Two years into the journey - our experience with crow hop

[jadefish]

I have been on the forum for a while and hardly ever posted. Thank you for all the great advice from the board. Just saw the post about crow hop and thinking maybe we will share our journey.

My DD started pitching about two years ago. This is the first season she pitched.



She somehow started crow hop in May the same year. But I didn't know it at the time



That summer, she played 8U travel. She was warned by two umpires in two different games because the other teams' coaches had a problem with her pitching. Again, this is 8U. Her team coach communicated with me. They told me that it seems that she pushed in front of the rubber. I only realized she is crow hopping after reading posts here.



I had to change a pitching coach who saw the hop and worked with us to correct it.



Fast forward, she is nine and half first year 10U now. No crow hop. However, I am not sure whether it worth the work and tears to correct it. There are many girls crow hop and usually they pitch harder. And most times, they don't get called.



I remember I private messaged a board member regarding the crow hop and he shared with me some of his experience. Thank you. This board is so friendly and helpful. I hope our experience could help other parents with crow hopping DD. It definitely can be fixed.

 

[jadefish]

I would like to add that if you have a young DD who is crow hopping / leaping, please don't be too rushed to correct her. Usually girls figure out crow hopping / leaping on their own are the girls who are aggressive and try to stride before being properly taught. Get her a pitching coach to teach her the proper mechanics. Don't be too worried over correcting crow hopping / leaping. She will be fine. It is actually also the advice (not word by word) given to me by the member who replied my message.

 

[radness]

I have been on the forum for a while and hardly ever posted. Thank you for all the great advice from the board. Just saw the post about crow hop and thinking maybe we will share our journey.

My DD started pitching about two years ago. This is the first season she pitched.



She somehow started crow hop in May the same year. But I didn't know it at the time



That summer, she played 8U travel. She was warned by two umpires in two different games because the other teams' coaches had a problem with her pitching. Again, this is 8U. Her team coach communicated with me. They told me that it seems that she pushed in front of the rubber. I only realized she is crow hopping after reading posts here.



I had to change a pitching coach who saw the hop and worked with us to correct it.



Fast forward, she is nine and half first year 10U now. No crow hop. However, I am not sure whether it worth the work and tears to correct it. There are many girls crow hop and usually they pitch harder. And most times, they don't get called.



I remember I private messaged a board member regarding the crow hop and he shared with me some of his experience. Thank you. This board is so friendly and helpful. I hope our experience could help other parents with crow hopping DD. It definitely can be fixed.

Well done post!

 

[BrianTx01]

That was a really small hop by a young girl that wasn't throwing that hard. I can't believe that any umpire would call that. I wouldn't be concerned about warnings. Some umpires will do that anytime a coach complains....and some coaches will cry illegal pitch anytime their team is getting dominated by a pitcher.

Like others have said, don't worry about it too much. I have never been a fan of heavy for drags. You hear of these pitchers wearing out the toe of their shoes two to three times a season. It seems like they have to be dragging their toe really hard to be doing that and that has to slow them down.