03/14/2018
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Today, I wanted to take a second and discuss the topic of learning new pitches!!!! This is Maddie! Maddie is 12 and in her second year of 12u. Maddie throws a fastball, knuckle ball, drop ball, and a curve ball. At 12u, it is not common for girls to throw this many pitches. I shared some video of her throwing them. The first is her curve ball and the second is her drop....
I am a true believer that each pitcher will have their pitches that work and just plain don’t. Our bodies are built differently and our tendencies are different, so some pitchers may throw certain pitches better than others. Maddie is one of the best pitchers in her age group in MN. She could get by with her change up and fast ball and still be one of the best pitchers in her age group. She’s consistent. She has speed and control. At her last lesson, we started spins on the rise ball....
So, why learn these new pitches? You don’t need them to be successful?? Here is why!!!
1. If you don’t try it, how do you know if it’s not for you??? Each pitcher is different!! No one can be a better Maddie than Maddie!!! Stop trying to compare yourself to everyone else because you're never going to beat them at being them, but they also are never going to beat you at BEING YOU!!!!
2. Throwing a new pitch forces the pitcher to understand BODY AWARENESS!!! Understanding what your body is doing and what you are feeling throughout your pitch allows for you to change things and adjust. If you can’t feel things throughout your pitch, it’s going to pretty darn hard for you to change something and make adjustments in a game.
3. As you get older, as you grow into your body, that’s when you make the decision as to what pitches are for you. What should I master? If you try to master too soon, you are limiting your opportunities to be successful as a pitcher......
Softball is a game of failure; trying and failing is what makes each player better! You learn more from failing than you ever will from success! Don’t be afraid to fail! You suck at throwing a drop ball? That’s ok! Guess what, you sucking at throwing a drop ball is making your curve ball that much better in the long run!!
