Help me solve this frontside heavy issue

[lhowser]

Working with this wonderful 15-year-old for 3 months. She winds up with her head and weight over the front side when she lands. We talk it through but she can't seem to get centered or center back. Looking for drills and analysis of how early in the motion something is going wrong. SHE WANTS IT and I told her you folks can help! I know we have a leap issue there so how would you tackle that?

 

[Rolling Hard]

Is she throwing a drop ball in the video??

 

[cvsoftball]

I don't think it's possible to leap and stay back at the same time.

 

[MrTibbs]

There’s a few things I would try:
Have her focus on keeping her chin up and driving her stride knee more vertical to get in a better posture when she plants.
It looks like she may be kicking her hips out too and that will also contribute to this. The other drill I’ve done to help with this is have her do full pitches with no ball or a wiffle ball. I know it sounds crazy but it’s like the weight of the ball pulls them down.

 

[lhowser]

Is she throwing a drop ball in the video??

No...this is the posture that is created in the regular fastball release. Because of the hip and shoulder angle created, she is forced to release the ball later to hit the strike zone. It also creates a pull rather than a well-timed internal rotation of the arm which reduces the velocity.

 

[lhowser]

I don't think it's possible to leap and stay back at the same time.

It seems to me like typically as the body opens as the ball reaches the top of the circle, the head aligns with mid body or the back hip but it is not happening here

 

[Northball]

A few things I emphasize with my students:
-Be 6 feet tall. At least act like it. Start tall, stay tall.
-Keep the upper core and lower core connected. I.E. don't bend at the waist.
-Spine angle. Should be at least vertical to a couple of degrees leaning back. Keep a broom handle, bat, short PVC pipe, or something like that with you to show what their angle was and what it should look like.
-When your foot lands, it's like slamming on the brakes. Don't let the body go past that foot. A good drill is to have her dry pitch/ stride toward a padded wall like in a gym. Repeat again and again, getting her stride foot closer and closer so it basically touches the wall. Self-preservation will keep her tall and leaning back to avoid smashing her face against it.

 

[softballphreak]

 

[softballphreak]

 

[softballphreak]