Help.. Help.. Help. your $0.02 please.

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h8weakness

Bucket Dad
Jan 9, 2019
35
8
Mishawaka, IN
She is having issues hitting sports because she doesn't have sufficient BI (brush interference). She need to stand up straight and let the arm brush her body.


Geez...there are a lot of good coaches in Chicagoland. Sparky, Ken and others are near Chicago.

I'm open to any suggestions in the Northern IN / Chicago area.

If there's a person who you'd strongly recommend and has produced talent.. I'd love to have their names.
Sparky? Ken? If sluggers is from Texas and he knows the names of coaches in Chicago... they must be good! :D Any idea on their last names?

Lafayette (Purdue area) isn't awful. I'll look into Amy Harper further.

Thank you all! Finding the right coach is very important to us and we'll try and try until we find the right coach.
 
Dec 10, 2015
845
63
Chautauqua County
are you doing everything yourself that your daughter is being told to do? are you doing all the things you see in all the vids you watch? how much time to you spend on the pitching forum? you need to know and feel and do everything your DD does. find yourself a good IR coach and become a knowledge sponge so that you can be the instructor when she's not at her lesson. in fact, those lessons need to come home with her, it's her homework and you are the tutor. the first time when you're catching for her and you think to yourself, damn, I need some shin guards, you know you're making good progress.
 
Jun 6, 2016
2,714
113
Chicago
I'm open to any suggestions in the Northern IN / Chicago area.

If there's a person who you'd strongly recommend and has produced talent.. I'd love to have their names.
Sparky? Ken? If sluggers is from Texas and he knows the names of coaches in Chicago... they must be good! :D Any idea on their last names?

Lafayette (Purdue area) isn't awful. I'll look into Amy Harper further.

Thank you all! Finding the right coach is very important to us and we'll try and try until we find the right coach.

Ken is north of Chicago. He'd be quite the trip for you.

Sparky's daughter (if she still works where she used to) was giving lessons out of a southwest suburb. Probably an hour and a half for you.

Also, he's a busy guy, but SB1221 works with some of my pitchers. He's great, and his place is in Northwest Indiana.
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
Sluggers raised his family is this area then moved to Texas, his DD is the HC for one of the large HS softball teams here and a pitcher in her own right.

As JD said Ken, might be most qualified coach on board, would be a hike. Sparky Guy or his DD would be a better option.

Just send sparky guy a PM, he will get it. I have his email somewhere just not sure were it is right now.
 
Last edited:
Oct 4, 2018
4,611
113
Goes without saying (almost) but college credentials don't always lend themselves to being a good teacher. When the two come together correctly it can be awesome but I'd take a good teacher over a good player any day when picking a pitching coach.
 
Dec 5, 2012
4,143
63
Mid West
Your DD has got some talent for this.

As to the HE: Look at this picture from the second video. She used IR. The PCs are confusing her. She will not develop.

What is happening is that your DD's mind ("mind" is the whole enchilada...the body, brain, and both nervous systems) are telling her to do IR. Her PC is telling her to do HE.

My DD was doing exactly what yours is doing. I almost ruined my DD by insisting on HE. (In my defense, this was 1995 or so.) Luckily, one day I thought, "What the heck? I'm fighting a losing battle. If she doesn't pitch college, life will go on." Then I shut my mouth, and never mentioned it to her again. It was the best thing I ever did. Her control improved and her velocity shot up.

SO:

Drop the guys you got and find a good PC. If you have to drive, drive. Try to find someone who will see her a couple of times a month. Your DD needs to pitch every week...but she doesn't need to see a PC every week. Seeing a PC every other week or maybe once a month would be fine.
100% agree here. The natural I/R is being coached out of her....horrible!
 
Aug 21, 2008
2,359
113
Bill- We've watched many of your videos and i really like your style of teaching.
Ultimately, it's hard to change her on my own. I want to be teaching her up to date technique but it's hard to tell a girl who is one of the better 12u (thanks to some speed) pitchers in northern IN. that she's doing it wrong. She's happy with her progress which makes things tough.
!

While I understand what you're saying, keep in mind: success at 12U doesn't equal success at 16U. Often times, especially at young ages, pitchers can appear dominant, headed for greatness, when in reality they are just bigger, stronger, more athletic. Or, their opposition just isn't as good. It's hard to say what is the situation with the girl you mentioned but, it's the downfall of many young pitchers to think they "have it" at 12U, only to find out that others progress while they stagnate.

Bill
 
Jun 6, 2016
2,714
113
Chicago
Ultimately, it's hard to change her on my own. I want to be teaching her up to date technique but it's hard to tell a girl who is one of the better 12u (thanks to some speed) pitchers in northern IN. that she's doing it wrong. She's happy with her progress which makes things tough.

Does she have a favorite pitcher?

Instead of saying "you're doing it wrong," show her some video of her favorite pitcher and say "Let's get you pitching like her" (then just use all the IR info you find here). If she doesn't have a single favorite, show her some of the best and say "Let's get you pitching like them."

She's open to being taught because she goes to lessons, right? So you just have to find the right approach.
 

h8weakness

Bucket Dad
Jan 9, 2019
35
8
Mishawaka, IN
are you doing everything yourself that your daughter is being told to do? are you doing all the things you see in all the vids you watch? how much time to you spend on the pitching forum? you need to know and feel and do everything your DD does. find yourself a good IR coach and become a knowledge sponge so that you can be the instructor when she's not at her lesson. in fact, those lessons need to come home with her, it's her homework and you are the tutor. the first time when you're catching for her and you think to yourself, damn, I need some shin guards, you know you're making good progress.



Great questions!

1. Yes, I do try to learn the motions myself. At least 5x a day I find myself going through the motions. I can feel the difference between hello elbow and IR... that's why I feel it's important to make this change.
2. Time on the pitching forum... A LOT? at least an hour a day. Sadly, I just find myself becoming more and more confused. Every pitcher is different and every video says something slightly different (much like having 2 coaches)

I already need shin guards :D If I had a dollar for every stitch mark I've had on my shins... I'd almost be able to pay for most of her softball training. :(

She's got great drive and determination for a 12 year old. She wants to throw almost every day. They talk about the DD getting worn out.... Some days, I think I'm getting worn out. lol.
 

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