Talking Softball with Denny

Your alarm sounds at 5am. You grab a drink and run out the door on a cold, gloomy morning. The bed felt so warm that it was almost impossible to leave.

Sometimes people will send us a drill from the internet and want to use it with their daughter. Before discussing the validity of any drill, you must realize that our entire focus is on the “development” of the pitcher. It is a process, step by step.

Some of our pitchers are incredible. We are always surprised at how a select group of them “brings it” every single pitch, regardless of how they feel.

Being a parent is tough. Knowing when to apply the brakes or gas is an art.

Recently a college pitcher said that gaining 4-miles per hour would take her to an entirely different level. As we worked through several progressions and she completed each skill, I asked her to write down how much she felt that each improvement would add to her speed.

Are you having fun? Are you having fun? Are you having fun? Ask yourself that repeatedly. And, there is a good reason.

One of our Certified Instructors had a great quote, “The effort of the athlete should at least match that of coaches and parents”. This article is specifically for players.

It was a near-death experience. While doing a small group session with new students, a dad just could not sit still.

Every athlete looks for that edge, something that will help them take their performance to a higher level. The greatest one is right in front of you and costs practically nothing.

Today we present a guest article from Stephanie Beane, Certified Instructor in Temecula, California: This quote was ringing through my head all morning as I was instructing a lesson: “Get comfortable being uncomfortable.”

New students frequently arrive who have hit a plateau. They are stuck, and many are injured, because they tried to push through barriers. In many cases, it becomes clear that we cannot help her change without changing her thought process.

She is very excited about playing softball and we parents immediately jump in with both feet. This will be great, right? If you are not extremely careful, you can quickly and permanently suck the fun out of it.

A new student will often ask one of our instructors, “What is the best way to throw a drop?” The best way to throw any pitch is the way that works best for you.

They are smart, talented, educated, and every day I am thankful to be around such an experienced group of people.

“One of the most important components for building confidence is humility”. This is a surprising statement. However, I could not argue with the man who made it.