The truth is out there...

Maybe if you grew up watching the X-Files, you'll recognize the title of this blog. I did not, technically. I watched it from behind my father's chair because it scared the living daylights out of me.

Anyway, I'm browsing around this morning and stumble upon a Softball group on LinkedIn. I'm reading through some of the discussions (one in particular about pitchers calling their own pitches, which is outrageous) and I see a post from Kelly Jackson (as in the 1992 USA Gold Medalist) with a link to her website: CoachingAFemaleAthlete.com. So, with nothing better to do than look and apply to jobs, I check out her website. It's pretty legit with some great blogs on it like separating parent vs. coach, teaching focus at a young age, etc. I'll give it that, but then it links to their sister site: the Technique Doctor, where you can choose your sport, a coach, and then submit your video to be critiqued by that coach. Strange, I thought: "That really takes the human out of the game." I'm sure it's really that coach giving you real feedback, but where's the face-to-face interaction, the prior knowledge of the player to know how to really speak to them so that they'll LISTEN (and not just hear)?

Then, I'm going through their roster of softball coaches who will critique your film: head coach, pitcher, guy pitcher, defensive instructor, dad of a DI player and coach, pitcher, pitcher, infielder. The only place I expect that many pitchers is at a bar.

Now, I think about all the other personal instructors in Central Virginia and here's what I see: hitting coach, pitching coach, hitting coach, pitching coach, pitching coach, head coach, dad/coach, pitching coach. Why is it so difficult for catchers to come out and coach or instruct? And, no, that's not an invitation. I'm just saying.

It just leaves me wondering, am I the only real catching coach in Central Virginia? One that's played DI softball? I'm not talking about your baseball guys who work with girls. I'm talking about real fastpitch catchers giving back and giving lessons. Am I the only one? Hell, I'd be happy to be -- maybe my knees don't agree -- but where are these young catchers getting their instructions from? It hurts me to think that they're not getting the proper instruction (like I've seen lately)...falling down on pitches in the dirt, instead of kicking out their feet; not framing correctly; not approaching bunts correctly; not learning to call their own game; actually taking more than one step to make a throw-down. Catchers are tough gals, and tough finds in this day an age. But when you find one, make sure she gets the right instructions; otherwise, she's as worthless as a bat in the daylight.

So, yeah. That was one big rant. I guess I should apologize. But I'm open for discussion here, too. Who do you know that's played the game behind the plate and is coaching? What kind of instructions do you think your catchers need the most work on? How much are you willing to pay for catching lessons? Versus hitting instruction? Versus pitching lessons? Is it just that I'm taking crazy pills and there's no need for catching instructors in Central Virginia's fastpitch leagues?