Accuracy

[joe720]

Hi, first time poster here. My daughter has just started pitching (she is 9). We started in January. Took her to an 8 week first time pitchers clinic for 8 weeks. Teacher was great. He is actually the one that turned me onto this site.

So here is my dilema.

When do you start talking about accuracy over mechanics? All that we've done is mechanics so far. She can throw the ball pretty hard for her age, but she also gets a little wild (and i know it is expected for someone of that age). Just wondering if we should even worry about it at this point or just keep stressing mechanics.

I have some of the other pitchers parent that say that i should stress accuracy, but the coach who started her off said just let her throw that the accuracy comes with time.

I am the only one that works with her at this point. Asked her if she wanted a PC and she said she does not.

Any advice would be great.

 

[JAD]

Keep stressing mechanics over results. Throwing into a tarp @ 20' away is a great way to stay focused on mechanics and not on the results of the pitch. When does she need to be "game ready"?

 

[joe720]

She has already pitched a few games including a complete 5 inning game. Right now she is in LL. She never pitched to anyone besides her mother or i before 3 weeks or so ago.

 

[Ken Krause]

People talk about accuracy in pitching as though it's a goal. It's not. It's a result of good mechanics. If you do the right things mechanically the ball will go where you want it to go. So keep focused on the mechanics and the accuracy will come. And she will develop into a pitcher instead of being just a kid who pitches in the younger levels.

If you focus on accuracy outside of mechanics, by the way, she will probably get good at getting the ball over the plate, but it won't be anything she'll be able to carry forward later.

 

[djcarter1966]

Hi, first time poster here. My daughter has just started pitching (she is 9). We started in January. Took her to an 8 week first time pitchers clinic for 8 weeks. Teacher was great. He is actually the one that turned me onto this site.

So here is my dilema.

When do you start talking about accuracy over mechanics? All that we've done is mechanics so far. She can throw the ball pretty hard for her age, but she also gets a little wild (and i know it is expected for someone of that age). Just wondering if we should even worry about it at this point or just keep stressing mechanics.

I have some of the other pitchers parent that say that i should stress accuracy, but the coach who started her off said just let her throw that the accuracy comes with time.

I am the only one that works with her at this point. Asked her if she wanted a PC and she said she does not.

Any advice would be great.

NEVER...if your mechanics are all correct accuracy will naturally follow.

 

[Sparky Guy]

People talk about accuracy in pitching as though it's a goal. It's not. It's a result of good mechanics. If you do the right things mechanically the ball will go where you want it to go. So keep focused on the mechanics and the accuracy will come. And she will develop into a pitcher instead of being just a kid who pitches in the younger levels.

If you focus on accuracy outside of mechanics, by the way, she will probably get good at getting the ball over the plate, but it won't be anything she'll be able to carry forward later.

And the choir belts out a huge AMEN BROTHER!!!!!!!!

That is EXACTLY what I tell all of my parents. I point to the pitching rubber and tell them when everything's right there, the other end, pointing to the plate, will take care of itself. Often I will tell a young pitcher to just pitch the ball, I don't care where it goes. Then I ask them if anyone has ever told them that? Almost everyone of them says "No." in response.

The parents are THE biggest hurdle when it comes to the accuracy thing. And sometimes uneducated coaches. Until you can get their mindset change from results oriented to process oriented it will be a struggle for the pitcher.

 

[Sparky Guy]

I am the only one that works with her at this point. Asked her if she wanted a PC and she said she does not.

If she is halfway serious about pitching then it would be a good thing to get her a PC. Sometimes after a clinic the kids feel like "I got this." in their mind.

It sounds like the guy who ran the clinic is teaching IR and could be what your DD needs.

 

[joe720]

If she is halfway serious about pitching then it would be a good thing to get her a PC. Sometimes after a clinic the kids feel like "I got this." in their mind.

It sounds like the guy who ran the clinic is teaching IR and could be what your DD needs.

She definitely doesn't think she has it. And unfortunately the fella who coached doesn't do private sessions. And i still talk to him when i can to get advice on next steps, and he tells me to just keep doing what we are doing. I do use the stickies in this forum heavily for teaching her, and have her read them as well so she doesn't think i am just making stuff up, as 9 YO seem to be much smarter now than they used to be.

Really just trying to make sure i am not missing something, as i hear chatter from other parents, but believe we are on the right path.

 

[grcsftbll]

Other parents are often wrong. I always tell my kids not to listen to them when it comes to sports instruction. Most pitching instructors around here (and therefore most pitching students) are not teaching the mechanics we want our DD to learn. Or like, the dad/assistant coach on our last team who came over to my older DD, who plays baseball and was goofing around hitting off a tee during my younger DD's practice, and was telling her all about how to "squish the bug." As soon as he left I told her, don't listen to him. She said not to worry, she wasn't going to. lol I just ignore everyone and learn stuff here.

 

[JJsqueeze]

add another voice to the chorus of good mechanics leading to good accuracy.