This is my second article on what a Little League catcher needs to practice. If you haven’t read the first article, read “What Does an 8-Year-Old Need to Practice to Play Catcher in the Little League?” Before continuing. Once they’ve mastered those concepts, they’re ready to move on. At this age it is important to work on footwork, as this will help them in everything else they will learn. Then they should work to block more shots, including the ones to their left and right. Another new element for them in this age division is the fact that runners can run, either stealing bases or advancing when a catcher can’t handle a pitch. This gives the catcher a chance to put out more runners. Finally, receivers will need to work on making plays when the ball is hit.

A receiver’s footwork is essential to his success. A catcher who has good feet can hit more wild pitches, get more runners out, and get to more balls in time to get the out. This footwork begins with the squat. Feet should be shoulder-width apart. The catcher must be alert and balanced both left to right and front to back. Now the receiver is in a good solid starting position for whatever moves he needs to make.

The first footwork drill to master is a small hop to the left and to the right. They should try to move the width of the whole body without standing up. The goal is to move quickly to one side or the other and stay low enough to block a ball on the ground. It is important to be able to do this without crossing one leg behind the other, which would cause the catcher to stumble or stumble.

Then the next footwork drill is to move from a squat to a throwing position. This involves going from a squatting position where the feet are to the left and right to standing with the right foot behind and the left foot in front. Most of the catcher’s weight should be on their right foot, ready to step forward with their left to complete the throw. It is very important to be able to do this quickly. The faster the catcher is in a pitching position, the more runners he can throw out.

Now that the receiver’s footwork is improving, they’re ready for some harder-to-block pitches. The balls must be thrown just off the plate where they will bounce before reaching the catcher. The catcher should jump to the side and then block the pitch. They will need to focus on staying low and keeping the glove down and between their legs. When done right, the catcher will end up in the same position as when the pitch is in the dirt on the plate.

The next step for catchers is to be able to throw to the bases. We won’t worry about first base right now, since it’s not a throw many catchers throw. The most common base for a catcher to throw from is second base. Throwing to second involves the footwork we’ve already worked on. The catcher should jump up, feet in throwing position. From this position, the catcher should be able to throw a hard throw. They must work on strong and accurate throws. The pitch must go to second base and not the fielder, since the fielder is usually moving when the pitch is thrown.

The other common throw for a catcher is to third base. If there is a left-handed hitter, the pitch is relatively easy, as the catcher can stand up and walk to third base. However, if there is a right-handed batter, the batter is in the middle. In this case, the catcher must move to the left to punt the batter. Once this is done, the catcher should be able to throw to third. Again, it’s important to throw to the base and not the fielder.

So far, catchers have been working on what happens when a pitch comes their way. Now let’s see what happens when the batter makes contact. There are three main plays that a receiver needs to practice. The first is a missing popup. They should then practice covering touches. And finally, they need to learn how to cover home plate during a close play at the plate.

Foul popups are very tricky, especially the ones directly behind home plate. They tend to move back towards the field. The best way for a receiver to field them is to turn around and try to keep the ball in front of them. If the receiver passes the ball, he will be forced to step back to catch the ball. It will take some getting used to how far the ball will travel. On top of that, it’s hard to replicate the movement during exercises. The drift comes from how the bat hits the ball when it is thrown.

Touch coverage is another important aspect of reception. Catchers need to be able to jump on the ball and throw a hard throw to first base. The best way to do this is not to run straight for the ball, but rather to take a route where the catcher goes toward first base when he gets to the ball. That way, when the catcher picks up the ball, all of his momentum goes to where he’s shooting.

One of the most dangerous plays for a catcher is a close play at the plate. It is very important to be in the proper position during this play. The catcher must be in front of the plate while he waits for the throw. This gives the runner the entire plate to aim for and will not have to make contact to score. Once the catcher has caught the ball, he should start moving to block the plate so he can apply the bunt before the runner scores. It is very important that the receiver has his feet on the ground when he does so, in case the running back bumps into him. That way, the receiver would fall backwards, but his feet wouldn’t get caught under them. Although you’re not allowed to run into receivers at this level, it will happen. If the catcher blocks the plate correctly, the runner will see nothing of the plate. And if the catcher blocks the plate late, the running back may not have time to change what he was going to do.

So, to summarize, 10-year-old catchers should work through three sets of exercises. The first is footwork, on which the other two are based. The second is to throw to second base and third base. The last group is making plays when the ball is hit, including pinch fouls, bunts, and close plays at the plate. A 10-year-old receiver who can do all of these things will be a standout receiver for years to come.