southpaw15
Addicted to Softballfans
T. Heck, great questions and some interesting responses. First and foremost, it comes down to being comfortable with your own abilities before you toe the rubber. If you are confident that you can protect yourself, mentally you've won the hardest battle when it comes to pitching. Going into every game, every inning, expect to get a ball or more hit at you. The second you don't expect the ball, it will happen and you're not prepared. For me, it was all about a rhythm I could get into after the pitch is thrown. Some can back pedal multiple steps, some can just do one step, some just stand there. It comes down to what works best for you!! It takes practice, no doubt about it. If you're in a cage, pitch from the very front of the screen as it sits in front of you, then try 1 step, then try 2, and see what works for you. If you can get to 2 steps, great, if only 1 that's fine also. Like many have already stated, setting your feet like an infielder is key to catching anything. If you're body is in motion, so are your eyes and that directly correlates to your equilibrium. If you are balanced, your eyes are steady and your body can react accordingly.
I've been very fortunate to pitch at the upper levels of softball now for quite a few years. I've been hit, and hit hard, but for some unknown reason I keep going back out there. It's one hell of an adrenaline rush, and if you're a leader in life, this is a position for you. You set your infield how you want them set, and then try to pitch into that defense. Your defense is your protection, so try your hardest to pitch to them. ASA, NSA pitching is different for me than GSL or USSSA because of the rule differences foremost, but also the reaction time you have. First, get comfortable with yourself and your body!! Once you feel you have that conquered, then move onto throwing different pitches that move if you can. Knuckle balls are the obvious choice, but they are also the hardest to throw for strikes, especially in windy conditions. Work on throwing curve balls, or runners with the wind also. Finger position on the ball is key to making a ball move. It all comes down to practice.
Andy Purcell is probably one of the greatest pitchers ever in slow-pitch, if not the greatest. I've played against him for years, and talked to him about what he does and how he thinks. What has worked for him, doesn't necessarily work for others. He has large hands, and obviouly this helps controlling pitches. Billy Messina has enormous hands, and it's hard to pick up what he's doing sometimes. The best advice I've ever gotten on pitching and attempting to throw strikes comes down to something very simple. Your thumb is the most important part on your hand when it comes to pitching!!!!!!! Your thumb will dictate where the ball goes 99% of the time. If your thumb is off to the right on the ball, the ball is probably going right. Thumb to the left, probably going left. This sounds very simple, but try it out you'll see how simple adjustments can make a huge difference!!
I hope some of this helps you gain confidence, but it's really up to you at the end of the day. Lots of people want to pitch, but it is a HELL of a lot harder than most people think. My favorite are outfielders yelling to throw strikes from hundreds of feet away. I always just turn around and tell them to come on in and try it out. Guess what, none of them take the challenge!!
Best of luck!
Dan Bean
Taylormade/Mizuno
I've been very fortunate to pitch at the upper levels of softball now for quite a few years. I've been hit, and hit hard, but for some unknown reason I keep going back out there. It's one hell of an adrenaline rush, and if you're a leader in life, this is a position for you. You set your infield how you want them set, and then try to pitch into that defense. Your defense is your protection, so try your hardest to pitch to them. ASA, NSA pitching is different for me than GSL or USSSA because of the rule differences foremost, but also the reaction time you have. First, get comfortable with yourself and your body!! Once you feel you have that conquered, then move onto throwing different pitches that move if you can. Knuckle balls are the obvious choice, but they are also the hardest to throw for strikes, especially in windy conditions. Work on throwing curve balls, or runners with the wind also. Finger position on the ball is key to making a ball move. It all comes down to practice.
Andy Purcell is probably one of the greatest pitchers ever in slow-pitch, if not the greatest. I've played against him for years, and talked to him about what he does and how he thinks. What has worked for him, doesn't necessarily work for others. He has large hands, and obviouly this helps controlling pitches. Billy Messina has enormous hands, and it's hard to pick up what he's doing sometimes. The best advice I've ever gotten on pitching and attempting to throw strikes comes down to something very simple. Your thumb is the most important part on your hand when it comes to pitching!!!!!!! Your thumb will dictate where the ball goes 99% of the time. If your thumb is off to the right on the ball, the ball is probably going right. Thumb to the left, probably going left. This sounds very simple, but try it out you'll see how simple adjustments can make a huge difference!!
I hope some of this helps you gain confidence, but it's really up to you at the end of the day. Lots of people want to pitch, but it is a HELL of a lot harder than most people think. My favorite are outfielders yelling to throw strikes from hundreds of feet away. I always just turn around and tell them to come on in and try it out. Guess what, none of them take the challenge!!
Best of luck!
Dan Bean
Taylormade/Mizuno
