I chose to start a new thread versus hijack another thread that was bumped up earlier tonight.
The thread is the following:
http://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-pitching/25583-bring-body-arm-bi.html
Great thread and more great information from Java! Always spot on and priceless information!
With that said, it is timely (always seems timely) as I am focusing heavily on DD's drive. We have been drilling hard on the pushback drill and 2 step for years but more so in 2016. I think she has pretty decent mechanics but convinced she has more drive in her. The issue I have is that it is very difficult to get great drive with both feet in contact with the rubber. ***Let me state this another way, we can get much better drive and power when both feet do not have contact with the rubber. See the thread above, Tincher stride foot is WAY behind the rubber. NOT EVEN CLOSE. The Nebraska pitcher later in the thread does NOT have her stride leg in contact with the rubber either. I know we can post and point to Elite pitchers that do have contact with both feet but for everyone of those it seems like we see others who don't. Examples of those are Abbott, Ueno, etc. etc who take a step forward off the rubber.
It is obvious to me that their is an optimum distance for each pitcher of how far apart their feet are for the optimum drive. In other words, if you take the both feet on the rubber rule out of the equation for a second and just asked a girl to find the most comfortable stance for the best drive you would see she would look similar to Tincher. To take it further, I think depending on how tall the girl is the distance would be different. The taller the girl the greater distance between the feet to create that optimum comfort zone. Regardless of height, it would be much more than the 6" allowed for sure.
Not to go off subject too much but I ran a quick experiment over the weekend. I had my DD pitch with ASA rules and then with HS rules. I did not allow her to take a step back for HS rules but I did allow her to start with her stride foot back at whatever distance feels comfortable. We have not done this before and the closest thing we have done that compares is Java's drills. She did slide her drive foot on the rubber for both.
The results were an average of 4-5 mph more (roughly 10 pitches each way) with the HS pitching rules (very similar to Tincher in the thread). Truth is, DD eyes lit up after the HS way as she said I am moving way faster this way. She was.
Purpose of this post is probably more to express my frustration than anything else I guess as I see great model pitchers exceed the bounds of legal pitching. I do think they are great model pitchers without any question. I just struggle with the fact that if my DD did what they do she would be illegal. Of course, we could have the argument that she may or may not get called on it but I already know the answer to that.
Sorry for the rant and wondering if anyone else sees it like I do. Or better yet, can shine some light on it as I may be missing something on this which is always a high probability play.
S3
The thread is the following:
http://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-pitching/25583-bring-body-arm-bi.html
Great thread and more great information from Java! Always spot on and priceless information!
With that said, it is timely (always seems timely) as I am focusing heavily on DD's drive. We have been drilling hard on the pushback drill and 2 step for years but more so in 2016. I think she has pretty decent mechanics but convinced she has more drive in her. The issue I have is that it is very difficult to get great drive with both feet in contact with the rubber. ***Let me state this another way, we can get much better drive and power when both feet do not have contact with the rubber. See the thread above, Tincher stride foot is WAY behind the rubber. NOT EVEN CLOSE. The Nebraska pitcher later in the thread does NOT have her stride leg in contact with the rubber either. I know we can post and point to Elite pitchers that do have contact with both feet but for everyone of those it seems like we see others who don't. Examples of those are Abbott, Ueno, etc. etc who take a step forward off the rubber.
It is obvious to me that their is an optimum distance for each pitcher of how far apart their feet are for the optimum drive. In other words, if you take the both feet on the rubber rule out of the equation for a second and just asked a girl to find the most comfortable stance for the best drive you would see she would look similar to Tincher. To take it further, I think depending on how tall the girl is the distance would be different. The taller the girl the greater distance between the feet to create that optimum comfort zone. Regardless of height, it would be much more than the 6" allowed for sure.
Not to go off subject too much but I ran a quick experiment over the weekend. I had my DD pitch with ASA rules and then with HS rules. I did not allow her to take a step back for HS rules but I did allow her to start with her stride foot back at whatever distance feels comfortable. We have not done this before and the closest thing we have done that compares is Java's drills. She did slide her drive foot on the rubber for both.
The results were an average of 4-5 mph more (roughly 10 pitches each way) with the HS pitching rules (very similar to Tincher in the thread). Truth is, DD eyes lit up after the HS way as she said I am moving way faster this way. She was.
Purpose of this post is probably more to express my frustration than anything else I guess as I see great model pitchers exceed the bounds of legal pitching. I do think they are great model pitchers without any question. I just struggle with the fact that if my DD did what they do she would be illegal. Of course, we could have the argument that she may or may not get called on it but I already know the answer to that.
Sorry for the rant and wondering if anyone else sees it like I do. Or better yet, can shine some light on it as I may be missing something on this which is always a high probability play.
S3
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