I hear it all the time. I want to send her to you for that “new style” of pitching… New style?? Really? I believe the other way is the new style… It’s not a new style, has never been. It’s THE STYLE.

I have a friend I converse with on several occasions, he’s more “old school” if you will in his ways. Great guy loves the game, and is a great coach! I have a few of his players I give lessons to. Some have made huge gains. He calls it “that new style”.  His daughter was a pitcher as well back in the day, didn’t pitch this way.  I just keep telling him, this is the way THE BEST pitch, so why limit kids, and not have them strive to be one of the best?

There is no debating how the best pitch and have pitched. There is a way they have from the get go. I will say this until I am blue in the face, the ball faces 3rd base, or even palm up! The pinkie leads the ball to release!  The ball stays or traces on the inside of the circle or hula hoop just off to your side, it’s not pushed out! The arm should whip! The hand should be palm down on finish, not fingers to the sky or fist to chin!

Analogy time…. You and I go to lake Michigan. We get to skip 3 rocks.

You skip yours by pulling up to the sky, and I get to skip mine across my body with my arm loose and following the rock. Who’s goes farther? Why?

People have said to me countless times, “that new style” it’s not new. It’s the proper way to pitch, and if you’re not being taught that way, you risk being injured. I say this because most of the kids I see, that come to me, have prior injuries related to how they were taught to pitch.

So this past week I wanted to show everyone that this is not the “New Style” It’s THE style, and always has been. Watch as the ball will face 3rd base or palm up, the elbow is slightly bent, and the finish is thumb internally rotates inward(because bio mechanically that’s what its supposed to do) towards body and arm follows the ball just like extension in hitting, or overhand throwing! These are pitchers who pitched in the WCWS… I could have kept going into the 2010s + but I think you get the idea!! There are absolutes in pitching… Below you’ll see them!

1979 – Margie Wright

1990

1991

1992 – Lisa Fernandez

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001 – Jennie Finch

2002 – Jennie Finch

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007 – Taryne Mowat

2007 – Monica Abbot

You have to Brush it! It’s what my wife and I tell our 3 daughters on a daily basis in the mornings! Brush that hair, brush those teeth! Ahh the life of having 3 young daughters 6 years old and younger. It’s an important time in their lives where we as parents have to teach our kids how to do things and why! I can’t even imagine teaching my crew pitching…. Ugg! I might pull the hair I have left out…..

 

I think it’s important as parents to make sure what is being taught to our kids is correct. There are a lot of “ways” to pitch.  But I think as parents that we want our kids to be taught the best injury free mechanics.

Two of my biggest hurdles when it comes to teaching pitching instruction is teaching students that propper posture dictates release. There should be no bending over or at the waist at all. I see lots of girls bending at the waist and forcing a wrist snap, only to question why their accuracy is off and the ball is sailing high.

Now, I’m not talking about shoulder tilt. I love shoulder tilt, it’s crucial to throwing several movement pitches. I also tell my students that pitching is like old people dancing. We  (older people) dance with our shoulders, so when you come to pitch, come to dance like old people! Blake Shelton could throw a mean rise or drop ball with these shoulder tilts!

 

Now lets look at some really good posture!

Do you see any bending over at the waist on this pitch? She looks tall and her shoulders look pushed back, creating great posture to use resistance for her whip! Did you also notice the brush she is getting with her elbow? She’ll get even more as the forearm will wrap around the hip. Brush is just that, we are brushing (not striking) the hip with the forearm. What helps us get here is the  BENT elbow being pulled to the ribcage (suck it in) (Hulking!!) A little brush will help generate a great whip! Whip assisted brush, that’s what we are after!

The best Brush!  Sure do!

Here is Monica Abbot – She knows a thing or two about pitching! Look at her posture as well. Very tall no waist bending, and look at that arm brush the hip and fire!

 

How about Megan Kleist from Oregon?

yup.. She brushes!

Lastly one of the more underrated pitchers that I like is Trinity Harrington from Texas A & M. She’s a brusher too! See that wrist sneak around that hip? The brush is what is helping that wrist snap!

So it comes down to what pitcher to do you want to be like? If it’s like any of the above, you’ll need to be tall, and brush!

 

Until next time…… Thanks for reading!