My 1st critique my 12 yo DD post.

[NorthMS]

UPDATE ON PAGE 2.

She's never had formal lessons. I haven't found a coach that's heard of I/R, so we're going at it alone for now. She pitched for rec last year and made the varsity team this year (7th grader). I was hoping this pitching bug would pass, but she's in it, so I will support her.

1st thing I see is her arm coming across her body before she reaches the 12 oclock position. Please add any observations.

I'm also hoping to get some input about her I/R. She's never been trained to pitch with I/R or H/E, so this is what's natural to her.

Thanks in advance. Hopefully I can figure how to link the vids correctly.

IMG_3412_zps9bd1eff2.mp4 Video by rebelfan1010 | Photobucket

IMG_3413_zps272eac68.mp4 Video by rebelfan1010 | Photobucket

 

[sluggers]

I do like that your DD attacks pitching. It looks like she is trying to throw the ball as hard as she can.

Newbies come to this board a lot and they get the idea that the alpha and omega of pitching is IR. It isn't. IR is important, but there is a whole lot more to the pitching motion.

Your DD's main problem is that her body position relative to her arm is messed up. When a person throws overhand, the shoulders come forward. When a person throws underhand, the shoulders stay back. A child will sometimes use the "shoulders come forward" part of overhand throwing in underhand pitching. It is a problem a lot of kids have.

I attached a picture of your DD, Cat Osterman (I fllipped her image since she is a lefty), Amanda Scarborough and Sarah Pauly--three of the best pitchers around. Compare the position of their shoulders in relation to their feet. Your DD's weight has been completed shifted in front of her left foot.

Until she fixes that problem, there is no point in her worrying about anything else. She is just spinning her wheels.

The drill she needs to do (and she needs to do this about 100,000 times...which is about how many my DD did) is a "walk through". She starts behind the rubber about two steps. She walks forward and when her left foot touches the rubber, she throws. After she throws, she is to keep her *RIGHT* foot off the ground until the catcher returns the ball to her. She has to learn to "keep her weight back" and stay balanced when she throws.

Also, tell her to keep her right leg behind her left after she throws.

Here is a video of Amanda Scarborough. Watch carefully her arm position relative to the rest of her body. Your DD really needs to work on this. (I'm not suggesting your DD do the "big dip" at the beginning. Also, Amanda does a fakey HE finish...she uses IR and then pulls her arm up into the HE position.)

[video=youtube_share;avcEmdxuc30]http://youtu.be/avcEmdxuc30[/video]

Also, go out and buy one of Bill Hillhouse's DVDs for $40.00 (Bill Hillhouse: House of Pitching Softball Academy). It will save you a lot of time and worry.

Good luck!

 

[Rick Pauly]

NorthMS
Glad to have you join us and be courageous enough to post video......very important for us to see the real thing to make comments.
Your DD is doing several good things.
On the improvement side I will comment on the one thing that I think will help the most:

You will note that at landing and release her posture is leaning in front of vertical....this makes it very hard to efficiently transfer energy into the rotational phase (hips/shoulders). Note where her glove is when her landing foot plants.....if she could get this glove up to around the 2 o'clock area her posture would be tilted behind vertical.....allowing her front leg/torso to brace and provide resistance and subsequently transfer her linear energy into rotational energy. Relatively speaking, this is important to correct now.

 

[NorthMS]

Thanks. Last year when she started, she use to bend at the waist at release. We worked on that, and from the bucket, I've never noticed the lean that's been pointed out. Thanks a bunch.

btw...Am I the only one that has taken a ball to the shin because I'm trying to watch feet, arm circle, and release all at the same time? haha

 

[Amy in AZ.]

You have to wear shin guards. Leave the critiquing to watching video or taking rapid still shots. She may get scared of hurting you and she will start lobbing it.

And you can ask one of the catchers to come work with her, as often as possible.

 

[sluggers]

Am I the only one that has taken a ball to the shin

Not hardly. When my DD was 15, I started wearing shin guards and a mask (a guy I know got his face fractured by a fastball).

 

[NorthMS]

You have to wear shin guards. Leave the critiquing to watching video or taking rapid still shots. She may get scared of hurting you and she will start lobbing it.

And you can ask one of the catchers to come work with her, as often as possible.

Amy, now you have me scared. I think my DD loves to see me get hit. I see your point though.

 

[Rick Pauly]

Seemed every birthday as I got older and DD got faster I received another piece of catchers equipment for a present....now I think I could withstand an IED.

Thanks. Last year when she started, she use to bend at the waist at release. We worked on that, and from the bucket, I've never noticed the lean that's been pointed out. Thanks a bunch.

btw...Am I the only one that has taken a ball to the shin because I'm trying to watch feet, arm circle, and release all at the same time? haha

 

[FastPitchCat]

i started wearing shin guards after being hit 2x, next was an umpire's mask.

i'll need to get some steel-toe tips. i've taken a drop ball on my big toe and have the nail turn black an fall off.
i won't take any more chances with my DD pitching @13.
nothing wrong with being safe.

 

[NorthMS]

The drill she needs to do (and she needs to do this about 100,000 times...which is about how many my DD did) is a "walk through". She starts behind the rubber about two steps. She walks forward and when her left foot touches the rubber, she throws. After she throws, she is to keep her *RIGHT* foot off the ground until the catcher returns the ball to her. She has to learn to "keep her weight back" and stay balanced when she throws.

Also, tell her to keep her right leg behind her left after she throws.

Good luck!

What would the position of her right leg be at release? Still behind the left? And, does she just lift the right leg or raise it to a certain height?
Thanks