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Midwest Fastpitch - keeptheboardcorrect@gmail.com
[ Midwest Fastpitch - keeptheboardcorrect@gmail.com ]

Pitching Parents

Posted by Parent on June 3, 2025, 3:28 pm

None of my kids pitched in softball, and while watching the tournament, I'm realizing how effective a change is. My question is, when kids are starting out, what's the progression of pitch learning? After they get the motion down, do you start with movement pitches? Or do you work on change of speed.

Just wondering.

Re: Pitching Parents

Posted by Next level pitching on June 4, 2025, 8:18 pm, in reply to "Pitching Parents"

There's a lot more to it then just learning pitches. Having a good fastball is key. Movement pitches are helpful if you have 0-1 or 0-2 count. Understanding hitting is about timing the pitcher is equally important. That's where a change up can help throw off the timing or be crushed over the fence. If a pitcher is struggling getting a head in the counts, the movement pitches are irrelevant. Last but not least you need a good pitching instructor. It took us 3 pitching coaches to find the right one for our daughter

Re: Pitching Parents

Posted by @Parent on June 4, 2025, 12:40 pm, in reply to "Pitching Parents"

Sitting in the stands at college games, it seemed like the truly elite could throw spin pitches at different speeds.

I celebrate every time the kid hits a ball. The best was when they'd get a hit at the first at-bat—guaranteed 1-3 for the day.

College is tough on the players, but it's mentally taxing on the parents, too.

Re: Pitching Parents

Posted by Jason P on June 4, 2025, 11:37 am, in reply to "Pitching Parents"

Start with the fastball - it's the basis upon which all else is built. You learn to feel the arm circle and eventually learn to trust in what your arm will naturally do - whip or internally rotate. From there it is either the drop ball or change up - the drop is just applying more top spin to your fastball (my daughter's pitching coach often said one's drop ball can be faster that one's fast ball) and the change is killing the whip in your fastball. The curve is a good pitch to pursue next - though the finish is by the belly button. Rise is tough, and can take some time to master - a minimum speed is required to induce the ball to move.

Screwball is a tough one - and one to weigh carefully. It deviates from the form that you've built off your fastball - your foundational pitch. My daughter's former coach avoided teaching her the screwball precisely because it can undo all that you've achieved.

What one can certainly do though is practice the hand movement of a curve ball/drop ball/rise ball without actually throwing it. It's an excellent way to develop the dexterity necessary to throw the pitch in the future. Something I wish I had encouraged my daughter to do.

Re: Pitching Parents

Posted by Cletus on June 4, 2025, 11:12 am, in reply to "Pitching Parents"

Change up should be mastered after fastball (maybe even before). If your 10-14 u pitcher can throw it first pitch or 3-0 in the count , it shows she has it down. I agree the curve and rise are the last , if they are taught wrong, forearm and back problems are all but a certainty.

Re: Pitching Parents

Posted by Parents on June 3, 2025, 11:28 pm, in reply to "Pitching Parents"

Fastballs first then change up. That’s all you need until 13u.
Most good pitching coaches won’t teach a movement pitch until then. Kids should spend more time being able to hit all four corners with fastball and mastering change before moving on to movement pitches. But nobody wants to do that be ause it’s not sexy. Dont try rise ball until high school. Can be bad on the back.

Re: Pitching Parents

Posted by @Parent on June 3, 2025, 10:13 pm, in reply to "Pitching Parents"

My kid learned screw, change, curve, & rise in that order. Looking back now, I wish she would have thrown more change ups. Her screw then rise became her strikeout pitch, and the coaches called it early and often. Both were very effective, and still are. However, not mastering the change, imo, is what limited her to mid major (at best). At the college level it's a must. The batters are just too good.

Re: Pitching Parents

Posted by @Parent on June 4, 2025, 1:49 pm, in reply to "Re: Pitching Parents"

My next kid will be a positional player. I only have to hold my breath 4 times in a game - 3 at bats and that one time when the ball is hit to her.

A whole lot less stress!

-Pitcher Parent

Re: Pitching Parents

Posted by Pitcher mom on June 3, 2025, 3:46 pm, in reply to "Pitching Parents"

My daughter was taught the fastball and change up pretty much simultaneously. She only had those two pitches for several years despite going to a few different coaches. Pitching coaches would not teach her a new pitch until those two were mostly consistent/“mastered”. After that it depends on the girl, their pitching style, and their coach. Our coach felt a curve would be a natural pick-up for my daughter so instead chose to teach her the screw so she wouldn’t get stuck in a rut with her curve. After the screw she learned the drop ball. Now she’s just learning the curve. Rise is usually one of the last pitches to learn because if you don’t throw hard enough it won’t break properly. That was just our experience over the last 5 years. Other coaches may do things differently.

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