Pitching Guide for the Wary Player

Let’s face it: there are no shortcuts to pitching perfection. It’s like diet and exercise. You can’t be Arnold Schwarzenegger by pumping iron once a week for two years. You can’t lose those 10 pounds by reading a couple of health articles and including celery in one meal a day. You’re not going to be the first 8-year-old in the history of all post–coach-pitch leagues to throw the ball anywhere near the plate by pitching once a week in games. Don’t fret, though! Even a little bit of work will help, and if done smartly, it could be a doorway to forming good habits down the road.

Of course, as a pitching instructor, I want each player to put in 100% commitment from day one so she will reach her full potential as soon as possible. However, I completely understand reality and feel obliged to help players with differing priorities, whether raw or experienced. This guide is for you.

Are you the best pitcher on your team and haven’t really thought ahead to the next level of competition? You might feel happy with your current skill level and are having fun. Maybe homework and soccer are keeping you really busy, and you don’t have much time to put in more pitching practice anyway.

Are you in your first year of pitching? You’re trying out all the positions and aren’t sure if you like shortstop, catching, or pitching enough to pursue anything in particular yet.

Perhaps you’re a first baseman and your number one and number two pitchers both got injured. Your team needs to get by somehow, and you are it. If any of these situations sound like you, read on.

By using these tactics during the few practices or game warm-ups you are able to attend, you will likely have a more positive experience as a pitcher, help youth softball games move a little faster with a few fewer walks, and inspire yourself to want to put in more work in the future—without constant parental nagging. These steps are intended to get the ball rolling on forming work ethic and habits without jumping straight into spending money on private lessons. As long as you understand the reality of a reduced workload—including inaccuracy and slower speeds—you can benefit from these ideas. If you are only going to practice once per week or pitch only in games, these may be good methods to use.

1. Keep it extremely simple.
Remove your pre-motion or “wind-up.” Start your pitching motion with your hands at your side and make your first movement a stride with your leg, bringing your arms up to 3 o’clock, as opposed to rocking back first. The less movement you have, the less opportunity there is to mess it up. By keeping your motion as simple as possible, you increase the likelihood that you can repeat it.

2. Work on your mental game.
After all, you’re doing this for the camaraderie, life skills, and fun, right? Change your goals from striking batters out to focusing on things you have more control over. These include consistent pre-pitch routines, controlling your emotions, showing up to practice on time, and picking your teammates up when they make a mistake.

3. Get a changeup.
If you are able to throw with enough velocity despite iffy accuracy, you’ll want to work on a changeup. You’re going to throw a lot of balls anyway, so take a risk and throw a changeup even if it’s not over the plate. That way, hitters have to stay somewhat on their toes—even if the changeup results in a ground ball or a high pop-up. Plus, a changeup can be one of the easier (not easy) pitches to learn.

4. Don’t do drills.
You need your brain to memorize a release point as soon as possible. You don’t have time to perfect an arm circle, leg drive, and so on. Don’t do drills. Keep the motion you have and work on getting as many full pitches in as possible in a short amount of time. You need your brain to remember where to release the ball in the motion you’ll use in games. Get full-motion reps whenever you can. You don’t have time to build perfect fundamentals—you just need to get by.

5. Take it easy on movement pitches.
Drops, rises, curves, and similar pitches require a great deal of body awareness and proper mechanics to get your hand into the correct position to spin the ball. Some release points are earlier or later than fastballs, which can become confusing and take time away from developing a consistent release point.

While the “less work, more play” route is the one most players gravitate toward at the beginning of their softball careers, there are risks that come with an abbreviated practice schedule. The primary concern is the development of safe fundamentals. Poor mechanics can put additional pressure and torque on the shoulders, hips, and legs, increasing the risk of torn labrums and biceps, tendinitis, and hip injuries. It’s also important to make sure you and your team are on the same page regarding commitment level so that your expectations align with the reason you’re there in the first place.

The key for you, non-committal player, is to focus on fun and not take yourself—or the game—too seriously. Make friends, eat pizza with the team afterward, and analyze the game with your parents on the car ride home. Who knows? Maybe I’ll be seeing you for lessons after all.