Sling shot pitch?

[Doug]

I coach a spring rec team, and also have been a volunteer head coach at a grade school (K-8) that plays it's games in the fall for several years.

I have a returning pitcher (7th grader this yr) who played on my rec team in the spring, and she is pretty good at hitting her spots, but her speed isn't dominating. I LOVE the change up for an offspeed pitch, but she just has trouble with it.

I have considered teaching her a sling-shot pitch as an off-speed pitch. Has anyone ever done or seen a pitcher throw a sling-shot pitch along with a regular windmill pitch? I realize that the batter will know what is coming, but I still think if thrown sparingly, it could be a very tough pitch for a batter to face.

Thoughts?

 

[Doug]

Mods, please delete.

 

[Doug]

Thanks Hal. I did a search and found that this had already been discussed not to long ago.

The motion I want to use is the regular slow pitch motion. Just the back and forward with a step, without the opening and closing. The speed would be greatly reduced, but I still think it would be a tough pitch to hit because of the timing.

 

[Coach Al]

First off I am surprised that no one said that switching from a windmill windup to a sling shot would be a dead give away that the change is coming! I have a 9 yo pitcher right now that switches back and forth from 1 to the other and I am trying to get her to stick with one.

 

[PEPPERS]

My daughter uses the sling shot and throws all her pitches from the sling shot, she uses 3 different deliveries to throw the timing of the batter off. Joan Joyce the claim goes could throw in the 80's using the slingshot although she advised it was more in the 70's

See link as JJ explains the slingshot pitch.

YouTube - Episode 105 - Joan Joyce Explains The Slingshot Pitch - The Fastpitch Softball TV Show

 

[Coach Stan]

God I love listening to the legends and how the explain things. When I came on here and spoke about the sling shot, the figure 8, and wind mill people gave me a hard time. Telling me that these styles such as figure 8 and sling shot were not effective pitching style. My parents love it when I pitch the sling shot and figure 8. I teach the sling shot, but find it is kinda hard for students to go from regular wind mill to figure 8 and back. Messes up their timing. Yes, us old farts know a little about pitching.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Include me as a fart. I have tried to tape the slingshot pitch, but I just look ridiculous. Maybe I could pay my daughter to try it, so I could tape it.

I also know the figure 8.

Amy

 

[Damiansports]

My DD uses a sling shot when warming up at 35ft and she throws a bit harder than windmill at 35ft. Might see if she can do it in a few games today.

 

[PEPPERS]

My DD uses a sling shot when warming up at 35ft and she throws a bit harder than windmill at 35ft. Might see if she can do it in a few games today.

This is how my DD began by throwing in warm ups at 25 feet or so and as she got faster we moved to 43 and then began using it in games. She windmill a number of batters, and then the slingshot and the hitters watches a strike. The slingshot also throws the timing off for the slappers.

 

[Doug]

First off I am surprised that no one said that switching from a windmill windup to a sling shot would be a dead give away that the change is coming!

Actually, I did in the first post.

Using it sparingly, I still think it would be effective.