Breakdown on mechanics

[NVfishing]

My dd struggled last night and when she struggles she reverts to bad form aiming her pitches. She loses leg drive and wants to throw with arm and wrist only.

What are the best drills to keep her push off going strong?

At this age she also gets angry when I try and tell her what she's doing wrong. How do you handle young girls when they're having an off night? Is it best to pull them or let them work through it?

 

[redhotcoach]

I am no expert, but my daughter does the same thing. She starts trying too hard throw strikes and her mechanics stop. I think she sees some of the other young girls out there that throw easy accurate strikes every pitch, but have ugly mechanics. Her pitching coach said that all I can say to her is "just throw hard" during the games. I tell her later that most of those girls with no mechanics will not be pitchers in a few years when she will be coming to her prime, and to just be patient.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

NVfishing, just do a lot of long toss pitching with her and walk throughs.

And redhotcoach, you are right. The girls with poor mechanics aren't going to be around long.

Personally, I pull them if they are having a bad night. They can work through it in the bullpen.

 

[sluggers]

Amy is right. The only thing you can do to with a pitcher is to set a bench mark, and if she fails, then she gets marks from the bench on her rear. Nothing else works with pitchers--nothing. I've tried them all.

The only thing that matters to the good pitchers is pitching. The good pitchers play softball to pitch. That is the only reason they put up with the coaches, the teammates and their dads. As long as they are on the mound, they are happy. You take pitching away from her and make her sit the bench and watch someone else throw her game, and she will be one unhappy girl.

Set a bench mark--1 walk, 2 walks, 4 walks whatever. And that number is the rule. Yank her after she walks X batters, sit her on the bench, and let someone else pitch. Don't get mad at her, don't pat her head and say "its ok, honey", just treat her like, "This is the way it is. If you can't do it, I'll find someone who can." It isn't that she is a bad person, or that the world is going to end, it is just life.

Then, do the same thing every time she pitches. She'll get the message, and her Dad will get the message, and suddenly (voila!) she starts practicing at home, and the walks end.