How to Do Lessons
/*As Published in Fastpitch Magazine
The stronger your reason for doing something the more likely you are to do it, especially for pitchers. Often students come to pitching lessons with vague goals. Young players might come because their parents want them to learn how to throw it over the plate so the games go faster. Experienced players come because they want to simply "get better."
I'd like to offer you a little help on figuring out your "why" for taking pitching lessons. That is, for going week after week, year after year, throwing game after a game, before practice, after practice, or even when you have a ton of school work. What are you doing here anyway?
Your pitching coach's job is to help you develop a repeatable motion as soon as possible.
The above statement has less to do with the job of the pitching coach and more to do with what you as a player want to do with what is given to you. When I was in middle school and high school I went to pitching lessons because I was told to. Supposedly it would make me better, but no matter much I knew this to be true, I didn't believe it. Being told to go wasn't enough of a reason for me to want to go which unfortunately wasn't enough reason for me to get much out of it. I'll break down the above statement in five sections to help you form your goals.
Pitching Coach: Softball is such a tough sport that players usually need additional coaching beyond that which their team coaches provide. Pitching is one of those positions. It's such a specialized skill that unless your coach pitched or did a ton of research into the mechanics, it's extremely difficult to "figure out". A parent coaching her young daughter's team can teach hitting, baserunning, or fielding ground balls well enough, but once her daughter advances past coach-pitch, it's off to pitching camp or lessons. Once a parent reaches her limitations, it is time to get a private coach.
The Job: There are three people with jobs, or responsibilities, in lessons. Me, you, and your parents. My job is pretty cool. I get to pitch and catch all day and teach you what I know about success. Your parent's job is to learn how to help you at home and pay for your lessons. Your responsibility is quite heftier. You must do what is asked of you, trust your instructor, do any work assigned to you during the week, and try hard. There is a catch here though; if your pitching coach or your parent isn't doing his or her job, you have to pick up the slack. If you aren't doing your job, no one will pick up your slack for you. You must figure out another way -on your own- because you have the most responsibly of all.
Help You: You have to do the work, and it's a lot of work. I can tell you how, show you how, and encourage you, but I cannot change you. You have to change yourself. You have to get your dad to catch for you at home. If he isn’t able to catch for you, you have to call your friend. If your friend doesn't want to, you have to find a wall. This concept here is the hardest of all. People write books, have conferences, produce TV shows, podcasts, and sell products all based on getting people DO something. To change. To want. Ultimately your pitching coach isn't going to make you into a pitcher. You are going to make yourself into one.
Repeatable Motion: I will show you how to perform a motion, make sure you can repeat it a few times, and then you must replicate it in practice. What's easier to repeat: a complicated motion or a simple motion? A simple one, obviously! When you watch elite pitchers on TV, their motions appear fluid, symmetrical, and effortless. On the other hand, beginning pitchers and even those at the intermediate stages can look quite different: choppy, labored, off-balance and filled with superfluous movements. You need to learn an easy motion so that you can remember how execute on your own.
As Soon as Possible: Think about a simple motion this way. If you had a terrible motion, for example, one with an off-line arm circle, a lean forward at the waist, chicken wing follow-through, but then somehow repeated that motion perfectly every pitch do you think you would be throwing strikes? The answer is... yes! If you can manage to repeat any motion over and over again you will develop the neural pathways in your brain to produce a consistent release point. You will be able to throw a fastball. Cool! But wait...how long will it take to learn a complicated crazy motion? If I give you a complicated motion it would take you longer to learn the mechanics. Once you have the mechanics down all you are doing is building neural pathways for a release point and spin leading to accuracy. Pitchers with complicated motions, those that don't go from point A to point B in a straight line will take years trying to figure out why they can't throw the curveball or a 60 mph pitch.
I found my “why” later in my career. I pitched because I loved being in control of my own fate on the field as opposed to doing something because someone else told me to do it. Find your “why” and you will be well on your way to having great success.
