My rant against poor HE stlye instruction

Recently my DD attended a pitching clinic hosted by a local small college. Participation was limited to players 13 and over (so, experienced participants) This was a 2 and a half hour clinic.

first 30 min - stretching and jogging
next 30 min - wrist flips
next 30 min - various drills for footwork
next 30 min - long toss
next 30 min- full pitching with individual pointers

All of the coaching staff and current players on this college team INSISTED on the HE finish, my DD must have been corrected 100 times during this clinic. At one point she told the staff that she does not pitch the way that they instructed. They asked her to show them how she pitched, so she showed them slow motion IR mechanics, stressing to them the importance of palm up at 9:00. The staff pitching coach told her it was impossible to pitch that way. LOL.

The coup de grace was after the instruction was over, the staff (current pitchers for this team) threw pitches to show the girls how it was done. Every one of them threw with good IR mechanics with the FAKE HE finish long after the pitch was released. It is truly amazing that people can teach pitching the wrong way, and then pitch correctly thmeselves without even knowing it.

Rant [x] off

This is a perfect application for a camera and slow motion video software....you can also show them videos of Jenny Finch pitching in games vs. teaching at her camps.

It honestly makes me so sad and mad that HE is not only taught in little league but in college as well! So when my dd goes to collage is she gonna have to deal with yet another coach trying to teach her HE? Extremely frustrating! If I found this info on I/R and I've never played softball, baseball, never pitched before, so can they. I'm just starting to help coach on my dd HS school team, but I have an open mind and a desire to teach my kids the best way possible you'd think coaches that get paid well would do some research! Grrr


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I learned the hard way as well. DONT send your DD to a pitching camp. Its easier to teach HE mechanics in a camp setting.

I truly believe the only reason HE is easier to teach is because 99% of the kids and parents that show up expect that HE will be taught. They have googled and gone to PC's that teach it already they already have their opinion of how their dd should be taught. It's good that they are doing their research just bad that it's wrong. If you were to introduce I/R to their HE world it wouldn't work. They wouldn't buy into it unfortunately.


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There are many former pitchers that used IR mechanics and teach HE mechanics. They are teaching what they have been taught and not what they actually do.

FiveFrameSwing said:

There are many former pitchers that used IR mechanics and teach HE mechanics. They are teaching what they have been taught and not what they actually do.

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I remember when I first was looking into pitching mechanics for DD 8u team. Ran across a Bill Hillhouse clinic where he mentions the same thing. The first time I watched the video very little made sense - especially the part about teaching not what they actually do.

Keep in mind that not too long ago few people had access to high speed cameras. Now it seems that pretty much everyone has one if not more. These tools have provided an unparalleled level of scrutiny into real world athletic performance. Instead of teaching it the way it was taught, the best teach what actually works. Most of the elite level pitchers in college today were originally taught HE. Then over time evolved into IR since it is a more natural motion. In a few more years things will be quite different and you will be hard pressed to find those embracing HE.

Kudos to your daughter, it sounds like she properly explained it to the coaches.

I have a similar problem. Our Rec league coordinated a pitching coach to do group lessons for our girls. She has all the credentials, from playing and coaching at a D2 powerhouse program, to teaching private lessons for 12 years. She doesn’t teach HE (yet), but does teach ball down at 9 o’clock. We have 8 more sessions over the next two months so I’m not sure if I should talk to her about allowing my DD to be “ball up” at 9 o’clock or at least “ball to 3rd” at 9 o’clock.

BTW, I feel confident she doesn’t teach HE. She told them after release it should be a natural follow through with the arm.

AUtiger98 said:

Kudos to your daughter, it sounds like she properly explained it to the coaches.

I have a similar problem. Our Rec league coordinated a pitching coach to do group lessons for our girls. She has all the credentials, from playing and coaching at a D2 powerhouse program, to teaching private lessons for 12 years. She doesn’t teach HE (yet), but does teach ball down at 9 o’clock. We have 8 more sessions over the next two months so I’m not sure if I should talk to her about allowing my DD to be “ball up” at 9 o’clock or at least “ball to 3rd” at 9 o’clock.

BTW, I feel confident she doesn’t teach HE. She told them after release it should be a natural follow through with the arm.

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I would rather them teach ball up at 9 and HE follow thru, then pushing the ball. Ball down a 9 is a speed killer. I
Maybe, tell your dd listen to coach except for the ball down at 9, and just tell the coach palm up at 9 is a non-negotiable for you based on slo mo videos of what the best in the world do. The follow thru is a much easier fix then trying to fix a girl that is hell bent on pushing the ball. (I know cuz my dd was)

This is why I have stopped wasting money on pitching clinics, none of the PC know what they are talking about.

Unless BM or Java wanna come to Florida and do a clinic!! I'd be first to sign up for that one!



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