Too long of a stride??

[TheRogue]

Is my DD's stride too long? Her first PC said it was, her current one isn't concerned, as long as she's not collapsing on the back leg......which she does some times, especially when she's trying to really spin something.

 

[sluggers]

Cindy Bristow wrote a lengthy discussion about stride length here:

Cindy Bristow on stride length

Your DD looks to have a big stride. But, my question to you is, "Why are you asking?" Is there a problem with her pitching? What is her speed? Is she having control problems?

Ray

 

[TheRogue]

More of anything, consistency in speed, I guess....her fast ball will vary pretty significantly even in one at-bat; maybe down as low as 48-49, then up to 52-53 (on warm days). Her first PC said he felt the great big stride was part of the problem, she was focused on the big stride and that sometimes her timing would be off because of it, resulting in everything slowing way down. She's only 12, so I don't want to be too hard on her , but now's the time to get it right so it sticks!

 

[sluggers]

At 12 YOA, she will be inconsistent. I assume that she does the drag correctly and doesn't crow hop. If her drag is wrong, then that should be fixed.

Based on this one picture, her inconsistency may be more due to her arms motion than her stride. She doesn't seem to be getting a good extension with either arm. I've attached a shot of Osterman at about the same position. You can see Osterman's arms are fully extended. Your DD seems to be keeping her arms bent and close to her body.

If the arms aren't extended, she will be losing speed.

 

[TheRogue]

No crow hop. Both PC's have worked a lot on the arms; she seems to do OK until she starts throwing a lot of spinning pitches, then tends to forget.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I think that the picture is of a circle change up. She might be even striding less than normal, there.

By the way, it is a great picture.

I have many students that aren't getting 3 feet away from the rubber. Their arm doesn't even have time to complete the arm circle.

 

[TheRogue]

Yes, it's the change up.

Have a team parent with a new Canon DSLR who is a picture taking machine, he's got some great pics!

 

[halskinner]

Tell her tp pretend she has a roller skate on her stride foot and to not let her foot get any higher than that. You want to stride OUT not UP.

 

[attma]

I've seen you post about the rollerskate elsewhere on this board Hal, and you've probably forgot more about softball pitching than I'll ever know, BUT...all of these pitchers have their stride foot WAY higher than a rollerskate and I'm pretty sure they are striding out.

 

[halskinner]

I've seen you post about the rollerskate elsewhere on this board Hal, and you've probably forgot more about softball pitching than I'll ever know, BUT...all of these pitchers have their stride foot WAY higher than a rollerskate and I'm pretty sure they are striding out.

The pitchers you have focused on are NOT young beginners and I dont care what they do. The simple fact is, what goes up must come down and the higher it goes up the harder it comes down. The harder the landing, the more risk of a shoulder injury in that process. The harder the landing, the less accuracy you will normally have.

For the younger not Olympic calibur athletes, dont do what they do in this case. Do what makes your landing the smoothest and you will be able to put a softball up a bug's butt at 40 feet.