You CANNOT skip this step

Foundation. It’s everything. Why are pitchers being taught to “go hard” and “drive further” when they don’t even know how to properly push off of the mound? They can’t even tell you which part of the pitch produces the most power but coaches keep saying “get faster”.

That doesn’t register in the pitcher’s mind because she doesn’t know how to fix it. She can hear you yell it at her. She can think about it before she pitches. But then she ends up failing and getting frustrated with herself when really she was just never taught the correct mechanics.

I will not get out the radar or teach a second pitch until the foundation looks promising. I don’t care if you can throw 50mph at 10 years old. I’d rather you show me a STRONG pitch at 45mph. Strong meaning you were utilizing the correct muscles with good timing and sequencing. The list goes on.

Once you help them break down each part of the pitch, you’ll start to see their minds put the pieces together all on their own. I hear “ohhhh, okay. Now it makes sense!” at least once a day during lessons. That’s one of my favorite things to hear. It’s another box checked and a big step forward in the process.

Focus on the mechanics. Teach them how the body works. Help them learn how to self correct. Then you can build speed. Don’t do it backwards because then you’ll see injury, burnout, and plateau around age 13/14.

Dig deep and see how their brain works and help them become more in tune with their body. Their confidence will grow tremendously since they are no longer left feeling confused and frustrated. They have the answers. They’ve been studying and now they’re ready to ace their test on game day.