Drag foot question

[andynayrb]

First time posting, long time reader. I have learned tons of information from this site. My answer is probably somewhere on here, I just probably haven't found the correct terms to type into the search.

So my DD has a really heavy drag foot. She digs out a serious trench when she pitches. It is her toe that is dragging, not the whole side of her foot like some girls do. I have been thinking about this a lot. I see a lot of pitchers where their drag foot glides gently across the ground, almost losing contact. My DD and I have wondered if she should try to come closer to losing contact with the ground, like almost hopping? Like jumping at a slightly larger angle? In my mind the heavy drag has to be slowing her body down, thus losing the potential for more power.

As I typed the above paragraph, another thought just hit me. Could this be more of a problem with what she is doing with her drive leg (push-off leg) as a whole, does it need to be actively brought forward sooner after the push off? I don't know, just thinking out loud.

Thanks,

 

[Agcy]

If the foot leaves the ground/ground level, it is a leap. If there is a hole in front of the pitcher's plate, as long as the toe of the foot doesn't come above the level of the ground, it is not a leap.

Leap is legal in USSSA, but not NFHS. (I'd have to look into the the other org's rules to be sure where everyone else is on this)

 

[Jeffrey]

First time posting, long time reader. I have learned tons of information from this site. My answer is probably somewhere on here, I just probably haven't found the correct terms to type into the search.

So my DD has a really heavy drag foot. She digs out a serious trench when she pitches. It is her toe that is dragging, not the whole side of her foot like some girls do. I have been thinking about this a lot. I see a lot of pitchers where their drag foot glides gently across the ground, almost losing contact. My DD and I have wondered if she should try to come closer to losing contact with the ground, like almost hopping? Like jumping at a slightly larger angle? In my mind the heavy drag has to be slowing her body down, thus losing the potential for more power.

As I typed the above paragraph, another thought just hit me. Could this be more of a problem with what she is doing with her drive leg (push-off leg) as a whole, does it need to be actively brought forward sooner after the push off? I don't know, just thinking out loud.

Thanks,

A heavy drag is limiting her potential if it keeps her from getting to her landing spot. If she's landing 80%-120% of her height depending on her skill level, she's probably ok assuming her posture is proper at/into release. Have her try leaping, or launching more upward, and see if she can adjust to a lighter drag. It can take a while to make an adjustment like that though!

 

[Spin it]

Look at the drag foot like a boat Anchor, the deeper it goes the harder it pulls in the opposite direction. I always told mine remember you are only dragging the back foot because legally you have to so do it as light as possible, it serves no meaningful purpose in the pitch. There is lots of discussion that leaping with no drag may be legal in the next few years….

 

[DNeeld]

How much of a hinderance is her drag foot? Has she peaked in spin and velocity and this is part of the fine tuning of mechanics to get that last extra bit of potential? Or is this just something you've noticed and don't particularly like?

As was mentioned, this isn't a quick fix. Practice time might be better used in another area.

 

[Mike-Coach-Q]

A video for her pitching from the side and front view might be helpful

 

[andynayrb]

This is fine tuning. She throws about 60mph give or take. Her front side resistance needs to improve from the waist up and I am not thrilled with the finish of her arm. She is pretty solid.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Cornbread]

The drag foot digging a trench is typically caused by the pitcher getting open early or “trying” to get open. If the hips, knees, and shoulders are all facing the catcher when the ball is at 3:00 in the upswing the drag foot will not be an issue. Without video this is just spitballing

 

[Fury_Mike]

My guess without seeing a video is that at push-off, she is driving the stride leg foot out, leaving the drag foot behind. Need to get her to understand driving out with both hips, so that the drag foot knee stays under the hip and does not get extended. When at 3:00, the drag foot should have already left the rubber. I'm guessing she does walk-throughs in her warm-ups. Instead, replace the walk through movement with skipping. When you skip the knee drives up and forward, and BOTH hips travel. Nothing left behind.

 

[Tango]

Hard to say without seeing her but probably pushing late with the drag foot. IMO, before the stride foot crosses the rubber you should push with the drag foot.