Step-Style Pitching

[ranstl]

My 10 yo is going into her 3rd season of pitching, second under a qualified PC. She started with the step-style, went to the leap and drag, then back to the step and go. We went back to the step and go b/c her velocity and accuracy actually went down with the leap (she was having trouble with the mechanics). Here's the thing - she throws low 40's, hits her spots, has a good change-up, and doesn't cheat the power line like typical step and go pitchers do to get more power. PC advised to get through the spring season and we'll work on the leap before fall leaque play starts up.

Does anyone know of any successful pitchers NOT doing the leap and drag? At any age level? Clearly it's the superior method for generating speed, but like with batting, some people are just different and I'm wondering if maybe we shouldn't push the issue with the DD. Would we be holding her potential back if we don't force the leap and drag on her? I'd like to hear your qualified opinion.

I should also specify - we are a very solid B-level team. We can hang in A-level tournaments most days, but we won't win any national championships.

 

[halskinner]

ranstl,

check your private messages.

 

[MrGreen]

ranstl,

check your private messages.

Please tell me that this is not the direction this board is going. That is - a question is posed and the opinions are expressed privately. Stop worrying about lawsuits. The opinions expressed on this board are just that - opinions. Moreover, they're opinions expressed by people without any obvious or verifiable credentials other than what they tell you (not implying those out there are not experienced experts in a particular field). I'm sure there are very experienced pitching people here. My point is that this is not WebMD - which I believe has disclaimers anyway. This is a great forum where ideas and opinions are discussed. There are many ways of doing things and often times equally legitimate. Don't be afraid of expressing your opinions in the open. People are free to accept or reject it. I'm sure if someone said something completely ridiculous, others would chime in. Any lawyer who ever took a case based on an injury allegedly resulting from someone taking advice expressed on this board is an idiot - and would be viewed as such by his/her peers. The name of this game is "discuss fastpitch". Let's keep it that way.

 

[blatour]

my DD was a stepper for her first 2 yrs pitching and we switched her to L&G. she struggled with her timming and release for the first 2 months in the offseason but she has a great coach. they worked it out and her speed is awsome and she hits her spots very well. I think for MY DD it was the best ove we made for her, she had to work realy hard to make the change so i give her all of credit in the world.

 

[mkral]

I hope Slugger does not mind me posting this but his DD has been very successful as a stepper.
She pitched D1 with no problem. It sure has not slowed her down at all.

 

[Jojo]

Please tell me that this is not the direction this board is going. That is - a question is posed and the opinions are expressed privately. Stop worrying about lawsuits. :

My thoughts exactly, I was thinking maybe we could just all exchange e-mail addys and have all our discussions privately.

My DD was a stepper until 14. I switched her to L&D for her high school years, yes there was a little adjusting time. I'm positive she would never have been as good as a stepper. All the other good stepper pitchers were beginning to lag behind at that age, the L&D pitchers were the ones dominating, so I changed her, It really was the best for her.

 

[Wookie]

I had the exact same problem with my 10yo DD. PC wanted to change to leap and drag, and told us to dry practice at home - very frustrating to say the least. Then when she actually had to pitch the ball, same thing as others have stated - lowered speed and lack of control.

Two things got her over the hump:
1. Video - I got her on film doing it both right (rare) and wrong (often) with the dry practicing. She was able to see what it looked like when correct, as well as when she was doing it completely wrong. This took about 1-2 hours before the correct mechanics were consistently being used.
2. Walk through drill - someone on this site mentioned using the walk through drill. She did it and could feel the difference. BUT we had to stop that because when we went back to the plate she started walking from there! The real value of this drill, IMO, was getting her to realize momentum and body lean.I'm sure there are other drills that help with this, but for DD this worked the best.

So now she's gone from cruising at ~42 mph with step to 45+ mph - all within about 1 month. PC wants her to start learning the change-up soon. I completely trust the PC for her development.

 

[Dusty]

My dd's have both been L&D their entire pitching lives and they are fairly tall and thin. Although I'm not qualified to offer a professional opinion I've noticed that the bigger, heavier set pitchers seem to do better with a step-style than L&D. How big your dd is relative to her peers may have some bearing on whether it's worthwhile to reinvent a step-style pitcher into a L&D pitcher.

 

[tojo]

My dd's have both been L&D their entire pitching lives and they are fairly tall and thin. Although I'm not qualified to offer a professional opinion I've noticed that the bigger, heavier set pitchers seem to do better with a step-style than L&D. How big your dd is relative to her peers may have some bearing on whether it's worthwhile to reinvent a step-style pitcher into a L&D pitcher.

I tend to agree with your observation about the bigger,heavier set pitchers and your conclusion. There are exceptions to every rule, but the majority seem to fall in the step style as you stated.

 

[redhotcoach]

DD switched PCs 6 months ago, just because of moving. She pitched L& D for a year. Last PC pushed learning by leaping as far as possible and throw as hard as possible, no cares of where ball goes. Then next session you need to leap a little farther and pitch a little harder. New PC is more about hitting spots and "safe" technique with a step style.
After alot of work on making the change, dd is throwing alot more accurately. Seems to me like step style has less timing to learn, easier to find release point, and has fixed her problem of often throwing at right handed batters because of an arm circle that quite often wasn't straight because of reaching behind to far at 3:00 position.
What it does for her pitching 5 years down the road, who knows. PC has successful pitchers and was successful herself despite being fairly small. I think it is importan for dd to be successful now, or she wont want to continue.