I am helping coach a local 12u softball team in what is mostly a volleyball small town, so for most kids softtball takes a back seat to volleyball. We struggle with pitching, right now many of the girls are still on the fence about pitching where they want to pitch, bit have not taken the step to take lessons ect. My daughter pitches and I have sat through many lessons and camps, so I can help a little, sort of… but I struggle trying to teach a group. If I pull them out during practice one or two at a tme I feel to rushed, if I do a group or a couple groups trying to instruct multiple kids at the same time it is just complete chaos. At the lower levels what have you guys done for a format that has been successful at the lower levels?
Team pitching practices
- Thread starter John 800
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- May 17, 2012
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Teach them to throw a slingshot. Less moving pieces and things to go wrong. You are essentially teaching them to throw underhand with a step.
I conduct pitching clinics for 3rd-6th graders. I get a lot of mileage out of soft compression balls thrown against a wall in the gym and balled up socks thrown against a wall of mirrors. Lots more reps, less time chasing balls that have gotten loose. My last classes had 11 beginners and 15 2nd year students. Still chaotic at times, and hard to instruct individually, which is what works best.
- Jun 8, 2016
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IMO, best thing you can do in that setting is get them interested enough in pitching so that they want to work
on their own and then give them the tools (drills,etc) that will allow them to do so. I assume parents are allowed
to watch (and learn..)?
on their own and then give them the tools (drills,etc) that will allow them to do so. I assume parents are allowed
to watch (and learn..)?
Absolutely to all of that. I teach them things they can do at home, I encourage the parents to attend so they can help out at home, and I do my best to keep it fun for the girls. Team competition of knocking boxes off of pedestals and playing windmill dodgeball with balled-up socks are pretty big hits with them.
(Big Sigh) the parents here dont seem to get it. I have one girl who wants to pitch and enjoy it but needs alot of work. I showed mom one thing she was doing that needed to be watched and worked on and mom kind of shrugged it off as her not knowing anything about pitching or softball and therefore not being able to help. These parents as a group are very “hands off” I may need to have a meeting with pitchers parents discussion after practice, maybe have parents come catch also.
- Aug 21, 2008
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Doing groups are incredibly hard for pitching. Inevitably the coach has to tailor the lesson for the lowest level pitcher in the group. Even if they are all working on the same thing(s), one usually develops quicker than another. So when one pitcher is ready to move on, it can be difficult to do when another pitcher in the group isn't ready. This gap between the best and worst pitchers in the group usually widens when one is more willing to practice than another.
When I used to do group lessons, I'd have groups of 3 (for example). The first 15 min of the hour, we'd talk about what we're going to do, how we're going to do it, WHY we are going to do that, and make sure everyone understands why the ball goes where it goes when thrown. If a kid doesn't know WHY a pitch keeps going inside, they won't know how to fix it. Yelling "Throw strikes" doesn't help, they need to know why the ball is going where it's going, and then how to fix it. Ultimately then they have to figure out how to fix the issue(s). Anyway, I would start with that during the first 15 min, then spend 15 min individually on each kid. But, others may have their own way.
When I used to do group lessons, I'd have groups of 3 (for example). The first 15 min of the hour, we'd talk about what we're going to do, how we're going to do it, WHY we are going to do that, and make sure everyone understands why the ball goes where it goes when thrown. If a kid doesn't know WHY a pitch keeps going inside, they won't know how to fix it. Yelling "Throw strikes" doesn't help, they need to know why the ball is going where it's going, and then how to fix it. Ultimately then they have to figure out how to fix the issue(s). Anyway, I would start with that during the first 15 min, then spend 15 min individually on each kid. But, others may have their own way.
- May 13, 2021
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This would make it very difficult if not impossible for a kid to succeed at this position.
Guess I should clarify. I encourage parents to attend; doesn't mean they will. I probably get 20-30% that stick around, and I'm too busy watching the girls do their work to see how many parents are trying to absorb.
