Coaches, pitchers, and umpires: you guys all need to read this. I will make it very brief. There has been a big rule change regarding the start of the pitch. Whereas previously, pitchers had to start with both feet on the rubber and do any kind of weight transfer with both of those feet in [...]
Everyone always likes to know the answer to this question:"what pitch am I going to learn next?" What I have found is that many pitching coaches like to throw out very scripted and generic answers to this question. See if this sounds familiar:"Well, first you learn fastball. Then change up. Then drop. Then curve. Then screw. [...]
Having a daughter who pitches is a huge investment of time, but also a huge investment of finances. In addition to equipment and travel team fees, you are also paying for lessons and cross-training. All of that can really add up. It can therefore be really tempting to skimp a little bit on lessons. You [...]
Have I mentioned how much I love speed work? Oh, and leg drive. Oh, and spin. Okay, you've got me. I love everything about pitching. I am blessed to be doing this for about 20 years now (I can't believe it!) and I look forward to working with my amazing athletes. I love not only hearing their accomplishments, but [...]
It's a dilemma that many first-time clients call me with: "It's so strange, she was fast/dominant/accurate for so long and this year, everything just seems to be falling apart." Not coincidentally, this always seems to be happening right around the time when the pitcher enters 14U or 16U. It's a tough situation. Most coaches and [...]
This is a period of time in which technology can be both very exciting and very frustrating. Yes, we are able to get lots of different metrics with new gizmos and gadgets, but those metrics aren't always accurate (and the tech doesn't always work!). Yes, we are able to get a lot of information about [...]
I have been around the game long enough to know when I meet a coach who is going to be amazing. When I meet another pitching coach, a great travel coach, or a great high school coach, there is something very different about them. Their eyes light up when they talk about the game. They can’t get enough. They [...]
I wholeheartedly believe in following your dreams. There have been many times over the years when I strived for something that seemed impossible but was able to achieve my dreams strictly through dogged determination and perseverance. My first several seasons as a pitcher were abysmal. I didn't even do an arm circle for years. When [...]
It's a time of year when we, as pitchers, might decide to take a break from perfecting our motions. Some of us might even be taking family vacations or looking at colleges. If you have been working hard all year, this is the time to step away from your motion for a few weeks. If you [...]
I really enjoy discussing cross-training and different types of workouts in general, but things can get a little tricky when we are in season (see last week's post) or when we are dealing with younger populations. Training at any level has to be age appropriate and skill-level appropriate, so I wanted to give you an [...]