leg-slap bruising

[RubberBiscuit]

So in my usual fanatical way I deep-dove into videos of other "great" pitchers. Man I found most that slap their leg. Scarborough, Nelson, Finch, Mowatt, to name a few. I finally found Lawrie that didn't. (she's pretty good too... )

In conclusion I think the final answer for us needs to be that I gotta watch my DD's health and make sure that she is not permanently damaging her wrist or leg but other than that it might not matter too much.

 

[redhotcoach]

Rubber, have you watched the Hillshouse video on Fastpitch tv yet. I was just watching it Friday, (as I am trying to teach myself to pitch). One girl he was working with on there, he said she was slapping herself because her glove arm was flying out way too far and then she had to pull it back hard. The fix he had was to pitch into her own glove 50 throws a day.
Fastpitch TV – free fastpitch softball videos, fastpitch softball pitching, fastpitch softball clinics, softball bat reviews. » Blog Archive » Episode 143 – Pitching Lessons From Bill Hillhouse

 

[RubberBiscuit]

Ya - saw that Hillhouse vid too.

To be honest, when I saw the other top pitchers do it the way my DD does it I am resisting the urge to try and change. My DD's glove hand is almost exactly like Scarborough.

I did go out and put in an order for a McDavid 6440R Knee pad, in the XL size, to be pulled up to the thigh level.

I can update ya later on that yet one more additional purchase for the DD

Detail that I forgot to mention is that once she gets into the season it appears that the leg gets "tougher" and bruises less. It's just the beginning of the season ramp-up that can get her thigh really ugly lookin. She did have a 350 pitch weekend though last year that got painfull too though.... (this will stay current in my head ;-) )

 

[redhotcoach]

I just see Bills logic. #1 It hurts. #2 It might help batters time your release. #3 Can anyone prove there are benefits? #4 It hurts.

Has anyone asked (most players are available through email or facebook) good players that do it if they feel it is a benefit or a habit they wished someone wouldve helped them break early on.

 

[SoftSocDad]

I believe that as fastpitch became a much bigger sport at the younger ages for girls that's when the "fathers" got involved and started tinkering with everything. I am being critical of a lot of the fathers. I see it all of the time. That's how a lot of things that go on today with the girls got so out of whack. The 9 pitch comment I made is certainly a problem when developing pitchers. I believe that one is definitely the result of daddy looking for the edge for his daughter and making sure she can throw all kinds of pitches when in fact she should concentrate on 2 or 3 at the most.

More often than not, those conversations about the 4+ pitches an 11yo allegedly has are more about bragging than about any perceived edge a pitcher would gain.

Come to the fields in NorCal. Many of the biggest offenders when it comes to tinkering are mothers and they get in heavily on the bragging game, too.

One thing is certain, though: if there weren't as many 'fathers' involved as there are today, there wouldn't be nearly as many opportunities for girls to play softball.

 

[redhack]

Not all Bucket Dads are the problem either. I have seen and heard of just as many clueless coaches telling 11yo they cannot pitch if they do not have xzy pitches. I have seen coaches call a rise ball for an 11yo (that was just a high pitch). Many PC's will cave to the requests of parents (who do not know any different) that are caving to the requests of coaches.

As much as one can blame fathers for tinkering, one can also blame coaches.

Many parents do try to educate them selfs for the protection on their DD. This site has been great for me, and by proxy for my DD.

 

[starsnuffer]

Most coaches are just parents, or at least started that way.

Fortunately, these days there are plenty of great programs, learning, and training opportunities available to anyone with an open mind, a bit of cash, some time, and willingness to learn so that they can be informed students of the game instead of boneheaded maroons blathering nonsense to a bunch of impressionable kids.

Unfortunately, being a blathering boneheaded maroon seems to be the "in" thing (along with a disgusting pot belly) amongst softball "coaches". Luckily trends change.

-W