Beginning to Pitch - Fastpitch Softball

 

If you are a fan of fast pitch softball, you have undoubtedly been intrigued by the deceptive spins, breaks and speed some of the best arms to hurl from the circle in the game. At Game Day Athletics, fast pitch pitching programs are one of our most sought out offerings, continuously growing interest daily. 

We asked GD Athletics co-owner and lead pitching instructor, Coach Jillian Mulderig, to share some insight on beginning to pitch in the game of fast pitch softball. 

What is the IR Style of pitching, and why such controversy ?

"IR" or "internal rotational style" of pitching is simply the methodology applied to teaching fast pitch, windmill pitching. In the early 2000s, what was predominantly being taught to pitchers, especially on the east coast, is referred to "traditional style," or more commonly known as "Hello Elbow, (HE)." The hand positioning of the ball and the way we used our bodies following that methodology is vastly different from what we are seeing the elite do at the highest levels. 

With more eyes on fastpitch softball and NCAA rule changes, which gave pitchers more of an advantage from the rubber, it was evident that the stoic patterns of HE were not necessarily being applied in practicality. 

IR simply makes sense of the way our anatomy can create, contain and transfer energy when delivering a pitch. It's actually simpler than most people assume when they are making the transition from HE to IR, because it follows the same principals we use when throwing overhand and hitting a softball. 

Is it ever too "late" to start to learn to pitch? 

I always say that athletes are a very special group of people: athletes do what others may say is impossible. We do the impossible. I don't think you can ever truly put a time stamp on when and what an athlete is capable of, so no. My answer is it is never too late. 

Will there be hurdles to cross? Of course! Pitching, like any skill you develop, requires practice. Developing efficient movement patterns will require time & repetition to be able to emerge with the consistent timing required to command the strike zone, as well as the confidence needed to have all eyes on you at the start of each play. But, I've witnessed countless athletes pick up a softball when many would say "it is too late," and have been successful in their athletic careers. I think the question would be better stated as "how hard are you willing to work to become a pitcher?" That's a better question to ask yourself; not whether it's too late. 

What's the best advice you can give to a new pitcher? 

Stop comparing yourself. 

Pitchers are the types of people that are forced to look into a mirror each day and say "I am good enough." Comparing yourself to your peers is a mistake. 

Genetically, we are incredibly unique, but the stigma that pitchers "must be tall, or broad to be competitive" has long been shattered. If you look at some of the most elite pitchers of all time in fast pitch softball, you will see an incredible array of body shapes, delivery styles and diversity in what they carry in their arsenal from the mound. 

Your uniqueness is something to celebrate, cultivate and take advantage of. If we all threw the ball exactly the same, the game wouldn't be as exciting now would it? 

As a pitcher, you have to know that what you do can be special, and the best part of the journey is discovering exactly that. Embrace the scary and look forward to those daily mirror conversations with yourself. 😊

Can you leave us with your favorite drill for beginner pitchers? 

I can leave you with two! 

One drill I make all of my girls do, even beyond the beginning levels of pitching, is "OH to UH," or an overhand-underhand catch. Whether it be with a partner or a bounce-back screen, I have my pitcher throw overhand, receive the ball back, and instantly go into an underhand pitch. I tell them to try not to think much, and simply move, keeping a pace or rhythm as they alternate back and forth between a throw and a pitch. I find the body is more powerful than we give it credit for, and this exercise helps my athletes feel and assimilate the similarities in which our body moves to do both functions: throw overhand and pitch underhand. Innately, the athlete is learning just from moving, and these similarities definitely help me translate a lot of the beginning movements of pitching to a green pitcher. 

Another drill I like to use for beginners learning to pitch, which similarly requires "less thinking, and more moving," is agility sprint pitches. I also love this drill because as female athletes, we are significantly more at risk than our male counterparts to have an ACL injury, due to the design of our pelvis and hips. When working with my athletes on agility sprint pitches, I remind them of "knee & toe alignment" to encourage the healthy development and firing of their hamstrings when propelling forward in the pitch. 

To do the drill, I set up two cones about 20-25 ft apart. The pitcher sprints forward about 40 ft to the farthest cone, then back peddles quickly to the second cone. Once behind the second cone, the athlete transitions quickly into a full pitch. The transitions from forward to back to pitch are what we focus on most. Here, we can work ankle strength and mobility through agility work, as well as assimilate how we use ground force energy in a sprint, to how we use it to launch from the rubber. 

Most of my time spent with beginner pitchers is focused on the lower half of the body, and we build our mechanics from the ground up quite literally. 

Coach Jillian is available for private lessons year 'round, as well as group lessons and team trainings. To read her bio and view her availability, check out www.njgameday.com/lessons .