Catcher stance and receiving

Setup

1. Each catcher wears full gear: helmet with mask, throat guard, chest protector, shin guards and cup. Gear stays on for every ball, even easy tosses.
2. A feeder (coach or older player) stands about 10–12 m in front of the plate with a bucket of balls and throws at an easy, steady pace.
3. Waiting catchers stand well to the side of the plate, out of the line of the throws.
4. If no one is available to throw strikes, a pitching machine at low speed works too.

How it runs

1. Signal stance: the catcher squats on the balls of the feet, knees pointing at the pitcher, glove resting on the glove-side knee to screen the signs from the base coaches. Hold it for a few seconds.
2. Ready stance: the catcher widens the feet a little, raises the seat until the thighs are about level with the ground, and gives a relaxed target in the middle of the body.
3. The feeder throws 5 balls to each part of the zone in turn: glove side, arm side, low, then high. The catcher catches each one and holds it still for a second.
4. The coach calls 'Strike' or 'Ball' for each catch, judging how it looked when it was caught.
5. After 15–20 balls, the next catcher swaps in. Finish with a few random locations.

Coaching points

• Weight on the balls of the feet in the ready stance, so the catcher can move, block or throw.
• Throwing hand tucked behind the back or the right ankle when no runners are on, safe from foul tips.
• Relaxed glove arm, elbow outside the knee. Tension makes the glove stab.
• Catch the ball, don't let the ball catch the glove: reach to meet it out front, then stick it still.
• Low pitches: turn the glove so the thumb is under the ball and catch the top half of it, keeping it in the zone.

Common mistakes

• Sitting back on the heels, so the catcher can't move quickly.
• Throwing hand hanging out in front, where a foul tip can hit it.
• Snapping or yanking the glove back into the zone after the catch; umpires notice.
• Turning the head or closing the eyes as the ball arrives.
• Taking off the mask or helmet between throws to fix it while the feeder keeps throwing.