Beginners Stride Length

[Ken B]

For some time I've told my beginning kids to shoot or 6.5 of their own shoe lengths. Later, once they have their form dialed, push themselves to 7+. My daughter went to a local clinic where they were having girls stride to 5.5 shoe lengths. Is there a generally recommended length of stride for beginners?

 

[softballphreak]

Don't know anything about pitching but what if you have a short girl with long feet or a tall girl with short feet?

 

[Lozza]

Well I'm an adult and I just tried it and I got Eight lengths.

5.5 sounds quite good for a beginner. I've never heard a specific length though. I tell my girls that I want them to stride as long as they comfortably can. I've never had a girl who needed a specific number.

 

[quincy]

I think you might be trying to be too specific. Anywhere from 5 – 7 should be good. Then stretch it out latter. Each player will be a little bit different. 9YO DD is current on 6 whitch seems to work for her.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I use 5. If they go past that - great.

 

[LAdad]

There is no cookie-cutter approach to pitching. Stride length should be based on what works in terms of balance and getting speed. Plus, different pitches use a different stride length. In either case, when you want kids to adjust tell them 'a bit more' or 'a bit less', or 'here!' - don't tell by how many random body parts.

 

[nanotech14]

When my dd first started,and we where pitching in side.We did what screwball said,I took a 4by8 sheet of plywood and painted it with that chalk paint,screwed a pitching rubber to it and put the power line on it with red tape and the 24" lines.We would do what screwball says to do,it worked out well.Also glued those pads that keep a area rug from sliding around.

 

[Bucketrider]

5-7 is a good ballpark starting point. With my dd using that as a baseline, she shortens up for the drop. I can also tell, as can she, when she starts over striding as the ball keeps getting higher. Again, so many different styles IR, stepping, open pitching, there are too many variables and finding a starting point may be an attempt to try and start out making something repeatable. softballphreak, my just turned 13yo is wearing a US 11 size shoe. If she ever grows into those things, a 7+ stride will have her pitching from 30'!

 

[nanotech14]

What about using the 80% of the pitchers height for stride length.thats not counting the drag foot length.

 

[quincy]

Nothing magical about the feet, they are just a convenient measuring tool. Easy to mark off the distance. I would guess 5 to 6 foots would be @80% height.