Help Requested

[Me_and_my_big_mouth]

Critiques Please

This is my 14yo DD, pitching again after a full season off for injury (pars stress fracture, but most everyone already knows that story here at DFP). She's trying to work on her mechanics, and she's frustrated that she isn't getting her speed back. PC is telling her that her glove swim and back (drag) foot is causing the problem - so she's been working a great deal on her own on getting that back foot fixed. We are trying to help, too, but don't really know how to help her. Any tips/tricks? We are going back through all our Rick Pauly videos, and she's working on exaggerating the "laces down, heel up, knee to knee" drill. We are also having her work on one-leg drills, so she gets the feeling of keeping weight off the back foot.

She isn't currently pitching on her TB team. She has in the past, and they have told her to keep working at it - so she is.

She is helping me write this - so she's aware (and I have her permission) to post this video. She will be reading all responses, and she says go for it, she's tough. Thanks in advance, and I apologize for the cruddy quality of the video. If isn't good enough, I'll try to take more video next time she practices. You guys have always been a great help.

[video]https://youtu.be/DFK7zgkiAK4[/video]

 

[CoachBroker]

What speeds did she hit before and what is she hitting now?

 

[Me_and_my_big_mouth]

What speeds did she hit before and what is she hitting now?

She was 52-55 last year prior to the injury; now maybe 50-53 but she wanted to hit over 55 consistently and is frustrated that she hasn't seen more of an increase. She feels stuck. She hasn't had a speed check since the last month of hard work on the feet, though, so we really can't answer with certainty.

 

[CoachBroker]

Do y'all do much long toss? I may be one of the least qualified on here to give advise but don't see any huge issues in mechanics. Do y'all work on here whip or brush interference.?

 

[Me_and_my_big_mouth]

Do y'all do much long toss? I may be one of the least qualified on here to give advise but don't see any huge issues in mechanics. Do y'all work on here whip or brush interference.?

She is doing long toss more often now, definitely took a break from it as she healed. She does work on brush - but it's part of her mechanics, for the most part. We are faithful Pauly fans and think he's pretty dang awesome. The #1 issue has been that dang anchor she drags behind her at game time. We try to tell her that it isn't a foot problem, it's a hip problem. That seemed to help. So we're "kicking the guy" and doing the one-leg thing. She just isn't putting it all together and I'm sure hoping that some of the gurus of DFP have some amazing way of explaining it. She says to us, "You guys are just saying the same things, over and over. I know what I'm doing, and I know what I should be doing. I'm just having trouble fixing it."

 

[CoachBroker]

Sarah Pauly and Finch both drag the side of their foot but of course when your 6' plus you can get away with it. You will even see some big name pitchers glove arm swim that much too. Neither is preferred but I think your daughters speed will return and Improve the healthier she gets and the more she keeps working.

 

[djcarter1966]

One thing that might help is the up component of her leg as she brings it up. At first I thought she did not have much drive at all but slowing things down she gets good push and distance from the rubber maybe the drag is hurting but I think the thing that made me take notice was while not just a step off their is very little up component to her leg. getting a little more up component I think could increase her power and help decrease drag.

I've cut a clip of her along with a two of the best pitcher I can get good quality video of so you can compare. Granted it's not a lot but as others have said there are not huge major flaws with your DD pitching motion. Should aim for something closer to parallel rather than 45 degrees I cut all the pics at point where knee was highest.

Two other observations that I just either can't see or put my fingers on seems like her timing is off ever so slightly like her arm circle is a little fast but every time I stop it she looks right so I must be just seeing things. Sorry I keep editing this post as I notice stuff...both other pitchers arms are about 45 degees (between 4 and 5 oclock) and when their knee is the highest its about at ball height, your DD is at 4 oclock approaching 3. Probably getting out of my depth now so I 'll let others who know more chime in. Finally what pitch is she throwing it looks for some reason like her follow through is a little forced but maybe she is just coming around a curveball?

Since you follow sight assuming you have checked out the Amanda Scarborough slow mo video but if you have not it's pretty good tool.

 

[Me_and_my_big_mouth]

She says she was working on her curve and her drop yesterday - could have been either and I'm not sure. Oh, and she also says she knows that her finish looks like "hello elbow" but she does use I/R - her PC just likes her to finish up like that, so she does.

 

[Me_and_my_big_mouth]

Had her read everything and then we watched front side resistance sticky, and Pauly video again. She thinks she gets it a little better. Shortened her stride enough to control it, bring knee up more and then have a firmed up front before landing. She thinks that before this, she was actually releasing as she was landing. We noticed that her drag and glove swim improved as she worked on front side - but glove swim improvement might be the 6' tall man standing next to her, daring her to hit him. Don't think we'll find that option during a game.

Ball now going into the dirt and she's getting a new feel for landing, (which she laughs about at the end) but it's improvement, I think. Small adjustments as we go, without compromising mechanics.

I really appreciate the feedback and especially the suggestions for how to help correct the stuff that's going awry. Our number one concern is re-injury.

https://vimeo.com/154123245



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[Rick Pauly]

Me and my BM


Based on the original video posted I don't think she has any major flaws. I would like to suggest something; a mechanically sound pitcher can get 90% of their total speed when throwing from the "K" position. So basically that leaves a 10% contribution from all the activities leading up to the "K" position. So I'd suggest you spend more time on the key mechanics that happen from "K" down thru release.....arm whip, internal rotation, brush interference, and the Four Points of Resistance. As I look at your first posted video I don't see a huge glove swim issue....if it was an issue you would see her shoulders significantly rotated further then her hips.......checking the pic below the shoulders could be ever so slightly overrotated but very slightly....so all the effort you are placing on correcting the swim move could be better spent elsewhere. It is very hard to definitively discern much from the video you have posted, but my quick take is that you may be coaching the natural athleticism out of her......I think she looks better in the original video. It is difficult to work on and correct more than one issue at a time.....so IMO, I would put emphasis during all warm up pitches to get the arm tighter to the thigh at time of release (Brush Interference). She is relatively close on her BI, a little improvement there would enhance energy transfer.....speed. Note how she has an excessive follow through....it appears she is forcing that. If so, redirect that time/effort into getting a little better BI.