That why I said a tweak here or there or trying out something new would be OK. But mandating an exceptional athlete to change everything that got them there is unwise.
Switching Load Mechanics
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I've been pleasantly surprised now and then.: Lombardi at Oregon has really spent some time learning about spins, mechanics and training. Same with Lacey Waldrop when she was at Houston. Sarah Pauly and can't forget Mike White!
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Ok, OP here. This is getting off track. They are just having her change one thing, to help with timing. She said it feels awkward, but she is not upset about it. Had a short session and said coach liked what he saw. Nothing else was talked about to make changes to.
My original Q was more about what to expect and how to help.
I hope that all the other stuff that’s been mentioned in this thread don’t happen to her!
Thanks you all!
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Who got to D1 with poor mechanics? Or, more importantly, who stayed at D1 with poor mechanics?
I'm sure in the history of D1 softball there are players who've gotten there with poor mechanics. If you want me to provide specifics, I'll need to do a little digging. I've seen plenty of of girls with less than stellar throwing mechanics. Many of them still push the ball. In fact, many of the outfielders throw the ball worse than Bernie Williams, who ran like a deer, and threw like one, too.
Yes, I'm bringing up baseball, but it's a similar game, so the comparison has merit. Dontrelle Willis had the worst pitching mechanics I've ever seen. Nobody in their right mind would never teach the way he pitched, yet he made it to the big leagues. He played for nine years and made almost $41 million.
I agree that players like Willis have had a lot of success with less than perfect mechanics. I think the question in my mind is some of their success because they do things differently. It is a different look to batters and the ball probably comes off his hands differently.
If someone had tried to fix Willis mechanics in the minors would he have had a better career or would we not even know who he is? Not sure there is a definite answer to that. But if a player is effective with whatever form they use to pitch or hit, I am very hesitant to make major changes as a coach.
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That is a good point.
I used Willis as an extreme example to make my point. I don't know anyone who would teach his method of throwing a pitch because it was hard to repeat it all the time. I think he would have been better served as a deliver since he would not throw as many pitches in a game as he did as a starter, but that's just my opinion.
The reason Mariano was the greatest reliever of all time was because his motion was compact and repeatable. He never got out of whack, which allowed him to succeed for so long. Well, that and the best cutter anyone has ever possessed.
College coaches are results-driven. If they have a player with flawed mechanics who can still perform at a high level, they will not make wholesale changes, even if those changes might make the player even better. Some of those players may be incapable of learning a new motion, delivery, or swing. I know a local girl who developed a shotput-like throw at a young age that her father never fixed. She could not break her muscle memory when she went to a high-level trainer in 9th grade. The dad spent thousands of dollars trying to get it fixed, to no avail. It would have never been an issue if she learned to throw properly when she first started playing.
