Proud of DD

[MandM]

DD (15YO) had alot of highs and lows in Spring and Summer (ugh). Biggest low was acquisition of an obvious hop & replant which caused IP chants (although not actual calls) in HS ball playoffs, and got inside her head. It cropped up in summer as well, with occasional IP warnings. Major goal once TB stopped was to fix the problem. She had some good suggestions on how to do that from new PC. and she worked really hard at it. I have to say I was not hopeful because of everything I had read about how difficult an issue it is to fix. But she did it in about 8 weeks and maintained her new mechanics this weekend in TB play, without reverting back to the bad habit. not a 65mph story, but an achievement none-the-less.

 

[CLM265]

Nice to hear she overcame the replant problem. What's her next goal to achieve?

 

[MandM]

Sigh.... a pitcher's work is never done.
There are several goals: first one mental; two mechanical; two pitch-specific
(1) Relax and let her mechanics do the work in the game (i.e. don't get all inside your own head)!
(2) Stay TALL
(3) Increase RPM for movement pitches to high teens (now is @ 14-15)
(4) Develop confidence in CB inside to RHB both low and high in the zone (she is LHP)
(5) Spot her screwball (thanks to GOINGDEEP & others for inspiration)

oh and hopefully pitch varsity if 1-5 go well; and gain 1-2 mph if 1 and 2 go well.

 

[CLM265]

Nice list to work on. Any mental imaging of her winning her first Varsity game or some other big picture mental image?

 

[MandM]

I am trying to convince her that mental imagery is helpful. Trying to get her to read about it, but it is an uphill battle so far, hence an area for improvement and at the top of the "to do" list.

 

[CLM265]

Have you tried her pitching with a blind fold so she gets the idea about how it works?

 

[FrozenRope]

I am trying to convince her that mental imagery is helpful. Trying to get her to read about it, but it is an uphill battle so far, hence an area for improvement and at the top of the "to do" list.

Somewhere on this forum, someone recommended a few books. I went ahead and ordered one of those books for DD to read. She's been driving me nuts to get her another book like the Jennie Finch book ever since she read it. The one I ended up getting is Heads Up Baseball. At first, she said it was boring... I guess because it wasn't the tale of her hero. I just told her to give it a chance and now she's about 1/2 way through. It's a slow read, but she said she's used some of the ideas in the book and it's helped her.

 

[MandM]

Have you tried her pitching with a blind fold so she gets the idea about how it works?

I have not, but am willing to give it a go (that is, have her give it a go). thank you for the suggestion.