Learn to Be a Better Catcher with 3 Catching Progressions

If you don’t understand catcher progressions, you don’t know how to coach catchers. This may sound extreme, but these progressions serve as a roadmap for catchers, and if you don’t know the roadmap, you can’t guide them where they need to go!

If you don’t know who I am, my name is Coach Bougie and I’m the founder of Catching Made Simple. I transitioned from infield to catcher my Junior year of college, having never caught before, and now have a passion for teaching other catchers the fundamentals of the game.

I’ve helped hundreds of catchers get into a better stance, learn the fundamentals of the game, and get their mindset right.

In this article, we will explore the importance of catcher progressions and discuss three keys to progressions that every catcher should focus on.

Catcher Progressions: The Roadmap to Getting Better

Catcher progressions provide a structured approach to coaching catchers effectively.

They help catchers understand the specific skills they need to develop and the order in which to prioritize them.

By following these progressions, catchers can systematically improve their stance, receiving, blocking, and throwing skills.

1. Focusing on the Right Skills when Coaching Catchers

One common mistake made by catching coaches is placing too much emphasis on throwing skills. Although throwing is important in catching, it should not be the main focus in the beginning. To help catchers succeed, coaches should prioritize other skills initially.

First and foremost, catchers need to have a solid stance. Having a good stance is important because it forms the basis for other skills and helps catchers react quickly and effectively. By practicing and getting better at their stance, catchers can improve how well they play as a whole.

Next, catchers should focus on developing their receiving skills. The ability to catch pitches cleanly and position them well is really important for catchers. Catcher progressions can help catchers improve their technique for catching and handling different types and locations of pitches.

Lastly, catchers should work on their blocking skills. Blocking means being able to stop balls in the dirt quickly and effectively to prevent runners from advancing. By learning blocking techniques, catchers can give their team more defense and control in the game.

2. Allotting Sufficient Time for Progress with Online Catching Coaching

To help catchers improve their skills, it is important to spend enough time on each skill progression.

In-person lessons sometimes don't work well because catchers may not practice regularly between sessions. To solve this problem, online catching coaching programs, such as CatchCORE, have been created.

CatchCore is a program that helps catchers get better at their skills by practicing every day. By spending only 10 minutes each day on specific skills, catchers can steadily improve over time. This organized method helps catchers remember what they learn and continuously enhance their skills.

3. Layered Drill Progression for Catchers

Drill progressions are important for catchers to develop their skills. Instead of overwhelming catchers with multiple skills, it is better to focus on one skill at a time. This helps catchers understand the techniques and build a strong foundation. Once they become proficient in one skill, they can move on to the next skill in the sequence.

The purpose of drill progressions is to make sure catchers learn each skill before they learn more advanced techniques. By using different levels of progressions, catchers can improve their basic skills and develop a strong set of abilities over time.

The Power of Channel Capacity with Catcher Progressions

Channel capacity refers to the idea that people can only process and remember a limited amount of information at once. This is especially important when coaching catchers.

Giving catchers too much information can make it difficult for them to learn and improve their skills. To make it easier for catchers to understand, coaches should focus on teaching one skill at a time and give clear instructions. This way, catchers can learn and practice each skill effectively.

Remember, going the long way once is the real short cut!

Implementing Catcher Progressions

To effectively use catcher progressions, coaches, catchers, and parents need to work together. Coaches should explain the importance of each skill progression to both catchers and parents. By clarifying why certain skills are prioritized, coaches can get everyone on board, ensuring that everyone understands the developmental process.

Catchers should concentrate on the basic movements and spend sufficient time mastering each skill before moving on. Regular practice, feedback, and self-reflection are crucial for catchers to improve their development.

Parents play a crucial role in supporting their catchers' progress. By understanding the importance of each skill progression and providing the appropriate resources and environment for practice, parents can contribute to their catcher's growth.

Next Steps to Getting Better with Catcher Progressions

Catcher progressions help catchers get better at their skills. They follow a roadmap to focus on the right skills, practice enough, and learn one skill at a time. This helps catchers improve their stance, receiving, blocking, and throwing. Coaches and parents support catchers to become great players.

Remember, the shortcut to success is going the long way once. Practice, dedicate time to each skill, and honor the progression process. With determination and a structured approach, you can become a standout catcher in the game.

If you're ready to upgrade your catching skills, consider booking a free 15-minute Catching Consultation with Coach Bougie or check out CatchCORE.

If you’re not yet ready to connect, check out these other articles:

• Scared to block? Confronting Fear by Trusting Your Gear
• 10 Year Old Catcher: “I got better and it got so much funner”
• Rediscovering the Joy of Baseball: Teddy's Transformational Journey with Coach Bougie