I feel like an idiot

[peachyvolgirl]

I stumbled across this forum not too long ago and since then, I've been hooked. I like to talk softball and pick other people's brains. When I started seeing things like IR right handed pitcher, I'll tell you I had to Google "IR pitching." Those results led me here to the pitching topics, and I now feel, as my thread subject says, like an idiot.

Ten years ago in southeast Georgia, there weren't many pitching instructors to choose from... Certainly none that taught IR pitching. I grew up pitching plain old momentum rock (think Cheyenne Tarango, minus the hips moving forward), leap as far as you can, windmill, snap the ball, close the hips, and drag way. All this time I wondered why I could never break the 52-55 range. I stayed in the weight room, working on my legs to get a better drive and my wrists to get stronger snaps. Now I know why that was all in vain. Put simply, my technique was all wrong.

Safe to say I have a LOT of reading to do. The worst part? I give lessons to a few girls and I don't even know how to tell them that my approach was all wrong. Starting to think I'd be better off sending them to someone else. :/


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[quincy]

Normal day for me.

I will signup DD for an instructor that is willing to learn any day. It is the ones that are stuck in their ways that are trouble.

 

[YOCOACH]

Deep Breath! Now relax. Yes you have a lot of learning to do but that doesn't mean you can't do it. From what I have read of your posts, you are a very good coach in the fact that your not afraid to learn and continue to search for better ways to do things. Remember, this is an ever evolving game and those that fail to evolve with it will be left behind. Continue to search for the better ways and don't be afraid to tell your students, " I messed up. There's a much better way to do this." Then go on and make the necessary changes and teach them the best way you know how. I bet they will respect you a heck of a lot more in the end than they already do now. Good Luck!

 

[chinamigarden]

I think the major break through for teaching pitching in this era came with the availability for parents and coaches to video and to watch slow motion HD images of the pitchers and the high level pitchers. At full speed, its hard to see for sure what some of the top pitchers do, and frankly many of them didn't know for sure what they were doing they just did it. Add in some of them having a fake finish where they throw the ball with IR and then at the last moment point their elbow. At full speed you see the finish and think it was HE, when it wasn't.

So don't beat yourself up.

 

[DNeeld]

Safe to say I have a LOT of reading to do. The worst part? I give lessons to a few girls and I don't even know how to tell them that my approach was all wrong. Starting to think I'd be better off sending them to someone else. :/

Definitely don't beat yourself up. The same thing happened to Amanda Scarborough. She adjusted her teaching style and continued on just fine.

 

[PEPPERS]

The good coaches I have met always strive to learn and improve. Which IMO is what you are attempting to do, now you have learned a better way to teach your students. Probably sending them to someone else who would not likely understand IR as good as you do.

A friend once advised me he give piano lessons, but no one wanted to take piano lessons all the inquires were people wanting to take guitar lessons. So he purchased a guitar book with step by step lessons and after the first lessons he began giving guitar lessons and had a number of students.

His advice was to be successful; you need to stay one guitar lesson ahead of the world!

 

[TimothyJ]

I'm still trying to figure out how to go back to 2005 and un-teach "squish the bug" to all those poor girls :-(

 

[javasource]

Peachy,

Admitting this... albeit anonymously so... is really a cool thing to read.

For what it's worth... I once gave some pretty goofy instruction myself (probably still do!). I was also big on gimmicks... you name it, I owned it. Heck, I'm guilty of inventing a few gadgets of my own... even though I always would revert to a standard softball at the end of the day. This said... I still use a few of my own little gadgets... but they are more for illustrative purposes than anything else.

As you reinvent yourself... I might recommend a couple things... that I've painfully stumbled on over the years:

1. Eliminate a system. Too often, we try to organize our thoughts into a "must start here... to get here" method... and then force students to walk through that instruction step-by-step... which is absolutely pointless for kids that naturally do certain parts of the motion.
2. Define what it is - TO YOU - that comprises a great pitch(er) (the fundamentals of a good pitcher). I have a chart that I use... even edit it from time-to-time. It's a list of all the fundamental movements I feel high level pitchers perform. Mine is pretty detailed... and I don't hold each pitcher to EVERY item on the list... but as a guide to help me constantly assess where they are in their development.
3. MEASURE, MEASURE, MEASURE. In addition to the fundamental list... I make it a point to regularly assess the athlete's growth (as a human), and their speed/spin progress. If I don't, they won't... and how can you really tell if a girl is progressing.
4. Provide feedback AFTER A CLINIC. Your time together ends the moment clinic is over... and it is imperative that they understand what it is they need to work on at home. Alternatively, make it a requirement for the parent/student to keep a journal... and spend the last few moments of clinic having them take notes.
5. Keep video of their progression. Without this, you will forget their development and, at times, specifics of that pitcher. Refer to this video prior to clinics as a reminder of who you are working with.
6. Remember names. I'm actually shocked as to how many students I have that had previous instructors that forgot their names from time to time.
7. Work on 1... maybe 2 things... in a session. This isn't a race... it's a journey. It's better to perfect fundamentals as a progression - than try to throw it all in there at once.
8. This said, a dose of fun is necessary for some students... makes sure you give them some creative ideas at home to have fun and take ownership of their craft.
9. Kids are not stupid. They hear they are kids all the time, so be different and hold them to a higher standard... because if you don't create that responsibility/standard... they will not. Talk to and treat them like an adult. You can only learn so much from Sesame Street episodes... so holding back information holds back their development. At some point... the repetition of things some believe "too much" will sink in... and it's a marvelous thing to watch.
10. Stop fixating on the ball. Learn to look at the joint movements (articulations) of high-level pitchers... and compare those to the joint movements of your students. There are a lot of answers hidden in those pesky joints.
11. Just because it is spoken, does not make it so. Even the 'experts' on here say things that YOU NEED TO VALIDATE.
12. IF you give an instruction, SHOW THE INSTRUCTION.
13. The parent is the real pitching coach. REQUIRE their presence at clinic, make them throw a little, and make sure they understand what it is their daughter is doing.

As far as making the change...

One creative way to make the transition as a coach... without totally discrediting your previous work is to use this line, or something similar:

"You've mastered the basic understanding of pitching, I think you're ready for advanced instruction."

Thanks for posting... hope you continue to give back to this incredible sport. Best, ~JS

 

[MomOtheYear]

Great post Javasource.

 

[peachyvolgirl]

Thanks, guys! Is there a name for the opposite of IR pitching? The old style? What is HE pitching?

Where do I start with IR pitching research? Any tips?


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