Importance of the glove hand

[obbay]

I don't know as much about pitching as you guys do, but I don't like to see the girls slapping with their glove. then I looked at these videos:Windmill

I swear I didn't think the pros did that with their glove hand. You learn something every day!

Also, with girls 12U I thought the slapping seemed to distract them from what they were supposed to be doing. Kind of like if they make the slapping noise they think they're doing it right.

 

[sluggers]

We all agree that the "elites" (meaning Jenny, Cat, and Monica) bring the glove down. The question is whether they gain speed by pulling the glove down. I think they do it for alignment. Others think it increases speed.

The whole thing is a little theoretical. Kids have a terrible time with swinging the glove hand out and pulling their body to the left. So, I think having a kid put the glove on the hip is a convenient way to keep the left hand from flying all over the place.

 

[mitts60]

Thanks for posting the windmill videos above, Cat seems to hit her knees more than slap her thigh. More of a strait down movement. Ueno is similar.

Finch beats her glove into the side of her thigh, still bringing is towards her body.

Those that brush the thigh with the web of the glove to get the slap sound seem have that arm "open" which would take away balance and power.

 

[sluggers]

The 2008 Olympic videos are still available. So, there is much more available than a 30 second clip. They are at Softrball olympic videos| .

SO: Finch pitched against Taipei. She does *NOT* slap her leg. She does bring the glove down below waist height. Her glove hand stays outside her hip.

Abbott pitched against the Netherlands. Abbott does *NOT* slap her leg. She brings the glove down to about waist height.

Osterman does slap her leg.

SO: I'm not sure what all of this proves or doesn't prove. You've got great pitchers doing a minor element of the pitch different.

How old is your DD?

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I wonder if some of you are actually seeing the slaps to the thigh that I am seeing at 12U. It is generally a really hard hit to the thigh, that causes bruising. Osterman isn't doing that.

And the girl that was doing it to the back of her thigh and then the front, was exhausting her glove arm, in my opinion.

 

[Rick Pauly]

Mitts
Your description sounds like what a baseball pitcher does---their mechanics and method of generating speed is very different than fastpitch softball.
The pics posted earlier of the elite level pitchers should be enough to encourage others to try pulling together ending in a slap. Cat, Finch, Abbott, Ueno and most other elite pitchers may not be right but I for one would not discount them on this question. If it's not a good thing to do why do four of the best in the world slap?
Rick

 

[Spice of Life]

IMHO the thigh slapping is a possible side effect of keeping the torso stable so it could be a base for the shoulders. The closer the glove arm is to the body the less chance of an over rotation out of the pitching plane.
What would the purpose of the slap be? A cue for release? Or just creating a balance by positioning the glove hand symmetric to the free hand. Or something else. Maybe a method of stopping the down and back momentum of the arm. This could be controled by bending the elbow as the glove shoulder slows, thus keeping the compact upper torso.
I wonder how quick a pitcher can react with the glove when she gets a line drive straight at her after she has driven her arm/glove into her thigh and not yet regained control of that arm because it is still recovering from the slap.
Just thoughts running through my mind at this stage.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Spice, I have the girls keep the glove at the target, so that they are protecting their face and chest.

 

[Darrick Brown]

For the record I don't teach slap but a pull to the side of the hip. As a men's fastpitch pitcher I have never (knock on wood) had trouble getting my glove up to my face to field. Again, I think there are benefits to glove pull. I think it helps rythym and alignment. If rythym and alignment is better I think you throw harder.

 

[Rick Pauly]

Spice, I have the girls keep the glove at the target, so that they are protecting their face and chest.[/Quote

Amy, I would never discount the importance of protecting the pitcher.
Consider this though----if your pitcher uses the mechanics you describe (pointing the glove at the catcher), she will not be able to get the energy into the pitching hand that is desireable. In that case she will need to keep the glove up 'cause her pitches are going to get hit hard.
I'd suggest you reevaluate this part of what you are teaching.
Rick