Correct stride length?

[4Martini]

My daughter has been pitching for about a year and is 13. She just started comp in the fall.

She had her first games of spring this weekend.

I noticed in a few of the videos (esp when throwing a flip change up) that her foot hit the circle line. After searching, I see that this legal. But I wasn’t seeing other pitchers do it. She is fairly tall 5’9” maybe more as I feel like I’m looking up more. And she is definitely leggy. Being an outlier from what I’m seeing - is there an optimal stride length? She threw the best game she’s thrown and her foot stays on the ground then she does it.

Since today I learned they don’t have to stay in the circle - I’m curious why so many do and how they determine optimal stride length.

 

[chinamigarden]

What’s natural, comfortable and works.

 

[Traps71]

Not sure there is an “ideal” stride length because each pitcher is different. A basic rule of thumb, especially for beginners, is striding out about as far as you are tall. More advanced pitchers might go 6”-12” beyond their height. The most important thing is that the timing of her entire motion is good with whatever stride length she reaches and that she is getting out to whatever length she is getting to as fast as possible. Being explosive is more important than how far she is getting out (though the two might certainly go together).

 

[PharmerBrown]

That's impressive if she is making it to 8 ft. at 13. I don't care how tall she is. You'll see very few college pitchers make it that far.
It is possible that it's affecting her mechanics but we'd need a video to see. Sometimes pitchers cannot get their weight to their front foot when striding that far.

 

[El Oso]

That's impressive if she is making it to 8 ft. at 13. I don't care how tall she is. You'll see very few college pitchers make it that far.
It is possible that it's affecting her mechanics but we'd need a video to see. Sometimes pitchers cannot get their weight to their front foot when striding that far.

Yeah I'm thinking the circle wasn't chalked to regulation standards. I've watched a LOT of softball and have never seen a 13 yr old get out 8 foot.. If true the girl needs to go into long umping immediately because there could be Olympics in her future.

 

[4Martini]

Yeah I'm thinking the circle wasn't chalked to regulation standards. I've watched a LOT of softball and have never seen a 13 yr old get out 8 foot.. If true the girl needs to go into long umping immediately because there could be Olympics in her future.

I thought it looked small- but I also didn’t see other kids getting there. She’s not a crazy good pitcher - she’s just learning on a C team. I also do wonder if she wouldn’t be stronger if she did go shorter- hence the question.

I did force her to cross country ski race when she was younger - which I feel does help her glide (if that’s what the sliding part is called). She’s been skiing since she was 2 but prefers softball- so now I’m learning about this.

 

[Chilixa]

My daughters pitching coach actually wants her to work on reducing her stride. Going too far is causing her to lean over and keeping her from being able to stay as stacked as she needs to. She thinks reducing her stride some will help with velocity as well.


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[Hillhouse]

My daughters pitching coach actually wants her to work on reducing her stride. Going too far is causing her to lean over and keeping her from being able to stay as stacked as she needs to. She thinks reducing her stride some will help with velocity as well.


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reducing the stride will help with velocity? I'd be curious to hear why the coach thinks that way.

I don't think I've ever heard that striding too far causes a pitcher to lean.

 

[Rolling Hard]

reducing the stride will help with velocity? I'd be curious to hear why the coach thinks that way.

I don't think I've ever heard that striding too far causes a pitcher to lean.

I have heard it on the forum. He said basically the pitcher was slowing her arm down in order sync up with her extra long stride. If I remember correctly he said the pitcher gained 3 or 4 mph in one lesson by doing so. ??????

 

[Gags]

go into long umping

Is that one of the new "Parent Games" events where you try to call balls and strikes from beyond the OF fence?

But I also agree with @El Oso - more likely someone measured the circle from the wrong spot. (If she's still 12U eligible, it could have been measured from the 43' mark instead of 40'. Or the coach lining the field took two strides and said "yep, that's about 8 feet".)