Softball Pitching Drill - How to Get the Feel of the Backhand Change

Guest post by Ken Krause, Life in the Fastpitch Lane blog

A key element in being able to throw a softball pitch successfully is having the “feel” of it. Knowing what your body should be doing without having to think too much about it allows you to throw the pitch – whatever pitch it is – with full enthusiasm.

Yet sometimes it can be tough to find that feel. That was the dilemma facing Tayler, one of my students, tonight. She’d lost the feel of her change-up and as a result couldn’t get the speed off of it. The pitch wound up being more of a weak (and hittable) fastball than a change-up.

As I watched her, I could see she was releasing the ball much too early. The way I teach it, you need to drag the ball backwards – with the knuckles leading the way – until it’s out in front of your front leg and then fling the ball toward the catcher. I tried my usual trick of holding a swimming noodle out front and telling her to hold the ball until her hand passed under it, but it wasn’t working tonight. That’s when I got an inspiration.

She needed to get the feel of pulling, so I stood behind her, had her grab the noodle, and then pull it forward while I held on tight. It took a few times, but she got the feel and got back to throwing excellent changes.

The video below illustrates the drill. (No, that’s not me holding the noodle, it’s her mom.) If you are (or have) a pitcher who is struggling with the backhand change, and the technique for throwing it is similar to what you do, give this drill a try.