Do I even try to teach pitching?

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Apr 30, 2018
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I'm coaching s 10u rec team and I have never taught pitching. I've read the I/R sticky thread. We have only pitcher has pitched some, but not much and isn't taking lessons. We have two girls that are interested in trying out, but have never pitched an inning. Do I even attempt to try learning I/R and teach it at the same time or is that a recipe for epic failure? Is there some online lessons I can use as a crash course to teach myself?

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Dec 22, 2019
54
18
I'm coaching s 10u rec team and I have never taught pitching. I've read the I/R sticky thread. We have only pitcher has pitched some, but not much and isn't taking lessons. We have two girls that are interested in trying out, but have never pitched an inning. Do I even attempt to try learning I/R and teach it at the same time or is that a recipe for epic failure? Is there some online lessons I can use as a crash course to teach myself?

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Yes! Rick Pauly’s courses via his website will be your best tool to learn right along with them!


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Nov 18, 2015
1,585
113
The beauty of teaching beginners is that you only have to stay one step ahead of your students. :)

In addition to Pauly’s course, watch Javasources (Mike M?) videos a few times to learn the initial basic moves.


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sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,132
113
Dallas, Texas
Java, Rick, Bill and Boardmember are fantastic. They really know their stuff. But, you can get into the weeds real fast for a bunch of kids who you want to "just throw strikes".

You don't have the time to really teach these kids how to pitch. You are going to have maybe 3 hours a week with the entire team, and maybe 30 minutes (if that much) with the pitchers.

Teach them to "throw" underhanded. All you can expect is for them to get the ball over the plate.

Throwing underhand is very similar throwing overhand. The kids get confused.

First, stopping them from doing some crazy premotiom.

1) Have them face the plate.
2) Tell them to drop the ball to their side.
3) tell them to make a circle with their arm, and step forward, opening their hips.
4) Have them throw the ball. *STOP THEM FROM BRINGING THEIR RIGHT LEG FORWARD*
5) Make sure they brush their upper body with their arm.


The IR in the classroom lasts few posts have been about just that. (Boardmember came down from Mt. Sinai to deliver his epistle....so, take note.) Rick is a pitching master....but, I'm afraid you'll get into the weeds real fast.
 
Last edited:
Jun 6, 2016
2,714
113
Chicago
The beauty about IR is it’s the natural way most kids start pitching. If you don’t have the HE habit to break you are better off.

I see people here say this a lot here, but in my experience, it's almost never true. I can only think of a single girl I've worked with who has had something resembling IR mechanics immediately. And none of the others I'm thinking of have had any pitching experience or coaching to give them the wrong ideas. 90%+ want to bowl the pitch and have to be taught IR mechanics.
 
Nov 26, 2010
4,784
113
Michigan
I see people here say this a lot here, but in my experience, it's almost never true. I can only think of a single girl I've worked with who has had something resembling IR mechanics immediately. And none of the others I'm thinking of have had any pitching experience or coaching to give them the wrong ideas. 90%+ want to bowl the pitch and have to be taught IR mechanics.
My dd has a natural IR motion and the few other girls I worked with did. I guess I assumed it was the natural go to based on a small sample size.

Could it be the difference between being told to throw fast vs throw strikes? I always told the girls velocity first.
 
Apr 20, 2017
152
28
A few years ago I was coaching a first year 10u rec team. I wanted to give every girl who wanted to pitch the opportunity to learn. I would spend some time in practice working with the girls that wanted to try it and started by teaching a few drills for them to work on at home. The next week they would come back to practice and they would tell me they had been practicing and wanted to show me. They never once did any of the drills. They would just throw it underhanded but not try and learn the correct way. After a few weeks I gave it up. I would not take time away from the team to work with a few girls at practice. Give them all a few minutes throwing to catchers in practice and let them do the best they can and maybe give a few pointers to throw strikes. Maybe research instructors in your area and have a recommendation to give parents if there is a family wanting to be serious about pitching. It’s just such a commitment for players and parents that very few are interested in learning to be a pitcher and not just throw underhand. It’s great you are willing to study and learn to help your players but I’m not sure it will be the best use of your time.
 
Oct 2, 2018
205
43
Georgia
You will have to give lessons outside of team practice to make improvements. Either before or after practice time on same days or separate days. The ones that want to pitch will make the effort. As you may know pitching takes a larger time commitment if you want to be effective
 

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