Fast pitch Softball Pitching Clinic

• Here is a list of the basic pitching drills for a beginner pitcher.

• Wrist snap- the wrist snap is the most important drill.

-pitcher needs to hold the softball across the “C” seam of the ball.

-the ball is held with your fingers, not the palm of your hand (space between ball and hand).

-the ball rotates from finger to finger releasing off your middle finger last.

-pitcher can do a wrist snap to a catcher or to a wall.

-you should be about 3 to 5 feet apart from your catcher or the wall.

-there is no movement of the arm, just the wrist.

-the wrist goes back, and then straight forward releasing the ball at your hip.

* 30 snaps a day!

2. 9 O’clock

-pitcher moves back to 15-20 feet.

-feet should width apart

-glove arm up facing the catcher, ball arm straight up above their head

-pitchers left shoulder should be facing the catcher, student should be

facing third base.

-pitching arm is hyper extended facing towards second base.

-without a step, pitching arm comes down at the same time the glove arm comes down snapping the hips from open to close.

-when finished, bellybutton, and two feet should be pointing towards the catcher.

-arm finishes straight up.

3. 9 O’clock with a step

4.One knee drill

-right knee on ground, left knee up

-glove hand towards catcher, ball hand comes around and snaps at the hip as the glove arm comes down on the opposite side.

-finish with snap at the hip and follow through straight up.

-arm circle goes from open hips to close hips

5. One knee drill with two arm circles

6.Full arm circle standing without a step

-start with feet slightly slanted to the right, shoulder width apart.

-full arm circle with snap at your hip

-“open to close”

7. Full arm circle standing without a step

8. Full motion

-feet shoulder width apart

-start with one foot touching the front of the rubber, one foot touching back of the rubber.

-“up, down, open, close”

-push of the rubber with your right leg

* In all of the drills make sure that:

1. you are in your arm circle the whole time

2. your snap is at the hip

3. you step straight towards the catcher

4. stand straight up at all times….good posture

5. hips both open and then close

6. good follow through

7. all together you should be throwing 200 pitches each day!

* Change up:

1. arm speed is the same as a fastball

2. grip

-circle change

-palm change

-knuckle change

3. weight is back