At about 44 minutes from Naperville, Palos Park is near the outer edge of our regular in-person area, so it helps to plan catching work with the drive in mind. Coach Cinz’s Baseball Catching Lessons in Palos Park, IL are available two ways: at The Play & Thrive Club Naperville, or at a location your family chooses within Chicagoland. Our catching lessons page covers the position in more depth.
Where can Palos Park catchers train?
- At the facility: 808 Rte 59 #120 in Naperville, about 25.2 miles west of Palos Park. Lessons, camps and clinics are held there in the off-season and on rainy days.
- At your location: a Private Lesson can be held at a spot you choose within Chicagoland, which can save a longer drive.
If you make the trip, book two 30-minute blocks back to back so a catcher gets a full hour of work. Between visits, a catcher can send a clip of blocking or throwing for a $35 Video Analysis and get new drills back, which keeps the work going when the drive is not practical.
What happens in Baseball Catching Lessons in Palos Park, IL?
Catching is a mix of skill and decision-making. Coach Cinz works through the parts a catcher uses every inning:
- Receiving pitches cleanly and presenting a steady target
- Blocking balls in the dirt
- Footwork and the exchange on throws to the bases
- Communicating with the pitcher and the infield
His teaching centers on movement, mechanics and timing. He explains why each adjustment matters, and he also works on the confidence and consistency a catcher needs to lead the defense.
Before the pandemic, Coach Cinz spent five years as a hitting, fielding and pitching instructor with the Chicago White Sox organization, working mainly with pre-draft players. In all, he has more than 25 years in baseball as a player or coach, and he is rated 4.9 stars from 66 Google reviews.
Lessons are one-on-one, so the pace matches the player. A younger catcher might spend a whole session on stance and receiving, while an older one works on footwork and throws to second. Softball catchers can train with him too.
What does it cost, and where do we start?
A Private Lesson is $65 for 30 minutes. A $195 Personal Assessment gives a one-on-one, personal opinion of where your catcher stands. A Private Lesson has no group option; it is always one athlete and one coach. Membership saves $20 per lesson with no limit, and every athlete who books training gets a Play 2 Earn Sports player profile to track stats, goals and progress.
The free first step is the Benchmark goals form. Coach Cinz replies within 48 hours with times to measure the athlete’s metrics, then builds a plan around the catcher’s goals.
Nearby, we also work with families in Orland Park and Oak Lawn. For more detail, see our guide to catcher training.
Palos Park families ask
Can catching lessons happen closer to Palos Park?
Private Lessons can be held at a location of your choice within the Chicagoland area, so ask about a spot that suits you when you book. Otherwise, lessons run at The Play & Thrive Club Naperville, about 44 minutes and about 25.2 miles west of Palos Park.
Is a Personal Assessment useful for a Palos Park catcher?
It can be. The $195 Personal Assessment is one-on-one and gives a personal opinion on where the athlete stands. For a catcher, that clarity helps decide whether to focus on receiving, blocking or throwing first. It has no group option and is a good first paid step.
