Tonight at lessons two of my students were very excited. Both had pitched in a tournament over the weekend and couldn't wait to tell me how they did.

They're both very talented so I expected they would do well. But what really got them going was the success they had throwing the changeup. In each case they got several hitters with it. One even said she was striking girls out with it despite the fact that everyone was yelling to watch out for it. I reminded the other one that a couple of years ago when she was learning it she said she couldn't do it. She sure can now!

Pitchers tend to spend a lot of time in the gym. Sometimes they find it hard to focus, or to remember exactly why we're doing it week after week. But after a weekend like they had I can tell you both girls were primed, up, and ready to work.

As an instructor there's nothing better than hearing all the hard work paid off. It's what keeps everyone going when there's a foot of snow on the ground and summer seems a long ways away.