Is this a viable method for catching?

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softgabby

Gear Empress
Mar 10, 2016
1,073
83
Just behind home plate
A month ago, we got a new catching coach. Our old coach made a move to become a head coach at a Division 2 school. This new coach came from coaching catchers at a Division 3 school outside of my home state.

So, the new coach is watching me work with our pitchers, working recieving, and throwing drills. She doesn't like my recieving method. I use a regular catcher's crouch for recieving, I drop to my knees to block, and I stand to throw the ball back to the pitcher or if I have to make a throw to a base to get a runner. The method has worked for me so far.

This morning, it's myself, another coach, and the new coach in the softball/baseball building and they're throwing balls at me. I'm catching them in my usual method. New coach tells me she would like to see me start recieving from my knees more. I'm already not a fan of recieving from my knee and being 5'2...I need all the height I can get.
I know from watching Jay at NECC, he's said about recieving from your crouch, block from your knees, and throw standing. Entering my seventh season playiing the position, what I've been doing hasn't steered me wrong.

Is recieving from your knees a viable method for catching? Would it be a good idea for me to at least try to get more comfortable doing it this way? Has the NECC changed to recieving from the knees?
 
Dec 2, 2013
3,410
113
Texas
One knee down has been the latest method catchers have been using. Watch any MLB game. Someone might have posted an article about this one her or on social media. My DD catches with a knee down and on her butt to get low depending on the pitch and the situation. Be open to change and I wouldn't be surprised if Jay has been researching this method.

Here's one article I found with a google machine search. Do your own research and see what you find.

https://learn.stoutcatching.com/blog/how-beneficial-is-one-knee
 

softgabby

Gear Empress
Mar 10, 2016
1,073
83
Just behind home plate
One knee down has been the latest method catchers have been using. Watch any MLB game. Someone might have posted an article about this one her or on social media. My DD catches with a knee down and on her butt to get low depending on the pitch and the situation. Be open to change and I wouldn't be surprised if Jay has been researching this method.

Here's one article I found with a google machine search. Do your own research and see what you find.

https://learn.stoutcatching.com/blog/how-beneficial-is-one-knee
Has she noticed a big difference in being able to receive and being able to block and throw especially down to second base? This is my biggest hang-up on doing it that way.
 
Dec 2, 2013
3,410
113
Texas
Has she noticed a big difference in being able to receive and being able to block and throw especially down to second base? This is my biggest hang-up on doing it that way.
My DD mostly throws from her knees anyway. She's 5'10" which helps. She developed her technique on her own and did attend an NECC roadshow. Work with the coaches and give it the "ol' college try." You might be surprised. The coach will be able to see what works best and it might end up being a hybrid technique.
 

softgabby

Gear Empress
Mar 10, 2016
1,073
83
Just behind home plate
My DD mostly throws from her knees anyway. She's 5'10" which helps. She developed her technique on her own and did attend an NECC roadshow. Work with the coaches and give it the "ol' college try." You might be surprised. The coach will be able to see what works best and it might end up being a hybrid technique.
This and the article gives me a lot of food for thought. I thought with being as short as I am that I would be limited in being able to use this method. It looks like it could work for me. I'm going to be open to at least trying it. I can always go back to what's worked for me.
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
Would not want to compromise agility by purposely dropping knee/Knees Down unnecessarily.

What I know from being in the sport many years and having catchers go off to college for decades and currently also... And feedback from coaches~
Is that sometimes people see something they think is Nifty but have not thought it through completely.

Think it through completely ~if you collapse your knees into the dirt you lose agility.
I wouldn't make that decision if it was unnecessary.
Also like to stay consistent for framing and not have extra added movements. Especially again unnecessary ones.

Additionally it's concerning when somebody wants to change something that is already successfully working.
 
Last edited:

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
Share this story.
One of my catchers as a freshman at a D1 college. The head coach used to play at UCLA and did recruitment for UCLA.
(Now HC is at another D1)

The catcher is being met with high praise and elevated by the head coaches encouragement of the mechanics she is doing and has commented things like you are the best catcher we have had at this program ever. HC coach has commented about her mechanics and abilities regarding comparing to other catchers including those at the most Elite levels. The head coach and pitching coach recognize what this catcher has brought to their program is beyond what their expectations were and has already elevated the excitement level of having this player behind the plate.

If it were not for the
open-minded coaching staff that is
'Looking for Success'
they may have otherwise told her to do something else.
Instead these coaches watch what she is doing and realize it's even better than what the coach had experienced when she was back at UCLA!

Think it's good @softgabby that you are considering what the coaches have asked you to do...
Also think there is an important conversation about discussing it thoroughly.
In this day and age doing video of the framing results of both positions your current one and what they think may be better could prove helpful..
***Also I would have a thorough discussion about how important defense is and being able to move to the ball.
Bunts
Pop ups
Wild pitch & Pass ball recovery.
*As you mentioned legs for throwing purposes!
Additionaly to be consistent framing on both sides of the plate and reaching high pitches when they don't hit their low target.
Also the question is do they want you to do that with Runners on base?

Remember in softball pitches/spin moves away from the strike zone.

👍 good for you to think it through!
 
Last edited:

softgabby

Gear Empress
Mar 10, 2016
1,073
83
Just behind home plate
Share this recent story.
One of my catchers is a freshman at a D1 college currently. The head coach used to play at UCLA and did recruitment for UCLA.
(Now HC is at another D1)

The catcher is being met with high praise and elevated by the head coaches encouragement of the mechanics she is doing and has commented things like you are the best catcher we have had at this program ever. HC coach has commented about her mechanics and abilities regarding comparing to other catchers including those at the most Elite levels. The head coach and pitching coach recognize what this catcher has brought to their program is beyond what their expectations were and has already elevated the excitement level of having this player behind the plate.

If it were not for the
open-minded coaching staff that is
'Looking for Success'
they may have otherwise told her to do something else.
Instead these coaches watch what she is doing and realize it's even better than what the coach had experienced when she was back at UCLA!

I think it's good @SoftAbby that you are considering what the coaches have asked you to do...
but I think there is an important conversation about discussing it thoroughly.
In this day and age doing video of the framing results of both positions your current one and what they think may be better.
***Also I would have a thorough discussion about how important defense is and being able to move to the ball.
Bunts
Pop ups
Wild pitch & Pass ball recovery.
*As you mentioned legs for throwing purposes!
Additionaly to be consistent framing on both sides of the plate and reaching high pitches when they don't hit their low target.
Also the question is do they want you to do that with Runners on base?

Remember in softball pitches/spin moves away from the strike zone.
Thank you so much for this. It's not framing I'm concerned about since I became a good framer. It's being able to move, block, and accurately throw that concerns me. That and my lack of height.
 

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