11 yr old pitcher need help. Forward lean late release! Working towards I/R

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Feb 3, 2010
5,752
113
Pac NW
Releasing at the Back Hip Improves Posture by BoardMember
Why is it every time I tell someone that RELEASE POINT DRIVES POSTURE.........They MISS THE ENTIRE POINT..........And completely REVERSE what is being said...........

I'm going to say it YET AGAIN........RELEASE POINT DRIVES POSTURE.........NOT POSTURE DRIVES RELEASE POINT........

You cannot tell a kid who is bending at the waist to stand taller with a slight rearward lean and expect the release to naturally move back.......Because it won't......The timing of release will NOT change just because you stand up........If the mind believes release is OUT FRONT..........It won't matter if you stand her on her head........She'll still throw it out front..........

You MUST get her to throw the ball of the rear hip/leg........THAT WILL DRIVE HER POSTURE to a more upright position........OR SHE'LL THROW IT INTO THE GROUND..........

I can't tell you how many times I've been a "guest coach" at the pitching lesson and the PC says: "she's pretty good but we're working on a more upright posture"..........Only to hear him tell her to "STAND UP"........"LEAN BACK".........With ZERO RESULTS.......Because he's COMPLETELY MISSING THE POINT of WHY she bends forward at the waist.........

We take 10-15 minutes to work on her release point from drill positions.........Then we let her progress in drill form to full circles........From 9:00......To 12:00.....To 3/4.......To full circles.........ALWAYS THROWING OFF THE BACK HIP.........

After 2 or 3 balls from every position in the dirt and she QUICKLY figures out that in order to throw off the back hip, she MUST have a slight rearward lean to get the ball to the plate........From there the LIGHT COMES ON.......and we're done worrying about posture.......

I'd suggest the IR threads and these videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqNnDS2YYzc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5T4Jd7GKg5Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTFRgE6wwVM

Here's some threads that might be helpful
https://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-pitching/19476-around-instead-down-release.html
https://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-pitching/19324-release-point.html
 
Last edited:
Sep 29, 2014
2,421
113
I'm not sure she has a late release it just looks like it because of her posture. I would fix the posture first before messing with her arm circle and motion.

I would have her do half speed and three quarter speed empty hand drills where she is only working on a straight posture and not allowed to go forward but has to fall back on her trail foot behind the lead foot.

Backward chaining drills that java has are always good...but yeah that forward lean is really bad.

Also don't be afraid to show her what she looks like and what she is supposed to look like i think we don't give girls enough credit for being able to help or cue themselves; the problem is a lot of coaches want to be the fixers instead of showing the girls what they should look like then having them do drills that make them feel what it is supposed to feel like then let them work it out.

maybenotlate.jpg versus AmandaRelease.JPG
 
Jun 18, 2010
2,624
38
What does her posture and armwhip look like when throwing from the "T" or "K" position?

My point is, if she hasn't mastered correct posture and arm whip mechanics up stream from the pitch, what makes you think she can do it during a pitch at 100%?

There is a method to [MENTION=551]BoardMember[/MENTION]'s madness in the I/R in the classroom thread. He has provided a sequence starting from the end of the pitch (Lock-it-in) back-chaining to the full pitch. You add the next piece once you're relatively good at the previous one.
 
Last edited:
Apr 28, 2014
2,316
113
DD struggled with the exact same thing.. It's much better but not 100% yet. A few different PCs had different opinions. Some said it was timing,, legs too fast and it caused a lean as the upper body was catching up. Others said she had glove swim and that caused it.
What has made it better has been recommended above. Show your DD video.. We had our DD pitch at 50% then 75% then 100%.. at 50 and 75 she was straight and tall at 100% she had that lean.. We had her throw into a tarp only.. for 3-4 weeks... That made the most difference. Our DD was leaning as she was aiming. She was resistant to throwing into the net, that surprised me. But she is throwing very hard now and the lean has just about left.. Good luck, I know it's a tough one.
 
Jun 18, 2010
2,624
38
How many of you have your DD pitch in front of a mirror?

I purchased a cheap full length mirror at Home Depot and have it positioned behind a sock net so DD can see what she's doing. Throwing into the net she isn't focused on the result, just watching herself and the positions her body is getting in.

We can move the net so she can see herself from the side as well.

The mirror combined with video of how they look compared to a model pitcher is a another option.
 
May 25, 2008
199
18
Pickerington Ohio
If you think her release isn't late because she releases the ball around the 6 o'clock position you are right however if you accept the truth that she needs to release with a brush against her side and isolate the upper arm against her side for that split second that creates whip and speed then she is very late. See Rich Balswick's video #1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijHqW1ZpcV8
 
Jan 22, 2011
1,610
113
My DD was pitching pretty similar to yours last fall and has improved, but is closer to your DD than Amanda at the moment. Look at the videos Ken B linked to and having her watch herself pitch in the mirror. I showed my DD something in the mirror last Sunday and something clicked. Still several more things that need to click, but there was improvement.

Good luck and enjoy the journey!
 

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