Overuse???

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Mar 25, 2009
13
0
My 10 year old has been pitching for almost 2 years. She has done very well. Last year the team that she played for was a tournament team so they played league (2 -4 games a week) and 3-4 tournaments a month. The problem was she was the only pitcher. She pitched as many as 7 games in one day. We were new to softball so we didnt know anything about overuse but did have concerns that we voiced to her pitching coach only to be told that we should be happy that she has all that mound time and that it wasnt too much pitching. Needless to say she has a new pitching coach. Towards the end of last year her mechanics started changing with her arm circle. She was beginning to short arm it alot and is continuing to do it now and has lost her control and speed. Her pitch is very scattered looking. Could this be overuse syndrome? Is there anything that we can do to help her?:confused:
 
May 7, 2008
8,506
48
Tucson
Unless she is hurting, overuse should not have effected her arm circle. I do believe that she was pitching too much, but hopefully it has nothing to do with her arm circle.

I have many students that are 8 - 11 years old. Sometimes they are trying to emulate another pitcher that they have seen. Or, maybe her arm circle was never all that great (drifting behind the head, etc.) and she has been over compensating with another part of her form. I am not too happy with the first pitching coach, so almost anything could be wrong.

I know drills to help the arm circle, but do you have a video, first?
 
Mar 25, 2009
13
0
Amy I will try to get video of her and get it posted. Her arm comes way out from her body. Any help you can give is appreciated.
 
May 7, 2008
8,506
48
Tucson
There is something called the Perfect Circle, that is very simple and you could probably make one.

I just stand the student about 6 inches from a fence (they are facing the fence) and have them arm circle. Then, I have them pitch from there. She can also practice this standing in a hall way at home, w/o a ball.

Hal, has lots of good drills that I use for youngsters. He has a book. One, I use is the whiffle ball drill and two, I use the ball in a sock drill.

If I was coaching your DD, I would lay down a "power line" and explain that the path of the ball has to stay right above the line. It sounds like your DD is hold the ball out on the far side of the line. I tell them that if I would happen to drop the ball at any part of the circle, it will drop on the line.

Are you certain that her shoulder is healthy and can she reach straight above her head? I ask that, because you mention overuse.
 

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