Tanner 12, first year at 12u

[Shawn]

Wow, what an improvement already. Keep pushing her. Maybe you have, but always set goals for the girls. Then once those are met set new ones.

This is me nit-picking but I'd try to get her to position her drag foot more on the tips of her toes rather than the inside of the big toe. That will help with the hip and decrease whatever anchor feeling may be left. But, again, huge improvement here from the last video you posted.

I'd also push her to get a little deeper on her drive leg. There's more power there that she isn't tapping into yet. I always tell DD....let the bottom half help your top half. Don't use only half of the body to do the whole job.

Any reason for not utilizing a step-back or start-back position?

Yes we are working on the top of the toes.

There isn’t a reason for not stepping back. I’m just old school when that was only allowed in HS ball. I never taught the step back because I didn’t what my players to have to worry about making an adjustment back and forth between travel ball and HS. Do you think we should play with a step back.

I do plan on getting them both on the drive leg and then shifting back to the stride leg/foot.

 

[Shawn]

You know that 5 ft difference is huge for pitchers who are still learning and only have 1 year of experience. Not to mention growth as well.

 

[Shawn]

Excuse me, I know what you mean by step back I thought or took as why do they have both feet touching the rubber.

 

[HunterMO]

Excuse me, I know what you mean by step back I thought or took as why do they have both feet touching the rubber.

All good! Depending whether it’s ASA, USSSA, whatever....step back and/or start back is legal. If worried about having to adjust....start back is legal everywhere as of last year. Even in JH/HS. DD found it helped her better create a load for her drive. If the rules allow an advantage why not try it?

I’ve noticed varying start back stances for college pitchers so it boils down to what’s comfortable.

 

[Gags]

Here’s my problem with her and her sister. They are opening from the feet to the shoulders without the core/pelvis being involved. Very distal actions. Pitching is more then leg drive, getting sideways and using the arm.

Her lowerbody locks up and her pelvis/torso. No stretch between the lowerbody/pelvis while shoulders are open at foot plant.

The back leg/knee shouldn’t be left behind.

It seems you have to teach them everything just like hitting.

View attachment 21582

I can't view the sideways gif (of them at the field), so maybe this is why no one else has mentioned it - but I'm not seeing much IR. Kind of looks like classic HE with the straight arm, palm down at 9:00 and the palm up follow through. (will edit later if the gifs from the field disprove what I think I'm seeing above).

And once again jealous of the amount of room people have in their garage's and basements. Or from my wife's perspective - the lack of "piles of crap" in their garages and basements.

 

[HunterMO]

I can't view the sideways gif (of them at the field), so maybe this is why no one else has mentioned it - but I'm not seeing much IR. Kind of looks like classic HE with the straight arm, palm down at 9:00 and the palm up follow through. (will edit later if the gifs from the field disprove what I think I'm seeing above).

And once again jealous of the amount of room people have in their garage's and basements. Or from my wife's perspective - the lack of "piles of crap" in their garages and basements.

Shawn mentions it in one of his posts. Can't remember which thread it's in. I saw the same, but since he mentioned noticing it I never responded to it.

I too would love a dedicated pitching spot. Every so often I'll get the garage cleaned up enough DD can throw into it from the driveway. Then about 48-hours later it's a mess again........

 

[Shawn]

Yes, The IR and a flexible elbow is what Tanner needs to work on for now on. Taylor is doing better, but needs work in this area as well. Taylor tries to clear her hips out of the way (monkey butt) for her arm.

We are going to practice tonight. Tanner is going to work on the whip and her swimming. With the main focus on the whip action.

 

[Gags]

When we started, we had the luxury of not having to erase any prior HE instruction. But a cue that may still help is to lead with the pinky down backside. It may not fully get her to palm up at 9:00 (few really get all the way there), but it’s helped us avoid pushing the ball (palm down) around the circle.

Also (and haven’t seen your other niece’s thread yet) - take a week (or more!) and focus less on “pitching” and more on getting them comfortable playing catch underhand. It’s a great way to help them feel the whip without the need to add in a windup and leg drive and whether it’s a ball or strike.


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[Shawn]

Gags

I’ll try the pinky cue. We pushed practice bank to tomorrow. I’ve heard of that cue before.

 

[Ken B]

Their mother was taught to open up and pivot the body open with turning the back foot by John Gay.

In a conversation with John prior to his passing, he said that his video study of elite pitchers led him to the realization that he was much more “open” to the advantages of the torso being at 45 degrees or so at release. Great man and always learning and growing.