Catchers:
The person who stands closest in proximity to you the entire game is, quite literally, the most powerful person on the field.
The outcome of every pitch and every play is determined by these men & women in blue.
After all….Their decisions lead to the results of the game.
So it makes sense that we need to not only ensure we have established a positive relationship with the umpire in a game…
It's imperative the positive relationship is established RIGHT AWAY.
In our virtual Gear Up Catching Academy, we teach our catchers how to effectively establish & maintain a relationship with their umpires by making sure we ESTABLISH A MUTUALLY RESPECTFUL RELATIONSHIP FROM THE BEGINNING:
Here are a few KEY TIPS to improving your relationship with your umpire before the game!
✅ Introduce yourself right away
You set the tone by how quickly you head out there to introduce yourself! Heading over to introduce yourself prior to the coin toss sets a tone of confidence & demonstrates your intention to work TOGETHER with him/her! After extending your hand in the introduction, I teach my catchers to say 3 important things while maintaining eye contact: 1) Hi my name is ____ 2) It’s great to meet you today and 3) I’m going to do my best to protect you today!
✅ Asking the most important pre-game question: “How would you like me to ask you where a pitch missed its spot?”
When your pitcher doesn’t get a called strike & you think she should have.. How you ask where it missed MATTERS! The tone of voice you use, your body language, and how you respond overall is a tone setter & may very well impact future calls later in the game! His response will help you gear your questions later in the game, and it also establishes your intent to have a mutually respectful relationship throughout your time behind the plate!