How is she doing? What does she need to work on.

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Oct 16, 2015
30
6
Thank you to everyone who responded. I was nervous to post her video for fear I was steering her in the wrong direction!
I can't wait to show her all the comments and recommendations especially the pictures and videos. I think that will help a lot!
;)
 

SB45

Dad, Coach, Chauffeur
Sep 2, 2016
150
28
Western NY
Thank you to everyone who responded. I was nervous to post her video for fear I was steering her in the wrong direction!
I can't wait to show her all the comments and recommendations especially the pictures and videos. I think that will help a lot!
;)

You certainly rec'd some very good and consistent feedback. The pics of your DD next to AS and JF are intended to show you the stabilization of the upper arm (brush interference), release point going past the brush point, and glove side adduction...they also show that the elite pitchers right knee and toes are facing towards home. Really nice work, showing all of the feedback you rec'd at once. My guess is that she has been taught somewhere along your journey to push off, get open, get closed. Probably even doing drills where she pushed off and opened completely stopping with her belly button facing 3rd and her hips completely open. My suggestion would be to make sure she forgets this teaching and that you don't drill it. As she drives forward, her hips will naturally open...and she should work on keeping that right knee coming forward. Whether she consciously thinks about it, or it is just muscle memory now...the teaching of essentially jumping to a fully open position has her hips overrotating, creating energy in the wrong direction, and not helping her get into a good position to create brush interference.
 

SB45

Dad, Coach, Chauffeur
Sep 2, 2016
150
28
Western NY
Thank you to everyone who responded. I was nervous to post her video for fear I was steering her in the wrong direction!
I can't wait to show her all the comments and recommendations especially the pictures and videos. I think that will help a lot!
;)

Sorry...one last thought. You can't throw everything at her at once. Work on driving the knee/toe of the right foot forward...review the drive mechanics thread for tons of good stuff. This should help better align her hips. She is rotating her throwing hand a little early...she should think of leading with the elbow and bringing in both elbows towards the body in kind of equal opposing movements (adduction). See this...
http://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-pitching/21491-boardmembers-lock-drill.html

Working on these things should help put her in better position to be successful working on brush interference (which would be hard to do first if her hips are out of alignment and she is not leading with her throwing elbow)
 
Oct 16, 2015
30
6
You certainly rec'd some very good and consistent feedback. The pics of your DD next to AS and JF are intended to show you the stabilization of the upper arm (brush interference), release point going past the brush point, and glove side adduction...they also show that the elite pitchers right knee and toes are facing towards home. Really nice work, showing all of the feedback you rec'd at once. My guess is that she has been taught somewhere along your journey to push off, get open, get closed. Probably even doing drills where she pushed off and opened completely stopping with her belly button facing 3rd and her hips completely open. My suggestion would be to make sure she forgets this teaching and that you don't drill it. As she drives forward, her hips will naturally open...and she should work on keeping that right knee coming forward. Whether she consciously thinks about it, or it is just muscle memory now...the teaching of essentially jumping to a fully open position has her hips overrotating, creating energy in the wrong direction, and not helping her get into a good position to create brush interference.

You are spot on. The high school coach was hosting a pitching clinic with a local college pitcher who taught her exactly this. We didn't go to her for long because I found this site and to be honest the push from 12 was bothering her shoulder. It is not a very comfortable or natural position in my opinion.
 
May 9, 2015
263
18
West Virginia
As one who has experienced the struggle and still has a lot of work to do, breaking these old habits will not be easy but certainly worth it. As far as opening and closing, I've started telling my DD not to even try to open. Just jump straight and allow your arm rotation to do the rest. It is done wonders for her upper arm stabilization, brush and keeping her from being too rotational. The advice you get from DFP is top of the line, take notes, hang a tarp and attack one issue at a time.
 
Jun 18, 2012
3,183
48
Utah
She could be more explosive with her drive. Notice that she lands fairly gingerly. Some will disagree (but be on thin ice), but I think Ueno is second to none with her drive mechanics. In particular, watch how she has very nearly fully spent the thrust of her right leg/foot before she really kicks out the left foot to continue what the right leg got going. I think many pitchers start kicking out before they've actually pushed fully with the right leg/foot, resulting in a less than ideal drive, and less than ideal ground force upon landing. I see the kick out as needing to be an action meant to help extend with the drive/push leg/foot can no longer do. Of course, timing of the kickout is the key.

 
Last edited:
Feb 3, 2010
5,752
113
Pac NW
Somebody's been doing their homework!!!




Of course, timing of the kickout is the key.
I'd challenge this some--why? JS's drive mechanics in mind. Sequence is the key...
 
Last edited:
Jun 18, 2012
3,183
48
Utah
This clip has a stop-action at a stage that I like to refer to as the SECOND forward leaning "h"--the "h" formed with the LEFT leg (showing, what I believe, is an optimal kick-out timing (or proper sequencing of the kick-out). I believe the way Ueno kicks out the way, and in the sequence, as she does comes as close to optimal as she can get. I see her kickout as greatly complementing her powerful thrust with her right leg/foot. Java.... Maybe you can add better description here.

 
Feb 3, 2010
5,752
113
Pac NW
I know what you're getting at, but have found it difficult to translate to my kids. Currently, I find it safer and easier to teach what I know I can feel and replicate on my own.

John Gay thought through this particular piece of the motion in his in his last years and conceded that there was value in loading/unloading the body to generate power and set up the bod for the most optimum release posture. I wish he would have had the time and energy to update his material prior to his passing. He was a student until the very end and I love his humble and ever curious approach to pitching. I regret every moment spent with him where I didn't take advantage of his experience as a teacher and student....
 
Aug 21, 2008
2,359
113
Cheer, 10 different coaches will give 10 different things to work on. Let me touch on one that nobody mentioned... her start. She's got both feet ON TOP of the rubber. There's no way to gain momentum from the body this way. But her back TOE against the back of the rubber and move the front foot as far in front as the ground conditions will allow. This simple change in the feet will allow for more momentum than ever to gain more speed. The rubber is 24" long,6" wide. Try to maximize that 6". Even if she can only use 5 of the 6" because of a giant hole in front of her, thats' still infinitely better than what she's got now with her feet placement. Remember, the feet have to TOUCH the rubber not be on top of it. This will not be a small change. Those 5 or 6" will make her feel like it's 5 or 6 feet. So that will take time to adjust her foot work. But it will pay off when she understands the leverage she's getting.

Bill
 

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