Imagine you’re standing on the pitcher's mound ready to throw the next pitch in the bottom of the seventh inning. Your team is up by one run and the bases are loaded. You have two strikes on this next batter with two outs already. All you need is to pitch one more strike and you’re on to state. Finally, you pitch the ball, you see it go perfectly into the catcher’s glove and you hear the umpire yell, “STRIKE THREE, BATTER’S OUT!” The crowd erupts in excitement and your team comes to surround you and celebrate. Pitching can have its perks, however, it can be one of the most complex things to do in the game of softball. Today, I will be teaching you about the grip of the ball, the arm motion, and your leg motion. To begin with, it is key to have the correct grip on the ball. Grip the ball with the index, middle, and ring finger on the top of the “C”, the thumb on the bottom curve of the “C”, and your pinkie in between the opening of the “C”. Try to allow some space between the palm of your hand and the ball. This is the simplest grip to have on the ball but there is also different ways to throw a drop ball, change up, rise …show more content…
According to Jennie Finch, you want to make sure that the glove stays in tight the entire time. This will allow the ball to go in a straight line and not go out of the strike zone. As you go through the motion think: hips, hips, ear, back to the hip, and then finish back to the ear. At that point, go through the arm motion and create a 90 degree angle with your arms, with the glove arm facing towards the target. If the glove arm stays facing towards the target that will allow the perfect arm circle. Throughout the entire motion, keep your body tall and straight. This allows the body to use all its muscle and speed. It is also key to follow all the way through once you’ve let go of the ball. That will allow the ball to make it all the way to the target and to gain that extra speed that is needed to strike the batter
Wasser (2016) stated, “The acceleration phase involves increasing angular velocities of the body segments (pelvis, trunk, shoulders) and crosses to prepare for ball release.” The trunk follows a progressive pattern of flexion throughout the throwing motion, thus, influencing the power behind the ball’s trajectory. The turning of a player’s shoulders to align with their hips is what creates the momentum for the ball’s speed and direction upon release. At the beginning of the acceleration phase, as shown in the lacrosse shot analysis, the trunk exits the preparatory stage and enters a phase of rotation. According to Plummer and Oliver (2015), this phase is vastly important because the alterations in action and purpose of involved muscles could be
If you throw a ball with a lot of spin the ball will create air resistance (drag) then the ball will curve or slide as the ball reaches the plate and causes the batter to swing. This is because the faster moving air below the ball creates a smaller amount of pressure, which forces the ball to dive or break.
The curveball was based on a spinning clamshell that curved across the water on a Brooklyn Beach (Fleitz, D). A curveball may not be the easiest thing to learn, but after you learn it you will never forget how to throw it. First you need to get a grip on the ball and rest your pinkie and ring finger beside the ball, this is for support and the spin. Plan on releasing the ball aiming at the catchers mask (Kendrick, S). Secondly you should wind up the same as if you were throwing a fastball. Your palm should be facing first base as the ball goes over your head. Keep your wrist cocked and rotated toward your body. Finally you want to keep your elbow up and turn your wrist, then snap your wrist down as you release the ball. The learning process will be a lot easier and quicker if you have a good coach that can help you if you can't get a motion down.
Though the practices performed within softball literacy do not immediately seem as if they should be considered a literacy practice, according to two of the six propositions about the nature of literacy, it is. Not only does it involve the physical performance from a play, but also includes formal writings, new rules and regulations, and offer different rules in different countries. I think softball should be counted as a literacy practice because it appeals to Barton and Hamilton’s propositions and includes artifacts that make it a community and artifacts that provide the players with essential people skills.
Lead with your elbow to bring your right hand forward. Contact the ball just above and in front of your head. Solid contact is important; keep your hand stiff and open wide, almost like you are high-fiving the ball, to have a solid hit. IMG_0029.JPG
The researcher has chosen to write this paper on hitting because she has played softball for twelve years and the perfect softball swing has always eluded her. The softball swing is one of the most difficult softball skills to achieve greatness in. There are a number of great hitters all with different batting stances and styles, each one comfortable to them. There are many different tactics and coaching ideas out there to help improve hitting. In fact, there are several videos now on the market to help the softball player perform better. Coaches often teach hitting drills to improve batting techniques and ability. Confidence is an important factor in hitting. If the player lacks confidence then she will not be a good hitter. Softball is not only a physical game but a mental game.
When one throws a baseball properly they are using there entire body to generate a large force to propel the baseball. A general throwing position starts with a person rotated 90 degrees from there target with there throwing arm 180 degrees from the target and parallel to the ground. The person then starts rotating their body back towards their target while there throwing arm starts bending until it is almost 90 degrees to their elbow, while the arm is bending at the elbow the throwing arm is rotating such that the arm rotates back almost 180 degrees from the target. Meanwhile the person is leaping forward with the leg that was initially pointed at the target while there other leg is planted into the ground. The person is bending at their waist and the other arm is rotating into their body. Around the point where the driving leg strikes the ground the throwing arm is rotating foreword at a tremendous angular speed and the person lets go of the ball. At the point where the ball is let go the persons body pulls the planted leg forward and the throwing arm finishes its motion towards the driving leg.
Texas Tech has proven that hitting a softball is way harder to hit than a baseball. A softball pitcher is very close to you at the pitcher's mound. If you are in the batter's box it feels like they are right on top of you especially since most softball pitchers can be up to about 6 feet in height. It is scientifically proven that a softball player has less time to react to the ball because of the distance and speed of the pitch. Also, softball pitchers not only throw hard, but they also throw tricky pitches to hit. The pitch that rises upwards is called a rise ball. When this pitch comes in, most coaches will say just let it go instead of risking this pitch. Baseball players throw breaking balls, but unlike in softball they don't suddenly leap up right as you're going to swing at it. Pitchers in softball can also throw a curve ball that curves away from the batter but still in the strike zone. A screw ball moves closer to the batter. Same as a curve ball it is still in the strike zone just right on the edge of it. Softball players throw many more change ups than in baseball. Change ups catch the player off guard causing them to swing and become frustrated with themselves. As you can tell softball pitchers don't mess around using every inch of the plate to pitch the ball and strike the batter
The first thing that you have to do in your wind up is to step back with your right foot behind the rubber. Second you have to swing you right foot up and balance on your left foot. Finally you have to push your left foot off of the mound while balancing and throw the ball towards the plate. After you throw the ball you have to be in a fielder’s position in case the ball is thrown hit back at you.
Are you familiar with slap hitters? Most softball teams have included slap hitters in their line-up as these players are efficient in stopping the opposing defense. Slap hitters literally slap the ball. Slap hitting requires very good speed.
As they grow and develop, their fastball will become faster and they will be taught to throw different version of their fastball. It is not until around the age of thirteen that little league rules allow them to throw a curveball. What are the mechanics a pitcher uses to throw a curveball? To throw a curveball the pitcher holds the ball with the middle and index fingers on or near the stitching, with their thumb underneath forming a “C” with their hand on the ball. As they throw the ball, they snap their hand in a turning motion like pulling a chain that turns off a light bulb lamp. This makes the baseball spin in the direction of the throw. The stitching on the baseball gathers up air as the ball rotates which creates higher air pressure on one side of the ball which makes the ball
Step one is how to grip the ball, so on your grip you have the ball in your hand then you put your index finger on the ball next you put your middle finger on the ball also your other fingers if you don't get it your thumb should be underneath the ball in between your two fingers up top your pinky should not be in contact with the baseBall should be held out toward the fingertips as much as possible
There are a few different techniques to striking the cue ball and each will give a different results.
Swing your arm like a windmill. Keeping your elbow straight, rotate your arm behind you and swing it over-the-top towards the batter. Do not
4. Downward swing: Swinging down with the right amount of force and velocity to successfully hit the ball the furthest you possibly can with correct accuracy.