Gwen Svekis is a senior catcher at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. and helped her team win the 7A state championship in May. The Oregon commit plays for one of the top club teams in the country, the Gold Coast Hurricanes, coached by Marty Cooper.

After seeing a YouTube video of her defensive highlights, we asked Gwen to give her perspective of what it takes to be a successful catcher; here are her thoughts…

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When I was 10, I fell in love with ‘the tools of ignorance’ and I cannot imagine my life without being a catcher and playing this game. Catching provides a release from stress—from the physicality of the position to its many mental aspects–and it has helped me forge incredible friendships that may last a lifetime.

I believe catching is as much an art as a science. There are elements of management, psychology, geometry, physics and acting. Many of those disciplines are in play before a single pitch is thrown.

When I am talking about catching with a youngster, I stress that while it is the best position and I love it, it is a tough love. Catching requires long hours, often in oppressive heat, with 60 mph pitches bouncing off your body with frequency. It requires working with pitchers in numerous non-game settings. You will have your sore days and you must push through it. It also requires keeping your ego under wraps.

The following are my top five aspects of catching that I always need to be at their best to maximize my team’s chances of winning:

 

1. Learn how to manage all types of pitcher personalities

Pitcher personalities can range the full gamut. There are great pitchers who only seem to blame others, there are studs who are hyper self-critical and there are pitchers at all stops in between. It is your job to figure out which kind of pitcher you have and to learn how to help your pitcher get focused and stay focused.

Managing your pitchers has to start in the bullpen. When they’re warming up, they’re getting mentally set for the rest of the game. If your pitcher throws a pitch that had great speed but didn’t move as well as she would have liked, make sure you let her know that she really brought it, and vice-versa. Accentuate the positive.

A key trait I picked up that really helps with your pitchers’ mental game is learning how to make your mitt pop. Whether they’re actually throwing hard or not, well, that’s for you to know. This pop acts as a placebo to the pitcher.  To make your mitt pop, you expose as much leather as possible for the ball to hit. Also, a coach may need you to be the focal point of his criticism on a missed pitch and yell at you to get his point across to the pitcher. A thick skin is required.

 

2. Be vocal

Being vocal will singlehandedly catapult any catcher into being a better catcher. Regardless of skill, a vocal catcher is a MUST on any field. There must be someone who is not afraid to take charge and to control the field. A catcher is the only person that can see and communicate everything with everyone. You get the ball every pitch, which means that at one point of every pitch, everyone looks at you. This moment when all eyes are on you is the best moment to communicate to the team.

Remember, the rest of the team feeds off of yours and the pitcher’s energy and body language. That means that you needs to make sure she and you control the game together. The best thing I ever learned was to say something no matter what. If it’s wrong, you can learn from it, but if you say nothing, your coach will find someone who will. This is an aspect of the game that can’t exactly be taught. It must come from you. It’s an intangible.

 

3. Framing

I believe that framing is the most important physical aspect of the game for catchers. I honestly believe this because it helps you deal with three VERY important people during the game. Framing helps the pitcher like you, your coach like you, and the umpire like you. When you make an untouchable pitch look like a strike, everyone loves you. Stealing a couple of strikes throughout the game can change the game. This also goes back to managing your pitcher because if you can get these pitches for her, she not only develops faith in you, but also develops more faith in herself.

You must be careful with framing, however. You don’t want to show up the umpire. If you attempt to frame a pitch too much, you show up the umpire and he’ll make his strike zone smaller. The key is to make sure you never actually move your glove. A good frame comes from the wrist.

When the game starts, it’s important to figure out the umpire’s strike zone. He may be giving you pitches in the other batter’s box without you knowing it. It’s important to figure out the strike zone early and then to relay the information you get to your coaches and to your teammates so that when they’re up to bat, they have a better idea of what’s going to be called.

The relationship with the blue is so important. It is also imperative that in those moments in the game where there is a difference of opinion over the strike zone that you don’t turn your head back toward the ump. If you need to have that touchy discussion, speak while looking out at the pitcher. There are some umpires who will shrink your strike zone to a thimble’s size if he or she believes they have been shown up.

 

4. Throwing

The ability to throw is one of the most basic skills a catcher must have. One of the things I think is most important is the throw down between innings. If you make perfect throw downs between innings, a lot of teams won’t dare run on you. Having a strong, accurate arm really is the icing on the cake when it comes to a catcher.

Make sure you take care of your arm as well. Ice it after games, take time to warm up properly before games, etc. And all fellow catchers will understand this notion… When you make a perfect throw down and get someone out, that is the moment that everyone gets to congratulate you and you get some recognition even if only for a second.

 

5. Blocking

Blocking, like framing, is very important because it makes the pitcher trust you, the coach proud of you, and the umpire appreciate you.

Getting a pitcher’s trust is one of the most important parts of our game. You want your pitcher to feel like she’s able to pitch her drop ball in the dirt with a runner on third and the game on the line. You want your pitcher to want you back there when that situation presents itself.

If your pitcher likes you catching her, then your coach will like you catching her too. A coach’s top priority is winning, but only closely in second place is making his pitcher happy.

Finally, developing a good relationship with your umpire is also a huge part of what makes a great catcher. Making blocks and preventing them from getting hit makes them appreciate the fact that you’re behind the plate. If you develop a good relationship with your umpire, you may get a call or two.