Fighting ignorance
I saw a “fact check” website yesterday that had a great motto. The first part was “Fighting ignorance one day at a time” or something to that effect. Then in parentheses under that it said “It’s taking a lot longer than we thought.”
I know the feeling. I’ve spent a lot of time and effort studying, evaluating and re-evaluating the optimum techniques for executing fastpitch softball skills, I’ve also had a number of years’ experience teaching those skills to players of varying levels of athletic ability. So I have a pretty good idea of what works and the way things ought to be done.
I won’t say I know everything — there’s always more to be learned and new information comes out all the time — but I do my best to remain current, and confirm my thinking with what other top coaches are doing. That’s what I share here on Life in the Fastpitch Lane and other places as well.
Yet sometimes it can get awfully frustrating when I hear that there are still people teaching drills and techniques come from the era when mullets were in style, i.e. the ’80s. Especially when they try to foist that junk on one of my students.
I’ve seen it happen with hitting, where some team coach will start telling girls who can really rip the ball to squish the bug, take the knob of the bat to the ball, swing down on the pitch and other stuff that will actually prevent them from continuing to hit well.
Recently it happened with one of my pitchers. She was at a practice with her new team, which is connected to one of the local high schools, when the team’s “pitching coach” came over and started talking to her about snapping her wrist and pointing her elbow at the catcher (aka using “hello elbow”). I put “pitching coach” in quotes because the guy’s only qualification is that his daughter pitches at that school and he’s worked with her some.
Luckily the girl’s dad texted me right away, and he’s going to talk to the head coach, who said he knows some players have private coaches and let him know if there are conflicts. Still, until it’s resolved you have yet another person who doesn’t have a clue about how top pitchers actually pitch offering advice that was either told to his daughter at some point or that he got off some VHS tape.
People, listen up! Focusing on forcing a hard wrist snap is a gigantic waste of time! I can’t emphasize that enough. There are no muscles in the wrist. The muscles run from the elbow through the forearm to the hand. The wrist’s primary contribution is flexibility and quickness, not power.
What’s viewed as the wrist snap occurs as the result of a pronation (turning in) of the lower arm as it passes the elbow during release. It’s nothing you have to or even want to try to do, especially if you are also achieving brush contact. Trying to force a hard wrist snap actually gets in the way of the wrist making its contribution because it slows it down. It’s not where power comes from. The best the wrist can do is add a little bit. But if you make it the focus – for example doing endless wrist flips — you’ll actually defeat the whipping motion and slow the pitch down.
If you don’t believe me, how about seeing what NFCA Hall of Famer Cindy Bristow, one of the fastpitch world’s most accomplished coaches and instructors has to say about it? Or what about Bill Hillhouse, a former men’s National Team fastpitch pitcher and another highly sought-after pitching coach thinks about the wrist snap? If those two authorities tell you don’t waste your time on it, why would you continue to do it? Or listen to anyone who says you should?
The same goes for the hello elbow. It’s completely unnecessary as well as unnatural. Follow-throughs should be long and loose. You don’t need to touch your throwing-side shoulder after you pitch. You don’t need to point your elbow at the catcher. Again, that kind of stuff will get in the way of maximizing the pitcher’s potential.
For my part, I guess all I can do is keep trying to bring good information to people as best I can, and teach my students to remain strong and steadfast in their commitment to learning why we do the things we do. We’ll continue to fight ignorance one day at a time – even if it takes a lot longer than we thought.
Pitching inside and outside
One of the most basic requirements for fastpitch pitchers is being able to hit their spots. While I’m not as fanatical as some about it as some, there’s no question it is important. If you can hit your spots you can pitch to a hitter’s weaknesses far more reliably than a pitcher who is chucking the ball toward the plate and hoping for the best.
But of course, as with many things, it’s easy to say but not always easy to explain how to do. One of the methods of going inside and outside (and the one I teach, incidentally) is to stride slightly left or right of the power line. Essentially you’re setting up a slight angle off of center. An inch or two in either direction at the stride will result in hitting the corner at the plate – if you do it right.
But there’s more to it than just striding left or right. You have to carry your momentum toward that side too, maintaining your same mechanics as though you were going down the middle.
I had a student who was having some trouble getting the hang of it, so I found a different way to explain it to her. What I told her was to drive her momentum toward the glove, which was set up alternately on the inside or outside corner.
It gets the same idea across — maintain your core mechanics but aim them left or right. But it does it in a way that’s a little more specific.
If you have a pitcher who is struggling going inside and outside give it a try. And if you have another method with which you’ve had success, let the rest of us know in the comments below.
Bill Hillhouse is coming to Southern Wisconsin
Got a note the other day that Men’s National Team pitcher and pitching instructor Bill Hillhouse is coming to Greendale High School in Greendale, Wisconsin October 12 – 14. He’ll be doing a demonstration/explanation of pitching on Friday night, group lessons on Saturday and individual private lessons (by appointment only) on Sunday. 
This is a great opportunity to have your mechanics looked at by one of the most knowledgeable instructors in the game today. I’ve followed Bill’s writings, both on his website and in Softball Magazine, and have communicated with him directly as well and I think this is a great opportunity for pitchers in the Southern Wisconsin/Northern Illinois area.
More information and a sign-up sheet is available on <A href="/files/55650-48775/hillhouse_clinic.pdf”>this form. (If the form doesn’t work on the Discuss Fastpitch Forum, you’ll need to go to http://fastpitchlane.softballsuccess.com.)
I’m hoping to get up there myself, so perhaps I’ll see you there!
When You’re A Coach, Timing Is Everything
This past summer, since I didn’t have a fastpitch softball team of my own to coach, I got to spend more time going out to various tournaments and watching my students play. I find it’s very valuable to see them perform under game pressure — especially to see if they’re maintaining the mechanics we’ve worked so hard to achieve. 
Of course, when you do that you’re always taking a chance. When things go right it’s great. When they don’t it can be, well, a bit uncomfortable.
Fortunately, the day I went out to see a 10U pitching and hitting student named Sydney play was a good one. It was about 100 degrees, but you’d never guess by the big smile on her face. The game I watched she was voted the MVP by the opposing team. No surprise there since (as I recall) she struck out five or six hitters in three innings of work, She also had a couple of solid hits and a walk.
Mostly, though, I am sharing this story because I just love this picture!
More evidence that the sacrifice bunt is a waste
Watch any fastpitch softball game — travel ball, high school, even college — and there’s a pretty good chance you’ll see this scenario play out
First batter up gets on base — gets a hit, walks, reaches on error, hit by pitch, whatever. So what happens next? The coach in the third base box throws some signals, and the hitter promptly tries to sacrifice her over to second. The thought, of course, is that by moving the runner up 60 feet the team will have a better chance of scoring a run. And one run could be the difference between winning and losing.
The trouble is there are a few flaws in that thinking. One is that it’s not 1987 anymore. Between more players taking hitting lessons, the pitching rubber being moved back to 43 feet in most levels of play, and bat technology that can turn a checked swing into a double, the 1-0 or 2-1 game is pretty much a rarity.
But even if it were, as I’ve written before here and here, the facts don’t bear out the strategy. Instead of looking hopefully at the idea of moving a runner into scoring position, we need to look at actual outcomes — in other words check the facts instead of the assumptions.
I haven’t been able to find any stats specific to fastpitch softball, but I did a great chart that looks out the outcomes in Major League Baseball going all the way back to 1950. Take all the emotion out of it and just look at what happens in different situations.
Let’s take a look at our scenario again. Looking at the stats for 1993-2010, with a runner on first and no one out, MLB teams scored .941 runs from that point to the end of the inning. If you sacrifice the runner to second, which means you have a runner on second with one out, MLB teams scored .721 runs. In other words, by moving that runner up a base by giving up an out, you’re likely to to score .220 fewer runs.
Now take a look at the second chart, which shows the chances that any runs will score in an inning in different situations. With our runner on first and no outs, there’s a .441 chance a run will score. By moving that runner to second with a sacrifice bunt, you now have a .418 chance of scoring a run in the inning. Again, by making that move your chances of scoring have decreased by .033.
That’s not speculation. That’s science. The numbers don’t lie.
If you’re one of those who automatically goes to the sac bunt when you get a runner on base, maybe it’s time to re-think that strategy. Unless you’re playing my team. In that case, by all means please feel free to give up an out every time you get a runner on first. I’ll be sure to say thank you later.
Taking a break is a legit way to spend time now
These days fastpitch softball (like so many other sports) has become a year-round commitment. And because of it there is a tendency to want to keep pushing, pushing, pushing all the time.
While it’s important to be dedicated, there is also some value in shutting down for a little while after the season.
The season is long, whether you’re a younger player who’s been playing games and tournaments since January in the South, or April in the North, or an older player who has done a school team followed by a summer season.
During that time even the toughest get injuries, get tired, lose their enthusiasm, etc. Shutting down for a few weeks is a great way to recover, both physically and mentally.
Some may be afraid to shut down because they’re worried about losing ground on the competition. Don’t be. Two, three, even four weeks between seasons isn’t enough time to lose everything. There might be a bit of rust at first, but it will fall away quickly.
The physical aspect of taking some time off is important. But it’s the mental part that’s likely to do the most. Walking away from something you spend so much time on, even something you love, for a little while will help recharge the ol’ batteries and help your player see the game with fresh eyes. It’ll also help put a little separation between seasons so this one isn’t just a continuation of the last one, but a fresh, new opportunity.
It’s tempting to go, go, go. But take a little time for R&R. You’ll find it makes a huge difference in the long run.
At tryouts, there’s always someone watching
We’re smack dab in the middle of the fastpitch softball travel ball tryout season right now. For the next couple of weeks, players will be heading to tryouts to show their stuff, and coaches will be trying to determine which players will give them the best chance of achieving their goals next season.
I’ve provided some hints to successful tryouts in the past, both here and in my Softball Magazine articles. But there’s one I haven’t covered before (at least that I remember) that players trying out should keep in mind: at a tryout, there’s always someone watching.
What I’ve noticed over the years is that when you’re running players through a drill, most will give 100%. Let’s take fielding fly balls in the outfield. Coaches hit the ball, or fire one out of a pitching machine, and players run after it. Normally what you’ll see is what you’d expect — good hustle, a sprint to it, and maybe now and then even a slide or a dive.
Really, though, those are table stakes. What I want to see is what players do when they aren’t being given a specific test. Like when they’re sent out to shag balls during batting practice.
I don’t know about other coaches, but when a ball is hit well, I usually want to give the fielders time to catch it before bringing the next pitch. So what do I do? I turn around and watch the fielders.
It’s amazing how many of them laze after the ball, sort of trotting to it and letting it drop in front of them instead of bringing that great effort they showed a few minutes before in the outfield portion of the tryout.
That tells me a lot about their attitude and makeup as a player. You know what I’d love to see? The kid who sprints full out to try to get to the ball, and maybe slides in or dives to get one that might seem out of reach. I see that and it’s going to catch my attention. I now know that player is serious about her game, and will play hard all the time. Because if she’ll go for it while “just” shagging BP, imagine what she’ll do when the game is on the line.
One of the big keys to tryouts is to do something memorable. You want to find a way to separate yourself from the pack. Especially at the older ages, everyone has skills. Or at least nearly everyone does. The way to stand out is to show you have something extra, a fire inside you that inspires you to always do your best, not just when you think someone is watching.
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. Let’s hear from some other coaches. Do you watch what happens away from the main action? How much does this sort of thing influence your decision, especially when you’re coming down to the last couple of roster spots?
10U team looking for players
Just got a note this morning from a guy I know who is looking for 10U players in the far Northwest suburbs of Chicago. He is dropping down to coach his younger daughter after several years coaching his older one, who has decided not to play her last year of travel ball.
The team is part of the Crystal Lake Tidal Waves organization, and the coach’s name is Steve Kram. He’s a good coach with plenty of experience, and someone I know will do right by the girls. If anyone is looking for a team, or knows a 10U player looking for one, tryouts are Wednesday, August 8, 2012 at 5-6:30pm and next Saturday the 11th at 8am-10am. Tryouts are held at Prairie Ridge High School.
If you’d like more information, you can contact Steve directly at s_m_kram@yahoo.com.
Fastpitch ability is also in the eye of the beholder
Regular readers know how much I love a good fastpitch softball success story. With the tryout season upon us I have a great one to share.
This one involves one of my pitching students, a girl who was 10U eligible but played up on an 11U or 12U team. (I’m old school, so I don’t really buy into the odd-numbered levels, but they seem important to others.)
Anyway, she isn’t the biggest kid in the world, so pitching at 40 feet instead of 35 and throwing a 12 inch ball instead of an 11 inch one was a bit challenging. She probably could’ve dominated hitters in 10U ball. She worked hard in lessons throughout the off-season, though, and got herself prepared.
Unfortunately, the season didn’t go quite as expected. Although the coach recruited her hard during tryouts, convincing her parents to have her play up and not even try out for the 10U team, when the season rolled around he just didn’t seem to have much use for her. I saw her pitch a game and she actually did her job. But her team had trouble making basic fielding plays, and struggled more than they should have. They won, as I recall, but it was tough.
After that she had a tough time getting playing time, either in the circle or on the field. Weekend after weekend she’d come to the games only to watch most of them from the bench. She was very discouraged, and her mom told me she was in tears on a regular basis. She even thought about giving up.
The last two weekends she’s been trying out with some new teams, and it’s been a completely different story. In fact, both teams she’s worked out for so far made offers right away, and are very interested in having her pitch for them next year. She’s gone from unappreciated and discouraged to having her choice of teams for which to play.
There’s a lesson in there for other players, and for all of us, really. While you always want to be working on your game, sometimes it isn’t you. It’s just someone else’s perception of you. Keep working hard, keep battling, and you’ll come out ahead in the end.
Sad news: Mary Nutter passes away
Heard some sad news today, first from Cindy Bristow on Facebook and then later confirmed by the NFCA. Mary Nutter, an NFCA Hall of Famer and the creator of the National Sports Clinics, has passed away.
Anyone who ever went to the NSC knows who Mary was. She was a quite a character and a force to be reckoned with. She ran her clinics with an iron fist (and about as much passion as anyone could muster).
It was always amusing to see Mary when one session was scheduled to end and another to begin. She didn’t care if you were a D3 assistant coach, a former player or the head coach of the National Team. When it was time to get off, she’d cut you off and keep things moving.
That being said, Mary was always looking out for her attendees. Inevitably there will be mix-ups or things missed when human beings are involved. But Mary made sure her people were trained to handle them quickly. And quite frankly, if you could catch her in the hallway she was a blast to speak with.
I attended many National Sports Clinics sessions here in the Chicago area, and much of what I know today I learned there. Mary always brought in the most interesting speakers and had the most interesting topics. Yet even in a large lecture format, where there might be 600 people in a hotel ballroom, you never felt remote. Because Mary always encouraged the speakers to hang out in the hallways and talk to people individually. If it was good enough for Mary herself, it was good enough for the presenters.
Hopefully the National Sports Clinics will continue to bring great softball information to new generations of coaches. But they’ll never quite be the same.
Mary Nutter, thanks so much for all you gave all of us. I think we can say you’re now safe at home.
Do you have any memories about meeting, talking to or seeing Mary Nutter? Add them in the comments section!
Life in the Fastpitch Lane 