Feedback Appreciated - 12u Darling Niece...DN???

[CobraAssist]

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8iwjG6QC8tGZjNZWnVQT3gzQ00/edit?usp=sharing

So, this is my first post on this section of the forum. Not saying it's going to be my last, but considering I don't have a DD that pitches, it is a possibility. I give to you, my niece. I would love to tell you that I know what's going on in this video, but I don't. I'm posting this on here with her dad's permission because she has been in a bit of a funk, and he would like some fresh eyes on her motion. What I do know:

1. She throws a fastball/change/screw/drop.
2. As of 4-5 months ago, she was a pretty consistent strike thrower with all 4 pitches (maybe not the change as much).
3. When she's on, she's got #1 stuff. When she's off, she doesn't make it out of the first due to walks and not knowing where it's going (anyone seen Bull Durham..."I wouldn't dig in there if I were you."). All feedback (positive and negative) are more than welcome. Thanks in advance.

Josh

 

[slingnit]

She looks big and strong! I'm sure with a little help she could really kill it.

When she swings her arm back she wraps it behind her back. That gets her arm circle out of wack to begin with, it will do figure 8's. She swims quite a bit(throws her glove arm out). This can cause her hip to close early or never open enough. I turn her arm has to go around her hip and may lead to different release points from pitch to pitch. It looks like she steps way out(off the power line) with her stride foot and cause her to lean to her right on release. Then her arm looks straight and stiff, a loose arm is a fast arm. Without seeing multiple pitches it's hard to tell exactly what she does different from her on and off days. She could do something incorrectly but if she did it consistently she could be ok. I'm sure you will get quite a bit of help and get her straightened out.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

We would work on the arm circle. I would do knee drills until she can get the arm circle right. At times, it is off plane. At times, it is an oval. She is tight and is pushing the ball and then, coming up tight, again. Loosen up. I want her to be fluid. I wish that she could see Bill Hillhouse for a couple of lessons, because she is talented and athletic and is only a few lessons short of it all clicking.

 

[CobraAssist]

Thank ya'll. Again, I don't know what I'm talking about here, but my wife and I both noticed yesterday her arm going behind her, and the fact that her stride foot is offline EVERY PITCH. I remembered someone mentioning this to her MONTHS AGO, but I don't spend enough time watching her pitch, or practice, so I for the most part just keep my mouth shut. Funny that knee drills were mentioned. She does that in warm-ups, and the ball seems to explode out of her hand, and she does nothing but pump it right at the mitt while she does them. The stiff arm at release is another thing that I noticed yesterday, and after I showed her dad the video, he asked me to show her as well (so I was guessing that was a bad thing). The whole open/closed hips thing confuses me. My wife says that they're open when she strides, and then they close with delivery. From the batter's POV, I would think that it would be the other way around. Keep it coming. We need this kid badly, and she really needs a confidence boost. She really has ELECTRIC STUFF when she's on. She's 11, really tall, and considering she wears a Women's size 10 shoe, I can't help but think she's only going to get taller and more powerful.

Josh

 

[Amy in AZ.]

11? Wow! I was guessing that she is 14. Watch the right foot. She drags the side of it, then kicks out and then, she walks through the pitch. (The right foot is coming forward of her left foot, for some reason.) She needs a firm front side and then drag the toe up to her heel, in my opinion.

She would be fun to work with.

 

[3DD'sDAD]

It also looks like she is "bowling" a little bit causing her to lean to her right (relative to when she is facing a batter). It looks like she needs the pull (rather than push) the ball down the backside of the circle and be loose (slightly bent elbow) so she can "throw" the ball underhand. Have you or her father read the thread titled "IR" on this board? I think it would help you immensely. Using those mechanics on every pitch will help her straighten up and gain some control and power. I couldn't tell if she was bowling on every pitch as I could not stop the video using this tablet, but it looked like it to me. Perhaps one of the more techy members can help with that.

 

[CobraAssist]

"Bowling" is not a term I understand at this point. But, I'm forwarding this stuff to her dad so he can read it. He'll probably get it.

Thanks again,

Josh

 

[WaSpeed02]

This girl is a mirror image of my DD. Very big, very strong, big feet, and wicked stuff when she's on. The only difference is mine is a lefty. I'm certain you can get a lot of good info here in the forum, but I also want to plug some videos I've recently downloaded from a contributor here (Rick Pauly). They have been very, very helpful to me in addressing some balance and lower body issues my DD is having.

If you're interested, go to PaulyGirlFastpitch and get as many videos as you can afford. There really isn't anything that I found to be a waste of money and/or redundant. I definitely think his drills and insight can help you resolve the issues your DN is running into.

 

[Rick Pauly]

Cobra
Two quick tips to add to others posted
1. I love the screwball but not if it causes the excessive lean (towards third) and shoulder dip that your DN is displaying. I am assuming the first pitch in the video is her screwball....if not then she has some real posture issues. Notice the falling towards third in her follow through....she is really in an out of balance condition which would certainly cause control issues. The screwball mechanics will often bleed over into all other pitches so be careful with this pitch.
2. Her front side resistance at landing is not strong enough yet.....note the walkout at the end of the pitch. The video is not real clear, but it appears that she lands with her upper torso in a vertical posture...she needs to land with a slight backward lean to be able to brace into the landing foot and stop all the forward energy.

 

[Jojo]

Cobra along with others have said, I think she needs some tweaking in her arm circle. Also, she is big and strong for 11! To me, I see her muscling, "arming" the ball out to get speed. I'd love to see her spend time on working on her IR and whipping the ball out more. I know it's hard for strong kids to want/work to do this, they trust the strengths they have and not the ones they have to develop. But it really does pay off in the end.