Our older daughter was always my fishing buddy, my hunting buddy, and our family spent countless hours camping as well. One day she discovered softball. The trips to the softball field grew more frequent and the trips to the lake subsided. The bass boat began to deteriorate from lack of use, so we sold it.
Often we will be helping a student develop a breaking pitch and her father will suddenly ask her to throw it to a certain location. That is a great way to overwhelm her. She needs time to process. Our research has revealed that a pitcher can only focus on two new things at once. Add …
When a kid wants to maximize the quick release of energy in softball, whether it is hitting, throwing, or fielding, she must know how to put her body in the correct position. As we continue last week’s discussion, let’s talk about dynamic power positions. I sort of dislike putting those two words together, dynamic and …
It happens day after day after day. A new student arrives and says, “My coach (or instructor) keeps saying I need to use my legs better”. They know they need better leg drive but have no idea how to do it. Telling a kid she needs to better use her legs is like telling her …
It is important to be sure you are always asking the right question when trying to help the pitcher improve. Novice instructors and inexperienced parents often ask a question that seems obvious, such as, “How can I speed up my pitcher’s arm?” They seem to think the arm exists in a vacuum and that, if …
It is wonderful when our instructors hit upon a great truth. While teaching in New York last weekend, a student was hesitant to try a couple of new pitches. Her concern was that she was quite proficient with her curve, drop-curve, and changeup, and she had been winning pretty well with those. Our New Jersey …
You may be surprised how many pitchers come to us for the first time after they are in college. They were good enough to receive an offer, but quickly learned that they were not good enough to pitch on that level, so they come looking for help.
One of our students postponed her lesson last week because she had not accomplished all of the goals we set a few weeks back. She said it was not fair to either of us to work on the same things all over again. See why I like this pitcher? When she returns I know she …
Often parents will try to find time for a lesson amidst their daughter’s busy tournament schedule. We are flexible and try to work with them, but sometimes they cannot find a suitable time to get with us. I simply ask, “What is her goal for softball?”
Occasionally a parent sends a video and has great concern about something that is a non-issue. Other times people will see a well-known pitcher do something and want their daughter to look like that. We love video, we use a ton of it, but it can also create problems if you don’t know what you …
Sometimes we wonder why so many players have good intentions but never get around to doing the things that will make them great. Last week it hit me.
Kids who perform well tend to carry themselves in a different way. They have a confidence that affects the way they handle themselves in the circle or in the batter’s box. But, can it work the other way? Does your body language enhance your performance?
Parents and players ask us questions about college recruiting every single week. It is confusing, it can be ugly, and few people understand the process. In fact, the process is always changing. The first thing you should know is that you are probably getting a late start.
Too many kids have been programmed to pitch, or even hit, like a robot. As they mature, they develop absolutely no body awareness and no ability to adjust. We may help them get rid of some terrible habits, and they look amazing in warmups, but during the game they revert back to the previous problems, …
This year we were so excited when our kids won high school state championships in California, Maine, and places between. As I thought about these kids, it occurred to me that none of them was particularly impressive at our first lesson. They steadily rose to the top. What was the common denominator?
