A little Help for new pitcher

Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch

Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.

Mar 22, 2016
505
63
Southern California
I'll jump right in.

Bill - I have a 6 y/o who expressed interest in pitching. She's played Little League for the past three years (tee-ball starting at 4) and is good (not just for a girl). Good enough that she was practicing with the 7-8 y/os at end of last spring because she was bored in coach pitch. I have soley a baseball background. Teaching fastpitch softball would be like teaching Russian for me; I have no idea what I'm doing.

What are some good starting points?
 
May 15, 2016
926
18
Teaching fastpitch softball would be like teaching Russian for me; I have no idea what I'm doing.

What are some good starting points?

Now, to answer your question. I knew nothing about fastpitch pitching, so when my daughter wanted to start pitching, I taught her nothing. I went to lessons immediately.

Come to think of it, my daughter was pitching for her Little League team before any lessons. Her coach, when she was 9, just put her out there and had her pitch without any instruction.
 
Apr 28, 2014
2,316
113
My DD is 14 and has been pitching since she was 8-9.
The best advice I can give you is to read the sticky threads at the top of the page. Understand what good mechanics looks like and then find a pitching coach that is committed to teaching your DD the correct way to pitch.
Demand that she learns the proper way to pitch. Just last week DD was at a pitching lesson and there was a 9 year old kid with awful mechanics. I saw 4-5 things she was doing wrong and she was not having fun. The Pitching Coach working with her wasn't giving her any feedback.
This is a tough sport to learn and pitching is the toughest position to master. Kids need immediate feedback that's pointed and helpful. The most challenging journey that you as a parent will face is finding a great pitching coach then knowing when it's time to find a new one. That will make more sense as your kid gets older.
 
Mar 22, 2016
505
63
Southern California
I am a newbie here, so I don't know the etiquette of this website, but I have to say I was put off by your words I quoted.

I can see that. And for that I apologize. My point was, she's a good baseball player. And, I guess it's my issue, that it doesn't matter if she's a girl or a boy, she's simply a good baseball player, but I feel I have to clarify NOT JUST FOR A GIRL because automatically, that's what people think when I talk to them about my girl playing baseball with the boys. At this forum, I don't need to say that, as we all see our girls as athletes, and not girls vs boys.

Also, for admins, I didn't start this thread. It was pulled from a thread where I was specifically trying to get a response from Hillhouse. I'd already posted a general thread, but my point in the other was getting Hillhouse's response specifically.

Any how, thanks for those that do comment. And Bob, I meant no offense whatsoever.
 

sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,133
113
Dallas, Texas
a) In order for your DD to be "good" as a pitcher, she has to love to play softball. At her age, it is important that softball be fun. Your main job is to make sure it is fun. Around 13YOA or so it becomes very competitive. But, right now, the emphasis should be on playing and having a good time.
b) Make sure you continue to work on her overhand throwing motion.
c) For pitching, the place to start is this drill:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/B6PW4DCqbW8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I don't think it is a good idea at her age to try to do the entire motion. If you do the above drill say 20 or 30 times a day for a few months, then she'll be able to start the full motion.

The pitcher holds the ball *ON TOP* of her hand 9. The hand is *BEHIND* the ball at 12.

on this forum, we refer to the follow through as "Internal Rotation", or IR for short. Some PCs call it something else.

d) Lessons at her age seems overkill. You can pick up enough of pitching "the right way" here. If she is still into pitching at 10YOA, then get her some lessons.
 
Last edited:

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
42,830
Messages
679,481
Members
21,445
Latest member
Bmac81802
Top