Improving consistency

[Hillhouse]

She tries. She doesn’t get mad at the umps but sure can get mad at herself.

She’s good at analyzing the zone the ump is calling - but just can’t always make it happen.

Some of it is just skill and experience- she was on a C team last year and is playing a mix of A and B tournaments this year. It’s a whole different speed of play and skill level. she’s having some success and wants more bad. And wanting it isn’t always the best for her staying loose and relaxed pitching.

From what you described, she's needs a Sports Psych more than anything else. I wish I had used the Olympic team psych's more than I did. Of course, like all young people, at the time I thought I knew everything. Now I know that I knew less than anything.

Learning to control one's anger, even at ourselves, is huge in pitching. It doesn't matter who the anger is directed at: the coach, the umpire, other team, our own defense after errors, ourselves after giving up a walk or HR, etc. no matter what it's anger that is killing her energy levels. Nothing burns hotter and with more intensity than anger in ourselves. If you don't know how to use that to your advantage, pitching will be extra hard.

A lot of time, the self anger starts in pitching lessons or pitching practice. I see kids get visibly upset with themselves they are struggling with something. This is when I stop pitching, and we have a chat. We stop and reset. Talk about what's happening and why. If they can learn how to manage their anger, figure out it's source, then it's much easier to quash. I'm sure we've all had students who bicker and fight with their parent during lessons, this never helps either. I've had parents get so physically upset with something, like the daughter's inability to spin a riseball backwards, that they leave the building and go sit in the car. Then the kid worries and gets knots in her stomach knowing her dad is going to be so angry with her in the car ride home. I feel so bad for these kids. And I have no problem in emailing the mom/dad who make this happen afterwards and let them know.

 

[cvsoftball]

A pitcher's mechanics do not dictate the laws of physics. Just the opposite.

 

[4Martini]

I’m reading through the BI thread to see if we can get that more consistent to help. We worked on it yesterday. Does anyone have advice on BI on a tall very skinny kid that’s all knees and elbows? There just doesn’t seem to be great places to contact and everything is bony.

 

[cnardone]

Don’t worry about the BI. Proper posture will get you what you need

 

[Ken B]

It’s important that the inside of the upper forearm begins the brush contact behind the hipbone and the forearm wraps/rolls below the hipbone around the thigh.

Start with no ball and progress to a ball.

 

[4Martini]

That’s really helpful! How do you balance getting the arm to the side without getting the elbow stuck behind the back? I think that’s the space she’s stuck in. She goes from getting it stuck behind her back to too far away when she tries to fix it.

 

[Ken B]

That’s really helpful! How do you balance getting the arm to the side without getting the elbow stuck behind the back? I think that’s the space she’s stuck in. She goes from getting it stuck behind her back to too far away when she tries to fix it.

It's really tough to answer without being there. The key is to keep the lower arm relaxed and allow it to be loose and whippy. As long as there is some natural flexion at the elbow, the lower arm will wrap/roll/brush/swipe around the upper thigh. Keep it loose and let it happen. As cnardone suggested, good posture with a whippy arm will many times result in a smooth and effortless brush. (Disregard the Barnhill section...)

 

[Ken B]

 

[Ken B]

/\ Those look like the arm is trapped or making hard contact. As seen in the slow motion video I posted above, it’s really very smooth and fluid.
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[4Martini]

View attachment 29589

This photo is super helpful!!! Thank You!

Looking at this it appears she has decent upper arm brush- but a little too much elbow bend so is missing lower arm brush- there’s a gap between her forearm and thigh - and she’s whipping around in that space rather than forward through it.

I really appreciate you taking the time to show me these visuals and drills.