Catching Drills
One Knee Throwing
Benefits - The One Knee Throwing drill helps improve throwing strength.
Directions - Two catchers should kneel 30 feet apart on their left knees. After throwing the ball back and forth for a few minutes, they should move apart 10 more feet. They should continue throwing and moving back until the throws equal the distance from home to second base. Proper shoulder and hip turn should be emphasized to gain strength. This drill can be performed with the catchers kneeling on both knees as well.
Framing
Benefits - The Framing drill helps improve the catcher's ability to frame pitches to help get additional strike calls.
Directions – Two catchers should position themselves 20-30 feet apart. Catcher 1 should throw balls to catcher 2. The balls should be thrown high, low, inside, and outside. The balls should be thrown close enough to the "plate" so that foot movement is not necessary. The catchers should practice “framing” the pitch.
Quick Feet
Benefits - The Quick Feet drill helps improve a catcher's footwork and ability to block off target pitches.
Directions – Two catchers should position themselves 20-30 feet apart. Catcher 1 should throw from 20 to 30 feet to catcher 2. The balls should be thrown inside and outside, high and in the dirt. Catcher 2 should move to the left and right attempting to get the middle of the body in front of the ball. The catchers should alternate roles.
Quick Release
Benefits - Improve catcher arm strength and accuracy while practicing catching and applying a tag.
Directions – Two catchers should position themselves 60 to 70 feet apart. Catcher 1 should squat with ball in her glove. She should simulate a catch and throw to 2B. Catcher 2 should block the "plate" as she receives the ball and should apply the tag as if a runner is trying to score at home plate. Catcher 2 should then squat with ball in glove and simulates throw to 2B. The drill should be performed for 10 to 15 minutes.
No Hands Blocking
Benefits - The No Hands Blocking drill helps improve footwork and technique for blocking off target pitches.
Directions - Two catchers in full equipment should stand about 20 to 30 feet apart. Catcher 1 should throw balls in the dirt to the left, right and in front of "home plate." Catcher 2 should practice blocking the wild pitches with her shin guards and chest protector. Catcher 2 must position herself using quick footwork and good technique. Catcher 1 and Catcher 2 should alternate roles.
Fielding Bunts
Benefits - The Fielding Bunts drill helps improve bunt defense for catchers.
Directions - Put catchers or other fielders at each base. Put six balls in front of home plate. The first catcher should pop up, field the "bunt" and throw to 1B, 2B, and 3B, in turn, returning to the defensive position after each throw. This drill should be repeated a second time prior to rotating to the next catcher.
Steal Attempts
Benefits - The Steal Attempts drill helps improve defense of stolen bases.
Directions - Assign a few runners with helmets. Place the first runner on 2B. Assign players to their infield positions. The drill is initiated by a pitch to the catcher. On the release of the pitch, runner on 1B should try to steal 2B and the catcher should try to throw her out. On the next pitch, runner on 2B should try to steal 3B and the catcher should try to throw her out. This drill should be repeated several times rotating runners and fielders.
Tag Play at Home
Benefits - The Tag Play at Home drill improves outfielders' ability to make throws to home as well as the catcher's ability to catch throws and apply tags.
Directions - Place one or more catchers at home and three to six outfielders spaced evenly around the outfield. Give each outfielder one ball. The first outfielder should roll a ball a few feet in front, pick it up and make a strong throw to home with catcher 1 simulating a tag. The outfielder should end up at the edge of the outfield grass after throw. The catcher should then squat facing outfielder and rise to throw ball simulating a long throw to second base. After each outfielder has thrown one ball, the catchers should rotate. This drill can also be performed with infielders at their positions.
Pickoff Play
Benefits - The Pickoff Play drill improves team defense for pickoff plays attempted at 1B or 3B. It also improves base runner awareness when leading.
Directions - Put infielders and pitcher at their positions and 3 or 4 runners at 1B and 3B. The Pitcher should start the drill by pitching the ball to the catcher. On the release of the pitch, the runner on 1B should take an aggressive lead while second baseman should break hard to 1B. The catcher should try to pick off runner. The shortstop should cover 2B. The runner should attempt to dive back to 1B or should break to 2B and get into a rundown. The drill should be repeated with a runner on 3B and with the shortstop covering. The first baseman and third baseman should play well in front of the bag so the runners are enticed to take bigger leads. After 4 throws, rotate the catchers.
Foul Ball Communication
Benefits - The Foul Ball Communication drill improves the catcher's chances of catching pop-flies near home plate.
Directions - Put the catcher, pitcher, first baseman and third baseman at their respective positions. The coach should be positioned behind the catcher. The coach should initiate the drill by throwing a pop up behind catcher. The infielders should call "up 1" if the ball is towards 1B, "up 3" if the ball is towards 3B, "up" if ball is straight over home, and "back" if ball is straight back. The coach can substitute other calls if desired.
Cutoff Communication
Benefits - The Cutoff Communication drill works on the catcher's ability to make cutoff calls on throws to home.
Directions – Put the infielders at their defensive positions. Put three to six outfielders with one ball each, evenly spaced 10 to 20 feet beyond the edge of the outfield grass. The pitcher (or first baseman) should move to cut-off position in front of outfielder 1 who should initiate the drill by throwing a ball on a line to home. The catcher should yell "cut" and the base number to tell the cut-off to throw to a base (e.g., "cut 2"). The catcher should say nothing if she wants the ball to come through. The drill should continue until each outfielder has thrown three balls. Catchers should be rotated during this drill.
Catcher Flip to Home
Benefits - The Catcher Flip to Home drill works on catcher's ability to field and throw past balls with runners stealing home.
Directions – Position a catcher behind the plate with six balls evenly spaced by the backstop. On signal, the catcher should go to first ball and should flip it to the pitcher covering home. The catcher should return to the plate and should run down remaining balls in turn. The catcher should retrieve ball with her bare hand and flip it in one motion along the ground so the player covering home can apply the tag smoothly. The pitcher’s positioning and the catcher’s technique should be emphasized.
1st and 3rd - Situation 1
Benefits - The 1st and 3rd - Situation 1 drill improves team defense of the 1st and 3rd situation.
Directions - Place runners with helmets at 1B and 3B. On the pitch release, the runner at 1B should attempt to steal 2B. The second baseman should move to a position halfway between 2B and pitcher's rubber. The shortstop should cover 2B and the third baseman should cover 3B. The catcher should look at 3B and should throw there or to 2B if runner stays close to 3B. The second baseman should watch the runner on 3B. If the runner on 3B moves too far off the base, the second basemen should cut the throw and should throw to 3B. If the runner attempts to go home, the second basement should throw home. The second baseman should cuts off-line throws. If the second baseman allows the throw to go through to 2B, she should fake the catch and throw to 3B in an attempt to hold the runner.
1st and 3rd - Situation 2
Benefits - The 1st and 3rd - Situation 2 drill improves team defense of the 1st and 3rd situation.
Directions - Place runners with helmets at 1B and 3B. On the pitch, the runner at 1B should attempt to steal 2B. The second baseman should move to cut-off position and shortstop should cover 2B. The third baseman should cover 3B. The catcher should look at 3B and should throw there or to pitcher if runner stays close to 3B. The pitcher should looks at runner on 3B. If the runner moves back to 3B, the pitcher should turn to look at runner going to 2B and should throw for the out if there is a play. The key is for the catcher to make an aggressive throw to the pitcher to tempt runner on 3B to break to home.