Beginner that twists her hand at snap.

[DanDare]

DD is a just turned 9yo beginner pitcher that takes lessons from a college freshman. We struggle with consistency, but she does throw hard. Frightened her mom when I asked her to catch for her last week.

She has a habit of twisting her hand away from her body at the snap. Sometimes this seems to happen when her arm speed is not good enough and her hip is getting in the way. She knows that she shouldn't do it, but does it anyway sometimes. Any tips for correcting this?

 

[JJsqueeze]

If by the snap you mean that she is emphasizing a wrist snap then I would personally recommend de-emphasizing any wrist snapping and just focus on the upper are/lower arm whip.

What spin do you see when she does this? from your description it sounds like a curve ball spin...is this correct?

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Does she warm up with the correct release? Does she understand the spin? I would try a hockey puck or a small football, to get her to understand the release.

 

[halskinner]

2 questions;

1. Is she being taught to land with the hips at 45 degrees?

2. Where EXACTLY is she being taught to release the ball?

 

[splinterpicker]

Simple way to correct turning the wrist is put a line of tape town the middle of the ball. Stress spinning the ball off the middle finger while trying to make the tape sping in a strait line. It is just a visual aide like a hockey puck, but using a ball.

 

[DanDare]

The spin is a screwball spin. She doesn't do this when warming up or at least rarely. Amy, not sure what you mean by understanding the spin. She knows that she should be spinning the ball off of her middle finger. Hal, she lands open and releases at the hip or at least that's the goal.

Thanks all.

 

[JJsqueeze]

I say work with it and just give her feedback on the spin so she can begin to feel the difference between when she does this and when it is rolling off of her middle finger. It is a good opportunity to let her begin to feel how her grip/hand position and the effect it has on the ball. She will probably sort it out on her own once she can feel it. If you rally want to correct it then post some video from the side and back and you'll get a lot of expert advice. Try to capture a good and bad pitch as well.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

By knowing what spin she is looking for, I mean 6-12. So, the ball is spinning directly toward the catcher. (A drop ball spin.) Does she have a 4 seam grip on the ball?

 

[halskinner]

I assume you are striving for a peel drop. I would guess the ball is coming off the hand in the area between the thumb and index

As someone mentioned, this is screwball, down and in, spin. Is that what our young instructor is trying to to teach her?

 

[coach james]

When my dd first started years ago she was taught hello elbow style... she would always over rotate her hand causing the pinkie finger to end up nearly in her mouth at the end of the finish. It stayed that way with a screwball rotation for a couple years until I started learning Hillhouse and Board members methods of I/R... Beware, I'd bet your dd is being taught to hello elbow. I'd suggest posting some video of her so the all knowing board can evaluate and tell you to run or not.