Mechanics repair

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Jun 12, 2015
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DD's been pitching since she was 8. Last year we switched to Tincher, which has been going really well. We ended first year 12U in July, and we gave her the rest of July and all of August off. Barely touched a softball. Started practicing again in mid-Sep so she had a solid 2 month break (we do breaks twice a year generally, and it's never been a problem). Unfortunately, during that 2 month break she went from kid to teenager, as far as her body shape goes. When she started practicing she had an issue with her plant foot's ankle where it was causing her some pain. I think that due to having to re-learn to pitch with boobs, plus having overcompensated for the ankle (which is better now, fwiw), her mechanics have just gotten out of whack. Her brush is gone, her arm way out and coming around in front of her body and she's got a lean. This isn't full pitch obviously - it's more pronounced at full pitch.

[video]https://youtu.be/ZurWMhKdZpo[/video]

Besides any practical suggestions, I would love encouraging anecdotes about your pitchers who had similar experiences and got back on track. I told her not to get discouraged, most pitchers have these set backs, and can work through them. It just happens that she didn't get her first major one til now.

Here's one in a game from full pitch. It's on our highlights reel so you'll have to slow it down in YouTube I think. It should go to the time of the pitch but just in case it doesn't it's right about the 5 minute mark.

[video]https://youtu.be/TInJ3NRrJDw?t=304[/video]
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
Not going to look at videos or give pitching advice.

DD's issue was her hips got bigger, not fat, just her body growing. She figured it out.
 
May 27, 2013
2,353
113
My dd grew about 4 inches in about 6 mos when she turned 12. Definitely messed up her mechanics. She had her hips getting in the way, arm circle seemed slower, she had a lean, and velocity dropped a little. At that time her old pitching coach wasn’t able to do lessons for a few months so at the end of her 12U year we found a new coach who didn’t know her and was able to break her down and build back up her mechanics. Fall of her first 14U year was tough since she started with the new coach in August and she was working on the new mechanics. However, she worked hard all winter with the new coach and by spring had improved drastically and velocity was up. Now at 15 she’s grown into her body and deals in the low 60s.

I’m not suggesting that you find a new coach, but just wanted to share how breaking the mechanics down and almost “starting over” truly helped in my dd’s Case.
 

shaker1

Softball Junkie
Dec 4, 2014
894
18
On a bucket
DD's been pitching since she was 8. Last year we switched to Tincher, which has been going really well. We ended first year 12U in July, and we gave her the rest of July and all of August off. Barely touched a softball. Started practicing again in mid-Sep so she had a solid 2 month break (we do breaks twice a year generally, and it's never been a problem). Unfortunately, during that 2 month break she went from kid to teenager, as far as her body shape goes. When she started practicing she had an issue with her plant foot's ankle where it was causing her some pain. I think that due to having to re-learn to pitch with boobs, plus having overcompensated for the ankle (which is better now, fwiw), her mechanics have just gotten out of whack. Her brush is gone, her arm way out and coming around in front of her body and she's got a lean. This isn't full pitch obviously - it's more pronounced at full pitch.

[video]https://youtu.be/ZurWMhKdZpo[/video]

Besides any practical suggestions, I would love encouraging anecdotes about your pitchers who had similar experiences and got back on track. I told her not to get discouraged, most pitchers have these set backs, and can work through them. It just happens that she didn't get her first major one til now.

Here's one in a game from full pitch. It's on our highlights reel so you'll have to slow it down in YouTube I think. It should go to the time of the pitch but just in case it doesn't it's right about the 5 minute mark.

[video]https://youtu.be/TInJ3NRrJDw?t=304[/video]
Just want to highlight the release point differences. I would work on getting that arm in closer to her body. Relaxed arm, let the whip take the ball out of her hand.

Edit; check out Sarah's arm circle path, how she keeps the ball over her shoulder then down the backside. It may help your dd to work on a similar ball path, that way the ball isn't getting in behind her where she has to throw it around her hip.
 

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Last edited:
Jun 12, 2015
3,848
83
My dd grew about 4 inches in about 6 mos when she turned 12. Definitely messed up her mechanics. She had her hips getting in the way, arm circle seemed slower, she had a lean, and velocity dropped a little. At that time her old pitching coach wasn’t able to do lessons for a few months so at the end of her 12U year we found a new coach who didn’t know her and was able to break her down and build back up her mechanics. Fall of her first 14U year was tough since she started with the new coach in August and she was working on the new mechanics. However, she worked hard all winter with the new coach and by spring had improved drastically and velocity was up. Now at 15 she’s grown into her body and deals in the low 60s.

I’m not suggesting that you find a new coach, but just wanted to share how breaking the mechanics down and almost “starting over” truly helped in my dd’s Case.

Her pitching coach really knows her stuff, I wish we could see her more often. We go twice a month but she could benefit from once a week til we get this fixed. Yes, hips. Those too. Everything you said sounds familiar. The lean, velocity. All of it. She was approaching 50 mph, probably hitting it occasionally, in July (we don't clock her often). Now I doubt she's much over 45. I know she's frustrated.
 
May 27, 2013
2,353
113
Her pitching coach really knows her stuff, I wish we could see her more often. We go twice a month but she could benefit from once a week til we get this fixed. Yes, hips. Those too. Everything you said sounds familiar. The lean, velocity. All of it. She was approaching 50 mph, probably hitting it occasionally, in July (we don't clock her often). Now I doubt she's much over 45. I know she's frustrated.

Yep. That was my dd. Was hitting 50 at the end of 1st year 12U, then by spring of 2nd year was probably about 46-47. It was extremely frustrating to watch but if she keeps working at it, it will come! I was lucky in that I was able to get her to her lessons once per week and then she would throw at least 3 times per week outside of her lesson. She really needed that to work on the new mechanics.

Sounds like you have a fantastic coach - I would just ask her what she recommends she works on the most right now. It’s hard but you typically have to only work on one thing for a while then move onto something else. If you throw too many corrections at them at once it only leads to more frustration. It’s a process but now (heading into winter) is the best time to make the major adjustments.
 
Nov 29, 2009
2,975
83
Her pitching coach really knows her stuff, I wish we could see her more often. We go twice a month but she could benefit from once a week til we get this fixed. Yes, hips. Those too. Everything you said sounds familiar. The lean, velocity. All of it. She was approaching 50 mph, probably hitting it occasionally, in July (we don't clock her often). Now I doubt she's much over 45. I know she's frustrated.

Looking at her in the "Wide 55" drill it looks like she is letting her hand come up over her head too far and she is keeping her arm behind her to too long. Instead of brushing the hip she is driving her elbow into the hip. Does she have a bruise on her hip and the inside of the arm? I would guess to problem has more to do with Mother Nature and the hips widening than the top half.
 

Top_Notch

Screwball
Dec 18, 2014
512
63
She's going to love Tincher. DD has been with a Tincher coach since 9U. Now playing 14U ball and is doing great.
 
Jun 12, 2015
3,848
83
She's going to love Tincher. DD has been with a Tincher coach since 9U. Now playing 14U ball and is doing great.

Sounds like you have a fantastic coach - I would just ask her what she recommends she works on the most right now. It’s hard but you typically have to only work on one thing for a while then move onto something else. If you throw too many corrections at them at once it only leads to more frustration. It’s a process but now (heading into winter) is the best time to make the major adjustments.

We love our pitching coach, for sure. The original coach she had was great for starting out. She taught IR (even knew the term, haha), all the right things. But it seems like Tincher coaches, at least from what I've seen so far, have more of an understanding of how to break down the mechanics to make sure they're correct. Which of course, right now they are not. She's got a lesson tonight. DH said she looked good yesterday at 55 wide, but once they went to full pitch the arm was out again.

I really appreciate all the input and the encouragement. :)
 
Feb 3, 2010
5,752
113
Pac NW
Take some time away from full pitching until she can build her way back to good posture and release.
SideArm.jpeg
 

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