Trying to find a good starting point

[kcostello]

So my team this season was not bad....we have made it to the championship game, which got rained out tonight so now we have it on Monday...

But the point of the post is how to work with my pitchers post game to get them ready for some fall games as well as next spring.

I am just trying to find the starting point to teaching pitching. Most of them have been taught to do the hello elbow, and I am not going there. I have just tried getting them to just play catch with me underhanded and it is interesting to see them struggle just tossing the ball back and forth underhanded. Perhaps this is a bad thing, but it seemed that if I wanted them to make use of a more natural motion in pitching, then just have them toss and follow through underhanded was a decent place to start.

So is that a decent place to start or should I be trying something else and working up to that? I think I read on here someplace to work with the leap and drag first and I can do that once our game is over on Monday...

So how do you start trying to get pitchers to be more natural in their throw?

 

[Amy in AZ.]

You are doing fine. Long toss is a good way to start, with a nice arm circle like a hula hoop. When I can, I lay down markers or use the bases so that I can tell how far they have gone, distance wise. Then, I have them start coming back in, little by little.

Work on overhand throw, the same way.

After a few days, have them alternate and feel how the motions are similar. I call them over and unders. Throw overhand and then, throw underhand. The speeds should be quite similar. Get to where you can encourage them to throw hard. I sometimes yell "She's
coming home!"

 

[sluggers]

I have just tried getting them to just play catch with me underhanded and it is interesting to see them struggle just tossing the ball back and forth underhanded.

Great place to start--I'm always amazed at how many kids can't play pitch and catch underhanded, and yet are expected to pitch during a game.

 

[Momo'sDad]

Have them start with a pitching instructor. Attend or perhaps even take a couple of lessons yourself and then you'll be able to properly reinforce the PC's instruction. We also have the Hillhouse DVD in our home.

 

[kcostello]

Screwball, would you say that is also a factor in overhand throwing/pitching? I guess I was kind of looking at the two of them in a similar kind of light. That you can throw overhand or underhand, but the accuracy and control came from the wind up....kind of what you are saying I guess to an extent....Just probing a bit.

Also, I have found this weekend that underhand throwing is useful when you want to play wiffle ball and/or cornhole. My daughter wants to pitch the bag in cornhole rather than toss it. It is amusing to say the least.

 

[kcostello]

We did a couple of classes and they gave us the basics, her and me, although compared to some of the things on here it was all hello elbow, etc. I just want her to be natural in what she is doing, so even when we are just tossing we work on opening and closing the hips, etc. I just tend to call it throwing when we do not use a full wind up. I am looking at it like throwing overhand. You generally start with open hips and then close as you throw and have a follow through. I do not have her completely open when she starts but kind of at around 45 degrees and then a step and a throw, underhand. I think it is helping some although she is still struggling, but when we move to pitching she seems to be getting more consistent in putting the ball near the plate, but more importantly in using her hips. In the past she tended to stay open when she pitched and then closed after. Now she seems to have better sync between her hips and her arm....or I am just seeing what I want to see.

Of course, until I can get her back in a game and pitching against batters it is just for fun and learning. I will note, that out of all of this, the thing that I often enjoy the most is when she comes to me and points to some other pitcher and can note the mistakes that they are making. I at least know then she is listening some....

 

[kcostello]

Screwball:

Ok, help me understand, if you do not mind, the hips staying open. I know you need open as you release, but I am not certain what you mean by staying open. Or maybe I do and how you describe it is confusing me.

If you can help me I would appreciate it.

 

[kcostello]

Ok...my apologies for being ignorant....I think I have it.

You are simply saying that you do not fully close the hips....so, and I am an engineer so I get caught up in numbers you are then finishing with something like 30 degrees open or so? except for a curve.

Could I envision something like the progression in this diagram? Where the start is at 0 degrees to the plate (line 1) and then you can see the change in hip angle with the other lines (2-4).

 

[kcostello]

Ok, then I got it thanks. What I was trying to do in a sense was a draw a line that was representative of hip alignment from the start through the finish, so 2 is just the progression from closed when both feet are touching to 3 when they are open. An animated gif with only one line at a time might have showed it better.

But I got it and thanks!

 

[ArmWhip]

Finding an underhand throwing activity that will teach or enhance 'internal rotation', that is my Holy Grail. I used to recommend skipping stones, now it's throwing a small football, using an underhand spiral of course. This week I am going to work with several newcomers, I have a Nerf footballs with the tail, the search goes on, I have high hopes for this.