HELP! I've never played or coached Fastpitch!
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- Oct 25, 2009
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Girls Fastpitch Softball: Working With The Beginner Windmill Pitcher
Amazon.com: Fastpitch Softball : The Windmill Pitcher (9781570281402): Barry Sammons: Books
Google fastpitch pitching beginner
Lots of great books at Barnes & Noble, also. Other than pitching, fastpitch is the same as baseball fundamentally.
Amazon.com: Fastpitch Softball : The Windmill Pitcher (9781570281402): Barry Sammons: Books
Google fastpitch pitching beginner
Lots of great books at Barnes & Noble, also. Other than pitching, fastpitch is the same as baseball fundamentally.
obbay
Banned
I visit a BBQ forum and there is so much info available that when someone new asks for help they can quickly get buried with info from well-meaning veterans. I could see that happening to you so just relax, take it all in, quietly sort it out and take only the stuff that applies to you right now.
The reason I say that is because I learned a lot from Sue Enquist videos when I was starting out. I just went to her site and she has many downloadable PDFs. I opened one about hitting and as I looked through it I saw it was way too complicated for a new coach to apply to U8 girls. also, she had one significant direction/cue that I disagree with. So I see that it's not as simple as going to a legit website and getting downloads.
The girls you will be teaching don't know how to do anything yet- pitching is the least of your concerns. At U8 "Fastpitch" is kind of a misnomer, you just want them to throw underhand and throw hittable pitches.
If you look at the top of this page (top right, above the graphic of the softball players) you will see "Notifications". Click on that to check your PMs. I'm sending you a PM and can send you notes I have on the subjects that I think you'll nee if you're interested.
also 3 common baserunning problems after hitting-
1) Not running thru 1B (a lot of throws are dropped or don’t make it)
2) Getting into DP by running to next base on an infield pop-up.
3) Baserunners not aware of other baserunners and/or where the ball is (watch coach)
Good luck and have fun!
The reason I say that is because I learned a lot from Sue Enquist videos when I was starting out. I just went to her site and she has many downloadable PDFs. I opened one about hitting and as I looked through it I saw it was way too complicated for a new coach to apply to U8 girls. also, she had one significant direction/cue that I disagree with. So I see that it's not as simple as going to a legit website and getting downloads.
The girls you will be teaching don't know how to do anything yet- pitching is the least of your concerns. At U8 "Fastpitch" is kind of a misnomer, you just want them to throw underhand and throw hittable pitches.
If you look at the top of this page (top right, above the graphic of the softball players) you will see "Notifications". Click on that to check your PMs. I'm sending you a PM and can send you notes I have on the subjects that I think you'll nee if you're interested.
also 3 common baserunning problems after hitting-
1) Not running thru 1B (a lot of throws are dropped or don’t make it)
2) Getting into DP by running to next base on an infield pop-up.
3) Baserunners not aware of other baserunners and/or where the ball is (watch coach)
Good luck and have fun!
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Relax, don't worry. In 8U no one is expecting the pitchers to throw many strikes which is why you have the coach come in to pitch. If you have some help in practice get most of the team started in basic thowing and fielding drills and then pull your pitchers aside and start them working on the basic drills. Try to get their parents involved to learn the drills and work with their kids outside of practice.
Here is a good general book on all aspects of fastpitch: Amazon.com: Softball Skills & Drills (9780736033640): Judi Garman: Books
Some good basic online video instruction: Sportskool
A couple of other websites I find useful:
PitchSoftball Home Page Great softball pitching hints and recommendations for girl softball pitchers
Fastpitch Softball
Good luck!
Here is a good general book on all aspects of fastpitch: Amazon.com: Softball Skills & Drills (9780736033640): Judi Garman: Books
Some good basic online video instruction: Sportskool
A couple of other websites I find useful:
PitchSoftball Home Page Great softball pitching hints and recommendations for girl softball pitchers
Fastpitch Softball
Good luck!
To answer one of your questions. No, the girls do not have to windmill. They can just take the ball back and release it as they bring it forward. Both feet, normally (according to local or ASA rules) must start on the pitching plate. I have a pic that I can send you.
If any parents are hanging around watching practice, get them involved. Get yourself at least two assistant coaches. We had the best coach for 8u. He had different stations so the girls could work on the basics, throwing, hitting, and catching. Parents who hung around got drafted to assist. Two of the parents were his assistants. Parent involvement really made the difference, I think, for our team. We would have mini scrimmages between the girls and the parents. Sometimes he would have a scrimmage with another team. If the weather was warm, he brought a slip and slide and had the girls work on sliding--they loved this drill!
As for pitchers, I'd strongly suggest that you tell the parents to find resources, like videos, or a coach, to help their girls learn how to pitch. We had three and only one had a coach and it showed gametime. Catchers, I'd suggest Coach Weaver's DVD. I just found out about this DVD this year and wished I'd known more back in 8u. Everyone else, get the glove dirty--get it on the ground.
8u was alot of fun--you'll have a great time. BTW, I was one of those parents that hung around and got drafted to help wherever I was needed and loved it.
As for pitchers, I'd strongly suggest that you tell the parents to find resources, like videos, or a coach, to help their girls learn how to pitch. We had three and only one had a coach and it showed gametime. Catchers, I'd suggest Coach Weaver's DVD. I just found out about this DVD this year and wished I'd known more back in 8u. Everyone else, get the glove dirty--get it on the ground.
8u was alot of fun--you'll have a great time. BTW, I was one of those parents that hung around and got drafted to help wherever I was needed and loved it.
I prefer that the players who have a real interest in pitching, you teach them the basic windmill motion from Day 1. It takes a little practice but it is well worth their time in the long run. IMO, having them just throw underhand accomplishes very little (might as well have the coach pitch to the batters underhand). Kids at this age are like a sponge, they learn quickly, like to please, and will improve dramatically with a little practice. Again, it has to be a kid who wants to pitch and is motivated to improve.
I suggest the original poster follow the basics mechanics from the following site: Fast-Pitch Softball Windmill Pitching
I agree with SoCalSoftballdad: while you are allowed to throw without windmill, it simply isn't done. (Except for the coach pitch.)
ASA rec leagues, which yours probably is, usually have two years of kids in each division, so 8U has both 7 year olds and 8 year olds (some of whom may be 9 by now). So unless you specifically drafted only the youngest ones (not recommended!) you will have some players who have already played for a year. They've seen the windmill before, and may also be more interested in playing pitcher. (For safety reasons, a pitcher must be pretty decent at catching balls coming straight at her; you can't put someone straight out of t-ball against a 9yo batter.)
Generally, if there are costs involved for special coaches, videos, batting cage, etc., it is the parents who pay, not you. (Incidentally, at 8U there are only few players who already have a pitching coach.) I suggest you be up front with the parents that you can't really teach pitching; maybe one of them can.
If you haven't seen fastpitch at all, you may want to have a look at another team's practice. I found most books and videos of very limited use, because they always seemed to assume a much higher skill level than my team had. You may also want to talk with your league's coaching coordinator for some pointers - he's there to help, but you probably need to ask. Since leagues always need more and better pitchers, maybe the league can set up a pitching clinic. A pitching coach may be quite willing to teach a 1-2 hour group lesson for $10 per student (or maybe even for free).
ASA rec leagues, which yours probably is, usually have two years of kids in each division, so 8U has both 7 year olds and 8 year olds (some of whom may be 9 by now). So unless you specifically drafted only the youngest ones (not recommended!) you will have some players who have already played for a year. They've seen the windmill before, and may also be more interested in playing pitcher. (For safety reasons, a pitcher must be pretty decent at catching balls coming straight at her; you can't put someone straight out of t-ball against a 9yo batter.)
Generally, if there are costs involved for special coaches, videos, batting cage, etc., it is the parents who pay, not you. (Incidentally, at 8U there are only few players who already have a pitching coach.) I suggest you be up front with the parents that you can't really teach pitching; maybe one of them can.
If you haven't seen fastpitch at all, you may want to have a look at another team's practice. I found most books and videos of very limited use, because they always seemed to assume a much higher skill level than my team had. You may also want to talk with your league's coaching coordinator for some pointers - he's there to help, but you probably need to ask. Since leagues always need more and better pitchers, maybe the league can set up a pitching clinic. A pitching coach may be quite willing to teach a 1-2 hour group lesson for $10 per student (or maybe even for free).
obbay
Banned
On the same note, check with your local HS. Our town has 1 or 2 days of clinics (an hour or 2 at a time) run by the HS coach and staffed by the players.
Another option would be to find out who the varsity pitcher(s) is/are and talk to them about having a few clinics for your pitchers. If they are pitching for the Varsity team, they have been trained and would probably be fine getting beginning pitchers started.
I have seen many players come and go and when they start pitching, it is absolutely ok to have them just pitch underhand. If they have been around the game longer and have seen the windmill and want to try that, then let them have at it. Take small steps, they are young children. My younger DD picked it up surprisingly quickly because she had been watching her sister do it and hearing the feedback from me for a long time before she tried it.
I rear't coached for a guy who had his 9yo DD pitching and this one game she was more than struggling, she had lost it completely. Due to a previous recommendtion by her pitching coach, he made her stay in a game and "pitch thru her difficulty". Despite her difficulty, the team was winning because offensively they were being productive. she hated being in there and it got to the point where she didn't even want to get up to bat. eventually she walked in enough runs for us to lose the game and by the end the entire team was in a funk. That coach had taken what was a fun game and for purely selfish reasons, ruined it for everyone.
my point is, they re kids. don't treat them like Div I athletes. they still believe in Santa Claus.
Also I forgot- here is a great site for hitting, throwing and some windmill video.
http://imageevent.com/siggy;jsessionid=795r3tea54.camel_s
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