1) With full gear on (mask too) have your catcher get behind the plate w/out her glove. Make sure she has a balanced stance with her weight on the balls of her feet, knees bent (thighs parallel or slightly past) and toes slightly in towards the plate. Draw a circle in the dirt about the diameter of a washing machine around the plate. Have your catcher assume her crouch with both hands behind her back.
A coach/player (never a pitcher) then throws Incredible/WhiffleBalls, Tennis balls (to start with then move to regulation alls) low pitches/short hops at the catcher. Using only her chest, legs and shoulders the catcher tries to make every ball stay within the front of the circle. The catcher must use her body/shoulders to keep the balls within the cirlce by 'bowing' her shoulders to guide the balls to the front of the plate within easy reach distance.
We do this drill at 10 balls/3x for 30 balls a session with 3 sessions. We also increase the reps until 1/2 through the season and then decrease because of physical strain on the catcher(s) after 60-80 games in both school ball and summer ball.
Submitted by: Loran Zenonian