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The Wall
Have the players line up about a foot or so from a wall with their body perpendicular and their throwing arm closest to the wall. Make them deliver the ball to a catcher 40 or so feet away. The intent of the drill is to make sure that the pitcher isn't getting long in the back. If the player is, then he/she will hit the wall with the throwing arm. Some coaches think that the use of this drill makes the kid short arm the ball, but most kids have full extension towards the ground, not straight back.
Hit The Box
Throw uphill on a slight incline - this forces players to keep the ball down. Use a computer paper box that holds 8.5 X 11 in paper (although, any small box will work as a target). Place it on a small stool or short chair about 12 to 14 inches off the ground. Have the pitcher at the regulation distance or just slightly more and throw the ball and try to hit the box consistently. The box provides a visual "strike zone" to aim at and since this box is both narrower and smaller than the normal players strike zone, it helps control. Most pitches in Little League Baseball and softball are 12 or more inches off the ground are called as strikes or the batters will go after them and even if they are hit, they will be grounders. In addition the player can move to the right or the left a step and simulate pitching from the sides of the rubber. Have the player see if he can "strike out the batter" by hitting the box 3 out of 6 times( a full count and a 3rd strike.) Any contact with the box is a strike. Then try to do it yourself for laughs. It make the players laugh if they can do it better than the coach(es).
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Pull Down
Stand in stride position. Extend throwing arm to rear, parallel to the ground, and glove arm forward, parallel to the ground. Pull down the throwing arm and glove arm and release the ball with a full wrist snap. Do not stride, but shift weight slightly to the stride leg and close hips towards the catcher after release. Allow throwing arm to follow through to bent release position. Repeat 15 to 20 times.
Ball-Knee Drill
Stand in release position. Raise stride knee off the ground (thigh parallel to the ground and calf perpendicular to the ground). Balance weight on the pivot leg. Extend throwing arm over left thigh and knee, and glove arm over throwing arm. Push glove arm and throwing arm towards catcher while pushing out with stride leg. Perform full arm circle while striding forward. Release ball, complete full follow through. Repeat 15 to 20 times.
Step Back - Arm Circle
To help a pitcher keep her weight back, have her stand in stride position and perform a full arm circle drill. With glove and hand pointed towards catcher, have her perform one arm circle, driving the back knee in to the front knee at ball release. She should immediately take a step back with the back leg giving her a sense of falling back. She should fall back along the power line or she was off balance at ball release.
Wrist Snaps
Players pair up and kneel with both knees on ground 5 yards apart. Players support throwing elbow with glove and, using only wrist action, throw to each other for desired period.
Pitching into Glove
Stand in stride position with glove open next to left thigh. Wrist Snaps, Pull Downs, "K" Drill, Arm Circle Drill, and full motion can be performed with ball released into the glove. Have pitcher follow through to bent arm position after releasing the ball. Use a sock ball or other soft ball to perform these drills indoors.
Stride Drill
For pitchers who can't keep weight back during stride. Set up to pitch in front of wall and perform full motion without releasing ball. Also, coach can hold rubber surgical tubing around the pitcher's waist to help her keep her weight back. Also can have pitcher stride onto inside toe area and not drop heel until after pitch is released.
Weight Back
Full Motion To help a pitcher keep her weight back, have her deliver a pitch at 75% speed driving her back knee into her front knee and holding that balanced position until the catcher returns the ball.
Pamela Pitcher
Here's a good pitching drill to do... stand the distance of the rubber or closer in, it doesnt matter. If right handed, put stand facing 3rd base, put your left foot towards the catcher (toe pointing the catcher). Hold your glove up towards the catcher (arm out like a wing) Take the throwing hand and hold it up so that with your glove and ball arms you are makeing an "L" shape. Then just let your hand drop and flip/snap your wrist. Its a drill to get you snap back. I've seen many good pitchers do that before games.
Forearm Strength
Don Edwards
Heres a tip a coach told me about quite a number of years ago. This drill can increase your strength in the hand, wrist, and especially the forearm. Using this exercise really helped me in my pitching. Put a pile of single sheet newspapers in an area you would normally walk by the most times during the day. Every time you walk by, grab a sheet and wad it up, using only one hand. This is the kind of exercise that you hardly notice doing after awhile.
Broom
Tom Choate
Here is my drill for younger players trying to learn the wrist flip. 1. Have a friend or parent hold a broom where the long part is horizontal and touching the arch in your back right where your wrist would hit on your release point. 2. If you take your arm behind you and slowly pitch, your wrist will hit the broom making your wrist flick the ball. 3. Note, you don't want to throw the ball hard, it should not go far and will go slow.
4 Control
Coach Mike
All of these drills improve speed and control/direction. 1. Stand facing toward the wall in your stride position (standing sideways). Take a ball and flick your ball straight to the wall and it should come right back to you. Only use you wrist no windmill. This drill can be done indoors with a rubber or incrediball, or outside with a regular ball against a pitchback. 2. This drill is also to be done in or outdoors. Stand 8ft. Away from the wall in your stride position, do your windmill and close your hips and the ball should come right back to you 3. This one is also to be done in or outdoors. Stand 6ft away from a wall in your stride position and just do your windmill do not close your hips, the ball should come right back to you, time yourself for 15 seconds and see how many you can do. Every time you do it see if you can get more than the time before. 4. The last drill should be done outside with a catcher. Get a weight ball and kneel down on one knee with your other knee facing the catcher. And only using your wrist snap flick the ball to your target or catcher. As you do 15 move back a couple of feet. When you're about 10ft from the plate use a regular ball. Then when you're about 20ft away from the plate do the windmill, until you can do this all the way from the rubber.
Joe's Long Toss
Joe
The following speed drill also works for accuracy, while building arm strength. I have my pitchers pitch from approximately 20 feet, 10 balls. Then I have them move in ten foot increments back until they are throwing from as far back as 60 feet. Once we have maxed out the "comfortable accurate distance" for the drill, I have them move to the rubber, and throw 20-50 hard pitches. I find that combining the short and long distances works on two things at the same time...arm stength (speed) and accuracy.
K
Coach Mike
Start out in the "K" position. This is the position your body is in when you have taken your stride toward the plate, your glove hand is pointing toward the target and your ball hand is at its highest point. If you look at the body from the third base side, it resembles the letter "K". As you bring your ball hand around toward the release point, push off the pitching rubber with your trail foot violently so it squares your body to the target. This does a couple of different things. First it adds some power to your release and secondly, it squares your body to the target making it easier to be more consistent. Try this drill.
Pitcher's Wall
Sam Conner
One of the drills that I have the pitchers do is: Stand next to a wall, approximately 4 to 6 inches away, feet angled at a 45 degree, then go through the motion of either slingshot or windmill. What I found by this, is that when they do actually pitch, they do not drop their shoulders and make that swooping motion.
Striped Ball
Coach Mike
I have a few striped balls in my pitching bag for use when teaching the roll drop and the riseball. They are invaluable. I place a stripe right down the middle of the ball and use them in close rotational work to insure the proper rotation is being imparted to the ball. The stripe gives instant feedback to the player and is easy for the catcher to see and determine what rotation has been imparted to the ball.
When throwing a riseball or a peel drop (straight dropball) the pitcher and catcher should see a solid line as the ball flies toward the target. If the line looks solid, the rotation is probably correct. If the line wavers or is non-existant, the rotation is incorrect and more rotational work is needed. The straight drop (peel drop) is released off the "birdie" finger and the rotation is clockwise as viewed from 3rd base. If any other rotation is being imparted to the ball, the ball will not drop. The riseball is just the opposite from the peel drop. The ball must have counter-clockwise rotation as viewed from 3rd base.
Towel
Amande Meredith
#1. Go and get a towel. #2. If you are a right handed pitcher then you would face to the right of the rubber and put your knee on towel which is on the rubber. #3. Next you will put your other knee facing home plate. #4. Put your hands in front of you. #5. Then you will do the windmill motion. #6. On your way around stop your left hand right above your knee. #7. Come all the way around with to your right hand. #8. Then drop both of your hands and pop your wrist and the ball should go right across the plate. It will take a while to get the accuracy down.
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