Order of training for new pitcher

[trpltongue]

Hello all,

I have an 11yo RH DD who is just starting softball. We are currently living in the middle east in Qatar so we have no access to PC's or any facilities. She has completed her first year and we really didn’t have any instruction on pitching. She wants to pitch and was one of the few that could actually get the ball over the plate. However, it was basically slowpitch, not fast pitch. I searched online and found Amanda Scarborough, but she is teaching H/E while pitching with I/R.

I want to teach her proper I/R and want to confirm the order of training from those that have been through the path

I’m a little confused on the order of training from the I/R thread and the I/R in the classroom thread.

This is what I’m thinking:

Start with reverse chaining the motion without a ball. Following the detailed mechanics of the I/R thread:
1) Work on external rotation of the palm at the 6:00 position.
2) Work on external rotation of the forearm at the 6:00 position.
3) Work on moving from 6:00 to 3:00 position (arm pointing away from catcher) with external rotation of upper arm until palm up at 3:00.
4) Repeat until it is natural feeling and repeatable.

Then move to forward chaining the motion without a ball. Again, from the I/R thread:
1) Move from 3 toward 6 until the tricep meets the body allowing some I/R in upper arm and stop
2) Continue some I/R in upper arm until at 6 with the exernally rotated position from above.
3) Continue I/R in the upper arm forearm and wrist until through release, allowing natural hip rotation without forcing them closed
4) Repeat until it is natural feeling and repeatable.

Now move on to the “rock it up” and natural release drill without a ball (6 to 3 to 6) and repeat until it feels natural.

Next is to move to the “Show it and throw it” drill without a ball.

Next is to move into the I/R in the classroom drills:
1) Lock it in drill (try to get the ball spinning 7-1 diagonal toward RHB), repeat until the elbow/forearm is not moving backward/away or forward until release causes follow through, and the spin is correct.
2) 9:00 drill – missing to the right is okay, continue to focus on ball spin. Repeat until?????
3) Magician drill – ensure overspin on the ball directly toward the catcher. Repeat until???
4) Liberty drill – repeat until?
5) Relaxed “long toss” full circle drill – what distance? Repeat until????

I'm assuming I'd do drills for 3-4 days a week for 30-45 minutes until we get through these first mechanical parts of the arm motion, then move on to power drive and putting the full motion together. Does that order sound right?

Thanks for your help

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Do you ever get to Abu Dhabi? I have an 11 year old student that had been with me for 3 years, until she moved, there. She recently played for Singapore Little league. She could help.

I personally do not do any drills, w/o a ball. Also, yes to watching Amanda Scarborough.

Do you have any videos, of your daughter?

 

[WillyT812]

I took to heart Board Member's advice and have learned to teach them how to throw underhand before we start any formal pitching drills. I created a video of a warm up drill that shows the level of effort I expect from my students when throwing underhand. The level of effort is the same as overhand. I would constantly catch my girls trying to pitch as soon as we went with underhand throwing. I had to get them to understand the difference. Throwing overhand and underhand is not the same as pitching. I have three new students now, with all of them we're just throwing underhand looking for consistency in a 1 to 7 spin and nice rps. This part takes a while, some a couple of weeks and in my own case...about six weeks. Bowling is a hard habit to break.

 

[Seattlecoach]

I'm assuming I'd do drills for 3-4 days a week for 30-45 minutes until we get through these first mechanical parts of the arm motion, then move on to power drive and putting the full motion together. Does that order sound right?
Thanks for your help

Great question! Softball pitching people-with a beginning pitcher which do you work on first? It seems difficult as all pieces go together and you don't really want to develop a bad habit in one part while learning the others. Specifically referring to arm circle, release, body position, and power drive. Bonus points if you can spell something out step by step because I'm dense to thick technical answers.

 

[trpltongue]

Do you ever get to Abu Dhabi? I have an 11 year old student that had been with me for 3 years, until she moved, there. She recently played for Singapore Little league. She could help.

I personally do not do any drills, w/o a ball. Also, yes to watching Amanda Scarborough.

Do you have any videos, of your daughter?

Amy,
I know exactly the girl you mention. We played against her two weeks ago! She did a great job. She actually played in minors and majors in the dubai heat. Tough cookie.

Willy, I hadn't thought about underhand throwing as part of pitching. It is something that we were doing by coincidence. We would warm up overhand and then throw underhand. Thanks for the video, that gives me an idea as to the level of effort she should bee striving for.

I don't have any video yet. Frankly we haven't done any work on the transition to I/R yet. I'm hoping to get some time this week to at least go through the arm motion and take a couple vids of her pitching in a natural state without thinking about H/E that I've been teaching her based on the Internet videos.

OILF,
We have worked all the pieces together with emphasis on staying vertical at the landing point and I really regret having "coached" her away from her natural motion. She had a natural I/R with ball spinning 7/2 and I forced her to correct it to 6/12 . Also part of the reason to give her a few weeks off to forget what I've taught her and get back to natural . I started her with arm circle then foot motion, then put it together all in a single 1.5hr practice session. Not sure if that's the best way forward with learning a new motion though?


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[trpltongue]

I forgot I do have a picture of her in mid motion:




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[sluggers]

Willy has really got it right...teach her to throw underhand before teaching her to pitch overhand. It is amazing how many pitchers can't play pitch and catch underhand. Additionally, it allows the pitcher to get a better "feel" for the actual motion. She can focus on IR component and get the ball to explode from her hand.

I would suggest doing the whole circle when playing pitching and catch...in other words, eliminate the crazy windup and all of that stuff, and focus simply on the circle and the IR release.

 

[trpltongue]

Willy, do you teach any of the mechanics of I/R before playing catch underhand or just tell the girls to play catch and see what happens naturally?


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[Ken B]

Without video, I'd hate to suggest anything. Prescribing a rigid progression for a kid without know what she has is a little scary to me. If you can, please post a clip and let us help you to grow based on her strengths and deficiencies.

 

[trpltongue]

I can certainly do that. Hopefully tonight we'll go out and walk through the arm circle a bit, and try to play some underhand catch. I doubt we'll move to full movement with leg drive today though. Still want video without leg drive?