Softball Pitching Techniques - Weight Distribution Plays Key Role
By Lori Sippel
Assistant Coach - University of Nebraska – Lincoln
Head Coach – Canadian National Team
The key to being an effective pitcher at any level lies in one’s ability to be accurate with her pitch. I have found that in many young pitchers, there is a misconception that accuracy comes from the release of the pitch alone. It is this attitude that forces pitchers to use the release as a “fix all” rather than a “fine tuner.” It is my belief that more emphasis should be placed on a pitcher’s preparation to release rather than on the release alone. The preparation to throw is what gives the pitch its strength and consistency. It is the release that gives the pitch its character.
Let’s visit consistency. If we want to be consistent as a pitcher, we must then be consistent in how we prepare ourselves to release the ball. One portion of the preparation phase that breaks down most in young pitchers is their ability to control and distribute their weight throughout the pitch.
Let’s use the example of someone walking down the street. A person encounters that one slab of concrete that is higher than all the others. As soon as the toe makes contact with the slab, the body’s balance is upset. Arms and legs begin to flail and the upper body bends and contorts in order to regain balance. If we, as pitchers, do not control our balance (weight distribution) on touchdown, then all effort will be going to the regaining of balance, rather than into the release of the ball.
We talk about pitchers having bowling legs…stiff legs…collapsing legs….pitchers that don’t open their hips or pitchers that do open their hips, but fail to close them….pitchers that stride too long, stride too short. There is also the kamikaze pitcher whose body parts flail in every direction or the constrained pitcher whose movements are so mechanical she barely leaves the mound. All of these problems occur in the preparation phase of the pitch and every one of these “flaws” are affected by the pitcher’s weight distribution prior to and at touchdown.
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