USA softball pitching instruction (men's team) videos.

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Aug 21, 2008
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For those interested, and bored on the weekend, or simply trying to avoid the political discussions on TV... check out ISC Fastpitch on YouTube. There are some pitching instructional videos made by the ISC, the world's only Men's Fastpitch only organization. No women, no girls, no slowpitch, it's just men's fastpitch and is considered to be the best "championship" title to win: ISC World Champion. The teams are loaded with $500K budgets and pitchers/players that are simply amazing to watch.

Anyway, the USA National men's team pitching coach, Gerald Muizelaar (originally from Halifax Canada, I think) has put on a few "clinics" at the limited men's touranments that happened in 2020. They filmed them into a series of short instructional clips that some might find interesting. This is not an endorsement of what he's teaching, I just thought you guys might like to see it.

FWIW, Muizy was an amazing pitcher. He holds ISC records that may never be broken. Since a lot of people scream absolute bloody murder if a pitcher even has a dream the night before a game about her foot slipping , throwing an illegal pitch, His personal pitching motion would probably give people heart attacks if they saw it live, due to the size and length of his leap/crow hop when throwing but boy did he throw hard with an amazing change up.
 
May 15, 2008
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Cape Cod Mass.
Bill, it's interesting seeing the differences in the men's and women's techniques. One question, what do you think about the lack of FSR in the men? I posted a slo-mo video of Adam Folkard in another thread and he flows through the front leg. Do you think there is an advantage to it that can adapted in the women's game?
 
Aug 21, 2008
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Personally, I think a lot of things that are listed as "absolutes" by some are not actually absolutes. But I don't wanna start WWIII here so I'll leave it at that. I will say, in Folkard's case in particular, his massive jump (crow hop) eliminates the need to do some things correctly. Folkard is a great example of someone who throws a ball with blinding speed and movement, people reading this cannot fathom how fast its actually coming in as a hitter. I've faced it in the batters box and it's absolutely unreal. But he also has had a lot of arm issues, including early in his career. I'm not sure there is another pitcher who uses their legs as well as Adam does, now we can debate the crow hopping all day long.... but even crow hoppers are using their legs a ton. So while he's a freak of nature with velocity, he's paid the price for that with some big time injuries. Personally, I think Adam's speed is down several MPH's from what it used to be. He's in his mid 30's now, has a wife, 2 kids, and probably doesn't put the same effort in that he used to. But most guys go well into their late 30's, even early 40's on top of their game. But when father time catches up, he pulls that parachute real quick!!!

Anyway, the bottom line, if I was using a men's FP pitcher to model for my students (as I sometimes do), I wouldn't use Folkard despite him being the world's most decorated and accomplished pitcher currently. I'd probably use a Mike White, Andrew Kirkpatrick, Peter Meredith type model. Especially Whitey.
 
May 3, 2016
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I was bored this morning so I watched all of them. They did seem to raise some questions for me. Both of the guys that did not crow hop that was his first concern. One of the things I heard a few times was that leg is dragging way behind you. Would it be possible or beneficial to try to get a girl to keep her back leg more under her body rather than dragging behind? Not a crow hop just her drag more under her than behind. I just seen a video of Adam and it looked as though his toe stayed pointed down all the way through. He clearly left the ground and his toe replanted but it really didn’t look like he got a second push. (I realize this is totally legal in men’s & international play)


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Aug 21, 2008
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Yea, just to restate it, this wasn't an endorsement of what Muizy was teaching in these videos, I just thought some of you guys may find it interesting. I don't know what his experience is in teaching pitching, I don't know how much he's broken down the pitching motion to be able to teach it. He's a very smart guy and a hall of fame pitcher but, that doesn't always mean someone's a great coach. The only benefit I can think of right now of keeping one's leg under them would be for the crow hop. Since you don't want to do that in female softball, that portion of the instruction is a bit useless. I hadn't watched all of them yet, did he really instruct the people to crow hop who weren't already doing it? That's surprising.
 
May 3, 2016
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Yea, just to restate it, this wasn't an endorsement of what Muizy was teaching in these videos, I just thought some of you guys may find it interesting. I don't know what his experience is in teaching pitching, I don't know how much he's broken down the pitching motion to be able to teach it. He's a very smart guy and a hall of fame pitcher but, that doesn't always mean someone's a great coach. The only benefit I can think of right now of keeping one's leg under them would be for the crow hop. Since you don't want to do that in female softball, that portion of the instruction is a bit useless. I hadn't watched all of them yet, did he really instruct the people to crow hop who weren't already doing it? That's surprising.

Yes episode 4&5 I believe. Both looked like they had been taught the same that we normally teach girls and this was his main focus for those two. Although they are just 12-15 minute snippets of what I’m sure was a longer session. I have been wondering as of late if the crow hop will start being allowed in the near future.


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May 15, 2008
1,913
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Cape Cod Mass.
At 11 minutes into episode 4 he seems to be advocating a crow hop. He talks about getting into a K position and pushing off the back leg.

My question is still about the lack of any emphasis on front side resistance. The pitchers all seem to land and move through the front leg, resistance is momentary if it's there at all.
 
Aug 21, 2008
2,359
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Yes episode 4&5 I believe. Both looked like they had been taught the same that we normally teach girls and this was his main focus for those two. Although they are just 12-15 minute snippets of what I’m sure was a longer session. I have been wondering as of late if the crow hop will start being allowed in the near future.


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I think it will absolutely be allowed as the game progresses. You cannot keep arming one side of the game (offense) with 2020 equipment but keep the pitching rules set for 1950. Crow hopping is the pitchers' way of trying to regain that edge/advantage that is what makes fastpitch great. It's a pitchers game, traditionally pitchers put in more work than anyone else and that is taken away more and more by a 90lbs slapper with a $500 bat who can hit a ball 300 feet now days.
 

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