Looking for a experienced Pitching Coach

My DD has been taking pitching lessons since she was 9 years old and is 15 now, we always did one lesson a week and pitched maybe one to two additional times a week at home and played on the weekends, per one of her pitching coaches at a local college you don't want to burn them out and you don't want them to become injured at an early age. As far as lessons are concerned have you thought about contacting the local colleges in your area or even the high school pitchers, my DD has 3 coaches we see depending upon availability and two are either a current college pitcher or former college pitcher and the girls really enjoy having someone young and they really look up to them. My DD pitches for her high school and gave a few lessons herself this summer. The rates we currently pay are between $25 for an individual lesson with the current/former college players and $30.00 with the local college coach but that is done two at a time. Hope this helps!

 

Yes I actually did email the local college coach here Barton College but did not receive an answer. I was going to wait until school started back up and try this again.

 

Hello Dwayne, I don't post much on here since my daughter moved on from fast pitch and therefore I'm not in the softballl scene as much as I was from years in the past but anyway..

I paid years ago $40 to 50 per hour and that from what I knew was probably the normal rate especially with a experienced, well known coach. I went to Radara McHugh from Carolina and also Beverly Smith, assistant coach at Carolina. I caught my daughter every time and at times there when we were with Beverly we would split a lesson with another pitcher/catcher at the same time we got our lesson too. By sharing with someone else at the same time it lowered the cost.

But this is why I posted to tell you that sharing a lesson with another pitcher at the same time isn't a always a negative thing as long as the experience/talent level is the same and their mechanics are solid. I've noticed that both girls are competing against each other to perform well and in the eyes of the instructor and also the speed seems to increase after they really get warm. Many times Beverly would tell me to switch off and catch the other girl vice versa and that would be a plus to both girls not getting in a "comfort" zone with their preferred or "tag along" catcher.

I do not know anyone to coach a young girl pitching in the area of Wilson but just from my experience get with a well, known no-nonsense coach with emphasis on solid mechanics, hard work ethics, and that the girls can "relate" well with and that also can "pitch the pitches" that they teach.

??How often to get a lesson? We tried to get a lesson once per week especially when the college softball season had not cranked up yet and that was enough to do. We usually had some particular drills or "homework" to each week and we worked hard. Throw ih some "off days" too for rest and other things (we had two) and that was our usual thing.

My 2cts.

Reelturner Arthur

 

Follow up....

Radara McHugh from what I know isn't available around here anymore as she as moved on to Ohio with Kent State and was last I heard playing for the Akron Racers professional team.

RT

 

....good advice Reelbuddy. Couple of ?s pal, you post that you caught your DD and then once in awhile would switch with the other catcher/dad...1. lol, how many bruises did you go through?
2. On a serious note, how did switching up catching work for the pitchers, did they, say, maybe concentrate more or did they throw any different?
3. Did you pick up anything pitching wise that maybe was beneficial to your DD that you can share with TBR youngsters?

Thanks Pal, Fishman

 

J,

1. Not as many when you get some All Star shin guards hahaha!!....and with shin guards vs. sitting on a bucket which I never believed in I could get in a better position to position the mitt "right at the knees" on the corners. Was it hard on the knees ...you better believe it but I figured I could do it and did for many years. You may remember that I didn't have the best sight at all especially in one eye, therefore wearing a face mask eased the tension greatly to say the least. Let me tell you something that I witnessed many times at tournaments I (maybe it was me...thats ok though) I watched many people...dads. coaches warming up their pitchers with pitches coming in at the waist level or just below it and to me I thought that wouldn't help the girl on the rubber when she had to throw low on the corners.

Bruises.... I don't care how good of a catcher you are when your outside catching on dirt if the drop ball and I will admit it gets down in the dirt sometimes your going to get a bruise.

2. Switching off catching....The pitchers stepped it up when catchers/dad's switched off to another. I do not think that the level of pitching should have really fluctuated much if at all. One drill where Beverly would have say 5 balls laying on the ground beside the catcher and as soon as the pitcher pitched the catcher would throw back to the pitcher for another pitch. As long as the pitcher threw "anywhere" that the catcher could make the catch then that was acceptable, if a wild pitch came in and got by, then the catcher would grab another ball, this If I remember correctly was to help with muscle memory and for the pitcher to just pitch and not think about what she had to do in order to get the next pitch coming. With good mechanics, few if any balls would pass by in a 30 second or 1 minute time span. This drill was a drill that requires a lot of focus and discipline.


3. Anything to share with TBR to help others...
These pitching coaches stressed the importantce of perfecting 2-3 pitches that a pitcher excels in and has confidence in pitching in any game situation when called upon versus attempting to pitch 4 or 5 pitches semi- effectively. Young pitchers commenting that they can pitch 6, 7, pitches mean nothing if they can't pitch but only two of them effectively a portion of the mound time.

BTW, all the pitching lessons that my daughter took part in where one hour long.

RT

 

thanks for an excellent, informative post.

C'Mon pitchers dads/moms? Follow up our buddy Reelturner with some of your wisdom.
This is an excellent thread and can only get better if you folks with experience tell us how it really is.
Thanks
Fish

 

Dany Spaulding is great. She charges $25 per 1/2 hr or $45 per hour. She can teach one on one with high schoolers as she is not a coach and teaching pitching is no way a violation with the NCAA as it is considered a job. She is very good. You can contact her thru Donna Papa at UNC. By using her, you can not use the facilities at UNC. She has fields you can meet at to do your pitching.

 

Bruises HERE'S one for ya Fishman she was 10 or 11 when I caught that one to the eye !!!!!
Couldn't tell ya the ones to the shins and else where .
Believe it or not in about 30 mins. I am leaving with her to send her off to college MAN TIME SURE FLIES WHEN YOU ARE HAVING FUN !!!!

PS Taught by Sharon Bailey (Perfect Form Fast Pitching)

 

....black eye and a white wrist....wheres your watch pal? My bet is that HanBan did the 'ol slider off the wrist into the coconut!



What time is it? lol