9 yr old pitching. Suggestions..

[Amy in AZ.]

So, I would work on relaxing the shoulder and getting the right shoulder lower than the left, at release. Check the front foot and note that it is landing at almost 90 degrees. At least once, I saw her ankle bend under the stress of being over rotated.

But, these comments are after looking at indoor video. She is doing great. There isn't much i would pick up, with the naked eye.

 

[Doug Romrell]

I'm no expert! I like her explosion forward. I slowed the clip down to one-eighth speed and saw that she really starts turning her hand forward too early (like around 8:30) such that her arm actually looks to bend forward a bit between the 8:30 position to the release point. I'm a real advocate of arm whip. While it looks like she's got a tiny bit of arm bend back at the 11:00 position, it completely turns to being bend forward by the 8:30 position. Even though I think she's well on her way for her age, I think improving the arm whip action will do her wonders over the next couple of years. If only I had started my DD at that age! I'm jealous!

 

[Ken B]

Lots of good things going on and it looks like she has a ton of potential. Amy and your PC have already mentioned the stride foot. I like to think "straight" from start to finish. Sometimes a 5-6 inch piece of tape, laid at an angle of no more than 45 degrees can help. It may help to angle it a little less as a cue then hopefully get 45-35. It will also help her stay on line.

Doug mentioned her needing some work on whip. The video was too blurred on my computer to tell for sure, but it did seem like she was bowling some (straight arm and releasing toward the front hip.) As mentioned, I think she’d benefit from spending some time working on leading with the elbow and palm up going into release. The elbow will pause against the ribs, allowing the lower arm to whip through. While working on this, I’d ask her to hold back on her shoulder follow-through some until she has it down. I’d guess she has 3-5 mph that could be tapped almost right away once she starts to get the feel of it.

A few more things that I’d touch on if I was working with her:
-Goodbye Hello Elbow
-Slow down. Every time, walk all the way around the rubber, stop, step on, pause, then go.
-Speaking of a rubber, go to a farm supply or good hardware store and buy a 6 inch strip of stall/shop mat—about 3/8 in thick (they often have this in 4 foot wide rolls). They should also have some no-residue duct tape which works on floors, mat, carpet, etc. Just a 5 inch strip in front, and two more 5 inch strips in back to secure it.

I like what I’m hearing from your PC. Sounds like you found a good one.


Ken

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

 

[BoardMember]

She's very athletic and a hard worker........

She'll be very effective at 10yo........Then things will begin to catch up to her if she doesn't "accidentally" fall into good throwing mechanics........

Her PC would benefit from studying how high level pitchers actually throw the ball underhand. It would help her and her students progress from the dark ages of "keep throwing like this and hope it converts".........

Sometimes it does........Sometimes it doesn't........

 

[traveldad]

Lots of good things going on and it looks like she has a ton of potential. Amy and your PC have already mentioned the stride foot. I like to think "straight" from start to finish. Sometimes a 5-6 inch piece of tape, laid at an angle of no more than 45 degrees can help. It may help to angle it a little less as a cue then hopefully get 45-35. It will also help her stay on line.

Doug mentioned her needing some work on whip. The video was too blurred on my computer to tell for sure, but it did seem like she was bowling some (straight arm and releasing toward the front hip.) As mentioned, I think she’d benefit from spending some time working on leading with the elbow and palm up going into release. The elbow will pause against the ribs, allowing the lower arm to whip through. While working on this, I’d ask her to hold back on her shoulder follow-through some until she has it down. I’d guess she has 3-5 mph that could be tapped almost right away once she starts to get the feel of it.

A few more things that I’d touch on if I was working with her:
-Goodbye Hello Elbow
-Slow down. Every time, walk all the way around the rubber, stop, step on, pause, then go.
-Speaking of a rubber, go to a farm supply or good hardware store and buy a 6 inch strip of stall/shop mat—about 3/8 in thick (they often have this in 4 foot wide rolls). They should also have some no-residue duct tape which works on floors, mat, carpet, etc. Just a 5 inch strip in front, and two more 5 inch strips in back to secure it.

I like what I’m hearing from your PC. Sounds like you found a good one.


Ken

Ken/Amy - See attached video with tape at landing point. Is this what you are talking about? Her PC gets on to her for not hitting the power line and when she is really trying to hit the line she hits with foot about 90 degrees. Is it Ok to drift off powerline a few inches with correct foot placement of about 45 degrees? She seems more comfortable with that. Or maybe line up on rubber a few inches to her right before pitching?

The PowerLine Club K® Fastpitch mat - YouTube

 

[Doug Romrell]

Ken

I think your spot on with , "I think she’d benefit from spending some time working on leading with the elbow and palm up going into release."

It appears to me that she is, in fact, doing the HE style.


"Speaking of a rubber, go to a farm supply or good hardware store and buy a 6 inch strip of stall/shop mat—about 3/8 in thick (they often have this in 4 foot wide rolls)."

Great idea! I'm running down to the farm supply store to get me some of that!!!

 

[Rocketech1]

Ken/Amy - See attached video with tape at landing point. Is this what you are talking about? Her PC gets on to her for not hitting the power line and when she is really trying to hit the line she hits with foot about 90 degrees. Is it Ok to drift off powerline a few inches with correct foot placement of about 45 degrees? She seems more comfortable with that. Or maybe line up on rubber a few inches to her right before pitching?

The PowerLine Club K® Fastpitch mat - YouTube

I think the angle of her stride foot is fine by the time it plants (looks to be around 45 - 55 degrees). I agree that she plants it too far to the left of her powerline. Needs to be about 6 inches closer to her right. She also closes her body too quickly, I would have her stay more open and back (resist the front side). The arm whip has been discussed above so I won't comment.

Things I really like: she gets a good push off and aggressive stride, and drags the pivot foot really well. I also like the way she uses her glove arm. Some will say she is swimming and hitting her leg with the glove, but I think her timing with her left arm is very good (don't change it).

While she is young, focus on getting better IR arm whip with a "natural" finish (not forced) and her body staying open and back. Like I said before, you have a great little pitcher on your hands. Good luck.

Wanted to add that she shows the ball and grip before the backswing. Make sure she gets in the habit of "hiding" the ball before every pitch, the less time the batter has to see the ball, the better.

 

[Ken B]

I prefer 35-45. The placement of the tape usually depends on where they push off from. A general guideline I start with is a line from the inside of the pivot foot at push, straight out to the target. I like the stride toe to land on, or near this line.

 

[corlay]

was wondering if maybe she was being taught to use stride location to locate her pitches?
in the example vids she's unbelievably accurate for her age.
if she's not using stride location for inside/outside location, then it's even more impressive that she can compensate for such an erratic stride location (in these vid examples 50% she's well left of powerline, the other half about right on it, it looks like...) and *still* hit her spots!