12u pitcher (11 years old) - What suggestions/comments do you have

[TeNeetKeeMom]

Hi, I am trying to upload the YouTube url but with little luck. Below is the url to access the video. I am working on getting a front view uploaded as well.

We are looking for comments/suggestions. Thanks in advance.


YouTube - 12u Daughter pitching (11 years old)

 

[Coach C]

Well not too bad. She leans a little forward, but the MOST important thing you have to teach this girl is to follow through her arm after the pitch. She is stopping her arm 95% of the time in the video and if she keeps this up she is insuring herself a shoulder surgery in a few years.

I teach girls to not bring the glove above their eyes when starting their pitch. She brings the glove up over the head and then slams her arms down to start the pitch. This is doing absolutely nothing for her.

She looks like she pitches pretty fast. Keep up the good work.

 

[TeNeetKeeMom]

Thanks for the reply. We will continue to work on that with her (following through). That is something we often have to remind her to do - hopefully with practice that will become "muscle memory". We also remind her about not leaning forward (sometimes she is aware of it and sometimes not). Again, thanks for the reply!!

Please keep the comments/suggestions coming!!!!!

 

[PapasFritas]

Hi, My daughter is a 14u pitcher and I am by no means an expert but isn't it illegal to pass your hip twice going forward. I could be wrong but I thought I'd mention it in case some of the experts on this board want to chime in on the issue. She looks strong with a bright future.

 

[TeNeetKeeMom]

Thanks for the post PapasFritas - I have not heard that before (that does not say much though, lol.) What do any of you pitching experts/coaches advise?

Again, we are looking for comments/suggestions regarding our daughter's pitching mechanics. We appreciate all the responses.

 

[sluggers]

I hate to say it, but she is a bit of a mess. Her upper body is way, way too far forward. It is hard to tell, but I'm pretty sure she is "dragging her arm" around her body.

A simple drill which will show you how bad this is--do a "Carolina walk-through".

Have her start behind the mound, walk over the mound, and throw the ball. When she throws, she is to keep her right foot up until the catcher returns the ball to her. Your DD will almost on her face when you have her do this drill. If she had good form, this drill would be trivial.

Another drill is the "stork". Have her get open (i.e., facing 3rd base), lift her left foot up, balance on her right foot, and throw the ball, without ever lowering her left foot until the ball is returned to her by the catcher. Pitchers with good form can stand there and throw without ever lowering the left foot for 5 or 10 pitches, *AND* never throw the ball away.

If you want her to continue to pitch, you need to get her to a pitching coach. Your DD is at a critical stage. If she doesn't fix her motion by the time she matures (which could be in the next year or so), she'll never get any better than she is right now.

As to the "passing the hip" twice, Papa is correct. Your DD is not "presenting the ball". The pitcher has to put her ball and glove for a few seconds before she starts her motion. She is allowed to take the ball back behind her hip, and then go around once and then release the ball.

Again, she needs to go to a pitching coach if you want her to become better. If not, she will be just one more "good 12U" pitcher that vanishes at 14U.

 

[ASAPAump]

As to the "passing the hip" twice, Papa is correct. Your DD is not "presenting the ball". The pitcher has to put her ball and glove for a few seconds before she starts her motion. She is allowed to take the ball back behind her hip, and then go around once and then release the ball.

Sorry guys, but this is false. She is presenting the ball just fine, and there is no such rule (in ASA) about passing the hip more than once. The rule is that you may not make 2 full revolutions, which she is no where close to doing. Her hands come together for at least a second while she raises her hands near her head. This pitcher is perfectly legal. Keep her that way!

 

[TeNeetKeeMom]

Thanks for the reply Sluggers. We will definently look at/consider all the items addressed in your post. She does have a PC and has been seeing her for almost a year now. We like her as a PC - we posted this video to get perspectives/viewpoints of others knowledgeable about pitching throughout the country. Our thoughts are we might be able to find a tidbit of information/tip that we had not considered or heard of before or even information/tips/suggestions that confirm some of our thoughts about our DD's pitching.

She does do the drills that you mentioned. She does the walk-throughs and a few run-throughs as well as the stork drill and a few other drills for warm-up before she pitches. Any suggestions/drills on how to get her to eliminate the forward leaning? That is something she is aware of and has been working on. Maybe her "start-up" before she actually goes into her pitching motion (windmill) is contributing to her leaning forward?? That is something I will ask her PC during her next lesson.

Note: I am "merely" a mom of a pitcher and don't know much about fastpitch pitching other than what I have seen over the couple years our DD has been learning to pitch. Her dad is an athlete and played all kinds of sports, specifically baseball as a pitcher who migrated to catching when his arm was used up early in life. He catches her (bucketdad) - he enforces what the PC teaches during DD's pitching practices. I being the "techy" person that I am, lol - browse message boards and websites like this one, looking for anything that can help our DD be more successful on her Journey to become a pitcher.

Please keep the comments/suggestions coming.

 

[tojo]

Sorry guys, but this is false. She is presenting the ball just fine, and there is no such rule (in ASA) about passing the hip more than once. The rule is that you may not make 2 full revolutions, which she is no where close to doing. Her hands come together for at least a second while she raises her hands near her head. This pitcher is perfectly legal. Keep her that way!

The rules you are referring to are as follows for the benefit of those who don't have an Umpire Rule Book. Rule 6.3.M states" the pitcher must not make another revolution after releasing the ball". The rule 6.3.D states "the pitcher must not make two revolutions of the arm on the windmill pitch. A pitcher may drop the arm to the side and to the rear before starting the windmill motion." Rule 6.1.E states" The pitcher shall bring the hands together for not less than one second and no more than 10 seconds before releasing it".

 

[Madsdad]

TeeNeetKeeMom,
It is not enough to do the drills, they must be done correctly and then incorporated into the pitch. First do a figure 4 making sure that your DD can keep her leg ( drag foot) up until the ball is returned from the catcher. Now add the walk through and make sure she keeps her leg up behind her. If done correctly she will keep her balance and her leg will stay up. Now add the wind up she should still be able to keep her leg up behind her. If she is leaning forward it will come down or your DD will land on her face.
Most of the coaches on this site are looking for good mechanics first. There are a lot of coaches who will overlook a lot as far as mechanics. The person on the bucket has to enforce the need for proper mechanics over all else in the beginning and the rest will come. Your DD may slow down in the beginning but will get that back in time and practice. Educate yourself as you are on this site and do not accept anything less.