Leaping

This is the deal. Highschool, NCAA ASA, etc, all have specific rules to go by concerning pitching and everything else about the game.The rules are there for a reason. It keeps the game on the same page from NC to California. Illegal pitching should be called especially when it is this noticable. Im with NA Jacket on it hurting the pitcher more than it is helping her. No way to leap up in the air with your arm flying and it not affect your balance. Still illegal though. Call it and get straightened out before it gets on national tv somewhere like it did in College world series last year when they made a spectacle of it and it made the game look less professional

 

Last year at the final 4 at Walnut Creek there was a pitcher who pitched illegal almost every pitch !! WE brought it to the umpires attention , he called an illegal pitch, the head coach from the other team exploded and initimdated the umpire so bad he never called it again.
I spent the first 2 weeks of the season correcting a freshman that was replanting and having her pitch legal( and she was going to the prominent pitching coach in this area!!) First game of the season had an opposing pitcher replanting and it was never called try explaining that to a 14 year old.

 

Last year at the final 4 at Walnut Creek there was a pitcher who pitched illegal almost every pitch !! WE brought it to the umpires attention , he called an illegal pitch, the head coach from the other team exploded and initimdated the umpire so bad he never called it again.
I spent the first 2 weeks of the season correcting a freshman that was replanting and having her pitch legal( and she was going to the prominent pitching coach in this area!!) First game of the season had an opposing pitcher replanting and it was never called try explaining that to a 14 year old.

 

Do you really think . . .

this kid (or your kid) will lose velocity as a result of this? If you do you'd better review your HS physics. In this picture there appears to be large horizontal component to her explosion off the rubber . . . a very good thing. Oh, it's illegal but correctable. Just get the rear toe pointing down and it's never going to be called (nor should it be IMHO). Much rather have a kid do this than step and throw generating nothing with their legs. I see far too many of the latter. In my perfect world the men's rules would be used and leaping would not be illegal. Leaping correctly (with an large horizontal component) is the most powerful, athletic and safest way to pitch.

Exploding off the rubber (with a large horizontal component) allows the pitcher to generate greater velocity with lower arm speed thus reducing strain on the shoulder. Don't give me the crap about "the windmill is a natural motion and, if done correctly, no injury will occur". I've seen far too many collegiate pitchers needing to have their shoulders "tightened".

 

Replanting is . . .

a completely different from leaping. The kid in this picture is almost certainly not replanting.

 

You mean you may have to explain to a 14 year old that life isn't fair and sometimes you just need to push on and persevere or wallow in self-pity and fail? Imagine that, a teenager actually having to learn a life lesson at such a delicate young age.

I understand that some umpires do not try to educate themselves and do a disservice to the game, but that occurs in life all the time and one of the benefits of youth sports is learning life lessons.

All coaches should explain to their players that calls are not going to go their way sometimes and they can't let that get them down. Soldier on and perform to the best of their ability.

 

I agree with this

Many leapers have momentum going skyward instead of momentum going to the plate. Push upward from the rubber instead of toward the plate. There isn't anything good that can happen from leaping that I have seen. Coaches making a big deal over this really think the pitchers have some kind of advantage. One persons opinion its a needless rule. There is not rule in the international game for leaping. The mens game has the toe down rule. International makes more sense.

 

We did not wallow in self pity, the girl pitched a 1 hitter Friday night. Either enforce the rules or do away with them.

 

Your correct that . . .

. . . . "jumpers" are not helping themselves (in fact, most jumpers are actually crow hoppers since they often do replant). But this girl is obviously not a jumper, she's a leaper. If you don't think leaping can help look at some of the great male fast pitch pitchers. Making it work for you requires great timing, but it certainly can improve velocity if done well. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen a girl hit 65+ without leaping to some degree.

 

BTW I really like the fact that . . .

you cropped this picture in a manner that does not reveal the pitcher's identity. Oh, I'm sure someone(s) on the board knows who it is (I don't) but for the sake of our discussion it's great not to have the young lady, her school, her parents, her pitching coach etc. called out here.

Let's keep it that way!