How do you explain when...

[_MIA_]

Because notice there are people who seem to think there's only one way for every player to find success.
Hit this way. ______
Pitch this way. ______
Catch this way. ______
Like cookie cutter approach.

Previously they have been taught to squish down into the dirt and block everything.
Taking them out of an athletic posture

So is there more than one way of doing this successfully? If so do you just use reps to let the kid figure out how to do it via trial and error, allowing for the self-selection to be based upon differences in the athlete's makeup? Or do you teach the one way you think is the best and if so what was your process for determining this?

The bolded is how things were primarily done before private instructors were a thing. Mickey Mantle learned to hit by his father and grandfather going out and trying to strike him out. The father would throw RH to him so Mickey would hit LH. When the father go tired the grandfather would come out and throw LH and Mickey would hit RH. He also used an adult sized bat when he was doing this as a kid..(Barry Bonds said that is why he choked up on the bat, he got used to using the bats that were around the clubhouse when he was growing up)

 

[_MIA_]

Actually being a catcher has a lot of reactive requirement needed. Lots of visual things happening that also have to do with a moving Target aka the runner.

Never said there wasn't only that the pop time number is more than likely more (positively) correlated with success than any one number produced for hitting. If your instruction is continually improving this you can be pretty sure what you are doing is going to lead to more (throwing) success.

 

[radness]

So is there more than one way of doing this successfully?

I would say, yes there is more than one way to find success.

Can a catcher, get squishy, and block a pitch, pick it up and throw a runner out.
Yes.

Is there down time with the ball bouncing off the catcher where they have to pick it up.
Yes.

Is there a way to further shave tenths of a second.
Yes

Since many times a dirt pitch is considered a wild pitch, there is for some the consideration that its too difficult for the catcher to be able to throw a runner out after blocking.
Is that everybody's perspective?
No.

Because I know that the requirement defensively for fielders is to be able to field a ball in the dirt and still make the play. That is a requirement.
That requirement does not change for me behind the plate.
_________________________________

As to the squisy non- athletic posture...
That eliminates the productivity of muscles that could be used.
And it is not a requiement to get Squishy and
non-athletic to block.

Because catchers can stay engaged in an athletic posture while on our knees. Engaged muscles are best for efficiency because we need to transition into our throw.

Here is visual example~

 

[_MIA_]

Because I know that the requirement defensively for fielders is to be able to field a ball in the dirt and still make the play. That is a requirement.

So you give them drills which force them to use their bodies in a way which allows them to accomplish this. Correct? When this happens do you notice any similarities between athletes?

Looking at that video, you are basically just doing a GB short hop drill (especially the first one on the knees) One thing that is emphasized with IF for that sort of drill is making sure your eyes are "behind the ball" when you are fielding the ball (for various reasons). Any sort of emphasis on something like that (because your student is doing a good job of it) or do you just let the athlete figure it out?

 

[radness]

This probably can be fixed but should have been fixed much earlier. The time to get proper mechanics is when they start playing. If a player is allowed to throw or hit with obviously poor mechanics, the longer they were allowed to use poor mechanics the tougher the correction will be and the longer it will take

However as players get older they start identifying how to understand what they have learned or are newly learning and brain translating telling their body what to do.
The learning and developmental time frame can be quicker.


As I have been talking about catchers. Also have people start working with me that have already trained previous with other types of mechanics and they are 15, 16, 17 years old and looking to shave those extra tenths of seconds.
( to include catchers who are already in college)

 

[Rolling Hard]

She could have good mechanics for an OF but poor for a catcher. Plus that isn't the point, the point was (based upon the OP) she was a successful catcher in 12U throwing like an OF so how is this approached at that point in time, regardless of whether it should have been fixed earlier?

That's why I said this could be fixed.Good OF and catchers mechanics are cousins. It can be fixed with cues and task. Tell the player pretend the ball is a hot potato. The task is to get rid of the asap. Cue could be ball directly to ear.

 

[radness]

So is there more than one way of doing this successfully? If so do you just use reps to let the kid figure out how to do it via trial and error, allowing for the self-selection to be based upon differences in the athlete's makeup? Or do you teach the one way you think is the best and if so what was your process for determining this?

Utilize different learning tools. Like questions and answers to Think Through what our goals are and how to accomplish them. AKA why we are doing what we're doing. Ways to help make it better by doing some learning activities that can be as simple as hopping with two legs to learn balance and strength. Then go into mechanical form.
Reinforced with proper form and repetition. Supported with positive feedback, intensity and moments of humor.

Success has been found through my own development. As I am a self-trained player. The mechanics I use came from my creative trial and error. And developed the training workout I still use today when I was a young teenager. Having the experience of Decades of training players it has proven successful for all shapes and sizes of athletes. That is not to say that all catchers reach a 1.7 pop-time.
Because an individuals determination and time devoted to training can vary from player to player.
As an instructor can definitely see when players are applying themselves in their time between todays lesson and when I see them the next week.

The bolded is how things were primarily done before private instructors were a thing. Mickey Mantle learned to hit by his father and grandfather going out and trying to strike him out. The father would throw RH to him so Mickey would hit LH. When the father go tired the grandfather would come out and throw LH and Mickey would hit RH. He also used an adult sized bat when he was doing this as a kid..(Barry Bonds said that is why he choked up on the bat, he got used to using the bats that were around the clubhouse when he was growing up)

Pretty neat player history!
imo the best thing we had years ago was a lot more live pitching to practice with instead of using machines that are regularly used today.

 

[_MIA_]

Then go into mechanical form.

Which you have determined to be most successful,right? That's mechanics. Of course there are going to be small variations based upon differences in athletes.

 

[radness]

Let me add this about being a coach
/ not an instructor situation/

Certainly have coached teams where the catchers are utilizing different mechanics than what I myself would use.
Which is absolutely fine.

However the standard on the field does not change because one player is using different mechanics than another.

The standard to throw Runners out is the same requirement regardless of mechanics.
The standard to control wild pitches is the same requirement regardless of mechanics.

So productivity is the measuring tool.

 

[_MIA_]

There is a hitting instructor around here who has every kid widen up in their stance, regardless of whatever issues they are having. Every kid. That is a cookie cutter approach. That ignores the thousands of examples in baseball and fastpitch which show that this isn't necessary to be a successful hitter.