Beginner DD comments welcome

[Jillsdad]

YouTube - Jillpitch1
YouTube - Jillpitch2

Here are some DD pitches. Please tell me what is good about her motion (if anything), what is bad and what she can work on to improve. She is 11, pitching about 5 months and throws 38-40 when she isn't sailing it over my head (fastest has been 43).

Thanks

 

[Lozza]

OK let's go.

I don't know what that bend is at the start, but she should be starting standing straight. The whole pitch is meant to be standing straight, and since she doesn't do this she doesn't stand straight at all throughout the pitch.

Her arm circle is all over the place. I think (hard to tell from the angle) that she's coming to close to the camera. From the back angle there's no consistency with the arm circle at all. She does it right in the first pitch on the second video and then it changes for each subsequent pitch. This is affecting her release point which changes with every pitch (and why they're going all over the place)

Arm circle to me is the most important point. Even just standing with her on her side and doing the arm circle 100 times would help her improve this. This is the most critical.

One question, you have a plate there, but she's not starting on it. Is this local rules? If so, have her start her pitching motion in the correct position.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I think that you will gain a lot of info by reading posts concerning other girls, with her experience. Lozza is right on with her comments.

I am guessing that you are not near any pitching instructors? If you will give us a region that you are in, we might be able to suggest some. Draw her a power line from her right foot straight toward the catcher, about 6 feet. Have her start by having her feet spread and toes on the line. This is what she will "hit" as she comes off the rubber and turns. Have her do her arm circles, from there.

But, there is so much to tell her about arm positions and timing and release, too. Plus, she has to start landing on a firm front leg. You are going to need a good instructor. Have fun. I can tell she enjoys it.

 

[Jillsdad]

Lozza - She leans over at the start because she thinks it helps her push-off. She will cease doing this at once!

I have noticed that when she gets to 12:00 her arm goes to the right (from rear perspective). I have an "accelerator" which might help this? Or is there a better arm-circle drill?

That plate is just there to mark 40 feet.

Amy - we are in NYC. She went to a weekly clinic over the winter and likes the instructor but she is more of a "wrist-snap drills, point elbow at catcher" teacher

 

[Lozza]

Lozza - She leans over at the start because she thinks it helps her push-off. She will cease doing this at once!

I thought it was something like that. She's looking for leg drive but I think you can leave that till later when she has the other aspects down first.

I'm not quite sure what an accelerator is, we don't have a lot of the 'extras' over here that seem to be sold in America. I generally have my girls either stand in front of a mirror and do the arm circle (this way they can see it themselves) or on the side again, doing the arm circle with a ball and pitching it into their mitt. If they go off for any reason, their ball won't end up in the mitt. This also helps with release point.

The others are a LOT better at giving advice to fix things. I'm good at picking up what needs to be fixed, but I do a lot better with showing, not telling.

 

[Jojo]

Jillsdad, place her front of her pitching net so she is only a stride length away, then have her work on staying back and releasing the ball more at the back hip.
Right now she is bending over on her front knee and reaching the ball in with her shoulder trying to place the ball into that net.
That close she'll hit the net every time and can focus on her mechanics.

 

[sluggers]

Arm circle to me is the most important point. Even just standing with her on her side and doing the arm circle 100 times would help her improve this. This is the most critical.

Absolutely.

When she gets a little more advanced, you can start worrying about leg drive, release, body position, etc.

But, first things first...FIX THE ARM CIRCLE.

 

[Jillsdad]

Anyone have any success with the "Stand 3 inches from a wall and pitch so that if your arm circle is off-line your fingers will get scraped" drill?

 

[WinThemAll]

Here is a variation on that that I use with "Short armers" ;-)
Face the wall, put toes right up against the wall, turn the hips and out stretch the arms directly out in front, (throwing arm will be right up against the wall). Have the ball in the throwing hand. Start the "Circle", allow the ball to ride along the wall to trace the letter "C". At 12o'clock, should be facing the wall. After the ball passes the hips, start back with the arms directly out in front. Do it a number of times. Remind them to feel it and make sure that they are NOT too tight or elbow is not locked.

 

[Jillsdad]

DD just tried that Pride - we will do 40,000 reps and let you know the results.