4-CONTROL ISSUES

Achieving a high level of accuracy takes a lot of practice. I like to tell my girls that there is no professional golfer, tennis player, or billiards expert, who can go very long without practice before they become erratic in there performance. Professionals in these sports and many others will work 3-8 hours a day, 5 or 6 days a week, year round, to keep their game at a high level. As pitchers we must train consistently, as well. Girls who only pitch once a week are not very likely to become very accurate. Likewise, girls who practice half-heatedly are likely to build so many bad habits that accuracy improvement will be disappointing.

Aside from consistent, smart practice, accuracy can be improved in a variety of ways. Here are a sampling (Some tips are moderately coded so that only Cf pitchers will understand them in detail. However, everyone is welcome to contact me for more information):

1. Improve balance. Use the balance beam, one legged drill, keep your head level, power line, and exercise.

2. Use the balance beam

3. Use the one leg drill.

4.Keep your chin up and head level.

5. Stride down your power line.

6. Make sure you are pushing off correctly. Snap the heel up quickly to stride.

7. Make sure you are dragging the push foot correctly.

8. Pitch half speed for a while, if needed.

9. Take away, or reduce your pump back for a while, if needed.

10. Create a straight up and down body posture during the windup and drive phases.

11. Make sure you are landing on balance- no leaning or bent posture.

12.Make sure your stride foot is landing with the proper slant.

13. Use the spinner to make sure your wrist and fingers are snapping correctly.

14. Follow through correctly.

15. Use wiffle balls or light balls to make sure the wrist is able to snap off the ball correctly.

16. Pitch closer than normal for a while.

17. Practice pitching to very small targets.

18. Try doing rapid fire reps to build accuracy.

19.Pitch off of one knee.

20.Pitch to a small spot over and over and then to various spots.

21. Make sure you train your inside and outside delivery through your stride direction.