9 Signs You Need Help With Mechanics

Think back to your last golf round. What type of player are you? Are you praying that you'll hit your next shot in the air, or are you calculating the difference between your 5- and 6-iron? Are you just trying to keep up with the rest of your group, or are you visualizing the angle of your draw?

These questions show a clear difference in competency level. One person is competing, while the other is focused on basic skill development without even knowing which skills need to be developed. She just knows she has to get the ball over there, with no idea how.

Asking a player to pitch a strike is similar to asking a golfer to hit a ball in the air, down the middle of the fairway, and as far as possible. What's your success rate at that? I know mine is pretty abysmal!

As a softball coach or parent, how do you know when your memories of your high school playing days are no longer enough?

Here are the signs it's time to get help with pitching mechanics.

1. You think your daughter can pitch without learning how to do it.

When you perform in a piano recital, do you just walk out there and start playing, or do you take lessons and practice first?

Not learning how to do something and expecting to "get by" usually isn't much fun. Did you teach your daughter how to catch with two hands or field a ground ball? Of course! I'm sure you remembered how to teach those things from when you were her age, and your memory was refreshed by watching all those Cubs and Sox games.

My question to you is this: When did you learn how to pitch windmill style as a kid?

If neither of you learns how to pitch properly, you'll notice a huge gap when she's competing against players who have. Plus, her games will last a very long time, and nobody wants to get that sunburned.

2. She experiences pain when she pitches.

Alert! Girls should not experience pain while pitching, aside from normal muscle soreness.

If she is experiencing acute pain, she most likely has mechanical issues, especially involving the back of her shoulder. Pitchers with off-line arm circles and poor follow-through mechanics are at a higher risk for injuries such as torn labrums and biceps tendon problems.

3. Everyone else is quickly passing her up in speed.

Some pitchers get left behind after finding early success. Since they're getting results at a young age, they don't think they need to learn proper mechanics. Why would they?

After a year or two of building incorrect neural pathways, other players begin to catch up. They've learned proper mechanics and are gaining command and speed.

If your daughter is just as strong as the other players but her speed no longer reflects that, she needs to learn more.

Before you get to this point, remember that it's very difficult to rewire two years' worth of neural pathways built around incorrect movement patterns. Learn early for the best results.

4. She can't throw movement pitches, even when she tries.

Pitchers need to get their bodies into positions that allow their hand and fingers to move around the ball intentionally.

If she doesn't understand resistance or doesn't have a straight arm circle, it will be nearly impossible to release the ball at the proper angles needed to create movement.

5. It's spring or summer.

During the season, pitchers are competing. Old habits begin to creep back in because the focus is no longer on mechanics—and it shouldn't be during the season.

Advanced pitchers should be regularly tuning up their arm circles, resistance, movement pitches, and changeups. Keep those skills sharp, and don't allow bad habits to develop during competition.

6. She's been practicing four or more days per week and still hasn't gotten faster or more accurate.

When a pitcher has a complicated motion filled with unnecessary movements, she's created something that's difficult to repeat.

A motion that's difficult to repeat produces an inconsistent release point, which leads to wild pitches.

Remember, the fastest path from one point to another is a straight line. Instructors help pitchers build a simple, efficient, and repeatable motion.

7. Her changeup is either too fast or not deceptive.

If your daughter doesn't understand the mechanics of a changeup, she's probably slowing her arm down to control the ball. Hitters recognize this every time.

A great changeup looks exactly like a fastball but arrives much more slowly.

With every other pitch, she loosens her arm in a whip-like fashion. On a changeup, however, she reverses the delivery sequence and stiffens her arm. If her changeup is too fast, she needs to learn the mechanics of reversing the arm circle sequence to make it more effective.

8. She keeps throwing the ball inside.

This is often a sign that her arm circle is going off-line.

This isn't an easy fix. It requires deliberate drills, focused practice, and consistency over time.

9. Her pitches go straight, but they alternate between being very high and very low.

If your daughter has been pitching consistently for a while and struggles with this, it's usually a symptom of a mechanical problem.

Often, she's leaning too far forward at release. Then, on the next pitch, she overcorrects by leaning backward. Changing the body's position changes the release point.

On the other hand, if she's inexperienced or hasn't learned the basic mechanics yet, she probably hasn't developed a repeatable motion and can't consistently feel the correct release point.

One thing you won't see on my list of "9 Signs" is, "If a pitcher has a game tomorrow and needs to learn mechanics, she should go get a lesson."

Going over a few mechanical adjustments the day before a game won't suddenly help her throw strikes. Learning to pitch is a long, deliberate, and challenging process.

That's why I created a year-round pitching school designed to teach commitment and consistency.

Our day-before-game clinics focus on how to approach the mound, what pitchers should be thinking during competition, and how to become leaders. In other words, they learn to control the controllables.

If you need help with any of the nine issues above, don't hesitate to give us a call. Pitching school is fun and rewarding—maybe even more than golf.