Catching: Force plays at the plate

Make sure your catcher knows how to handle a force play at home when bases are loaded. In this video, Jaime Wohlbach describes common mistakes that young catchers make and how to correct them.

#1 – Placing the correct foot on the plate
When catching a ball thrown to home, make sure the right foot is connected to the plate so the catcher can extend her reach to catch the ball.

#2 – Committing to the catch
Catchers need to resist committing early when receiving the throw. If the throw is bad, it's hard to reset in time. Instead, the catcher should come out in an athletic position as the throw comes in so she can step into it.

#3 – Body positioning and footwork
Catchers should rotate the body so their feet point toward the location where the throw is coming from. Be sure the gloveside foot steps away from the play so the catcher's body is out of the baserunner's lane.

Watch the video to learn more!