my 11 yr old dd has been pitching for about 2 years. she started off as a step-style pitcher and had very good speed. last year we switched to leap drag and she seemed to have difficulty reaching the same velocity.
at the end of this past fall she was throwing about 45mph, which was ok. now, after a few months lay off, she's only throwing about 40mph.
i'm wondering what's happening to her speed. my best guess is that it's a balance issue... she's fairly big for her age and uses internal rotation mechanics.
sometimes i tell her to throw hard and the ball actually comes even slower. when i ask her what happened, she tells me she felt a little off balance.
i think the slow methodical pace of step style pitching allowed her to maintain a better sense of balance... and i think that although leaping requires more balance, all the leap style pitching last year allowed her to develop enough muscle to provide a solid sense of balance.
i'm also thinking that after a few months lay-off that her muscles are weaker and that her balance is not where she left off and MAYBE that's why her pitching speed has slowed...
So my question to all you pitching gurus out there is how big of a deal is balance in achieving pitching power?? or am i missing the boat in focusing on balance?
at the end of this past fall she was throwing about 45mph, which was ok. now, after a few months lay off, she's only throwing about 40mph.
i'm wondering what's happening to her speed. my best guess is that it's a balance issue... she's fairly big for her age and uses internal rotation mechanics.
sometimes i tell her to throw hard and the ball actually comes even slower. when i ask her what happened, she tells me she felt a little off balance.
i think the slow methodical pace of step style pitching allowed her to maintain a better sense of balance... and i think that although leaping requires more balance, all the leap style pitching last year allowed her to develop enough muscle to provide a solid sense of balance.
i'm also thinking that after a few months lay-off that her muscles are weaker and that her balance is not where she left off and MAYBE that's why her pitching speed has slowed...
So my question to all you pitching gurus out there is how big of a deal is balance in achieving pitching power?? or am i missing the boat in focusing on balance?