by Coach Griff
It’s not easy, but if you can keep the ball in front of you, you’re on your way to becoming a great catcher.
Pitchers won’t make this easier for you either - you can never be quite sure where the ball is going to end up.
<aside> <img src="/icons/private_red.svg" alt="/icons/private_red.svg" width="40px" /> What is blocking? It doesn’t always need to be pretty, but using your body to stop a bouncing ball and keep it in front is a block.
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Blocking is a precarious activity, and a ball never bounces exactly how you anticipate.
It’s important to position yourself correctly to avoid any painful impacts.
<aside> 🤒 It’s gonna hurt. No matter how good you get at blocking, every now and then you’re likely to get one that stings.
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KNEES Drop both knees to the ground in the direction of the ball as quickly as possible. It’s not a jump, land softly.
GLOVE Lead with the glove and cover the hole between your legs with both the glove and bare hand. Your bare hand should be entirely behind the glove, with the glove open at all times. You’re not trying to catch the ball.
ELBOWS Your elbows will move into the correct position when the hands are in the correct position. Flare your elbows out and keep your shoulder square to create a bigger target.
CHIN Your chin goes straight down, tucking into your chest. This will cause your shoulders to round and be over the ball, creating a good angle for the ball to bounce off. Blink at impact, then open your eyes and find the ball.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQCF2jZiU5M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoYcHSJcibk
OKD catching is becoming increasingly popular, but it’s always made blocking a little more difficult.
The lateral movement often required means you’ll need to be extra quick off the mark.
It’s important to ensure you remain light on your shin when OKD.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfhoEnZuUQg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCvEogH3bjY
A quick guide on how the session will run.