Go with the eyes and focus. Maybe for some pitchers it will be the foot lands slightly (very little as noted) differently. For others maybe it will be the arm adjusts. In general, I think it will be the foot which the brain adjusts.
I was just going to say "after your DD is good and warmed up, have her pitch with her eyes closed." She should still hit her spots.
Look at the target and then, close the eyes and pitch. She can open her eyes after release.
I dont agree with stride foot placement to adjust anything in aiming the pitch.
The simple facts are that usually, the condition of the pitching surface is going to be uneven, unstable very loose dirt, hard as a rock, a very deep almost ankle breaking hole or for whatever reason something that will NOT be consistent from one pitch to the next.
The dirt surface the landing foot comes down on is almost always a major stumbling block to accuracy and is something you have to overcome for good accuracy.
You are focusing oin the glove and the strike zone. Muscle memory is what sends the ball to the glove no matter what happens with the feet. The stride foot slipping, or whatever, will send the ball wild one direction or the other. BUT, THERE IS NO WAY the surface is going to be consistent during a game. Once the landing foot is coming down on uneven, loose, or for whatever reason inconsistent landings, the 'Aim with the foot' theory goes out the door.
The foot aiming thing is probably fine for the teaching venue and pitching on concrete or gym floors. The competition venue, on a real softball field, maybe for the first inning. After that, not a chance. The pitcher is fooling themselves if they believe it makes a great deal of difference.
Sorry to disagree with so many but my landing foot has come down on surfaces in the circle from excellent to break your ankle ugly with rocks sticken out of the side. They all had to be dealt with and never was I able to use that to help my aim.
Hal, thank you.
I want to clear up a mistatement I made in an earlier post for the rest of the folks. It was Hal, not Ernie, who emphasized the precise timing between the 1:00 position and the planting of the foot. Hal, I have been observing that throughout the college softball postseason. Two nights ago, I went back to look it up, and I found it in your earlier post. My apologies.
My dd and husband are taking a close look at your detailed explanation and comparing it to her pitch.
Honestly, I watched Ashley Brignac the last two nights and thought, she must be one of the very few success stories with her pitching style. My dd and husband have gone back and forth whether it's a crow hop or not IMO, her foot is so far left of the power line, she appears to be off balance, but it won't be me to argue with her success. It's just unusual.
Out of curiosity, what do you think about the new product Monica Abbott is promoting?
Ang