How long did it take to learn control on curve ball?

[4Martini]

I’m curious what the learning progression on the curve ball looked like for your daughters.

My daughter has put 6 holes in the fence to the left of her net set up. I don’t want to drop her confidence by adding nets. It looks like she’s getting closer and closer- but we really like our very understanding neighbors.

We have a stash of pickets to fix the fence. So just trying to figure out next best steps. Our yard has barely enough room to pitch- and this is the only way there’s space.

We have a 7x7 net with a 9 box in front of it that they are missing. Maybe Santa will bring a new, bigger net.

She’s only a couple weeks into learning it.

 

[LEsoftballdad]

Well, this is an interesting question. A lot of instructors on here will argue to not learn a curve, and I tend to agree. My daughter throws one, and while it does move, it's more of a cutter than a true curve. It's really hard to bend the wrist enough to get true curve spin.

As for controlling the pitch, it takes time. You need to throw it all the time to have it be effective. I would say it took my daughter at least three months of practice before she was comfortable throwing it in games. She still throws it, but she does so in a fastball count.

Back to my original point. I'd try and learn a drop or rise first.

 

[Fluid Fastpitch]

Hang a tarp on the net, set her up 10 ft away from it, draw a dot on the tarp, and have her aim for hitting that.

 

[4Martini]

Thanks! She has a drop already.

 

[Vertigo]

I’m curious what the learning progression on the curve ball looked like for your daughters.

My daughter has put 6 holes in the fence to the left of her net set up. I don’t want to drop her confidence by adding nets. It looks like she’s getting closer and closer- but we really like our very understanding neighbors.

We have a stash of pickets to fix the fence. So just trying to figure out next best steps. Our yard has barely enough room to pitch- and this is the only way there’s space.

We have a 7x7 net with a 9 box in front of it that they are missing. Maybe Santa will bring a new, bigger net.

She’s only a couple weeks into learning it.

For my dd, she initially learned a palm down curve when she was younger so it was more like a drop-curve. It was pretty easy to learn and control. I’d say she learned it over a winter and was using it effectively in the spring. She was decent with this pitch around 11-12 years old.

As she got older she learned the palm up curve which definitely had sharper, lateral movement to it but it was much more difficult for her to control. If she struggled with throwing it in a game she would revert back to the palm down curve. I’d say it took her almost a good year for it to become reliable.

Now, in college, she prefers the palm up. She gets more velocity and bite with that pitch. She will use the palm down curve for a low and away pitch. It’s nice that she has the option of both now.

 

[4Martini]

Thank You! She’s learning palm up. I can see it will take a while to learn to control- so this is helpful. It’s moving and spinning good - but very wild. Lots going very high and outside. I striped some balls and it’s cool to see the spin.

Guess a new bigger net for Christmas is needed.

 

[Vertigo]

Thank You! She’s learning palm up. I can see it will take a while to learn to control- so this is helpful. It’s moving and spinning good - but very wild. Lots going very high and outside. I striped some balls and it’s cool to see the spin.

Guess a new bigger net for Christmas is needed.

It sounds like she‘s getting it. For dd, if she had control issues it was mainly due to not keeping her shoulders stabilized enough upon release. It seems like many want to turn their throwing arm shoulder with the pitch and that can create the excessive movement to the outside. They need to remember to stay tall and stabilize the shoulders. I also think it’s easier if the pitcher has longer fingers to be able to control the ball better.

 

[Tango]

DD throws the curve really well. Spots it well in and out (17). Took awhile to spot it in and get movement. I teach it as a power pitch and teach fastball mechanics. Of course the hand action is different. Most want to pull off to the side to throw curve balls. Someone above mentioned stability and it's key to have a hard good curve ball. You can teach it as an off speed pitch but I don't. IMO, some girls are a lot more natural throwing rise and some curve. My DD is a curve girl and struggles with rise. I have my students throw both and pick the one she throws the best first to teach. Therefore how long is a really hard question. I have students that throw it good day one and it normally becomes their favorite pitch and some that haven't got it yet and may never. For some it's according to the day. My DD throws it for strikes at a very high rate but when she is off it's hittable. When on it's tuff.

 

[ArmWhip]

It might be useful to experiment with the grip a little, especially the distance between the thumb and whatever finger she has chosen to apply the spin with (index or middle).

 

[Tazman]

It's have 2 pitcher daughters. One spent years before it was effective.I told her to use the time on another pitch and she refused to quit . it's now very effective and located about 80% of the time. Other one picked up the spin in weeks and had great movement but still struggles a bit locating it. Nasty break has turned it into a very effective strikeout pitch when the ump is giving the corner.