Dont lean too much on PC
- Thread starter Gronknation
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Sometimes DD takes group lessons at one of the sports academes in our area. It is too cold to pitch outside and the cost is about $22 for an hour of indoor pitching. So in this specific case it is cheaper to go to the clinic then rent a tunnel ourselves.
- Jun 19, 2013
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- 28
The best baseball pitchers also have pitching coaches as soon as they want to move out of regular Little League and play all stars or mid to upper level JBO. Frequency of lessons obviously varies depending on what they are working on and time of year.
Young (starting) baseball pitchers don't need a coach because it is basically throwing overhand which they already do. The windmill softball motion is a taught motion even at the most basic level - you can't just do it. Any parent can throw overhand and help their kid throw a pitch overhand (whether they do it well or have good mechanics aside) - the moment they get any good or want to succeed beyond throwing a strike, out comes the baseball pitching coach. All the decent travel baseball pitchers locally that I know have a coach of some sort.
I have a SS who plays some baseball as well - she can throw a strike in baseball (and has) an acceptable amount of the time with no instruction whatsoever - she can't even come close in softball.
And if you read the board here, there is plenty of debate on mechanics - so there is no way that softball pitching is 'cut and dry'. The variety may not be as wide as it is in baseball, but there is plenty of variety of how softball pitchers pitch. While a certain style is favored on this board (and rightfully so as it is very effective) there is others out there teaching very differently and having success.
There are some other things - as people said experience in knowing what to look for counts. And also being able to look at what is going on instead of concentrating on catching the ball. And mentally - having someone who understands the other things around the game and pitching can be of benefit over a parent who has not been there.
Also as they get older PC's often have an extensive network of colleges that they have contact with to help with recruiting.
But I agree in part - as the pitcher gets more experience, the frequency can go down as they know more and more themselves about pitching and can make adjustments themselves.
- Dec 13, 2014
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Agree with alot especially the mentality part.
- Mar 24, 2014
- 450
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We meeting with our PC on a weekly basis during the off season and maybe every two weeks during the season. Our PC comes and watches her games as available and meet more frequently if needed. My DD and I have a very good pitcher-parent relationship and normally work out the kinks ourselves, but would never consider not having a PC on a regular basis. When she was younger, it was more teaching pitches. Now that she is in HS, it's about picking out the little things that he identifies and corrects, plus nowadays we are talking more mental aspects, game adjustments, recruiting, college camps, etc.
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I've used this analogy before. A pitching coach, hitting coach, etc. is like a fishing guide. They know where the fish are, can recommend the right pole and bait to use, can offer other little hints and so forth. But at some point, you have to drop the line in the water. (No, I am not a fisherman.)
A good coach can shorten the learning process. There are many roads you can take, some of which lead to nowhere. The coach will help you avoid those and set you on the path. But the player still has to make the effort.
Once I've worked with a player for a little while, I stop giving them answers and start asking them questions, such as "which way should the ball be facing at the top of the circle?" or "what's the proper sequence for hitting?" I do this because the objective is for the players to be able to make corrections themselves. I'm not going to be at all their games, standing by their shoulders telling them what they need to fix. If there is a problem they have to know how to fix it themselves.
That said, they can't always feel it. There's always some little thing or another that can be tweaked to get better. An experienced coach can see it, and has a larger mental database of experience to draw from than a parent working just with his/her daughter. I tend to find the most accomplished of my students are the ones I see the most. Not because I have any magic to offer, but because the level of commitment that comes with seeing a coach every week is a good indicator of the player's level of commitment to make herself better.
Still, one thing I make clear to every kid (and parent) who starts with me is the time she spends with me is the least important part of the process. It's the time she spends in-between that will determine her success. I'll point the way to the next improvement, but she has to make it.
A good coach can shorten the learning process. There are many roads you can take, some of which lead to nowhere. The coach will help you avoid those and set you on the path. But the player still has to make the effort.
Once I've worked with a player for a little while, I stop giving them answers and start asking them questions, such as "which way should the ball be facing at the top of the circle?" or "what's the proper sequence for hitting?" I do this because the objective is for the players to be able to make corrections themselves. I'm not going to be at all their games, standing by their shoulders telling them what they need to fix. If there is a problem they have to know how to fix it themselves.
That said, they can't always feel it. There's always some little thing or another that can be tweaked to get better. An experienced coach can see it, and has a larger mental database of experience to draw from than a parent working just with his/her daughter. I tend to find the most accomplished of my students are the ones I see the most. Not because I have any magic to offer, but because the level of commitment that comes with seeing a coach every week is a good indicator of the player's level of commitment to make herself better.
Still, one thing I make clear to every kid (and parent) who starts with me is the time she spends with me is the least important part of the process. It's the time she spends in-between that will determine her success. I'll point the way to the next improvement, but she has to make it.
I agree, when I'm catching her I can't see everything. Granted it's only a little over 40, but I don't want to get hit in the face trying to watch her back foot, stride leg, windmill right, ball release, finish position, etc.
What he said and bet he can hang/finish sheet rock also.
