critique daughter's pitching 12U

[Alan Snedeker]

To me she is out of sync. My daughter had the same kind of move 2 months ago. She is using some momentum and arm swing to get off the mound and then she pushes late. The stills I've included is where they have initiated the push. Compare where the circle is. You can really see it in your DD's 2nd pitch. Teach her to push without an arm circle. Then try to get the circle started later after the push and she can speed it up instead of slowing down. Looking forward to what others say about this.

Edit: Jennie is pushing before the video is even available so she is pushing well before the screen capture.

 

[NVfishing]

RE Boardmember? My DD tends to have the ball facing inward on the upswing is hand on the top of ball better? Her arm rotates externally at the top of circle.

How do I prevent her from letting her front leg break down? Sometimes as the games go on she tends to let the front leg collapse a little?

 

[BoardMember]

RE Boardmember? My DD tends to have the ball facing inward on the upswing View attachment 2138 is hand on the top of ball better? Her arm rotates externally at the top of circle. View attachment 2139

How do I prevent her from letting her front leg break down? Sometimes as the games go on she tends to let the front leg collapse a little?

I like ball IN or Down........I don't like ball OUT OR UP............

Front leg might be a posture issue from fatigue.......I'd have to see her (or a clip) to make an educated judgement........

 

[BoardMember]

To me she is out of sync. My daughter had the same kind of move 2 months ago. She is using some momentum and arm swing to get off the mound and then she pushes late. The stills I've included is where they have initiated the push. Compare where the circle is. You can really see it in your DD's 2nd pitch. Teach her to push without an arm circle. Then try to get the circle started later after the push and she can speed it up instead of slowing down. Looking forward to what others say about this.

Edit: Jennie is pushing before the video is even available so she is pushing well before the screen capture.

View attachment 2134View attachment 2135View attachment 2136

She doesn't seem that outta sync IMO........At least up the circle during push off........But she gets in such a bad position going over the top that she just can't get the downswing to work well........

 

[Alan Snedeker]

She doesn't seem that outta sync IMO........At least up the circle during push off........But she gets in such a bad position going over the top that she just can't get the downswing to work well........

Was this gif the first pitch? I was talking about the 2nd pitch. The timing of the push was noticeably different to me.

 

[NVfishing]

It's common in physical therapy to have the body parts mimick each other. When I watch the arm circle her glove hand swims out. It almost looks like her pitching hand is out from her body further, like the glove hand, at the bottom of the circle then it should be. It could just be she's clearing around her hip though.

 

[Playaction]

Don't over analyze. If you give your pitcher too much to work on at one time and too much explanation, it will fall apart. You have a basically very good, athletic pitcher here and all the comments make it sound like she is a mess. She is not!

Did you hear the USA diver say his head gets in the way so he does not think? That is where you want to get.

One idea at a time. Swimming is of the least concern.

Also, I don't make analysis of the ball at the top of the circle because I don't think the 1/8" you can see on video even if blown up is accurate due to the camera angle, etc. (I took a lot of photo classes in college.)

The proper position typically comes naturally if you are open; and like a golf swing, if it slots correctly at the bottom half (whipping over your toes so to speak) you're OK. Some kids are more flexible but it does not end up being a big deal. If there is a timing issue, I look at the whole circle, not pieces. Your brain doesn't want to be stopping your arm through the circle thinking about it. I do like swiping the chalkboard at third base side as a cue and Kemp uses holding a glass of water. These cues make it fluid, even if not 100% technically correct to the kinesiology of each muscle position and no pun intended. Sorry but that is my opinion.

What is the chalkboard or glass of water referring to?

We have been working on a few things and she has already shown improvement. I will take some more video when I get a chance.
She is facing the ball toward the catcher on the way up. This has seemed to help her not bend as much.

We are also doing more leg drives(stork drills) to work on the foot twisting. She is still going over her head with windup. We will try to change that later. We are playing a lot now.

She stays open during her K's and circles and we are focusing more on staying open at release in the full windup.

 

[Ade's Dad]

The chalkboard is next to you on the third base side (righty) and you wipe it with the ball in your arm circle. The glass of water is held during the circle and should not spill. However, you really can't finish the pitch that way!

Thats right. You pour the water on your left foot.

 

[Playaction]

We have changed her windup, worked on her push foot not twisting and pushing straight off, and staying open.
We have also worked on the ball facing the plate to get in a good throwing position but it is still a work in progress as the video shows.
I think the different angles have exposed a few more problems. Feedback and critiques welcome. Thanks[video=vimeo;47370460]https://vimeo.com/47370460[/video]

 

[marriard]

Ok... the view from behind is very telling.

Lots of extra circles in the motion.

Starting from about :57 in the video you can watch the stride leg do a kind of circle rather than a straight stride and it even passes by her right leg and on a couple of pitches somehow then ends up left of where it started. It is really going the long way around. Also put your mouse pointer on her glove through the pitch and watch it do a great big swim circle from one side of her body to the other - it ends up by her leg but it also takes the long way around.

These are both actually probably caused by the other - one may be balancing out the other. She is also doing it because she wants to be 'open' but there is an easier way to do that than the one she is trying - just stride forward and land with the front foot turned to 45' - the hips open naturally that way.

Sideways motion = energy and motion taking away from driving forward = losing some velocity. Think about how in college they have the pitching lane - as she strides and moves now she may have trouble staying within it.

Prescription:

- 50 pitching into the gloves per day until she stops swimming that glove
- Lots of up/down K drills to get everything moving up and down together with her foot and stride working in line. Glove should be going up and pulling down - not circling around.
- Pitch on a 'powerline'

Watch Cat's glove here - very compact up/down movement. Can't see her striding forward here but just assume it happened...