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Aug 2, 2008
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My daughter is 10 and has been pitching for 1 year and 4 months. When she releases the ball she is bending at the waist and the stride leg does not fully straighten. I am looking for tips or drills to help retrain the muscles to create a firmer front side at release.

Question 2: Same daughter. She has to move up to 12-u next year. When should she start practicing with a 12 inch ball and pitching from 40 feet?

Thanks,
Mike
 

sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,132
113
Dallas, Texas
At her age, you are teaching body control. She should be doing a bunch of drills to strengthen her legs, ankles and feet and to improve coordination and balance.

(A) Do a walk through (the pitcher starts behind the rubber, walks forward, and then throws) EXCEPT that the pitcher is not to use her "push off foot" for balance after she throws. So, from the time she releases the ball until after she gets the ball back from catcher, her right foot is off the ground.

In this video, the teacher does the drill when showing his student how to do a walk through. The student doesn't quite have enough control of her body.

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(B) Have her stand open (facing 3B), feet together, right foot on the rubber, have her stride, land on her left foot and throw the ball. Again, she should keep her right foot off the ground until she receives the ball from the catcher.
 
May 13, 2008
831
16
The stork drill should help with gaining more balance and a firmer front. Have her pitch the ball to you and go into a stork pose (figure 4) with her pivot foot behind her plant leg knee. Hold this position until you throw the ball back to her.

Switch to the 12 inch ball immediately after the current season is over. It won't be as drastic of a switch as you think. At least it wasn't with my DD.
 
Aug 2, 2008
553
0
Sluggers,
"(A) Do a walk through (the pitcher starts behind the rubber, walks forward, and then throws) EXCEPT that the pitcher is not to use her stride foot for balance after she throws. So, from the time she releases the ball until after she gets the ball back from catcher, her right foot is off the ground."

Just for clarification. She is a right hander, do you mean that she should not use her pivot foot for balance after she throws? and she should stay in the stork position standing on her left leg as cshilt said?

The left leg is the stride leg, and the right leg is the pivot leg, right?

Thank you,
Mike
 

sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,132
113
Dallas, Texas
Sorry--I confused the legs.

She pushes off with her right leg, so she lands on her left foot, but she doesn't use her right foot for balance after she throws. She waits until she receives the throw from the catcher to lower her right foot.

Watch the feet of the man in the video. He does the drill correctly. The girl doesn't.

Your DD will become less aggressive with her push-off in order to stay balanced. So, you will have to remind her to push-off.
 
May 7, 2008
8,506
48
Tucson
She can work with a 12 inch ball some after she masters the 11 inch ball, this year. After she has some success with pitching, you can move her back a little bit and have her throw from a further distance. Have her back up as far as she can and still have success.

Next, you can also have her throw the 12 inch ball from 35 ft., to increase her strength some. Then, have her throw the 11 inch ball and see if she is quicker.
 
Aug 2, 2008
553
0
Thanks for the advice, we are incorporating these drills into her weekly routine.

Mike
 

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