Horseshoe Change

[Spartans21]

Does anyone have any pointers on how to slow the horse shoe change down some? I love the pitch and have a few pitchers that throw it well. I currently have a kid who can't slow it down more than 6-8mph and constantly leaves it between the belt and letters.........I was hoping this sounds familiar to someone!

 

[Classof2020]

I don't know if this will be helpful at all but that is what my DD throws and the cue of "just open up your hand and drop it right at the bottom of the circle" is what seemed to help her get it. As we've worked at developing better I/R form this is the one pitch that really varies and her arm straightens out and doesn't really whip when she throws the change in order to be in position for release. Not sure if this is a long term solution for her, might change that up this next fall, but seems to work well as a first year 14u . . . but I guess we'll see how the season goes

 

[MK37]

One of the participants here once suggested using more of a shoving action and opening the hand. DD does this and it helped.

 

[chrispots]

When DD2 or any of my pitchers throw it too hard, they usually are not getting they hand\ball turned back to 2nd base. As far as I know, this is the only pitch that should be thrown with the ball on the outside of the arc. Especially with my DD, she gets to 10 o'clock in the arc and the ball is still facing 3rd. Those pitches come out like batting practice fastballs because she hasn't fully arrested the whip of the I\R because the arm never fully pronates backwards.

Does that make sense?

CP

 

[Doug Romrell]

Turn the hand more.

 

[RetiredCoach]

Both my DDs throw the horseshoe change now. My older DD wasn't getting it slow enough. What she was doing was getting her fingers behind the ball instead of turning her wrist more. So, ensure she's turning her wrist.

 

[DiamondDad316]

Get a deep grip on the ball and shove it to the catcher at release.

 

[Lsjames]

The longer you hold the ball through the pitch the slower it will be. Of course you have to balance holding the ball longer with the height of the pitch. The ball should be released at the leading thigh. Eliminate the wrist from causing additional velocity as well. Make sure that the elbow is not bending through release and the back muscle is engaged without the shoulder moving forward through release. This is what works for my DD.
We started at close distances trying to drop the ball in a bucket. Then backed up a little and did the same. Up to about 15 feet. She should get the idea that the ball is dropping out right at the plate.
Hope it helps. Good luck.

 

[coach james]

Google Rick Pauly ' YouTube video on the change up. Your dd is most likely not getting her elbow behind her hand. In IR, it's imperative that the elbow leads to create whip. With a horseshoe cu, you eliminate the whip by a premature rotation by 9:00 in order for the hand to lead and the result is more of a push... if done correctly the arm circle needs to speed up.

 

[SoGASoftball]

Google Rick Pauley ' YouTube video on the change up. Your dd is most likely not getting her elbow behind her hand. In IR, it's imperative that the elbow leads to create whip. With a horseshoe cu, you eliminate the whip by a premature rotation by 9:00 in order for the hand to lead and the result is more of a push... if done correctly the arm circle needs to speed up.

This! As someone else alluded to... Take the whip out by getting the ball in front of the elbow, basically the opposite of IR. Rick Pauly has a great video on it.