Tojo, in my opinion the pitcher should lean into the pitch off of the rubber and generate her push. For a right handed pitcher. as her left (lead) foot lands she should be driving toward the plate, transferring her weight to this left foot. While this is going on the torso and above will be going forward towards the front leg. Just about simultaneously with the release of the ball and slightly afterwards, the force of the torso moving forward (which would be deaccelerating) would allow the right (push) leg to drag forward whereby the left hip flexor would then rotate towards home plate. Then the right leg will slowly come to a stop. The hip flexor finish is something that I require because it gives added torque to the ball. The great ones engage this part of the motion far better than the not so good ones.
critique daughter's pitching 12U
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Here is a different view of Angela
Alot to like here.I just will add small changes that are easy to fix and might help.These changes won't rock your world or your DD's world, but may help.Simple,little changes.First I notice when your DD steps on the mound her right heel is on the mound.I prefer that she move the foot back alittle so the ball of her foot is at the front of the rubber.Have your DD place the ball of her front foot on the mound with her toes resting on the ground.Kind of like a sprinter on a start of a race.Another small change I will make is if this is your practice area rip up the grass and put dirt down.Your DD is only going to tear it up anyway.Helps making it easier to drag toe.The last little change is try and drag the right foot towards the plate not behind her and to the left side.Don't know if suggested, but go to softball TV and check out Bill Hillhouse's free video's.
- Feb 26, 2012
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I appreciate all of the replies. My initial response upon watching the video was uhoh but I decided to post it anyway to get more feedback.
How can we keep her arm straighter? We have tried facing the ball toward the catcher(maybe not enough reps). What position should the ball be in at each stage of the clock?
She won't play again until the end of February so we have time to straighten it out.
I will post more info when I have more time. Again, Thanks.
How can we keep her arm straighter? We have tried facing the ball toward the catcher(maybe not enough reps). What position should the ball be in at each stage of the clock?
She won't play again until the end of February so we have time to straighten it out.
I will post more info when I have more time. Again, Thanks.
I explain that if I mark the power line (extended behind me) down on the floor, the ball stays above it at all times. So, if I drop the ball, it lands on the line, not on my head or behind my right shoulder.
Are you familiar with the posts on internal rotation and creating whip with the arm? Try the show it and throw it drill, over and over.
Good luck and keep posting.
Are you familiar with the posts on internal rotation and creating whip with the arm? Try the show it and throw it drill, over and over.
Good luck and keep posting.
I have watched the video many times and I believe your DD has a good foundation to build on. I don't know how long she has been pitching so it is hard to say how well she is doing because that is a relevant point in analyzing a pitcher. If she has been pitching for a few years, I would say she is not where she needs to be at 12. On the other hand, if she is a beginning pitcher, I believe she has a lot to learn but she can build better mechanics over time with a few adjustments here and there.
- Jul 14, 2008
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If you'd like, you can re-read my original critique's and watch starting at the 2:00 mark to see exactly what I was/am referring to. She "inverts" the ball VERY EARLY in the circle.......Causing........Well........Just re-read this and watch the clip begining at the 2:00 mark, stopping it several times during the circle......Especially from the bottom to the top as the ball comes out of the rocker motion into the up swing..........The INVERSION move is killing her arm circle......AND her entire motion sync once it starts........
[video=vimeo;47370460]https://vimeo.com/47370460[/video]
If she continue's to invert (rotate the ball outward) up the circle she will never win the battle she's fighting with her motion.....Because it throws the arm circle AWAY FROM, then in front of, the body on the up swing........Creates excessive elbow bend over the top.......And causes her arm to swing down behind her body........So she must maintain the elbow bend in order the get the ball around her and toward the target.........
You can see the "loop out" begin in the rear-views at the 1:04 mark, just at the transition behind her from the rocker to the forward motion of the arm, that is created by intent to invert from the back of the rocker.........
I'd consider this a fatal flaw that must be repaired for her to be able to progress any further.........
[video=vimeo;47370460]https://vimeo.com/47370460[/video]
If she continue's to invert (rotate the ball outward) up the circle she will never win the battle she's fighting with her motion.....Because it throws the arm circle AWAY FROM, then in front of, the body on the up swing........Creates excessive elbow bend over the top.......And causes her arm to swing down behind her body........So she must maintain the elbow bend in order the get the ball around her and toward the target.........
You can see the "loop out" begin in the rear-views at the 1:04 mark, just at the transition behind her from the rocker to the forward motion of the arm, that is created by intent to invert from the back of the rocker.........
I'd consider this a fatal flaw that must be repaired for her to be able to progress any further.........
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I agree with BM. She will need to stop the "wrist cocking" and bent elbow first or nothing else will matter.
She starts the movement he is talking during her back swing. Wrist extension here…
and has max wrist extension with elbow flexion here.
I would have her do some circles from a open stance position..no stride… and have her go to the other extreme. Try to keep wrist "flexed"…so she will feel the extreme of both movements of the wrist.
Once she feels the extreme of both positions...she should be able to find a middle balance "more neutral wrist position"....with a more relaxed wrist.
Once she feels it…I would have focus on "reaching" towards the catcher and follow the power line during rotation as Amy described...with a more neutral wrist position.
She will have a difficult time with the bent arm till she takes the extreme extension out of the wrist (cocked wrist).
Her back shoulder on the right side will appreciate you when you correct this…cause it will be a lot less binding…and a more comfortable feel in the rear shoulder.
Lower Body:
Look at her stride (front) foot in the two pictures as it relates to a power line. She strides out on one…away from the power line. I would consider using a power line or marker…. till she is more consistent…while she is working on the stride.
She closes early…because she turns the pivot (back) knee in/down early. On the non weight bearing side…the hip will follow the knee…when it turns in/down…hips will close.
She looks to have good body control and stability..she should be able to maintain an open position till release and get more of a figure four position finish with the lower body.
She starts the movement he is talking during her back swing. Wrist extension here…
and has max wrist extension with elbow flexion here.
I would have her do some circles from a open stance position..no stride… and have her go to the other extreme. Try to keep wrist "flexed"…so she will feel the extreme of both movements of the wrist.
Once she feels the extreme of both positions...she should be able to find a middle balance "more neutral wrist position"....with a more relaxed wrist.
Once she feels it…I would have focus on "reaching" towards the catcher and follow the power line during rotation as Amy described...with a more neutral wrist position.
She will have a difficult time with the bent arm till she takes the extreme extension out of the wrist (cocked wrist).
Her back shoulder on the right side will appreciate you when you correct this…cause it will be a lot less binding…and a more comfortable feel in the rear shoulder.
Lower Body:
Look at her stride (front) foot in the two pictures as it relates to a power line. She strides out on one…away from the power line. I would consider using a power line or marker…. till she is more consistent…while she is working on the stride.
She closes early…because she turns the pivot (back) knee in/down early. On the non weight bearing side…the hip will follow the knee…when it turns in/down…hips will close.
She looks to have good body control and stability..she should be able to maintain an open position till release and get more of a figure four position finish with the lower body.
Screwball, the hand far from the side is the byproduct of the wrist issue that Board Member discusses. He described it as a fatal flaw. You say it is easy to fix. I would have her throw with the ball in the glove and no swing back and that goes away.
- Jul 14, 2008
- 1,796
- 63
