Purpose: This is a great game to work on toughness, blocking technique, concentration and endurance. Softball Catching Drills are a must during training to develop good and tough catchers
Procedure: Catcher will need full catching gear and mitt. Have coach prepare a bat, tennis or regulation balls. Start catcher with dressing in full equipment with or without a mitt. The catcher starts in the squat position behind home plate. Throw or hit balls to the catcher from a close distance away. First pratice blocking with tennis balls for purpose of confidence. The move to regulation balls with easy tosses. Progress to hard throws depending on the skill level. Use rounds of 10 to 20 balls a piece. A succesful block is a ball kept in front within a 3-to-5 foot range which the catcher, in a real game, could retrieve a hold a runner from advancing to the next base. Rotate multiple catchers in and out. Those worthy of being called the “Human Road Block” will be loved by their sometimes wild pitchers.