Switching to IR

[BoardMember]

Ok so here's the facts about transitioning to I/R and the trap that parents and well meaning PC's create for their students.

They begin to train the proper throwing motion using drills designed to reinforce throwing with proper mechanics. The kid begins to show SOME progress in understanding the throwing motion, but the motion is still somewhat forced as the learning of the feel for it is still new to the body. And BOOM, he puts her on the mound and says PITCH using that motion. This is the biggest mistake one can make when learning to throw the ball underhand with proper mechanics WITH THE EVENTUAL GOAL OF BECOMING A PITCHER.

It is akin to teaching a kid to ride a bike, and when he/she gets 10 feet without falling over, sticking a passenger one the back and saying go for it! When instead, the student should continue to practice riding until she has complete control of the skill and only then cutting her loose to ride freely on her own without crashing.

This student is SO very close to her body developing an understanding of the throwing motion, but she's in no way ready to jump on the mound in a full motion, let along adding whatever that jump back thing she's doing.

Keep her from pitching until she can throw the ball to you from 20ft, 30ft, and 40ft, ACCURATELY and with velocity, with the same comfortable RELAXED motion underhanded as she does overhanded. She won't get it completely until that happens. In fact, she'll struggle trying to figure out how to throw the ball properly with all the distractions of the complete pitching motion.

This kid is SO very close. Don't wreck it for her by trying to make her pitch before she knows how to throw the ball properly with ease.

NO ONE should give you advise on the pitching motion until that happens.

Sorry guys and gals, but these are the facts. Can someone post a clip of their fairly accomplished student playing catch underhand for this dad? James?

He/she needs to see it. It will accelerate her learning curve tremendously......

This kid has talent. Lots of it. Let's help bring her along properly so she can thrive as a pitcher.

 

[BoardMember]

BRUSH CONTACT!!!!!!!!!!! or lack there of...
She is inconsistent in her accuracy due to no reference point. Combo this with not stabilizing the hips and torso into the whip, is your biggest issues to fix first.

No no no James. Her FIRST FIX is to become comfortable and natural at throwing the ball underhand without forcing the motion. She's so close.

 

[grcsftbll]

Listen to Board Member. We always taught ours IR but she was having issues with her mechanics. We took a break from pitching, started back up with the lock it in drills on the IR thread. The difference that made was really amazing.

 

[JJsqueeze]

No no no James. Her FIRST FIX is to become comfortable and natural at throwing the ball underhand without forcing the motion. She's so close.

BM- While we are on the topic of brush, I have never heard you chime in on if you think brush contact as described by Rick or Rich is a basic part of the pitching motion. What are your thoughts on the importance of brush contact?

 

[coach james]

No no no James. Her FIRST FIX is to become comfortable and natural at throwing the ball underhand without forcing the motion. She's so close.

Touche......
being loose and relaxed/comfortable is the first fix... you got me there.
However, once she's natural, lets work on arm to body proximity.

 

[BoardMember]

Is this young lady learning to pitch or learning to THROW?

I don't want to hijack this thread over BI. I'll address that in a different thread as time permits. I've addressed it many times in the past. In a nutshell, BI is result, not a cause IMO. Is it something I want my students doing. But it isn't something I emphasize until I know for A FACT it's necessary to teach it.

For some ODD REASON........All my students brush. Most often without the need to teach BRUSHING..........Why do you think that is?

 

[Angus]

So here's a question. My daughter is 8 YO and has been learning to pitch over the past 6 months or so. She is at the point where she can consistently pitch from 35 feet and, more often than not, throws strikes with good velocity (for an 8 YO). People are generally surprised to see someone that age pitch as well as she does, including her HC. Her team won't actually pitch in games until 10U, which they will move up to in the fall. I'm not sure I completely understand the different pitching mechanics - this is all new to me. But her PC teaches her to end with her hand at her nose, so I'm assuming that is NOT IR. My question is, at this young an age is this the right way to start, then switch to IR when they are a bit older? Or are we making a mistake by having her learn this way to begin with?

 

[Rocketech1]

My question is, at this young an age is this the right way to start, then switch to IR when they are a bit older? Or are we making a mistake by having her learn this way to begin with?

My 2 cents. Assume she will be pitching for another several years and do it the right way. DD started pitching at 7YO and for the first 2 years saw a HE pitching instructor and learned some bad habits that take lots of time to correct later on. If she is going to practice 3X a week for the next season or two (or three..), why not teach her the correct way to pitch? Same goes for a good hitting instructor, not some rec coach who teaches "squish the bug", "swing down on the ball", etc.

 

[djcarter1966]

So here's a question. My daughter is 8 YO and has been learning to pitch over the past 6 months or so. She is at the point where she can consistently pitch from 35 feet and, more often than not, throws strikes with good velocity (for an 8 YO). People are generally surprised to see someone that age pitch as well as she does, including her HC. Her team won't actually pitch in games until 10U, which they will move up to in the fall. I'm not sure I completely understand the different pitching mechanics - this is all new to me. But her PC teaches her to end with her hand at her nose, so I'm assuming that is NOT IR. My question is, at this young an age is this the right way to start, then switch to IR when they are a bit older? Or are we making a mistake by having her learn this way to begin with?

Just start the right way!!! Remember we are throwing a ball NOT bowling.

 

[javasource]

For beginning students... it seems like for every game they pitch, it adds another month to their learning curve... and sometimes it does them in for good.

As BM said, finish what you've begun...