Another poster had a thread a few weeks back that echoes my feelings for this board. My DD decided, at the wise request of a great Rec coach, to start pitching 2 years ago this month at age 10. I knew nothing other than what I had heard from local coaches; "elbow to the plate, wrist snap, etc." so we went to the back yard and started to try. She had a good ability to get to the ball over the plate, and a willingness to practice for hours. I desperately needed to read something about pitching, and came across this board. I too need to try things before I can teach, so I spent hours in my basement teaching myself how to do IR mechanics. We went to a local college and found one of the girls willing to give her some time.
Last year, she did OK in her Rec league, and pitched one inning of travel ball in one of our many games we were getting blown out in. It wasn't working the way I thought it should, so I came back to the board and poured back through the stickies from Boardmember and Java, and so many others. We started ignoring the conventional drills and doing the drills from this board. Worked on underhand throwing, stepping, follow through. It started to look more promising this past winter, but she still lacked the timing for consistent release. Balls would be in the ground or high. But the form was more correct, and the effort was always there. She went to pitch in a scrimmage for her new travel team, and couldn't get the ball anywhere near the strike zone. The coach was giving her a chance and she knew it, but just didn't get it in there. She was upset, but wouldn't give up.
This spring two weeks before our first Rec league game (I wanted her to pitch Rec to gain confidence, and our local travel teams are not anywhere near elite), I was reading from more posters about making the girls own their effort and be responsible for what they do. I told her that she knew what she had to do now, and if she wanted to pitch, I could no longer tell her what was wrong each pitch. I walked away and left her to throw with a catcher from the Rec team for a while as I contemplated what to do next.
Then it happened, that moment you read about. She got mad at me thinking I was giving up on her and started firing them in one after the other. One of my the other coaches looked up and saw it too. He went over and stood in the box as she threw pitch after pitch in the zone. You could see it in her eyes; joy, accomplishment, pride, and the realization that it was her doing it. Great moment!!
All through Rec, she showed the confidence to keep that effort, with occasional reminders from me on form, following through, etc. She was getting the confidence I had hoped she would from Rec ball. She was becoming one of the better pitchers in the league, and decided she wanted to ask her travel ball for a chance to pitch against her old team this weekend (he was noticing the improvement too, but was waiting for her to make the first move). We knew they wouldn't have a lot of firepower, so he said OK and told her if she had any issues, he would pull her as needed; she accepted. She went on the mound Saturday and proceeded to strike out 3 out of 4 in the first. Then in the second she struck out all 3 on 9 pitches. In the third she was getting so worked up from doing well, she was getting short of breath and walked the first 3 ( our catcher threw two of them out stealing), but told the coach she could finish it. The last batter lined out, and we run ruled them in the bottom of the 3rd, so the game was over. I thought that was the best it could get for her!
Yesterday, the coach asked her if she was ready to go again. He said she showed the day before she could keep the ball low in the zone, and work in and out, and 2 of the other pitchers were sore. She was shocked because it was against another local team, but much better competition. She went 4 innings, struck out 3, and only allowed 4 runs, hitting most of the spots the coach asked her to, and kept her composure for the whole game. We lost 4-2, but only because we couldn't hit. After, I asked her if she was upset about the loss, and she said it was the best weekend she has ever had. DW and I could not have been happier!!
So thank you DFP, for everything. You all made a girl's dream come true this weekend, and I appreciate it! Now to work on the rise ball....and the hitting threads...and the running...
Thanks Again!
Last year, she did OK in her Rec league, and pitched one inning of travel ball in one of our many games we were getting blown out in. It wasn't working the way I thought it should, so I came back to the board and poured back through the stickies from Boardmember and Java, and so many others. We started ignoring the conventional drills and doing the drills from this board. Worked on underhand throwing, stepping, follow through. It started to look more promising this past winter, but she still lacked the timing for consistent release. Balls would be in the ground or high. But the form was more correct, and the effort was always there. She went to pitch in a scrimmage for her new travel team, and couldn't get the ball anywhere near the strike zone. The coach was giving her a chance and she knew it, but just didn't get it in there. She was upset, but wouldn't give up.
This spring two weeks before our first Rec league game (I wanted her to pitch Rec to gain confidence, and our local travel teams are not anywhere near elite), I was reading from more posters about making the girls own their effort and be responsible for what they do. I told her that she knew what she had to do now, and if she wanted to pitch, I could no longer tell her what was wrong each pitch. I walked away and left her to throw with a catcher from the Rec team for a while as I contemplated what to do next.
Then it happened, that moment you read about. She got mad at me thinking I was giving up on her and started firing them in one after the other. One of my the other coaches looked up and saw it too. He went over and stood in the box as she threw pitch after pitch in the zone. You could see it in her eyes; joy, accomplishment, pride, and the realization that it was her doing it. Great moment!!
All through Rec, she showed the confidence to keep that effort, with occasional reminders from me on form, following through, etc. She was getting the confidence I had hoped she would from Rec ball. She was becoming one of the better pitchers in the league, and decided she wanted to ask her travel ball for a chance to pitch against her old team this weekend (he was noticing the improvement too, but was waiting for her to make the first move). We knew they wouldn't have a lot of firepower, so he said OK and told her if she had any issues, he would pull her as needed; she accepted. She went on the mound Saturday and proceeded to strike out 3 out of 4 in the first. Then in the second she struck out all 3 on 9 pitches. In the third she was getting so worked up from doing well, she was getting short of breath and walked the first 3 ( our catcher threw two of them out stealing), but told the coach she could finish it. The last batter lined out, and we run ruled them in the bottom of the 3rd, so the game was over. I thought that was the best it could get for her!
Yesterday, the coach asked her if she was ready to go again. He said she showed the day before she could keep the ball low in the zone, and work in and out, and 2 of the other pitchers were sore. She was shocked because it was against another local team, but much better competition. She went 4 innings, struck out 3, and only allowed 4 runs, hitting most of the spots the coach asked her to, and kept her composure for the whole game. We lost 4-2, but only because we couldn't hit. After, I asked her if she was upset about the loss, and she said it was the best weekend she has ever had. DW and I could not have been happier!!
So thank you DFP, for everything. You all made a girl's dream come true this weekend, and I appreciate it! Now to work on the rise ball....and the hitting threads...and the running...
Thanks Again!
