Doug Gillis at pitching clinic

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Nov 25, 2012
1,437
83
USA
Doug's video is full of great info. Some of which you may be for or against regarding the angles, powerline, etc. etc. With that said, my biggest takeaway was what he said late in the video about time off from softball. He mentioned that he has seen 2 girls that pitched or will pitch for Team USA who never played a travel ball game. That honestly blew my mind. But it really hit home as I have looked back on DD1's softball career as a pitcher. We have had minimal time especially the last few years to take time off, to work on her pitching and make the changes she needs to make, etc. DD1 is a junior in HS and we really needed this fall to focus on her mechanics more but we play every weekend.

Long story short, his message is so very true IMHO. The travel ball games are great and all, but take some time off and rest. Then take some more time off and make the adjustments, changes you need to make. It is almost impossible to do it if you keep playing every weekend as the muscle memory doesn't have time to adjust.

Just my 2 cents.

S3
 
Oct 1, 2014
2,219
113
USA
Doug's video is full of great info. Some of which you may be for or against regarding the angles, powerline, etc. etc. With that said, my biggest takeaway was what he said late in the video about time off from softball. He mentioned that he has seen 2 girls that pitched or will pitch for Team USA who never played a travel ball game. That honestly blew my mind. But it really hit home as I have looked back on DD1's softball career as a pitcher. We have had minimal time especially the last few years to take time off, to work on her pitching and make the changes she needs to make, etc. DD1 is a junior in HS and we really needed this fall to focus on her mechanics more but we play every weekend.

Long story short, his message is so very true IMHO. The travel ball games are great and all, but take some time off and rest. Then take some more time off and make the adjustments, changes you need to make. It is almost impossible to do it if you keep playing every weekend as the muscle memory doesn't have time to adjust.

Just my 2 cents.

S3

That's almost exactly how I feel about this video and is also exactly where I'm at with my pitcher DD. Given the schedule of travel ball rolling right up to HS ball (played in the Fall out here) and then immediately more Travel Ball tourneys there has been NO rest and virtually NO time to work on adjustments/refining mechanics. Overall team practice, hitting and everything else do not leave much time. This coming weekend will be the last softball tourney for a couple months and my girls really need the break. Basketball season has started and Junior year in High School (with AP and Honors classes) is a bit stressful not to mention emailing and visiting with College coaches trying to make that decision. Somewhere during this "off" season the plan is to do more strength training as well.

Add my .02 cents to Strike3 and we don't even have a nickel but the message and the idea of some time off from the sport needs more support! Come back energized, refreshed and with a renewed desire to play the game!
 
Nov 25, 2012
1,437
83
USA
Was Gillis really promoting an over exaggeration drill ... or does he actually pitch this way?



good question FFS which I know you already know the answer to. He is IMO right of "power line" versus left of power line which many think is correct. What do you think? Monica, Doug, several others are "across" IMO. Others are not. Style or absolutes? Thoughts?
 

Chris Delorit

Member
Apr 24, 2016
343
28
Green Bay, WI
His mechanics in his playing days were smooth and effortless, very much in the style of the display in the Lyon's video. His footwork more linear by degree (noticably less than 45%) than many. He did have a small cross-over, but was probably needed to create a resistance point that positioned his hips in a way similar to one more closely aligned to 45.

A couple of additional points. Doug played in ASA events during a period where the ASA rules were very traditional. When he played in open events, the leveraging of his step-back was an simple transition and vice versa. Occasionally, he threw a backdoor, off-speed curve where a step across would have probably helped leverage that release.

In fact, Rick's clinics also feature a couple of step-across drills aimed at experiencing the feeling for release of the drop ball against brush contact.

To some, it may be style. To others, it could be an absolute. :cool:

Chris
 
Jun 17, 2009
15,105
0
Portland, OR
good question FFS which I know you already know the answer to. He is IMO right of "power line" versus left of power line which many think is correct. What do you think? Monica, Doug, several others are "across" IMO. Others are not. Style or absolutes? Thoughts?

Yes, he is to the 'right' of the 'power line' ... even for his long toss throws.

I haven't followed the advice of being to the 'left' of the 'power line'. What is the argument/justification for that?
 
Apr 12, 2015
792
93
As I said earlier, Doug was my DDs first coach. He firmly taught stepping to the right of the powerline for a RHP. A drill we spent much time on was the scissor walk I believe he demonstrates in one of the videos above.
 
May 15, 2008
1,913
113
Cape Cod Mass.
Let's face it, Doug has a motion which is not strong in some of the things that are emphasized today. Not much brush interference, if any at all, and not much front side resistance.
 

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