10u DD just pitching woes,any suggestions?

[Allen B.]

Hello, this is my first post.here so bear with me.
My 10u dd pitched some with her rec. ball team last spring.She started plying travel ball in earley summerand got no mound time which was not a problem,the team had several good pitcher so we didn't expect her to get much.She was at the time fairly consistant with decent speed and acurracy.She had taken lessons for about 6 months and was proggressing pretty well,her instuctor had to take several months off for personal reason(stopped giving lessons all together during this time).DD started with a new instructor who immediatly started to change everything she had been taught.At this time dd's accuracy and speed suffered,for about 3 months she continued this and you could tell her heart wasn't in it any more.About months ago at a lesson she informed me and her instructor she no longer wanted to pitch.2 weeks ago she decides to start back pitching if she can go to her original instructor who had just started back with lessons.First lesson was basically get dd's mechanics back (which suprizingly happened in about the first 1/2 hour of the lesson)the control has came back and speed is getting better.The problem dd is having is on release sometimes her hand will roll under the ball with her palm facing 3rd base creating a ccw forward type spin from the catchers veiw,and then sometimes her hand will roll over top with her palm facing 1st base creating a clockwize froward type spin.Her release has to this style since starting back pitching and I don't know if it is good thing or not.By the way she has a fastball and a change up,these are the only pitches she has.Sorry for the long post but that was the shortest way I could explain it.
Thanks, Allen

 

[Coach JV]

She needs to do drills to increase the muscle memory.
Wall drill, couch drill 5 days a week should take care of it.
BTW-5 days a week from now until she graduates college

 

[sluggers]

Lack of repetitions is likely the issue.

Lots of half frames. A half frame is the pitcher gets open (i.e. she is facing 3B), she raises the pitching arm to 12, and then throws. I can't tell you how many...10,000 or more I suspect will do it.

And, get with the program...no self-respecting parent ever says their DD has only 2 pitches. Always say she has 6 and is working on two others--especially the back-door, drop rise curve.

 

[Dusty]

Lack of repetitions is likely the issue.

Lots of half frames. A half frame is the pitcher gets open (i.e. she is facing 3B), she raises the pitching arm to 12, and then throws. I can't tell you how many...10,000 or more I suspect will do it.

Before doing this take the ball she's pitching with and put black electrical tape around the middle of the ball so you can see a straight up and down black line if she's throwing correctly with good topspin. As your watching her make sure she's leading with the thumb as she comes to the bottom of her circle before release.

 

[Allen B.]

Did I say 2 pitches I meant 5 or was it 6 ...lol From reading several threads I thought that the way she was releasing the ball might be the internal rotation that there are so many threads on but I could have understood the concept wrong.I will try to post some video as soon as I get a chance,we have a tourney this weekend so I won't be able to get her on camera til next week.

put black electrical tape around the middle of the ball so you can see a straight up and down black line if she's throwing correctly with good topspin.

I thought the spin need to be straight over like your talking about but wasn't sure.At the release point what does her arm and wrist snap need to do in the drills that ya'll are speeking of.I know the wall drill,and understand the half frame,but please explain the couch drill.

 

[Hurdle1]

pitching

Get a spinner,it will make you release and finish the right way.

 

[Allen B.]

Can someone tell me what a spinner is and how it is used?
Thanks, Allen

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Spinner Softball Training Aid from Club K

It is like the core of the softball. It has ridges that work as the seams. If you don't pitch it or throw it correctly, it wobbles all over the place.

You can also practice your flips with it, sitting in the house.

Some people make them out of a roll of electrical tape, but I don't know how they make the ridges. Maybe a line of glue?

 

[Allen B.]

Oh Ok I had just bought one last weekend, I thought it was called a Spin Right.Guess I shouldv'e paid more attention to the name on the package.
Thanks, Allen

 

[Allen B.]

Thanks for all the advice from everyone!We play our last tourney for the year this past weekend and dd was making the tag at home on a hard sliding runner and broke her glove thumb in thier second game on Saturday,she odd thing about it was that she insisted on playing the rest of the tourney.Before I get blasted,she was only used as an EP in all but the last inning of the last game Sunday when she was put in to pitch for the last 2 outs.She ask the coach on several occasions if she could go in,he ask me what I thought,I told him and her it was up to it was up to her.But she was on a mission 8 pitches later we out of the inning.I guess she's tougher than she lets on to dear old dad.She made the comment to her mom that "it's only my glove had so I can still pitch"
Did I make the decision by letting her continue to play?