Should SOFTBALL CATCHERS use one-knee stance?
Today we’re going to get this question answered by:
- Former MLB catcher (and current Chicago Cubs roving catching coach)
- THREE different professional Softball catchers
Here’s how it happened.
We posed this question to our Elite Catcher instructor, former Major League catcher Ryan Lavarnway.
He answered this question (below), but didn’t stop there. He ALSO went to his friend, 3x Gold Medal winner & USA Softball Hall of Famer Leah Amico.
Leah jumped at the chance to help young catchers, so she supplied us with answers from NOT ONE, but THREE different professional softball catchers.
Question:
This was the excellent question we received from Coach John out of Arizona:
“Would the one knee stance apply to SOFTBALL as well? I’m coaching both baseball and softball and with all the similarities I am curious if this is true about catching as well.”
⚾️ Answered my MLB Catcher:
“With no one on base, 100% yes. In blocking and throwing situations most softball players still go traditional stance, they haven’t made the switch yet. It’s still a little taboo. That’s why I teach both inside Elite Catcher, so they can test both and see what works best for them.”
– Ryan Lavarnway, Former Boston Red Sox Catcher
🥎 Leah Amico, 3x Gold Medal winner & Pro Softball Trainer
Leah Amico won three Olympic gold medals with the U.S. women’s national softball team in 1996, 2000, and 2004. She played college softball at the University of Arizona, where she was a three-time First Team All-American and led her team to multiple NCAA championships. Amico is also a USA Softball Hall of Fame inductee and has worked in coaching, broadcasting, and motivational speaking.
Leah is currently coaching multiple professional softball players, so she asked 3 professional softball catchers to give their opinions on this topic.
Pro Softball Catcher #1
“I would have to say that not many softball catchers catch on a knee – I personally don’t because I don’t like it and it’s harder to block a ball that way.
Throwing to bases can be done either standing or on the knees, just depending on the arm strength and quickness.
Receiving is at my top because you have to make the pitcher look good then I would say blocking then throwing.”
Pro Softball Catcher #2
“Framing is the top priority because it was what we do 90 percent of the game and how we move our body to get to the pitch for our pitchers.
For the knee down, I don’t purposely put my knee down but with my flexibility I may do it sometimes – I would personally never teach someone to catch with their knee down, in our game our ball goes up so you do not want to be caught with your knee down and get stuck.
For throwing I would teach from the feet first and once they have done that consistently then I would teach them how to throw from their knees. Once they know how to do both than it will depend on situations and how comfortable they are when throwing from their feet or knees.
Receiving is number one, blocking is a must and throwing is an added plus by putting athletes in a good position to move their body when they do not have a strong arm.”
Pro Softball Catcher #3
“I would say kinda a mixture of both – I always teach my girls that we want to try and make every pitch look the same for the umpire. So that might mean getting your chest behind every ball and being simple with it, but also quiet movements are always best.”
So there you have it. In their own words, 3 professional softball catchers weigh in on one-knee stance for softball.
The advice on whether softball catchers should use a one-knee stance is mixed and situational. One catcher advises against it for blocking purposes, while another mentions it can be useful depending on flexibility and the situation. Overall, the consensus is that receiving is the top priority, with blocking being crucial and throwing varying based on arm strength. Therefore, catchers should prioritize techniques that enhance their receiving and blocking abilities, and use a one-knee stance only when it suits their personal style and situational needs.
Bottom Line – Receiving has become more and more important at all levels of baseball and softball. With that in mind, a softball catcher may want to try receiving on one knee IF there is nobody on base. It may improve their results, so it’s definitely worth a try.
Hope this helps.
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PS. This secret sale for catchers ends tonight.
About Author
Ryan Lavarnway is a Major League catcher who has caught for the Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles, Atlanta Braves, Oakland Athletics Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians, Miami Marlins, & Detroit Tigers. Lavarnway was drafted out of Yale in 2008. In 2013, he earned a World Series ring with the Red Sox. He also caught for Team Israel in the 2017 (named “Pool A MVP” ) & 2018 World Baseball Classics, and the 2020 Olympics.
