Bruised leg from glove slapping

My dd has a significant bruise on the outside of her knee from slapping her glove. She was taught by an instructor to use the slap as a timing mechanism. Obviously this is a concern. Aside from telling her to stop doing this, which I have on numerous occasions, I'm in need of guidance. She's going to use a sliding pad to hopefully prevent further injury, but we need to fix this problem. I'm thinking I've read that her thumb should lead her glove to a light touch to her thigh. Any help would be appreciated.

Is the slap on her knee or thigh? My dd went through this in a similar situation. So, we purchased a thigh pad and problem solved. BTW, it is not good to have an area constantly bruised so you need to do something. I'd bet that most of the pitching coaches here are going to suggest a change in motion to aleviate the problem. DD doesn't do it now.

3c

C3, Excuse the transposed letters.

For the immediate future I would do what Cannonball suggested and get her a neoprene sleeve to go over her thigh to provide padding. Then start working on her to bring the glove down and just touch the thigh or tell her to brush the back of her thigh with the glove instead of slap it. So it goes behind her leg a bit.

You start this change slowly. In SLOW Motion. She isnt going to like it but its the best way to change the muscle memory. As she does the "K" Drill. Have her speed up a little after every "Set" of 5. It will take some time but eventually she will fix it.

As for the timing thing that IMO is a no teach if you put the pitcher in the right position and tell them to bring the hands down together. The hands should go up together and down together. The only thing that provides timing for is the batter who is listening to her slap and then knows the ball is on its way.

Again my opinion.

Dana

I had a college pitcher in IL. that made a very large contusion on the front of her leg, from slapping. Not only is it bad for the area being hit, it is awful on the wrist.

I have a 12 YO, right now, that actually hits the back of her hip with the glove.

I try to get them to get the glove up and leave it up, if I get a new girl that hasn't pitched at all. Changing something that they have done for a couple of years, is tough - because they don't want to change.

Try taking her glove away, and replace the slap with a punch forward toward the catcher. Then, immediately throw her a nerf ball from about 10 feet away that she has to grab.

I really stress having the glove up to protect themselves. It is amazing how many girls in ASA are pitching and then get a deer in the headlights look on their face, if a ball if hit back at them.

I don't buy the timing thing and I wish the slap was never taught.

I think that a slight touch is OK, but I am afraid that she will go right back to slapping, given the chance.

Having spoken to Teresa Wilson, here at U of AZ., I am certain that she would like to see all of the slapping stopped, too.

My 12U DD was a thigh slapper for over 5 years. The thigh slap was actually taught to her by her previous PC and being uninformed at pitching technique at the time I knew no better. Last year my DD switched to a new PC and this is one of the first items she changed on my daughters delivery. What she taught her was to keep her glove hand extended and in front of her during delivery and to bend her elbow and keep the glove in front of her at the end of the delivery on the follow through. This has her glove hand protecting her as the pitch is delivered. It took about 6 months of practice before she was able to change her delivery to completely remove the thigh slap habit. Not only did the change eliminate the thigh slap it also improved her speed 8 - 10 mph as her leap and extension improved as well.

SoCalDad said:

My 12U DD was a thigh slapper for over 5 years. The thigh slap was actually taught to her by her previous PC and being uninformed at pitching technique at the time I knew no better. Last year my DD switched to a new PC and this is one of the first items she changed on my daughters delivery. What she taught her was to keep her glove hand extended and in front of her during delivery and to bend her elbow and keep the glove in front of her at the end of the delivery on the follow through. This has her glove hand protecting her as the pitch is delivered. It took about 6 months of practice before she was able to change her delivery to completely remove the thigh slap habit. Not only did the change eliminate the thigh slap it also improved her speed 8 - 10 mph as her leap and extension improved as well.

Click to expand...

I am just struggling with visualizing this technique. Do you (or anyone) have a video clip that demonstrates this? My 14U DD is a thigh-slapper and has the bruises to show for it. I would like to try anything to fix it.

DD wears sliding shorts under uniform to protect thigh from this. Works like a charm

Goobie said:

I am just struggling with visualizing this technique. Do you (or anyone) have a video clip that demonstrates this? My 14U DD is a thigh-slapper and has the bruises to show for it. I would like to try anything to fix it.

Click to expand...

Lisa Fernandez pitching style is very similar to the technique my daughter uses. Below is a Youtube video link.

YouTube - Lisa Fernandez vs. Fordham

I'd like to Piggyback on what Dana and Amy said. First, Dana is right that you'll have to make a change in degrees. Otherwise, or at least in our experience, you'll develop a "swimmer." Some like Dana and BM saw that my dd started "swimming" some in her motion. We still fight that once in a while WHICH IS STILL BETTER THAN SLAPPING HER LEG. Also, my dd hurt her wrist slapping.