How much is too much?

[Empire United]

I have a 10u daughter who catches. SHE LOVES TO CATCH!! That is all she wants to do. She was the only catcher we had for sometime. We tried others but none really shined. I've seen her catch 3 games in 1 day. Normally she does fair in the 1st. She kind of shakes out the cobbwebs. The 2nd she starts to take command of the game. She is more alert calling plays, talking to the infield, throwing down every chance she gets. The 3rd she is on fire. She no longer thinks she just reacts. I dont like her catching so many games back to back. The pitchers want her there and have confidence. How can I get more out of her in game 1? People talk about pitchers, pitching too much......but what about the catchers.

[geterdone]

3 games a weekend every weekend is too much. Need to worry more about her knees as an adult.

[wadeintothem]

keep the good catcher in as much as possible.

[Lefty's Dad]

keep the good catcher in as much as possible.

That's hilarious coming from an umpire, you just want the best protection the team has to offer

[3Bsnag]

I should probably pay attention to throw backs and squats as much as pitchers parents pay attention to pitch counts, but I haven't so far. However, I can tell when she's had enough.

My worst parenting day in softball so far was her catching 7 1/2 games within 28 hours. Her friend caught 9 that weekend. In Texas heat, no less. I think if I would have flicked them hard, they would have fell over.

Catchers are work horses, love what they do, and won't tell you when they have had enough. You have to remember, they are throwing back almost as many balls as a pitcher pitches. Add in the squats, throwdowns, and warming up pitchers, you've got one tired kid Sunday night.

Maybe we should pose this to some professionals. The only thing I know is 2 is not enough and 7 is too many.

And BTW coaches, DON"T use your game catcher to warm up other pitchers while batting.

[Lefty's Dad]

My worst parenting day in softball so far was her catching 7 1/2 games within 28 hours. Her friend caught 9 that weekend. In Texas heat, no less...you've got one tired kid Sunday night.

DD has done an entire weekend as the only catcher, including 6 in one day, did this an entire season, in the TX summer heat and never complained once. Those were the best Sunday nights EVER, she slept on the way home and went straight to bed. I am glad she isn't doing that anymore though, she's getting pretty tall and I worry about her knees if she had kept it up. Now she only catches about a game or two per weekend and she catches her HS games, or will once it starts anyway.

[3Bsnag]

Those were the best Sunday nights EVER, she slept on the way home and went straight to bed.

True!

Doesn't make the volleball or basketball coaches too happy on Monday though.

[umpinva]

keep the good catcher in as much as possible.

That's hilarious coming from an umpire, you just want the best protection the team has to offer

Why is wanting the best protection hilarious?

[Comp]

Every other game is the most I would ever let my daughter consistenly catch after seeing some of the things other catchers have gone through. Not only do you need to worry about thier knees, but how many times are they throwing the ball every day? You will eventually see knee, shoulder, elbow and back problems in girls that are over used at catcher.

Daughter played on a team that initially had 3 catchers. She really wanted some catching time and I told her, with 3 catchers you wont get much, but, you will certainly get some because there is no way anyone can catch 7 straight games in a weekend. Well, guess what, the coaches daughter was the main catcher and she caught every game, every weekend. This was at 14's, by the time she was in 16's she was having back, knee and elbow problems.

[Tucson]

I can always spot an old catcher, just because of the way they walk.

Here in Tucson, Callista Balko caught every game at U of A's for 3 seasons. She then went ahead to catch for the Washington DC pro team.

But, my adult nephew who caught every HS game (plus) thirty years ago, says that he would never do it, again. (knee problems)

Another nephew is raising a 12U catcher in TX. He was telling me about her catching 4 games in one day. When I questioned that, he pointed out that a game is 7 innings to me, while the girls are only playing for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Throw in a few 1, 2, 3 innings and it might not be that much.

I think that catchers should ice their knees, but I have never seen that.