Freshman DD

[luvsb]

My DD been working hard just wondering if you can take a look at this video and tell us what we can work on to further improve. We had no pitching mound that night so her push foot is moving. This does not happen when she is on a mound.
mopit 1 - YouTube

 

[Ken B]

A video from the side, and maybe the back would help. It looks like there is a power line marked, but she is planting several inches away and leaning to the side. Her pivot foot turns as she starts her explosion--many suggest it should stay straight and in her case, I agree. I'd like to see her glove hand used during the forward explosion. I'd suggest having her think about the glove following the ball back during the rearward swing, then swinging out hard to the catcher--almost like she is throwing a ball with the glove from the hip. I'd also like to see her think staying tall when she plants. Not stiff, but more upright so she can pitch against the plant. Her timing looks ok but it would be easier to tell from the side. Her plant foot angle isn't bad, but it may not hurt for her to think about pointing it to the catcher. 45 degrees is the common recommendation, but I think 55-60 might be better.

(Oops... 55-60 would be the wrong way. The Steadman/Hawkins Report to the Coaches: Softball Pitching at the 1996 Olympic Games found that 21 degrees correlated with the fastest pitches.)

 

[luvsb]

Thanks KenB, we will be throwing tomorrow and I will get a back and side view.

 

[David Carter]

There is alot to like which is why I think the things that jumped out at me were the same things Ken noticed, her back foot is significantly left of the power line and her arms swims way out to the side as she leans to the side. I think just simply trying to have her focus everything down the line should help, leg down the line, toe down the line, glove down the line the slight lean will probably take care of itself if everything is going forward instead of out.

 

[nanotech14]

I agree with the other two, also I think she needs to relax her pitching arm shoulder. Her shoulder looks a little tense.

 

[FrozenRope]

Overall, she looks like a VERY powerful pitcher. Is she throwing a screwball in that video? Looks like she's stepping well left of the powerline and has an excessive sideward body lean, causing her to fall foreward after footplant, possibly losing a good bit of negative resistance and velocity. She's also raising her back shoulder at release instead of dropping it in what looks like an attempt to put more spin on the ball.

 

[luvsb]

We had just got done working the screw. I have been noticing a little bit of the screwball in her fastball delivery. It is a new pitch for her. We will have to work on straitening that out. She is '5-8" her cruising speed is 56. last summer she threw 90 innings and had 18 walks so she is pretty consistant. She plays for a very competitive tournament team.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Watch the glove side. She is both swimming and slapping the thigh. She is going to get more power by using that energy, to drive towards the catcher. It is going to be little corrections, now, that will add speed, as she matures.

 

[fballchgup]

Not sure what pitch she is throwing here but it looks as though she is aiming it in with a straight arm instead of a loose snapping release.
My 2 cents.

 

[Lenski]

Watch the glove side. She is both swimming and slapping the thigh. She is going to get more power by using that energy, to drive towards the catcher. It is going to be little corrections, now, that will add speed, as she matures.

I totally agree with this. Watch Jenny Finch's pitch mechanics.