release point. Working on changing form.

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May 18, 2009
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Hey guys, my daughter and I have been using some of the valuable advice on this site plus the advice of a pitching coach to work on correcting her form.

She's the classic 12 year old leaner. Four weeks into lessons and practice. The form is starting to look like she's a pitcher.

She will still revert to the lean when she pitches in games to keep the trajectory of the pitch lower. She hasn't mastered a new release point, she's become used to releasing at a certain area while leaning forward. Now when she straightens up the arm and hand are further forward.

Describing this is hard.

If her arm is straight down the side of her body at release and she has a lean then her hand is back. Now when she straightens out her arm is still straight with the body but the hand is 6-8 inches further forward causing the ball to sail high. If you hold your arm straight at your side and bend forward 6 inches that was her release point. Straighten up and you'll see how her release point has changed.

Any advice on correcting the timing of the release or just more practice?
 

sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,132
113
Dallas, Texas
Any time you change the pitchers form, she will have trouble with control for a while. It is difficult to change a pitcher in the middle of the season. She wants to pitch well during the games, so she compromises her form in order to throw strikes. She is under a lot of pressure from her coach, her team mates and you to "just throw strikes". So, you have to be realistic about what you can get done now.

To fix the problem, I would use "over exaggeration" of pitches. Using the correct form: Have her throw one pitch so it bounces before it gets to the plate. Then, tell her to throw the next pitch high. To throw a low pitch, she shortens her stride. To throw a high pitch, she lengthens her stride. Rotate between throwing a low pitch and a high pitch until she gets the feel of the difference between throwing a low pitch and a high pitch.

If you ask for a low pitch, and she can't, tell her to over exaggerate so that the pitch bounces to the plate. Similarly, if you ask for a high pitch and she can't throw one, tell her to throw the next one over your head.

I suggest you have a bucket of softballs, because they are going to go sailing over the fence.
 

redhotcoach

Out on good behavior
May 8, 2009
4,706
38
What you decribed makes sence. One of my dd started lessons and pitching 6 months ago. It is very trying. She will throw 20 strikes in a row one day, and throw everything 3 feet over the catcher the next. Our latest problem is that she is really flexible and her are circle started going way behind her at the 3:00 position causing her to throw at every right hand batter. I have been having her do a k drill with our garbage can right behind her so she hits it if she reaches back to far.

One thing that is helping her release that I got off of ritalynn.com is to spend some time each practice throwing jugs lite flite balls (whiffle balls would work too). They are light and go flying or drill the ground if the release point isn't nearly perfect. Have alot of them it gets frustrating if you have to stop and pick them up all the time.
 

redhotcoach

Out on good behavior
May 8, 2009
4,706
38
Sluggers hit it perfect with the timing during the season. I wish I would have had this dd start lessons at the end of last season instead of a few months before this one started. A few wild embarrassing pitches and her form changes from leap and drag throwing flaming fast balls to step-lob-step.
 
May 18, 2009
1,314
38
I was thinking of doing it the way sluggers suggested before I posted. I didn't talk to her pitching coach about it but that was my original thought. Throwing in front of the plate on the ground and working back to the strike zone.

I would've started with a pitching coach before the season if I thought she would've been put in as a pitcher. Now it's a matter of developing form for next year and the years to come. I'm not to concerned with this year and I've told my DD that.


Thanks again.
 

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