College Camp Catchers

[Fluid Fastpitch]

Maybe they have a list of catchers available local to the site (i.e. attend the school) that you could pay for their services?
Or maybe her coach has a contact in the area that can suggest one?

 

[Hillhouse]

@Hillhouse, do you advocate parents wearing gear while catching lessons? My daughter throws 62-63, and despite my best efforts to gear up, I was recently retired by her pitching coach. When I asked her if it was because she throws too hard or am I too old, her response was, "Yes." That was a blow to the old ego.

No, I don't advocate it. Parents should be savvy enough to know if they can catch their kid or not. IF not, pay a catcher a few bucks to do it at lessons or the camp. One of my pitcher's fathers took not 1 but 2 shots (at different times) in the place that all men are now cringing at. He had to have surgery. Suffice it to say, I do the catching for his daughter now at lessons, as I do for 99% of my students anyway.

 

[LW23]

We’re currently reviewing a few options for prospect camps over this winter. For pitching sessions, many say that you must bring your own catcher.

Do camps expect an actual catcher in gear, or do they just need a parent on a bucket for the pitcher to throw to?

If it’s the former, and you’ve been through this, what’s the etiquette? Should I pay for the catcher’s attendance? Hotel room? Finding a catcher who is targeting the same school (making the trip worthwhile) is a tall order.


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I just had to go through this and DD's dream school was 14 Hrs. away. It was hard to find a catcher as the two on her team we were confident in were at different camps the same weekend. They are really evaluating your daughter. I only got one dirty look when a rise ball tipped my glove, but the coach laughed and told her hey you beat your catcher on that one. Personally as much as we had riding on that I was glad it was me. I catch her daily, and know her spin and am comfortable with her velocity. I guess I didn't get in the way too much as she committed there this fall. The only other thing I will say is not to coach her as you may at home just sit back and enjoy the experience.

 

[Bullseye]

Parents stop helicoptering your child. Let them experience the college camp without you holding their hand. Provide a catcher.

 

[_MIA_]

Parents stop helicoptering your child. Let them experience the college camp without you holding their hand. Provide a catcher.

Agreed. Drop them off and go find something to do for the rest of the day.

 

[Bullseye]

Agreed. Drop them off and go find something to do for the rest of the day.

I find paying attention to how the camps are run helps evaluate which colleges have their chit together. Which camps are being ran to evaluate the players not just money makers. But I would never be out on the field with my daughters at a college camp.
Daughter who pitches went to camps they wanted to evaluate catchers at the same time. Would be interested to know colleges that aren't able to make that connection happen. That seemed disorganized to not be able to put that together.

 

[LW23]

I find paying attention to how the camps are run helps evaluate which colleges have their chit together. Which camps are being ran to evaluate the players not just money makers. But I would never be out on the field with my daughters at a college camp.
Daughter who pitches went to camps they wanted to evaluate catchers at the same time. Would be interested to know colleges that aren't able to make that connection happen. That seemed disorganized to not be able to put that together.

Definitely not a helicopter parent and would have loved to take a catcher, but the distance for us and conflicting camps just didn't work out. There were a few bucket Dad's and one Mom there for the same reason. The camp was organized well, and during the velocity evaluation they went as groups and threw to whatever catcher was with them. That's just my experience on this occasion due to distance. We brought catchers to anything that was close enough to drive.

 

[_MIA_]

I find paying attention to how the camps are run helps evaluate which colleges have their chit together. Which camps are being ran to evaluate the players not just money makers. But I would never be out on the field with my daughters at a college camp.
Daughter who pitches went to camps they wanted to evaluate catchers at the same time. Would be interested to know colleges that aren't able to make that connection happen. That seemed disorganized to not be able to put that together.

Fair enough.

 

[Rick M]

Daughter who pitches went to camps they wanted to evaluate catchers at the same time. Would be interested to know colleges that aren't able to make that connection happen. That seemed disorganized to not be able to put that together.

My guess is that they typically get many more pitchers than catchers. DD is doing camps at two Ivies whose coaches have a combined 50 years of head coaching experience. I’m not second-guessing their requirement to bring a catcher.


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[radness]

My guess is that they typically get many more pitchers than catchers.

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The Ivy's and other colleges in that caliber what have experienced is they will set the catchers up and rotate the pitchers through. If there is equal/near same amount of pitcher and catchers they will mix match them as they cycle them through. Say three or five at a time and then next group.
Looking for a certain pitch or location as they go through each cycle.

I do think it's peculiar that college would ask everybody to bring their own catcher because obviously when people are driving distances or flying they may not be able to do that.
Do know that I have had catchers going to camps offer to show up for the pitching portion of camps. Suggest that to anybody reading this that is a catcher to offer your time to be able to assist if needed.
Do notice that generally camps that are 'looking for real players to be prospects' camp will do the pitchers and catchers at the same time. Real time viewing.
Which makes the most sense. I m o

Additionally know that the catchers that are already in college and playing for the program maybe asked by the coach to show up to catch for pitchers at camps.
Because college coaches know not everybody can bring a catcher.

Something else that hasn't been brought up is liability. Obviously a parent can sign a waiver. But I don't know why they would need to do that when they should have catchers who are showing up for the camp prepared in full gear.