Looking for an I/R pitching instructor in Minneapolis Metro area.

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Aug 21, 2008
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Hillhouse, thanks for the info. I was checking on Rick's site about his certificate program. It was very interesting and was going to look more into it. I am just wondering how quick it is to learn myself and teach her vs. having a coach. I can help her on alot of things put pitching isn't a strong point of mine although I am very eager to learn. I sit on the bucket alot and she is just really a newbie.

Kind of a stupid question, but after doing some research is the likes of Tincher, Forearm Fire, Pauly's and yourself just basically IR style of pitching? Are there major differences? Another question from watching IR pitching styles it seems like it would be much easier to learn and easier to adjust and troubleshoot? Am I wrong? If that is the case then why do not many coaches teach it then? Again, these are probably silly questions to experts like yourself but if my 10u dd wants to pitch I might as well teach her the best way going forward. Thanks again for the info and resources. I appreciate it.

Diesel, I'll answer your questions in the order you asked them:

1. I truly have no idea what Mr Tincher or Forearm fire guy do. I can tell you that Pauly and myself are NOT Hello Elbow pitching coaches. And I'm saying that without having gone through Pauly's certification class so I really don't want to speak for him with 100000% conviction. I know Rick is respected by a lot of people on this forum and since 99.99999% on here don't believe in HE methodology then I think it's a fair guess to say he's what you're looking for.

-sub note: In most cases, I refrain from using the term IR. But that's just me. I realize this "IR" phenomenon has become a religion to some people the way the Jedi Order is to Star Wars. But, to me it's just pitching. I don't name it or label it. And I see just as many kids making mistakes when they are forcing the "IR" movements as kids who aren't. Again, I'm just speaking for myself but just because someone tells you they teach or understand all the IR things doesn't mean they actually do. Bottom line, I think if you stay away from HE coaches, the "IR" stuff will happen pretty naturally.

2. Again, all coaches are different. I actually think HE is easier to fix, you just have to keep telling the kid to keep doing things wrong and contrary to the way their body is designed to work!!!!!!!!! If you took a kid with no pitching experience at all, they will not pitch with HE mechanics. So yes, "IR" is easier.

3. Why don't many teach it? Great question. You'd have to ask a HE instructor why HE/SHE is doing things that way. Most females will teach pitching the way they were taught, and haven't given too much thought to what they are ACTUALLY doing, instead they focus on the ridiculous drills they were taught as a kid and think that's how they actually pitched. And most males will teach based off what they saw and heard at their DD's lessons, not because they have any experience doing this themselves. Many HE coaches have been teaching this way for 20 or more years and it'd be embarrassing to now say they are changing things up entirely. That they were wrong. But a monkey could look at a side by side comparison video and see that the top pitchers don't pitch that way. However, "top pitchers" is a subjective term. Again, a lot of people (especially at the youth level) confuse GOOD PITCHING with BAD HITTING. So Sally Jones looks like she's on her way to being the best. But she's only big fish in a small pond and it will eventually catch up to her. Then she'll have to reevaluate her pitching.

Overall, you're right... MOST coaches seem to teach HE method therefore the masses of kids do it like that because they're told do. And guys like me sound crazy for disagreeing with what the overwhelming majority of pitching coaches are teaching. How can 40 coaches on this forum be right and 2000 coaches around the country wrong?? Well, as it says in the gospels of your Bible: the path is broad to destruction but narrow to the kingdom. Translation, most just won't get it. And that's a shame.

Bill
 
Jan 13, 2020
9
3
Wow, thanks alot Bill for taking the time to respond to my questions. I greatly appreciate it. Alot of great information. I just feel if my 10u DD wants to get into pitching then I want to teach her the right way before she gets in too deep in the HE lessons. At this point I could care less if she throws strikes, I want her to learn the fundamentals and then put it to use at later ages. Thanks Again Bill!!
 
Sep 29, 2014
2,421
113
Hillhouse, thanks for the info. I was checking on Rick's site about his certificate program. It was very interesting and was going to look more into it. I am just wondering how quick it is to learn myself and teach her vs. having a coach. I can help her on alot of things put pitching isn't a strong point of mine although I am very eager to learn. I sit on the bucket alot and she is just really a newbie.

Kind of a stupid question, but after doing some research is the likes of Tincher, Forearm Fire, Pauly's and yourself just basically IR style of pitching? Are there major differences? Another question from watching IR pitching styles it seems like it would be much easier to learn and easier to adjust and troubleshoot? Am I wrong? If that is the case then why do not many coaches teach it then? Again, these are probably silly questions to experts like yourself but if my 10u dd wants to pitch I might as well teach her the best way going forward. Thanks again for the info and resources. I appreciate it.

To answer the leaning it yourself question....It's not easy, I consider myself very coordinated and athletic but after about 3-4 months practicing maybe half an hour about three times a week I got to the point I was confident enough to throw bp to my 12U team, my form was still pretty bad and my #1 pitcher was hands down better than me. Although I never got very good I do think you learn a lot trying to do it yourself, plus I can't tell you how many male coaches I've seen out there teaching girls how to pitch but you will never see them actually throw the ball because they never have....I think that is one of the reasons Bill is so respected after he teaches you he can SHOW you, also why you still see pitching coaches littered with former players and the girls and parent respect them...they can actually SHOW you what they are talking about. At 10U I think you could and several parents on this board have taught their DD without a pitching coach because they couldn't find one they trusted but I think at some point it is really important to find a coach that can work with you on a regular basis instead of just going to a clinic twice a year.
 
Aug 21, 2008
2,359
113
To answer the leaning it yourself question....It's not easy, I consider myself very coordinated and athletic but after about 3-4 months practicing maybe half an hour about three times a week I got to the point I was confident enough to throw bp to my 12U team, my form was still pretty bad and my #1 pitcher was hands down better than me. Although I never got very good I do think you learn a lot trying to do it yourself, plus I can't tell you how many male coaches I've seen out there teaching girls how to pitch but you will never see them actually throw the ball because they never have....I think that is one of the reasons Bill is so respected after he teaches you he can SHOW you, also why you still see pitching coaches littered with former players and the girls and parent respect them...they can actually SHOW you what they are talking about. At 10U I think you could and several parents on this board have taught their DD without a pitching coach because they couldn't find one they trusted but I think at some point it is really important to find a coach that can work with you on a regular basis instead of just going to a clinic twice a year.

Just make sure they are showing you what the actually do, not what they think they do!!!! There are some really good pitchers that when you ask them to show you things, revert right back to HE lessons from their youth. It's extremely helpful to know the difference and not be afraid to call them out on it.

Bill
 

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