Sprinter Stance Style Pitcher

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Mar 28, 2020
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My daughter is new to pitching. Our Ace was injured and will be out for 6 months. That leaves the team with 2 pitchers so we are working my daughter to fulfill the 3rd role (14U pure 8th team)

In Track she is a sprinter so the pitching coach introduced her to a Sprinter Style Stance (that is what she called it). For her first go it was not as bad as I expected - velocity for her very first time wasn't bad (not travel ready but not bad) and she was near the plate.

I think the style that she was introduced to will work for her.

But I can't find detail about the style. I have found sprinter pitching drill videos, but nothing that breaks down every component of the pitching style.

The pitching coach she will use is extremely busy and took her in for a trail run as a favor. We won't see her again for three weeks that was her next opening. My goal---is to have some improvement by then, but I can't find anything to read up or watch to get a better understand of the mechanics of Sprinter Stance Style Pitching.

If I am using the wrong name of the style please correct me. If someone could point me in the right direction I would appreciate it.

Here is the type of stance and style she was doing:
 
May 17, 2012
2,804
113
Not sure why you wouldn't use a running start/gym step instead. Get your back heel in front of the plate and explode.

Not sure how well the "spinter start" is going to work when there is a hole in front of the plate either. It seems to me that she goes up instead of up and out.

Just my observations. Good luck.
 
Apr 17, 2019
331
63
I'd focus on the arm motion and release. Whip it! Palm up behind the body, bent elbow. Elbow to hip, then the whip!
Read the I/R in the classroom sticky. Here's a playlist I maintain to help beginners:


Sounds like the bottom half is going to be easy for her. She's gonna need lots of reps on the top half.
 
Oct 4, 2018
4,611
113
Most all pitchers (my observation) start with a Sprinter's Start (though no one I know calls it that) and most don't go quite so low.

We call it a "Start Back". Due to new rules released about 2 years ago, you can "step back" or "start back". The "start back" seems to have caught on as the norm.

People new to pitching may not know that it wasn't long ago when both feet had to be touching the pitcher's plate (aka the rubber). Being able to start back has given pitchers more balance and power.
 

JOHNN

Just a dad of 3 girls
Aug 5, 2019
375
43
South Louisiana
My daughter went to this style of starting and it helped tremendously, mainly with her leg drive, speed, and balance. Another plus I found to it was that she was able to always push off from the same body angle vs possibly being a little off if she were to step back a little to the left or right. Now granted she is only 10 so she hasnt had near the practice reps an older more seasoned pitcher would have but its worked well for us.

Whats shown in the video seems to be an exaggerated drill really forcing the pitcher to get into their legs. We dont start that low for the actual pitch but Id say its roughly halfway between straight up and as low as this drill.
 

sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,133
113
Dallas, Texas
My goal---is to have some improvement by then, but I can't find anything to read up or watch to get a better understand of the mechanics of Sprinter Stance Style Pitching.
You are making the classic newbie mistake: focusing on leg drive before the arm motion.

Pitching is 90% arm mechanics. So, the initial focus should be on upper body mechanics, not legs.

It is not going to make any difference now if she uses the sprinter stance or the rock back. (FYI...there is no proof that the sprinter stance is better than the rock back.)
 
May 13, 2021
643
93
You are making the classic newbie mistake: focusing on leg drive before the arm motion.

Pitching is 90% arm mechanics. So, the initial focus should be on upper body mechanics, not legs.

It is not going to make any difference now if she uses the sprinter stance or the rock back. (FYI...there is no proof that the sprinter stance is better than the rock back.)
Glad to know I am not the only one making that mistake. My DD was having issues of not executing her push off the rubber the same when actually pitching to a batter as she did pitching at home. She would shortened up her stride basically to a step trying to slow everything down and what I call place the ball instead of pitching the ball. When this happened her control was worse even though her mind she was trying to get more control. So we spent 4 weeks pitching without a ball then last week doing one without a ball then one with a ball throwing into a net. Concentrating on drive mechanics and staying stacked. My thought was if we do this enough without worrying about throwing a strike or hitting someone it will become engrained enough that she cant do it any other way. Maybe it was a waste of time, but was something we could do while giving her arm a break for a month or so.
 

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