Gear Up Catching Lessons & Clinics

When people first hear about Gear Up Catching, they usually think we’re teaching throwing, blocking, receiving, and game management.

And we are.

But that’s only part of what we teach.

Because over the years, we’ve realized that some of the most important things our athletes gain here have nothing to do with softball.

They learn how to communicate.

How to lead.

How to handle adversity.

How to be coachable.

How to work toward a goal that takes years to accomplish.

They learn how to support the girls around them while still competing to become the best version of themselves.

The catching lessons are what bring us together.

But the confidence, friendships, leadership, work ethic, and life lessons are what stay with them long after they leave the field.

That’s what we’re really building at Gear Up 💛

One of the biggest mistakes catchers make is trying to train skills they’re not ready for yet.

Not because they aren’t talented.

Not because they aren’t working hard.

But because every skill has a phase of development where it belongs.

This drill is a perfect example.

Before a catcher can consistently execute a high-level throw in game situations, she must first learn how to sequence the movement correctly.

That’s why we isolate the footwork.

That’s why we slow the movement down.

That’s why we focus on mastering the individual pieces before putting everything together.

Because development isn’t about skipping steps. It’s about mastering them.

The catchers who make the fastest progress aren’t always the ones doing the most advanced drills. They’re the ones training the right skills for their current phase of development.

Not sure what phase your catcher is in?

Comment PHASE below and we’ll send you our FREE Catcher Phase Finder Quiz 💛

She’s been through every phase.

From her first crying squat in brand new gear...

to a confident college catcher heading into her junior year at Arizona Christian University.

Over the years, we’ve watched Matt grow up inside this program.

Not just as a catcher.

But as a leader.

A teammate.

A mentor.

One of the things that has always stood out about Matt is her willingness to learn.

She asks questions.

She wants to understand the why.

And when she’s given feedback, she goes to work.

Year after year, she continued to develop her skills, raise her standards, and grow into the athlete she is today.

Now she’s back this summer helping coach the next generation of Gear Up catchers.

And if you’ve spent any time around Coach Matt, you know she’s the type of coach who makes athletes feel seen, challenged, and supported all at the same time.

Exactly the kind of coach every young catcher deserves 💛

Meet Coach Allison 🤍

When people look at Allison’s softball career, they’ll see a college catcher heading into her senior year at Colorado Mesa University.

What they won’t always see are the countless hours of work. The early mornings. The setbacks. The surgeries. The PT. The commitment required to keep pursuing a goal year after year.

And over the years, Allison has shown exactly what that looks like.

She continued to show up.

And now she’s spending her summer helping coach the next generation of Gear Up catchers.

As Allison prepares for her senior year at Colorado Mesa University, our athletes get the opportunity to learn from someone who understands what years of commitment to a goal actually looks like.

Not just on the good days.

But on the hard days too.

The days that require patience. The days that require perspective. The days that require you to trust the process even when things aren’t unfolding exactly the way you planned.

Those lessons are part of Allison’s story.

And this summer, they’ll become part of the lessons she shares with the next generation 💛

Hannah’s Gear Up journey started a little differently than most.

She walked into her first lesson at 14 years old, fresh off ACL surgery.

Most athletes would have been focused on what they couldn’t do yet.

Hannah was focused on where she wanted to go.

From the very beginning, she had her sights set on playing college softball.

And over the years, she backed it up with the work.

From those first lessons post-surgery... to a collegiate career at the University of Iowa... to becoming a Graduate Assistant Coach at the University of South Dakota while earning her master’s degree.

What has always stood out about Hannah isn’t just what she’s accomplished. It’s her ability to keep moving forward.

The way she approaches challenges. The way she handles adversity. The way she shows up and gets to work.

And now she’s back this summer helping coach the next generation of Gear Up catchers.

Not just as a former athlete. Not just as a college catcher. But as a college coach who understands what it takes to navigate every stage of the journey.

And we’re excited to have her back with us this summer 💛

Some athletes leave a mark on a program.

helped build it. 💛

Long before she was coaching lessons alongside us this summer, Madi was the little catcher looking up to the older girls in the program.

She was the youngest in the group.

Fearless.
Competitive.
Confident.

And if we’re being honest... she came with a level of swagger most kids don’t find until much later 😂

Confidence was never something Madi had to grow into. Even as a fifth grader, she carried herself like she belonged.

Over the years, we’ve watched her grow from a young catcher with big dreams into a Division I athlete at the University of Montana heading into her senior year.

But what has always stood out most about Madi isn’t just her talent behind the plate.

It’s the way she shows up for other people.

The younger catchers have always gravitated toward her.

The work ethic. The consistency. The energy she brings to every lesson. The way she connects with athletes while still holding them to a high standard.

Now, as she heads into her senior year at Montana, she’s spending her summer helping coach the next generation of Gear Up catchers.

And honestly, there’s nobody better for the job.

Because she knows exactly what it takes to grow up inside this program, navigate the recruiting process, compete at the Division I level, and continue raising the standard year after year.

If your athlete gets the opportunity to learn from Coach Madi this summer, they’re learning from someone who has lived every phase of the journey herself 🥎💛

Meet: Coach Kenzie 💛

Our very first Gear Up Catcher catcher → turned Gear Up Grad → turned Gear Up college catcher → turned clinic coach → turned first FULL TIME Gear Up employee.

The one who, quite literally, is proof of our process.

Our program develops elite and college-level catchers, yes.

But most importantly, our mentorship and training strives to turn our female athletes into fierce WARRIORS and LEADERS in the game of life.

leiva is the epitome of the women we aspire to build.

And… because you’ll never find her taking the time to toot her own horn…

I will do it for her. 💃🏻

Kenz started with us over 14 YEARS ago.

She’s the only one of my team of incredible coaches who has worked in EVERY SINGLE ONE of our annual camps that started nearly 8 years ago.

As a high school senior, she was the oldest catcher in our program when my now college SENIORS were only 10 years old.

She is responsible for building the foundation in ***267*** (YES… TWO HUNDRED AND SIXTY SEVEN) brand new catchers inside of our Beginner Essentials Program.

She oversees the delivery of instruction in our 2nd location for our in person catchers in the East Valley.

She was the starting point and head coach for more than 60% of our current catchers now.

She brings all of my content ideas to life as our incredible social media creator.

She’s gone from an aspiring competitive catcher to a powerful, fierce mentor in what seems like a blink of an eye to me…

She’s the yin to my business yang, the force to be reckoned with, an inspiration to all of her fellow colleagues and the young girls coming up behind her…

The one who knows exactly what I mean when I’m “speaking Erin” 😅

I COULD NOT DO ANY OF THIS without her.

And everyone who is lucky enough to be in her presence this summer will be forever changed because of it.

Years ago, when Gear Up Catching was starting to explode… I knew immediately I needed help.

I couldn’t continue to build at the pace of our demand while simultaneously delivering the high level of lessons we are known for without another set of hands.

My standards for coaches were insanely high… and I needed someone who could confidently lead the next generation.

And my first choice was Jami.

Problem was… she wasn’t a catcher. She was a pitcher.

Or so I THOUGHT that was a problem 😂

Until I realized how powerful it would be to have the voice of the other half of the battery pouring into our catchers on a weekly basis.

Throwing drills and training athletes at a high level? No problem. That was already who she was.

But over the years, Jami became so much more than just an assistant coach inside this program.

She became someone our athletes trusted.
Someone who brought calmness into chaotic moments.
Someone who could make kids laugh, push them when they needed it, and love them hard all at the same time.

And honestly… this last year reminded us just how big of a role she plays inside Gear Up.

After battling a brain tumor, there was a huge void in this program without her.

The athletes felt it.
The coaches felt it.
The energy felt different without Coach Jami there beside us.

Which is why having her back this year has meant more than words can fully explain 💛

We are so grateful for you, Coach Jami. And so incredibly thankful to have you back where you belong.💪🏼🩷