Drag foot anchoring

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Dec 6, 2016
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My daughter has just recently gotten into a bad habit and i've been unable to help her get out of it. During practice, during warm-up, in-between innings, her form is perfect. As soon as a batter steps in the box, she leaves her drag foot almost planted. She does leap, but that drag foot never snaps up to the back of her leading leg. Almost every pitch is being thrown high. Her team is playing up and playing against some really good 16u teams with a lot of power hitters. She did mention earlier in the season that she was nervous playing these older girls and getting hit (she has never had this concern and has always been fearless...so this took me by surprise).

By the way, she knows she's doing it, but she can't seem to make herself stop it.

If anybody has a suggestion on fixing this mental issue, let me know!
 
Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
My daughter has just recently gotten into a bad habit and i've been unable to help her get out of it. During practice, during warm-up, in-between innings, her form is perfect. As soon as a batter steps in the box, she leaves her drag foot almost planted. She does leap, but that drag foot never snaps up to the back of her leading leg. Almost every pitch is being thrown high. Her team is playing up and playing against some really good 16u teams with a lot of power hitters. She did mention earlier in the season that she was nervous playing these older girls and getting hit (she has never had this concern and has always been fearless...so this took me by surprise).

By the way, she knows she's doing it, but she can't seem to make herself stop it.

If anybody has a suggestion on fixing this mental issue, let me know!

Going to assume that you meant that "She does not leap, but that drag foot never snaps up to the back of her leading leg."

I have had the same problem with some pitchers including my own DD's. They leave it back like a boat anchor. The verbal cue I use for correction is "unhook the anchor". Depending on the when, you attack things differently. If it happens all the time you have a mechanical defect. In the case of your DD since she only does it in a game, it is pardon the term a mental defect. This is common in athletic competition. As coaches we all struggle to get a kid to play like they practice.

I think that you are on the right track in it probably has to do with confidence in the circle. Unfortunately it will take a long time to go away on its own. If you want to fix it now you need to focus on it during the game. What I have found works well is prior to the game set some goals that her success that game will be largely defined by her back leg. Keep track of how many times she throws out the anchor and review after the game if you are a bucket dad or between innings if you are also the coach. It will take some time to correct but it will happen sooner than you might expect.

As to her fear of getting hit in the circle, the best way to prevent the ball from coming back is to not throw it fat. On the bigger girls she should really work the river, and know that if she lives there it is unlikely that the ball will be coming back her way. Conversely, most pitchers know at release if things have gone bad, and learn to get the glove up to defend themselves.
 
Sep 10, 2013
603
0
My DD has the same issue. She does well in the garage and in practice, but with a live batter, she has a tendency to let her stride foot hang in the air a little too long and her drive leg stuck at the plate such that her legs form an inverted "V".

As much as DD hates physics, i told her that if her stride leg is UP, her drive leg will have a harder time getting out due to gravity - plain physics.

Here are a few things that we've done, but yet to be proven in a game-time situation... hopefully soon.

1. Stride OUT and LOW. Dont' get that stride knee too high and UP.
2. check timing. stride leg should start to come down before pitching arm hits 3 o'clock.
3. Break eye contact with the batter. this one is a mental thing.

these are what we've done so far. HTH YMMV.
 
May 25, 2019
12
8
My DD has the same issue. She does well in the garage and in practice, but with a live batter, she has a tendency to let her stride foot hang in the air a little too long and her drive leg stuck at the plate such that her legs form an inverted "V".

As much as DD hates physics, i told her that if her stride leg is UP, her drive leg will have a harder time getting out due to gravity - plain physics.

Here are a few things that we've done, but yet to be proven in a game-time situation... hopefully soon.

1. Stride OUT and LOW. Dont' get that stride knee too high and UP.
2. check timing. stride leg should start to come down before pitching arm hits 3 o'clock.
3. Break eye contact with the batter. this one is a mental thing.

these are what we've done so far. HTH YMMV.
I know this post is old, but is it really an issue if the stride leg is up? I have seen some crazy stride legs high in the air and it doesn’t seem to affect the pitcher’s push leg. They still can get it under them effectively.

My DD has a problem with her push leg anchoring as well. We can’t seem to break the habit at all.
 

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