Do catchers get the shaft?

Add in catching bp while most stand around and socialize. Even if they aren't just standing around, whatever they do rarely equates to the tiresome act of catching bp.

Yeah, most catchers are abused by non-catching coaches.

But, we still love it.

Guess it depends on the team. All the drills are very hard work, and a players got to love the position or the drills will turn them off on catching. Heck, the game is the reward for all their hard work.

Catcher41,
Nice observation! The shaft? Nope. They actually are in the best position to play at the next level if they work at getting better ... but ... they have to take the inititive. Few catchers get catcher specific training in high school. My son first started catching his freshman year of high school and his high school coach told him he should get someone to teach him to catch because he had never taught a catcher the catching skills. How do you teach someone to catch? You go to the internet and read websites like http://www.brescia.edu/athletic/PROJECT.HTM or you try to find someone that caught in college or in the pros and get some lessons. I also got a tape by Coach McDonald (Mississippi State) from another Webster here on the HSBBW and did the best we could. My son did have a good catching coach in college and that coach did have specific catching drills.

Absolutey! Catching BR, feeding the coach who is hitting infield practice. For a catcher, the most non-productive 20 minutes of practice, and then field 4 bunts.

I have to say Each practice What I usually do is catch bullpen and catch our batting practices.

Other then scrimmages every now and then,I do the catching drills on my own.

You need to get the other catchers and talk with your coach about doing drills before or after practice with the other catchers. You are taken for granted by most coaches, players, fans at the youth and most HS levels. When you get to college then full time coaches are working with you several hours a week. Make a list of what you need to work on and do this on your own with your fellow catchers. Train together, do some med ball work together, plyometrics, running, footwork drills etc. You can find some good workouts on http://www.mycoachonline.com. This is a paid sight but very very good ! Many coaches are either lazy or feel they don't have the time so if you have the desire then lets get it going tomorrow. I like another DVD by HQ4sports.com. Catching DVD, Troy Cordova (sp) very good for any level.
Make yourself Better.

the team I coach with spends 20-30 minutes each day on drills, infielders - outfielders - pitchers and cather's split off into there groups and do drills every day. This is the only way that you are going to get better defensively. If you need more work you need to get to practice early or stay later and work on it. In the off season the best thing to do is get a private instructor.

smallball,
How would I go about finding a private catching instructor? Right now, I have a guy for: Foot speed, and hitting. I can't seem to find anyone in my area who works with catchers. The closest place I found in somewhere New England and that's too far away. Is there a site I can go to to lacate one.

Thanks

Catcher41

Check with the All Star Baseball Academy outside of Philly and in West Chester--see what they can do for you--They run a great program but I am not sure of the catching aspect

Catcher41, Where in PA are you? Start by asking your HS coach or a local HS coach or college coach. If you have a college nearby call the coach and ask him if he or any of his assistants or even a player give lessons in the off season.

smallball,
I live in western pennsylvania. The near by colleges are; WCCC, Saint Vincent, and Seton Hill. WCCC has an excellent hitting camp and a good defencive skills camp but it does not deal with catchers.

between that and catching bp are about the only times i get any "instruction".all I get there is complaints from whoever is pitching about the way I set up.it's nothing new to me for practice to be like that, but being that we play the most over looked position during practice, thats all you can expect to get for awhile.

i will have to agree i sort of get the shaft in practice. there is no part of practice that i have time to work on throws exc. the only time i get to work on those things is about 5min while all the infielders are warming up and taking thier spots i usually get one person to throw to me and someone to stand at second i really dont have any time to work on first or third and it kind of drives me crazy. im starting to get uncomfortable with my footwork and mechanics and i dont really have time in practice to improve and its very frustrating

Doesn't anyone have a buddy and practice on their own !!!!!