DD pitching out growing Dads catching abiliities

[CoachKevin]

Thats all good if your catching during lessons/practice.... what about the games? Last year in one tournament, our catcher was the 3rd out. Of course just like every other coach out there, I go and catch the pitcher. Yea, she throws a drop and it hits me on the inside of the ankle bone. That had me crying!!!!

 

[Illini Rick]

My U10 daughter only throws about 45mph, but she's got a great drop ball that catches me in the shins at least once every practice. I was a catcher during my baseball career through high school, but I'll admit it, I'm a wimp and tired of lumps on my shins - I now wear shin guards with my U10. Her fastball has good late movement and I'm just waiting for the day that a fastball catches me in the nose - I just can't bring myself to wear a mask yet.

 

[starsnuffer]

Great thread. I always hate dropball practice, glad to see I'm not alone.

What types of mitts are dads using? I've not had much luck finding a sofball specific catchers mitt made for men, even though I know mens fastpitch exists. I either end up using a regular softball glove or squeezing 3 fingers into a womans fastpitch catchers mitt. Any suggestions?

-W

 

[Sparky Guy]

After reading all these comments about shin damage I have to throw out a question that I ask all of my student's parents when they drag out the bucket. I will ask them. Have you ever seen a catcher sitting on a bucket during a game? Everyone of the mom's and dad's answer "No." correctly. Then I ask them. "Why are you?" Only a very few get the meaning of the questions and it's those girls who seam to excel. The parent working with them understands what's going on.

When my daughter was first beginning to pitch the college girl I had working with her told me she always liked practicing with a catcher squatting or kneeling. It was more like what she had during a game. From that day on I always knelt or squatted every time I caught for my daughter all the way through college. I never used a mask to equipment. I took more than a couple of shots during the 12 years of catching for her, but nothing serious.

Get off the bucket and give your daughters a real target to throw to.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

http://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-pitching/1603-i-sit-instead-bucket.html

 

[Doug]

For added hand protection after my hand started going numb, I used one of these under my regular glove.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

After decades of playing and coaching, I messed up and a little girl hit me in the palm of the glove. She only throws about 40 mph, but I knew as soon as I did it. I wear a new Worth Liberty Advanced catchers mitt, so it wasn't the glove it was my own lax attitude.

I wasn't going to have a chance for the bruise to heal and I kept re-injuring it, playing catch. I looked in the laundry room and found a round spongy type thing that is covered in terry cloth. It is the perfect size to fit between my palm and the glove.

I will try to post a picture of it. It is probably from the grocery store cleaning aisle.

 

[dropchange]

My daughter has been pitching since she was nine and will turn 16 next month. I have caught her in lessons and practice for about 80% of the time. I have lost count of the number of times i have been hit in the shins, ankle and top of feet. I have a big toe that has a nail on it for the first time in 3 years. I have been laughed at by an indoor facility full of players for falling off the bucket while trying to avoid a dropcurve that didn't curve. I have bailed off the bucket, kicked the legs out and used every technique in the book to avoid getting hit, but it happens, i live with it. Mostly it is the drop or dropcurve, sometimes a changeup. I realize that her ability has passed mine, but I can't always get a catcher for a lesson or when we practice out back. Should I wear equiptment? Probably. Will I? Doubt it. As she is older now and will move to a Gold team this fall, she will see more time with the catchers and pitching coach from that team and I will be needed less and less, but I will be there for her if she needs me. If I get hit, I will wear it like a badge of honor as I always have. She'll be going to college and getting on with life and my boby will heal, and we will have these memories to laugh about for a lifetime. One thing I know for sure is that there is nothing soft about that ball.

 

[dropchange]

My daughter has been pitching since she was nine and will turn 16 next month. I have caught her in lessons and practice for about 80% of the time. I have lost count of the number of times i have been hit in the shins, ankle and top of feet. I have a big toe that has a nail on it for the first time in 3 years. I have been laughed at by an indoor facility full of players for falling off the bucket while trying to avoid a dropcurve that didn't curve. I have bailed off the bucket, kicked the legs out and used every technique in the book to avoid getting hit, but it happens, i live with it. Mostly it is the drop or dropcurve, sometimes a changeup. I realize that her ability has passed mine, but I can't always get a catcher for a lesson or when we practice out back. Should I wear equiptment? Probably. Will I? Doubt it. As she is older now and will move to a Gold team this fall, she will see more time with the catchers and pitching coach from that team and I will be needed less and less, but I will be there for her if she needs me. If I get hit, I will wear it like a badge of honor as I always have. She'll be going to college and getting on with life and my boby will heal, and we will have these memories to laugh about for a lifetime. One thing I know for sure is that there is nothing soft about that ball.

 

[pdj]

Amen Sparky Guy - for the best results make it as real as practical. Few years ago I overheard some coaches comment that I was really confusing a young pitcher by squatting and changing my position and glove location on each pitch........