9u pitching, what do you think?

She has been pitching for 7 months. Been going to a pitching coach for about 5 months, mostly once a week. Think she will be okay, she will be her teams #2. For next two years she will be only throwing fastballs and a drop change-up.

Rear angle:

[video=youtube_share;5Vun-mYYJ2M]http://youtu.be/5Vun-mYYJ2M[/video]

Almost a side angle, not much room in the basement:

[video=youtube_share;vOuqjdMHtQQ]http://youtu.be/vOuqjdMHtQQ[/video]

Almost three months ago, the last time she got to pitch outside

[video=youtube_share;M3jBnLPG22s]http://youtu.be/M3jBnLPG22s[/video]

Watch the free hand in the first video. Any reason she finishes closed? Otherwise looks very good.

I'll PM you some video of my 9U DD for comparison.

I think it was just that pitch, normally very good at opening up.

Hi Frenchy!

I think your DD looks great!!! She looks very strong for a 9YO. I really like that she drives straight off of the mound. That can be hard for some to learn, and she does it well.

I would comment that I think you DD's open/close mechanic looks great as is. I would not put any effort into trying to get more open as it can be a very slippery slope. I see many kids learn to get too open, and they never recover from it.




I would recommend the following items to work on:

- Drive mechanics. Get even more explosive. Try and be separated from the rubber by 3 o'clock (ball out front)
- Use Java's pushback drill to learn explosiveness
- I think that she could benefit from the one arm back swing that is used in the pushback drill

- Improve her IR mechanic
- It is hard to see in the video, but it looks like there is some IR finish. It looks like she is trying to finish HE though (flex you bicep / finish with the arm up). I would guess that is from a pitching coach, if so, I would disregard it and start reading over here instead. If not, disregard me for bringing it up ;-)


I feel like in the clip below, your DD is not getting the most out of IR. It looks like she pulls the ball down from 12 o'clock to 9 o'clock which is great, but at 9 it looks like the ball starts to point towards 3rd too much resulting in some push instead of the pull that you get from IR. I think if she could work to keep her hand under the ball at 9 o'clock instead of beside it (pointing towards 3rd). From there and with some elbow flexion, she should get a lot more whip out of the IR.




If you haven't already, it's time to do a lot of reading of the stickied threads (IR in the classroom, Drive Mechanics, Internal Rotation)...


Please spend a few sessions working on the pushback drill and post back with progess. Videos of her doing the drills are great too!

Good luck!