Mental aspect of pitching

[Crystal Brown]

I was watching some tournaments where some pitchers seem to crumble under the pressure…Then some seems to thrive.
I have seen and heard about how a pitcher in warm up is throwing faster than they do in a game.

 

[quincy]

One of our fields had permanent plate at 40 feet, I complained HC made 2 phone calls and city ripped it out.

Like HC.

 

[Bruiser4242]

I think that regardless of the position, the mental part of the game starts day one. WE don't believe you can wait till the DD is 12/13 years old to start working the mental side of the sport. By this time, they have been exposed to many other's behavior and more than likely they recognize those behaviors as the norm. It's all about setting expectations early and reinforcing often. DISCLOSURE: I wish I was as good at following my own advice when it comes to managing my own emotions.
None-the-less, regarding the position of "Pitcher", our family conversations center around a few key points:
1) NEVER show up an umpire (strikes and balls will be missed and it is disrespectful, you also have NOTHING to GAIN by doing so) BREATH
2) Don't allow opposing coaches, players, parents see you revel in the good times nor wallow in the bad times (it's a game of failure, there will be plenty of bad) BREATH
3) The "process" of playing softball with an expected goal of playing in college is a MARATHON, not a SPRINT (therefore, don't ride the rollercoaster of emotions) BREATH
4) We constantly promote humility and gratefulness (pitchers can't do it alone, it takes all 9, it is a TEAM sport) BREATH
5) Humility can come in the form of a "shirt sandwich" when they don't play up to their potential (we choose to call it for what it is, no window dressing the poor performance, we are not the coddling types) BREATH
6) Gratefulness can come in the form of reminding them who they should THANK for helping them succeed (coaches, teammates, mentors, family, etc.) BREATH
7) The only pitch that matters is the next pitch (short memories) BREATH
8) LIVE IN THE MOMENT (lean into the feelings, don't ignore nor run from them) BREATH
9) Lastly, we have made our DD well aware that no matter how big, strong, fast, etc. she thinks she is, there is ALWAYS someone better. BUT, if she prepared and performed her best and she got beat, then she should hang her head high because after all it is a MARATHON and you will have your chance of redemption soon enough.

Did I mention BREATH?
Controlling your emotions and your blood pressure through fundamental breathing is HUGE....during the 7-8 years we have been watching, we haven't seen much if any of this technique being used in travel nor high school ball......Just our experience....doesn't make it right or wrong, it's just what we have experienced.

 

[Phandle]

Your guess is as good as mine. I think it has to do a lot with confidence. Some have it some don't. My dd is just now getting confidence and its helping her composer. But this past weekend she was in the circle that had 4 mounds. She politely asked the ump which rubber to pitch from. She kept landing on the mounds in front of her...it got in her head....she slowed way down and the rest is history. She discovered she hated astro turf also. She was pulled from game. Put in another pitcher and she was cool as a cucumber. Very frustrating. At this point I started to wonder....why can't my dd just be calm and throw....why cant she have the composer as others.....I am looking forward to reading others responses.

This is dangerous and can injure a pitcher. My daughter was pitching a game and went down on her knee on her first pitch. Found out there was a 10U rubber in front. She did not pitch till the grounds crew dug out the pitching rubber in front.

 

[grcsftbll]

I'm sure it can be learned and improved upon but I think a lot of it is just the player's nature. I was SO NERVOUS the first game my DD pitched. She had just turned 9, just moved up to 10U, first time ever in an A level tournament. I was a wreck. She walked out cool as a cucumber and pitched the whole game which we won 13-1 as a first year team against a 2nd year. I wasn't ever quite as nervous again after that. I asked her if she was nervous before the game or during and she just looked at me like, why would I be nervous? I play softball all the time. The only times I have ever seen her rattled was when the umpires have had a very inconsistent strike zone. Small she can deal with but inconsistent makes her crazy. She hides it well but mom knows.

I've seen some very talented pitchers with every reason to be confident who get super rattled if girls start to hit off them. Then it's all downhill, and I swear it's 99% mental. They aren't suddenly crappy pitchers because one girl gets a hit. It's like it just gets in their heads and they can't get back on target. Some kids seem to naturally do better under pressure than others. But it's like anything, I'm sure there are plenty of things players can do to find that mental calm, they just have to figure out what works for them I guess.

 

[IR a Pitching Dad]

The Mental ABC's of Pitching by H.A. Dorfman is a great read. Broken down in to quick easy to read chapters with 'take aways' at the end of each chapter. A baseball book that easily translates to softball. We travel with it to tournaments (still!).

 

[pumpkinbear]

How can you help improve the mental aspect of pitching? Why does some pitcher seems so cool and collective while others crumble under the pressure?

My dd made great strides in this area by throwing the ball into her glove between pitches. Riseball/boardmember opened my eyes to this a couple of years ago (it had been said many times before; it sank into my skull a couple of years ago).

Think about it--with a little practice, anyone can stand with good posture 45 degrees from the imaginary target and execute a pitch into their own glove with good technique. javasource and Rich Balswick both have videos that show you exactly how to do this. Rick has probably already coached Dominique up on this if she and you are trying to help other pitchers with composure. Rehearse the pitch, throw the pitch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5T4Jd7GKg5Q&list=PL9bNTLmTZjuF34eOVJblrrmEVYif3BE2p
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijHqW1ZpcV8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WJ7V02T8DE

It helps my dd avoid extended wild streaks. It even helps me (i became a regular batting practice pitcher at 58 yrs with the javasource 2-step and the above videos).

Disclaimer: Look back over my earlier posts and you'll note that I'm an unlikely candidate to post on the mental aspect of anything.

 

[CasshendyB]

Commit to it, execute it, and own it. Jake knows that if she throws a pitch to the best of her ability, very few players will hit it hard. If she does this on every pitch she will have a great day. If you are thinking about the score, how many runners on base, how the last pitch was jacked, how the SS booted the last two, etc. as you release a pitch you are doomed. From the time she gets the ball back from the catcher to the release of the next pitch we use a very specific step by step process to manage the mental game in the circle.

Can you please elaborate more on this specific step by step process? Would love to hear more on it. Thanks!

 

[Fastpitch86]

I personally think some of the mental aspects of pitching are hereditary, but if you want to maximize a players potential I would suggest reading "The Champions Mind".
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1623365627/ref=pd_sbs_14_img_0?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=47V0KW237ZKDGQJ4YZ7E

Just added this book to my wish list.

 

[Fastpitch86]

My dd made great strides in this area by throwing the ball into her glove between pitches. Riseball/boardmember opened my eyes to this a couple of years ago (it had been said many times before; it sank into my skull a couple of years ago).

Think about it--with a little practice, anyone can stand with good posture 45 degrees from the imaginary target and execute a pitch into their own glove with good technique. javasource and Rich Balswick both have videos that show you exactly how to do this. Rick has probably already coached Dominique up on this if she and you are trying to help other pitchers with composure. Rehearse the pitch, throw the pitch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5T4Jd7GKg5Q&list=PL9bNTLmTZjuF34eOVJblrrmEVYif3BE2p
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijHqW1ZpcV8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WJ7V02T8DE

It helps my dd avoid extended wild streaks. It even helps me (i became a regular batting practice pitcher at 58 yrs with the javasource 2-step and the above videos).

Disclaimer: Look back over my earlier posts and you'll note that I'm an unlikely candidate to post on the mental aspect of anything.

Thanks for the videos.