TURN UP DRILL:

PURPOSE: This drill isolates the initial movement of the body after catching the ball. Establishing a comfort level with this move is imperative to controlling the direction the body moves after catching the ball during the throw.

The catcher will get set up in a “Runner’s-On” stance with the ball inside their glove.

They will focus on turning the glove towards their throwing hand (NOT pulling it there), letting both hands meet in the middle of the chest while the upper body begins to rotate “closed” towards the target.

Catchers should focus on not letting their hips kick off to the side while they turn up with their body.

CATCH & TURN UP DRILL:

PURPOSE: This drill isolates the initial movement of the body while catching a moving ball. Establishing a comfort level with this move is imperative to controlling the direction the body moves after catching the ball during the throw, and it is the first step in speeding up the release.

The catcher will get set up in a “Runner’s-On” stance and a drill partner should be positioned in front of them either front tossing to them or dropping a ball into a pitching machine.

There should be a clear order to the movements:

1.) Pinch the glove-side knee in slightly to create a path to close the front side of the body towards our target.

2.) Catch the ball while turning our upper body closed and beginning to stand up.

3.) Bring the hands together in the middle of the chest and gain control of the ball with the throwing hand inside of the glove.

4.) Finish closing the shoulders towards our target.

Catchers should make sure that when pinching the glove side knee they aren’t sitting into their glove side hip or are turning their hips off to their side. It’s only a very slight pinch in to help free up the next movement.

HOP TURN UP DRILL:

PURPOSE: This drill helps catchers get comfortable going through the initial steps of the throw, while also helping them work on staying balanced.

The catcher will get set up in a “Runner’s-On” stance with the ball inside their glove.

They will focus on turning the glove towards their throwing hand (NOT pulling it there), letting both hands meet in the middle of the chest while the upper body rotates “closed” towards the target. As they close the upper half of their body, they will also be standing up, and will pick up and put down the throwing side foot underneath their center of gravity.

The catcher’s goal should be to get their front side completely turned towards their target by the time the entire back foot is on the ground underneath them.

Catchers do NOT want to let their front foot come down, as that should only happen as they are making their move forward into the throw. We do not want to reinforce a pause in the middle of the process that shouldn’t ever be there in a game throw.

CATCH HOP TURN DRILL:

PURPOSE: This drill isolates the first few steps of the throw while catching a moving ball. Establishing a comfort level with this move is imperative to controlling the direction the body moves after catching the ball during the throw, and it is the next step in truly speeding up the release.

The catcher will get set up in a “Runner’s-On” stance and a drill partner should be positioned in front of them either front tossing to them or dropping a ball into a pitching machine.

There should be a clear order to the movements:

1.) Pinch the glove-side knee in slightly to create a path to close the front side of the body towards our target.

2.) Catch the ball while turning our upper body closed and begin to stand up.

3.) As the hands come together in the middle of the chest, the catcher should gain control of the ball with the throwing hand inside of the glove, get their body to an upright level

4.) Finish closing the shoulders towards the target as the catcher brings their throwing-side foot under their center of gravity. .

Catchers should make sure that when pinching the glove side knee they aren’t sitting into their glove side hip or are turning their hips off to their side. It’s only a very slight pinch in to help free up the next movement.

The catcher’s goal should be to get their front side completely turned towards their target by the time the entire back foot is on the ground underneath them.

Catchers do NOT want to let their front foot come down, as that should only happen as they are making their move forward into the throw. We do not want to reinforce a pause in the middle of the process that shouldn’t ever be there in a game throw.

MEDBALL WALKTHROUGH DRILL:

PURPOSE: This drill allows the catcher to feel the causation between the internal rotation of the back leg while striding forward and the directional load of the throwing arm behind us as that occurs. This drill helps reinforce keeping the upper body “closed” against a “turning open” lower body to enable the catcher to take full advantage of the force created. It also helps to reinforce keeping the hands above the elbow and the elbow below the shoulder as our arm works behind us naturally.

The catcher will get set up in a “Runner’s-On” stance with a weighted medball in between both of their hands.

There should be a clear order to the movements:

1.) The upper body turning towards the target as one unit while getting upright.

2.) Picking up and putting down the throwing-side foot underneath the catcher’s center of gravity while completing the turn of the lower body.

3.) Striding forward while keeping the hands/medball from dropping below the middle of the chest.

4.) Allowing the weight of the medball to create the natural loading direction of the throwing arm.

Catchers should make sure that when they stride forward, they aren’t letting their front foot open completely towards their target (pointing their toes), nor do they want to land with the outside of their front foot facing their target.

If you were to draw a straight line from the instep of the catcher’s back foot to their target, their lead foot should land at about a 45 degree angle on that line. Not closed, but not open.

SELF-TOSS TENNIS BALL THROWING DRILL:

PURPOSE: This allows catchers to work through the initial processes of the throw without a drill partner or a pitching machine with a ball feeder.

The catcher will get set up in a “Runner’s-On” stance with or without a glove on. They should hold the tennis ball or regular ball in their throwing hand.

While in their “Runner’s-On” stance, they will underhand toss the ball into a solid wall or a “PitchBack” net, mixing up the angles they toss the ball at to work on throwing off of pitches to various locations.

There should be a clear order to the movements:

1.) Underhand toss the ball to the wall/net.

2.) Pinch the glove-side knee in slightly to create a path to close the front side of the body towards our target.

3.) Catch the ball while turning the upper body closed and begin to stand up.

4.) As the hands come together in the middle of the chest, the catcher should gain control of the ball with the throwing hand (inside of the glove if wearing one), and get their body to an upright level.

5.) Finish closing the shoulders towards the target as the catcher picks up and puts down their throwing-side foot under their center of gravity.

6.) Start to open the lower body while striding forward, ensuring that the front foot hits the ground at an angle.

Catcher’s shouldn’t be afraid of going slow or focusing just one movement each rep to build the muscle memory necessary.