Should pitching instructors only be pitchers?

[Mark H]

True. But I'm confident in this guy's view of and ability to teach efficient mechanics.

 

[Hillhouse]

I am not necessarily picking at your post in particular, but I love when people say the pitching coach "produced" all americans. Just like Ernie Parker produced Lisa Fernandez (who was very good before she met him). There have been plenty of all americans that have poor mechanics and would have been better had they gone to someone who would have taught them correctly. In viewing the CWS I see horrendous cases of poor mechanics every year. If somebody learns poor technique early on, taking them to Bobby Smith may be too late.

FP... you hit the nail on the head. Pitching coaches are often given WAYYYYYY too much credit for a pitcher's success. Every kid I work with gets the EXACT same info, it's what they do with it that separates them. Of course, there are some kids that just won't get it, not matter what. But, when people give a pitching all the praise in the world for Sally Jones' successs, I always ask how many pitcher he/she worked with that didn't become Sally's caliber. The answer is always: You can't blame him/her for someone not becoming good, you don't know why!. True, but you are giving credit for when someone DOES become good, why can't it work both ways?? Lets face it, in many cases it's a numbers game. Pitching Coach Joe Blow has had "X" number of college bound, All american students because he's been doing it 40 years.

Bill

 

[Ravenstown]

I couldn't agree more. The kid who puts in the work and effort using sound pitching mechanics is the reason behind their own success. Pitching coaches are great if they are teaching the proper way to pitch, but they are NOT the sole reason behind a kids success. There isn't a pitching coach in the world that has produced an ALL-AMERICAN. They may have helped to provide the tools/coaching needed to succeed, but in the end, the kid has to put in the work.

 

[Mark H]

Lot of truth to that. I'm always interested in how an instructor's average to below average athletes turn out.

 

[leo]

Werent lieutenants frag by there own troops

 

[Mark H]

Some of the bad ones.

 

[calgofo]

A local pitching instructor at various sites, has stated he has worked with 30000 students over the past 20 years. His adds take credit for Cat Osterman, Christa Williams, Brooke Mitchell, Christin Vitek and many others.

One, I wonder about the math. 30K students seems like it might be stretching it just a tad. Anybody here had 30k students ?

Since I know or am aquainted with, all of the fathers of the pitchers listed above, I would say the dads deserve as much credit as anyone.

 

[Mark H]

No doubt on the dad point. On the numbers, given his group lessons maybe so. I've seen him have eight or better kids throwing at the same time in a gym in the Katy area years ago with new groups walking in every hour. And no doubt he had some input to all those pitchers you mentioned. Most of them ended up moving to greater leg drive styles later.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

30,000 students? 3,000 students is even ridiculous. I have been in softball since I was 10. I have taught pitching for the last 20 years, and I am 55 YO. Let's divide 30,000 by 30 years. That is 1,000 students a year. I have maybe 30 students per year - and those aren't 30 different students. I do retain a few students year to year - so, maybe there are 20 new ones per year.

By the way, I never say how many students I have taught. School teachers don't normally speak in those terms. In fact, I hear very few D1 coaches talk in those terms.

DD had a pitching coach in NO. AZ. that told us that he taught Cat Osterman. Just how many coaches has she had? I think DD had 2 and doesn't include me.

Recently, a dad approached me and said "Oh, your the reason M______ is such a good pitcher." I said "No. Teaching girl's like M______ is easy. She brings the talent."

 

[curiousgeorge]

This goes with what FPCoach touched on about a certain pitching coach getting credit for someone and people that had little to do with him/her. How much did he work with her? Calgofo, I'm willing to bet, even if the number is inflated he is taking 'credit' for pitchers who may have attended his clinics (group lessons). I've been to Finch pitching camps (waste of money btw) where 200 kids were there. Multiply that by 20 camps per year. It adds up.