Pitching Guide for the Wary Player

Let's face it; there are no shortcuts to pitching perfection.  It's like diet and exercise. You can't be Arnold Schwarzenegger by pumping iron once a week for two years. You can't lose those 10 pounds by reading a couple of health articles and including celery into one meal a day.  You're not going to be the first 8 year old in the history of all post coach-pitch leagues to throw the ball anywhere near the plate by pitching once a week in games.  Don't fret though! Even a little bit of work will help and if done smartly could be a doorway to forming good habits down the road.

Of course as a pitching instructor I want each player to put in 100% commitment from day one so she  will reach her full potential as soon as possible.  However, I completely understand reality and feel obliged to help players with differing priorities whether raw or experienced. This guide is for you.

Are you the best pitcher on your team and you haven't really thought ahead to the next level of competition?  You might feel happy with your current skill level and are having fun. Maybe homework and soccer are keeping your really busy and you don't have much time to put in more pitching practice, anyway.

Are you in your first year of pitching?  You are trying out all the positions and aren't sure if you like shortstop, catching, or pitching in order to pursue anything in particular yet.

Perhaps you're a first baseman and your number one and two both got injured. Your team needs to get by somehow and you are it.  If any of these people sound like you, read on.

By using these tactics during the few practices or game warm ups you are able to, you will surely gain a more positive experience as a pitcher, make youth softball games go a tad bit faster with a couple less walks, and inspire you to have the desire to put in more work in the future without constant parental nagging.  These steps are intended to get get the ball rolling on forming work ethic and habits without jumping in and spending money on private lessons.  As long as you understand the reality of a reduced work load including inaccuracy and slow speeds you will benefit from these ideas. If you are only going to practice once per week or just pitching in games, these might be good methods to enlist.

1.Keep it extremely simple.

Remove your pre-motion or "wind up." Start your pitching with your hands at your side and make your first movement a stride with your leg bringing your arms up to 3 o'clock, as opposed to rocking back first.  The less movement you have the less possibility you have to mess it up.  By keeping your motion as simple as possible the more likely you will be able to repeat it.

2. Work on your mental game.

After all, you are doing this for the camaraderie, life skills, and fun, right? Change your goals from striking people out to doing things you have more control over. Those things include consistent pre-pitch routines, controlling your emotions, showing up to practice on time, and picking your teammates up when they make a mistake.

3. Get a change up.

If you are able to throw with enough velocity despite iffy accuracy you will want to work on a changeup.  You are going to be throwing a lot of balls anyway, so you need to take a risk and throw a change even if it's not over the plate.  That way hitters must stay somewhat on their toes even if the change happens to be a grounder or pretty high.  Plus, a changeup can be one of the easier (not easy) pitches to learn.

4. Don't do drills.

You need your brain to memorize a release point as soon as possible.  You have no time to perfect an arm circle, leg drive, etc. Don't do drills. Keep the motion you have and work on getting as many full pitches in as possible in a short amount of time. You need to try and get your brain to remember where to release the ball in the motion that you will be using in games.  Get full motion reps in when you can.  You have no time for the best fundamentals, you just need to get by.

5. Take it easy on the movement pitches.

Drops, rises, curves, etc. require a great deal of body awareness and proper mechanics to get your hand in the correct position to spin the ball. Some release points are earlier or later than fast balls so it can get confusing and take time away from working on your release point.

While the "less work, more play" route is the one most players take a liking to at the beginning of their softball career, there are some risks that go along with an abbreviated practice schedule. The main one of concern is the development of safe fundamentals. Poor mechanics can put more pressure or torque on the shoulders, hips, and legs increasing risk for torn labrums and biceps, tendinitis, and hip injuries.  Also, make sure you and your team are on the same page as far as commitment level so that the main reason you are there in the first place matches.

The key for you, Non-committal Player, is to focus on fun and not taking yourself or the game too seriously. Make friends, eat pizza with the team after, and analyze the game with your parents on the car ride home.  Who knows? Maybe I'll be seeing you for lessons after all.