Is this coaching or pitching problem

[coachjoey2009]

I kind of know what I want to do with my problem! But before I do it and possibly say or do something un-cool i would like to run it by this board.

We have junior (2011) pitcher on our team who took us to sectionals last year. She won the first, second games. She pitched in the sectional championship but we lost 4-3. She also won 15 games out of 25 for us.

Well during the summer she encountered some mechanical problems keeping the ball high and her front drive leg was really up like a goose step. After several bad tournaments she decided to go to a new pitching coach which was in October.

Long story short she has entered our season (Feb 1st) and surprised us when she said she is not allowed to push off the mound or close her hip yet! She is only using a stride and arm rotation! Well her pitches are no where near what she needs to be! We have our first game the 26th!

She is now frustrated and has asked me what to do since the coach will not let her drive or close. Coach says she needs to get mechanics and timing down first.

This all at a lesson per week at $30 for 30 minutes. ?????

Now I dabble in pitching but I am suited more on hitting and other facets.

Comments...advise...or just wait???

 

[SoCalSoftballdad]

Here are a couple of things to think about. In athletics, to continue to improve, sometimes you need to sacrifice current success before you get better. Whether or not you agree with the advice she is getting from her pitching coach, she feels this person has something to offer her since she is paying good money to see this coach. Why did she switch her original PC, especially when she was having good success? If you are the team coach, I think you need to field the best team that you have available, if she is not up to par, she sits unti,l if or when, she gets her pitching form back. My last comment is that what is best for the team might not be what is best for the indiividual player.

 

[SnocatzDad]

Pitching coach may be taking health of the player into account. If she was "forced" to find a new pitching coach because of "mechanical" problems that sounds like code for she pitched her shoulder into hamburger and needed to relearn how to throw in a way that doesn't break her body down. If where she is at isn't good enough for you then start working some other pitchers who are better. Be patient, if he's/she's a decent pitching coach, he might have her much better than she was before, even if that takes some time.

 

[sluggers]

Without seeing the kid pitch, it is hard to tell what is going on. It could be that she had horrible mechanics last year but was good enough to win some HS games. When she got to travel ball, perhaps she was hammered and decided that she had to change. In HS, a mediocre pitcher with a good team behind her and can win lots of games. In travel ball, mediocre pitchers are murdered.

As to the specific instructions: "Leave the hips open" makes sense. Many, many pitchers in HS are incorrectly taught to aggressively close the hips. The "no leg drive" doesn't make any sense, unless she somehow couldn't control closing her hips.

My advice would be to determine if the pitching coach knows what he is doing. The best way is to get his/her resume and see why this person thinks he/she can coach pitching.

 

[Ken Krause]

Or you can just call the pitching coach and ask him/her why your pitcher is doing this and how long she'll be doing it instead of trying to figure it out on your own. There may be a perfectly reasonable explanation. Maybe if you sacrifice a few games early in the season, the changes she's making will help you get to state.

 

[rowdy]

I think your pitcher is showing a lot of maturity. Remember that she saw a lot of success doing it the old way also and for her to commit to change is very admirable. I would sit down with her and her parents and explain the benefits of her changes and how you will support the new machanics. This may mean you have to have a good plan but if she was that good with bad mechanics she very well may be worth the wait. I stress to my coaches in our organization to focus on the end of the season and develop what you need to successful then. No championships are won in February.

 

[Jojo]

Without seeing the pitcher, just the fact that the new coach is breaking her down and working on her mechanics might be a good sign, as opposed to an instructor that just keeps letting her perform the bad mechanics which she will continue to do so especially in games, she's going to go back with what is comfortable to her, so the drastic mechanical change maybe to counter effect that.

 

[halskinner]

I kind of know what I want to do with my problem! But before I do it and possibly say or do something un-cool i would like to run it by this board.

We have junior (2011) pitcher on our team who took us to sectionals last year. She won the first, second games. She pitched in the sectional championship but we lost 4-3. She also won 15 games out of 25 for us.

Well during the summer she encountered some mechanical problems keeping the ball high and her front drive leg was really up like a goose step. After several bad tournaments she decided to go to a new pitching coach which was in October.

Long story short she has entered our season (Feb 1st) and surprised us when she said she is not allowed to push off the mound or close her hip yet! She is only using a stride and arm rotation! Well her pitches are no where near what she needs to be! We have our first game the 26th!

She is now frustrated and has asked me what to do since the coach will not let her drive or close. Coach says she needs to get mechanics and timing down first.

This all at a lesson per week at $30 for 30 minutes. ?????

Now I dabble in pitching but I am suited more on hitting and other facets.

Comments...advise...or just wait???

Ok. Is this possibly a case of a leap and drag pitcher starting up with an open style step style instructor??? Sounds like that might be the case. Ask the instructor what style she is teaching her.

 

[Hustle Coach]

Go to the pc and see whats going on and have them explain what the they are doing. Four months of hard work should cure alot of things. Maybe you can learn alittle of what they are doing and help her at practice, to get things moving. Alot of times girls goto lessons and the parents are not involved and things dont get done at home correctly. New drills, new coach, isnt going to change anything if things are not done right away from pc.

 

[jd29]

You have to do what's best for your team

Go to the pc and see whats going on and have them explain what the they are doing. Four months of hard work should cure alot of things. Maybe you can learn alittle of what they are doing and help her at practice, to get things moving. Alot of times girls goto lessons and the parents are not involved and things dont get done at home correctly. New drills, new coach, isnt going to change anything if things are not done right away from pc.

1. Do you have another pitcher you can count on?
2. If you do - pitch her
3. If you don't your in trouble.
4. Find out when her "coach" (which is debatable) will allow her to pitch... if it is after your season is over, cut her from the team as she serves no purpose unless she can play another position and hit.
5. This is your team, not hers - don't get hijacked- you've got others to take care of, i'd say at least 15 or so other players?

I don't have much tolerance for people coaching kids who play for me - I've given lessons to many kids who've gone on to play college ball as well as I've coached several who got d1 scholarships - a 30 minute lesson once a week doesn't constitute much of a relationship compared to a coach who see's the kids day in and day out - your being held captive because of your lack of knowledge about pitching - I'd change that - Clinics, video, call college coaches, etc - learn...