Pitching and Pitchers Discussion Different Styles of pitching??????

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I have been taking my 11 yr old daughter to pitching lessons and her instructor just moved he taught more of the Ernie Parker style. Since he has been gone her new instuctor teaches more inline with Bill Hillhouse style. What one seems to be the most effective???

Thanks

 

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Watch the Hillhouse style her arm might fall off!

 

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Style is just that, style. Main thing to watch are the mechanics, if those at taught/learned correctly the rest doesn't matter.

 

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The best style is deterimed by the person actually pitching, what are they most comfortable with. Mechanics are key, every good pitcher I've seen really has good mechanics. Try watching college pitchers or the olympic team, most pitcher's I've seen get to the plate. But, if the style isn't comfortable for the pitcher.....

 

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Flashes10, I couldn't agree more.

 

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If you are talking Style I agree. But Parker doesn't teach what Hillhouse calls Absolutes.
My dd started with what Parker teaches. After going to Bill Hillhouse and Doug Gillis we switched. There are diffences,. 1. is the follow thru

 

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bottom line there is more than one way to "skin a cat" and that is the only "Absolute"
you need to fine the "style " that DD is most comfortable with and works best her body....good Mechanics are what makes the difference between a kid that "throws " the ball and a kid that pitches....ps...not huge Hillhouse fan....but DD is now working with her future college pitching coach and she works out of Gillis Academy in Detroit....have learn some modifications that are proving to be effective and with luck she will go from very good to even better, but coach is working with in DD natural style....after all that "style'" is what got her recruited.....Good luck.

 

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I believe that style has some bearing on pitching but the bottom line is, If you dont put the in the time to be good it doesn't matter what style you throw. Im sure Monica Abbotts style isnt taught by to many instructors but she was one of the best in the country. It was because she found a style and worked many, many hours (more like years) at it. My advice is find a style that your DD is comfortable with forget what all the thousands of masterminds and pitching instructors on this forum say, and put in the time (not 30min at practice and 10 min before the game) but the 4,5,6 nights a week 100 to 150 pitches each night and your DD will be able to throw strikes and place the ball where she wants. This sport is not rocket science like we try to make it. If we get back too starting these young kids out with strong fundamentals, throwing properly, watching the ball to the bat, fielding your position, all the fancy stuff can come with age and maturity. In this sport we as parents cant keep bouncing kids from one instructor to the next and hope that each will make her a little better than the last. Find the one you AND your DD are comfortable with and trust, and put in the commitment of time (lots of it) and the hard work enforce what the instructor(coach) teaches in your HOURS of home workouts and you will see the efforts pay off.
Just my 2 cents for what its worth,
LUVFP13

 

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Well said LUVFP13!

 

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LUVFPSB

You don't have to be a big Hillhouse fan but, I'm curious as to what you heard with Gillis that you didn't hear with Hilhouse. They are virtually identical. Maybe some slightly different verbiage but for the most part they stress the same things: Key points in the motion to be in certain positions. The Ralphie Ciffareto comment is somewhat hilarious: what Michele Smith, Cat Osterman, etc. and put those videos side by side with what you've seen (if you've seen it) Hillhouse do in person, they are identical. Hillhouse and Gillis (when you can actually see him personally instead of one of his 'staff') are uncompromising with what they teach. And they should be, they've had amazing careers of their own and they are doing the exact same things as what the elite female pitchers do. I've never heard either Doug or Bill say something they could not back up with a physical demonstration or explanation or both. The truth is, many people want to believe they are on the path to success at younger ages then find out they will not be and have not chance to become an elite because they do not do what the elites do themselves.

CC

 

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Well said Cluelesscoach: I was thinking the same thing. They are also good friends, so I couldn't understand the post..

 

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There are numerous ways to grip and throw a softball but the mechanics of throwing should not change. Yet when you watch for example the college world series do all of the girls pitch or even look the same? There is the open hip style of pitching sometimes referred to as the West Coast style. There is the bring your hip through after the hand style that many teach down in my area. Myself included. ?Between those two you then get into variations that may work for some but may not work for others.

For the instructor its in the best interest of his/hers students to study them all. There may be something that may work for one student that will not work for another as well. I never want to be without an option to be able to help a student. Also, if I cant figure it out I will ask someone who many have dealt with the same situation I am facing. There are a lot of experienced instructors out there. ?Bill Hillhouse, Doug Gillis, John Gay, Rick Pauly, Ernie Parker, and Hal Skinner. All of whom I have studied and or talked to over the course of the the past 10 years. ?

My particular template that I like for pitching style at the womens pro level is Jenny Finch. She does a lot of very good things in terms of movement and motion when pitching. Why use anything less than what you see the best in the world doing when they pitch?

http://forums.delphiforums.com/fpanalysis/start

Elliott.

 

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i am amazed at the name dropping of instructors style. ?I wish that more coaches/parents would speak more of mechanics. ?I often wonder what "style" i would teach and have been asked that. ?I do not feel that i have one, I constantly emphasize mechanics and fundamentals. ?i do feel as though that would be more beneficial. ?Because i am sure there are PLENTY of things that I do not agree with Gillis, Hillhouse and Parker. ?but there are also SOME things that i do agree on. ?ESPECIALLY considering none of the coaches mentioned were women/girls. ?I am not being sexist, as that my first pitching coach was a male. ? I do agree with someone who said, pay attention to what all great pitchers have in common, as well as instructors will speak of commonalities. ?they also brought up Monica Abbot. ?I would NEVER teach her mechanics, but I see where it works for her. ?There is a lot of things she can get away with because she is 6'3 that others could not.

Radara McHugh
Akron Racers 04-07
University of North Carolina 97-01

 

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Radra,

My bad. I have also studied Cheri Kempf and Michele Smith. You had a right to call me out for that.

Good Call.

Elliott.

 

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I have seen one on one lessons with many of the greats and I have to say that I was most impressed with Cheri Kempf. ?She sees things that others can't. ?I've seen her time and time again help a pitchers make a tiny adjustment that ends up making a huge impact. ?www.clubk.com