Pitching gurus, Need advice with pitching style...

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Sep 29, 2020
42
8
Here's a quick summary,

FALL 2021 10U - DD was going to pitching coach A, He was simple, taught his players to focus on pulling muscle hard at the end and finish with fist to chest basically. His snap was like a screwball snap at all times. She did well throwing at max 47-48mph for a 10yr old. Throwing roughly 75% strikes and 1-2 walks a game.

SPRING 2022 10U - DD started season off strong but ended season slowing down and with bad posture, basically a bowling posture at finish(BAD!)

After this season, I decided to change her pitching coach, Especially moving up to 12u with a 12" ball , I thought this was the best time to do so..... This coach teaches a more traditional tumbling snap, with arm staying loose and whipping through and finishing out(NO MUSCLE PULL) Fast forward to now end of fall

Fall 2022 - DD is now throwing 44-45mph MAX , but is having very hard throwing roughly 50% strikes only, averaging 4-5 walks a game.

It's been tough and don't know if we should revert back to her other pitching coach and focus on the fundamentals.....

Is it normal to pull muscle? Or stay loose and whip through???? Whats everyone's thoughts???
 

Top_Notch

Screwball
Dec 18, 2014
512
63
Stay loose and whip through. It is not normal to pull the hand up, generally speaking. (Referred to as "hello elbow" vs IR) Check out some of the stickies in this forum.

It's also normal to slow down (pitching speed) due to the larger and heavier ball. Focus on mechanics as opposed to ball/strike ratio and wins/losses. As stated, video is a great tool.
 
May 15, 2008
1,913
113
Cape Cod Mass.
If the coach wants her to warm up or practice 'wrist snaps' that is a very bad sign. Isolating the cocking and snapping of the wrist is common, but it shows that the coach has a poor understanding of high level pitching mechanics. Here is a video showing the wrong way.

 
Jan 25, 2022
880
93
As others said, video. Slo-mo video preferably. What the coach teaches and what your girl is doing could be very different, and it's hard to catch the details without slow motion. It's the best tool on the planet for analyzing basic mechanics, and any decent smartphone can do it well.
 

sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,132
113
Dallas, Texas
Is it normal to pull muscle? Or stay loose and whip through???? Whats everyone's thoughts???

Stroll around a little at the ball park, and you will see parents strutting around talking about good their 10YOA girl is the next Cat Osterman. Fast forward 4 years, and the kid has given up pitching.

Why? The easiest way to teach a 10YOA girl to pitch 50MPH is to teach them poor mechanics. It is referred to as HE (hello elbow) or Muscling the Ball. It's a dead end--but the PC doesn't care because he has your money. The only way to hit 60+MPH with good control is "stay loose and whip."

The choice is whether you want your DD to be a good 12U pitcher or a great 18U pitcher and collegiate pitcher.

We would have to see a video of your DD to really see what is going on.
 
Sep 29, 2020
42
8
If the coach wants her to warm up or practice 'wrist snaps' that is a very bad sign. Isolating the cocking and snapping of the wrist is common, but it shows that the coach has a poor understanding of high level pitching mechanics. Here is a video showing the wrong way.


Instead of wrist snap drills, What's the proper alternative?

I will get a video this evening.
 

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