Feedback on mechanics

Looks like she is striding with her lead foot, is that legal? Mine was doing that and I bought a pitching rubber and it eliminated it right away.

Unless follow through had been previously forced (hello elbow,) I wouldn't spend much time on it other than to remind her to let it go and be loose and natural.

Play lots of underhand catch with a focus on whip. Learn to control the whip and once she can feel it, she should be able to find her timing to make it work during her stride.

gasfreak said:

Looks like she is striding with her lead foot, is that legal? Mine was doing that and I bought a pitching rubber and it eliminated it right away.

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it's completely illegal. She actually confessed it to me after the last all star game. "dad, I take an extra step before I stride" I hadn't noticed it as it wasn't as pronounced when we were just stepping (we didn't start trying to leap until a after the last all star game a couple of weeks ago) and she was never called for it. When I saw the video it really jumped out at me. I get so focused on watching her upper body and arms when she's pitching to me that I miss a lot that I can only see on video. I'm going to start taking little videos at the end of each practice so she and I can look at the whole motion together.

Ken B said:

I think "feel" is a good point. Even elbow leading, palm up, etc can be mechanical and forced at first. When "feeling it" kicks in, that's when the magic starts. One distinction I like is the feeling of loose and whippy vs throwing it. The kids seem to get it.

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Ken, how can we get to this point. I don't think my 10yo is getting it at all!

I agree with Ken B and I will add my 2 cents.

Your daughter has longer arms, so it may be more difficult for her to get a bend in the elbow on the way down, so keep that in mind.

Also, I would like to see her glove hand go up farther in the air before separation, this will help with keeping her shoulders level, watche the video from the side and you will see she is leaning forward.

Lastly, she is walking through her pitches, there is no reason to for her push off foot to pass her plant foot.

jlrball said:

Ken, how can we get to this point. I don't think my 10yo is getting it at all!

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Check out the "I/R in the Classroom Thread" at the top of the Softball Pitching page.

One thing I do with new kids is take away the catcher and use a net, fence, tarp, blanket, mattress, etc. As they figure it out, move them back, then have them start to hit spots on the backstop. You can use blue tape, masking tape, a felt pen, zip ties and a hand towel or whatever to use as a target. Play step-back games where they earn a step back for hitting any part of the target. Later, they can get a step for 3 out of 4 corners. If the whip breaks down, go back to no target and focus on form. When they get some consistency, add an adult catcher and play underhand catch. Move the glove around and have them hit it where ever you hold it.

Meanwhile, work on the drive without a ball. Dial it in and when the whip is consistent, put them together up close to the net. Play more step-backs, add a catcher and so on.

This progression is ideal in the off season where there is no need to get strikes. If you want immediate control, forget the above and just tell her to "play catch with Suzie" or "just get it over the plate."

Hope that helps,
Ken

Your daughter has longer arms, so it may be more difficult for her to get a bend in the elbow on the way down, so keep that in mind.

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The bend may be somewhat forced in the very beginning until she can feel how to relax it and allow the whip to happen. They usually try to muscle it and you can see the difference when the elbow becomes loose. Make sure you tell them when you see the whip. The exact angle of bend doesn't matter, but you will see the result when they can feel it relax.

Ken B said:

The bend may be somewhat forced in the very beginning until she can feel how to relax it and allow the whip to happen. They usually try to muscle it and you can see the difference when the elbow becomes loose. Make sure they hear it when you see them whip. The exact angle of bend doesn't matter, but you will see the result when they can feel it relax.

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update-

She's coming along nicely. The elbow bend is back and the circle timing looks good. She's cruising at 40-42 and popping up to 43-45 mph. I still think she has a few more MPH in the tank that I can't quite tap. I'd like to see her cruising at 43-45 by the end of fall ball and she should be good to go for her first year of 12U. The move to 12" ball and 40 feet is going smoothly (only noticeable effect is a few more random hip hits). The control is shaky at the beginning of practice (outside high and inside low) and then gets good (about 50-60% strikes) once she's warm. She can hit my glove in the corners about 20-25% of the time (with high in and low out being harder for her). We play a game where I walk around with my glove out (while quacking like a duck) and she has to pitch to the glove while I'm moving, if she hits the glove I reverse direction. SHE LOVES THIS PART OF PRACTICE! she's still walking through so the front side needs to get firmer. I'm ready to get her to a pitching coach, she just learns too fast for me and she's excited about trying to learn movement pitches (I promised her that once she got the mechanics down and a consistent change-up she could start learning spin- even though I know ABSOLUTELY nothing about spinning a softball underhand) any recommendations on PCs in the area?

Are you using a striped ball? If so, do you notice a difference in spin between the low/inside and high/outside? I've noticed that kids who are learning whip often miss in these spots

What country/state/province/city?

Ken B said:

Are you using a striped ball? If so, do you notice a difference in spin between the low/inside and high/outside? I've noticed that kids who are learning whip often miss in these spots

What country/state/province/city?

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We use a striped ball most of the time. I never really noticed a spin correlation, but I've also never looked for it, most of her pitches are 11-5 to 1-7 so they have mostly downspin. Unless she throws her hip curve. this is the ball that hits her hip and then curves low and away with sidespin. I'll see if I can pick something up. we are in San Diego, California.