all of our players about this, but the damage a catcher can do with poor body language is unmatched. EVERYONE on the field can see when the catcher is disappointed, angry, frustrated, scared, etc. This includes the opponent, and nothing fuels confidence like seeing the other team squirm. If this is already a problem, videotape your catcher so she can see what she looks like. It’s hard to deny pouting when it’s caught on camera!
There are some incredible instructors out there who share their content. Who better to learn from than the best in the game? They understand, the physical elements as well as the intangibles that are necessary to build the leader you need behind the plate. Check out http://jenschrocatching.com/ . Jen Schroeder was a phenomenal catcher for UCLA and is constantly sharing content on training and development. Jenny Topping is a USA Olympian who defied the odds as a left handed catcher and one of the best leaders I've ever played with. You can find her at http://goldmedaltraining31.com/
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