When I was growing up as a young boy, I had many dreams like most boys my age. I wanted to be a big league ball player. I used to dream of being a pitcher and striking out Mickey Mantle and the Yankees. My childhood friend Joey D and I used to pretend with a Rawlings ball and broomstick (similar to stick-ball) that we were major leaguers. Unfortunately for him, he couldn’t touch my stuff.
I think I had an advantage though, because at the time I already started receiving pitching tips from the local high school coaches where they taught me some very important principles that I firmly believe are the golden rules for any important child pitcher.
1) Proper Form. How many times do you see your kids hurling the ball with such a herky jerky motion that you wonder how we even gets the ball over the plate. You’ll hear me say this over and over, but the proper form must be taught immediately, starting with the proper usage of the legs, not only to be effective, but also to be safe.
2) Studying is not only for school. Start the youngsters watching tapes and video. With the internet so convenient and accessible, children can watch any videos on DVD, a website you set up or even through You Tube. Have them watch the wind-up, the legs, how the back leg drives power and how the pitchers pitch differently in the stretch. Kids might not be the most observant so if they try to copy a professional, make sure they do not only pitch with their arms.
3) Anatomy of the arm. It’s incredibly important for the pitcher to know how the elbow guides the pitch, it doesn’t drive it. What I mean is, don’t allow the child to pitch with their arms (do I sound repetitive?) This will take tremendous practice and dedication but show the child that the elbow needs to stay ahead of the hand until release. Practice makes perfect!
Also, have them keep their shoulder close to their body. Teach them control. If not, serious damage can be caused. Keep the shoulder in, not forward or to the side.
Lastly, the most important pitching tip is to drill home that control is the most crucial part of a pitcher’s success, not speed or velocity. By ensuring they understand what is important, it will help you to control and correct any physical mistakes while also giving the pitcher the confidence they need to comfortable make these adjustments.
Let me know your thoughts.
Todd
