Catching a baseball or softball looks easy when you’re the spectator, but there’s a lot more to it, and many players know it. Even young athletes can bring their catching technique to resemble an art form if they employ several tricks and techniques that can help.
With that in mind, we wanted to give you a guide of sorts on the best techniques and tricks for catching a baseball or softball.
Tricks Every Young Player Should Know
- They should always be confident and comfortable when preparing to catch. It will enable the player to move more naturally.
- There’s no need for too much specialization. Many would say that a specific position is vital for a young athlete, but the exact opposite is the truth. At such early stages, athletes need to strive to be well-rounded and more complete.
- When teaching the player, proper positioning is critical. They need to know the details of their task, how to stand, how to move, etc.
- Repetition makes perfect. That’s also key in learning to be a great catcher. The young athlete needs to practice the move over and over again, and they should never stop practicing, even when they become great.
- In the end, it’s not all about the move itself. When a player becomes good, it’s time to turn part of their focus on the overall strategy of the game. Including them in other aspects of the game will mean a lot for their confidence.
- Learning from the pros should be part of the training. Children love to see the professionals play and they always want to imitate them, which proves to be a big advantage in the end.
The Best Techniques to Adopt
Being a great catcher is all about mechanics and repetition. A catcher has a single move, and that’s precisely why it’s all about the mechanics of the movement and learning to do it by repeating it.
Assuming the proper position involves bending the knees slightly and lunging a bit forward. It gives the player flexibility, improves speed, and keeps their mind sharp and focused.
The shoulders need to be positioned toward the target as that will make it easier to react with enough speed. Furthermore, the player should stand on the balls of their feet not by completely touching the ground. It will also allow more speed.
Many players don’t watch the ball enough, which proves to be detrimental. The key is never to keep your eyes off the ball, which is something that every great catcher would say.
Staying fixated on the ball allows the player to move if necessary, and maneuver they should if the ball is not going straight towards them. Their eyes should remain on the ball because that will allow them to stop when they’re directly in the path of the ball. If you can manage to explain all of this to your catchers and get them to follow these tricks and techniques, they are bound to get much closer to becoming true professionals at a young age. If you want to get more information or tips, feel free to contact the League Network.