Posted on Mon, Jan 18, 2010
HEAT AND WEATHER CONTROL
HEAT: Heat is something all pitchers need to be prepared for as all will experience it to some degree. The heat problem is worsened by full length pants and protective helmets. Here are several things to do to help when heat is a problem in a game situation:
1) Warm up in the shade
2) Use a very wet cool towel on the forehead and back of the neck after every inning
3) Drink lots of water or a product like Gatorade
4) Stay in the shade between innings
5) Take your time between pitches
6) Use sunscreen and lip balm
7) The coach should have someone watch the pitcher very carefully. Look for anything unusual in their actions on the mound. Have them talk to the pitcher between innings. The pitcher must be alert and have clear focusing eyes. We had a pitcher win a tournament Most Valuable Trophy on a hot day and not remember any of the game at all two hours later.
8) Relax in the shade and continue to towel down and drink liquids after the game.
9) Some coaches mix water and ammonia with ice in a bucket filled with cotton towels. These towels are used on the forehead and neck for a very quick cooling. NOTE: The kids don't like this because of the odor
10) Use a rosen bag to keep hands from getting to sweaty and wet.
COLD:
1) Take a lot of time warming up in the sunshine
2) Once your arm is ready put a thick jacket on and leave it on until you pitch. Between innings and after the game put the coat back on
3) Wear mittens, not gloves, and a wool hat between innings
4) Drink warm liquids
5) Do not waste time between pitches
6) When you are done completely warm down
RAIN:
1) Keep a positive attitude in the rain, the ball will get wet and it is easy to loose focus. One must stay "in" the mind set and not let the slippery ball play with their mind. Keep a towel behind the mound to draw off the ball whenever necessary.
LIGHTNING:
Sit in a safe place and stay dry until lighting has stopped.
WIND:
1) Wear sunscreen and lip balm
2) Keep dust and or hair out of your eyesand face by wearing a hat if possible.
3) Watch for small dust devils. Time your pitches so they pass through any dust devils that cross between you and the batter.
4) You can actually use wind as an advantage with the movement of your pitches and your speed (assuming you are not going against the wind). Try to stay focues and work with it without getting frustrated.
Posted on Mon, Jan 11, 2010
Hi Everyone, well it is that time of year again...yeah!! We will continue to post blogs in regards to pitching...we hope you find them helpful...please leave or comment or question, we would love to hear from you!
The incentive to pitch starts as a chance to lead a team, become well known, seek a scholarship, maybe turn professional and excel at a physical level others are not trained to do. Notice, these are all "It's all about me" reasons? Are these kinds of rewards worth the many hours spent in training, set backs, injuries and missed social occasions? For some, yes. Are you one of these few that find the trouble is worth it? The only way to ever know is to try. But you must remember that few people are capable of becoming great pitchers and you may not be one of them. That is OK, we can't all be stars and heroes. If pitching isn't for you, there will be something else that is! Just keep checking your satisfaction level and accomplishments. If they aren't still an incentive to keep going, stop and find something that is.
What we want to point out here is there are many other incentives that aren't obvious to a beginning pitcher. Here are a few:
1) Life experiences
A) The best athletes don't always get chosen
B) The best athletes don't always win
C) Sometimes life isn't fair
D) Your best effort may not be always good enough to win
E) Being very good at something can produce enemies as well as friends
F) You may be a special athlete but you are not better than those that aren't
G) You can get along with anyone or argue with anyone, the choice is yours
H) Everyone is not "On your Team"
I) It does take a team to win
J) Umpires can be wrong but don't expect them to admit it
K) It really is ONLY a game
L) Sometimes the less deserving get more of the credit than they should
M) Anger extinguishes the lamp of the mind and decrease your ability to perform
N) Relaxation is as important as training
O) Sometimes a coach can be wrong
P) Sometimes a coach can be right
Q) Decisions you don't agree with may be right after all
You can say that, yes, this maybe is true BUT I don't want my child to learn these too early in life. If your child is 8 years old they already have experienced most of these points through school, video games and TV. The extra dimension pitching gives them is that they can see the results of these truths play out on the field through a season. They will see that sometimes things can move in their favor rather than against them. Ultimately they will see that most things levels out in life.
2) Personal understandings
A) Practice really does pay off
B) You get out of something only what you put into it
C) A commitment to yourself should never be broken
D) Set backs can bring you and your family and friends closer
E) Knowing and enjoying when you have reached a milestone, goal or life accomplishment
F) You can be better than you ever expected
G) A commitment to pitching prepares you for the several life time commitments you will have to consider
3) A Part of a Bigger Picture Youth sports offer opportunities that are few and far between for many kids. I can think of MANY individuals that have used softball to turn their lives around. When you see a 16 year old pitcher that has a 8 month old baby in the dug out you are looking at what could be a hardship for this young athlete BUT it is also someone at a young age, trying to do the best they can rather than just giving up! There are, at least, two nationally known very good division one softball coaches who have boot strapped themselves out of dependency on drugs through softball. How many kids are not in gangs because of sports? How many inner city kids get in to college, how many can fit into the military because of sports training? And how many excel well enough to become role models to their younger neighbors? And then the cycle repeats itself. Pitchers are often stars. It is these stars that make the game attractive to the young athlete. It is these stars that lead the kids of today into a land of opportunity and away from negative influences.
Of all the parts of this blog this section is the most significant and has been my greatest pleasure to write. Thank you Brooke for showing me this through your career
Glenn Hofstetter
Posted on Sat, Jul 11, 2009
The most dangerous part of pitching is a come backer. This is a line drive hit directly at the pitcher, waist high to head high. This is a very dangerous situation and can cause injury.
There are three ways to protect the pitcher from this:
1) ball placement within the strike zone
2) fielding drills for the pitcher
3) safety equipment
Ball placement: A ball hit up the middle without touching the ground until it has left the infield is the result of a perfect contract by the batter. They have hit the ball directly "ON THE NOSE". To do this the ball had to be in a hitting zone perfect for the hitter's location. If the batter was crowding the plate, that area may have been an outside corner. Batters find it easier to hit the ball on the nose if the ball's path is straight. Fast balls with no movement, are what they want to see. If the pitcher throws more breaking stuff some batters, early in a count, may try to predict a pitch adjusting their stance and position accordingly. So the best defense against a come backer is the correct pitch selection and location. In youth sports I feel that pitch selection is the responsibility of the coach, pitcher and catcher in that order. A good youth coach, who has been around for a while, should have a "book" on the batters from the other team. As a teenager's career unfolds it is possible to see the same batter over 100 times before college. If a record has been kept of the results of past meetings that include the pitch, if hit, and where it went, you can often duplicate good results by doing the same thing again. You can even warn the fielders in the area you may expect the ball to go just prior to the pitch. No catcher in youth sports can carry this info over the seasons in their head. For safety sake, if no other reason, pitch selection should be made by the coach. The pitcher should have the right to shake off any pitch almost all the time. Pitchouts and intentional walks are selections that should not be shaken. There will be times when a pitcher can't get something to work correctly, or may have picked up an offensive signal or just doesn't feel right about the selection. The coach should respect the pitcher's shake off and discuss it later in the dug out. The catcher may have heard something also, perhaps a bunt sign has been picked up with a runner on. This is not the time to throw anything way off speed. If so, they should meet with the pitcher to exchange info. Selection is one thing but execution is the other. The pitcher must make the pitch work and place it where it is best. Practice makes this possible, lots of practice.
Fielding drills: Once in a while have someone stand directly behind the catcher with a ball. At the exact instant the catcher receives the ball the person behind the catcher should fake throwing their ball at the pitcher. This is done with every pitch. Sometimes the throw is made, fast and hard (for the pitchers level of development) and at the pitcher's head. Do this about 10 times per practice, 2 or 3 practices a week. This builds an understanding for the pitcher that they can protect themselves and shows them the limits to the area they can effectively field. We have always said that unless a ball comes directly at the pitcher they should not attempt to field it. I also feel someone else should take high pop ups. If you can't get someone to stand behind the catcher than try this; have the catcher put another ball in the back of their knee. Once in a while, the catcher should underhand toss it at the pitcher while their pitch is in flight to the catcher. Not as good a drill but much better than nothing
SAFETY EQUIPMENT: Pitchers helmets with clear face masks are sometimes used and are required by a fewl organizations. Be sure the helmet fits correctly, is well ventilated and completely dried between games. This visor MUST BE CLEAN and not scratched. If the visor does get scratched polish it out with toothpaste. In hot climates you might consider alternating helmets every other inning. You could poly bag one helmet and put it in ice, while the pitcher uses the other. Make a helmet change in between innings and repeat the process every inning. If the pitcher is tall, a stride leg pad could be a nice piece of armor If all of these recommendations are followed a quality pitcher getting a lot of mound time will have less that a dozen dangerous come backers in their career and will have the confidence to handle all of them.
RADAR GUNS Don't use them. In youth sports they give you very little advantage. A good pitcher will cancel the advantage with their first pitch. There is still the cancer link to worry about and they cost money. Keep real good notes instead and you'll get a much better result for the cash.
Posted on Mon, May 18, 2009
There will be days when you just don't want to practice, how you handle them will depend on you and your goals, work ethic and commitments. These kind of days can't be avoided but you can plan so they come up less often. Here is what you need to do:
1) find a catcher you can count on, actually a parent is best. The chemistry between you and your partner must be (and remain) very good. Whoever you get, they must have a consistent available time when you do. Their schedule has to match yours. Don't work with another pitcher unless you have to.
2) pick a time that is most likely not to be interfered with. If possible, make it just before dinner or in the evening when it's cooler. If you have to throw during the day try to find a location with shade. Bring suntan lotion
3) pick a location that is always available, SAFE, not too public, and well lighted. If possible, its surface should to be the same as you play on. Bring water and towels. Always have a cell phone available.
4) decide how often you will practice weekly. Better to start with 3 days and move up to 4 or 5 than to start at 5 and suffer burnout. Plan the same place, partner and time for EVERY PRACTICE.
5) look at the practice as a stepping stone to a fun career, not as a job. Use the hints under practice boredom to help you enjoy your time.
6) some folks like to have music when they practice, some don't. Do what fits you best.
7) ware comfortable clothes fitting to your sport.
8) you will find the same people come to the area each day when you do. As you get better they will take notice and may even bring someone to watch you. GREAT !!!!! Don't be embarrassed or shy. But don't be cocky either...just friendly and confident!
9) be sure to warm down completely.
10) on the way home mentally review how things went so you can make adjustments if needed.
Feel free to ask us any questions...
Posted on Tue, Apr 28, 2009
If you have decided to go on with pitching at either the rec level or the travel/club level you will need to workout often. Depending on your age, 2 to 3 times a week should do it for rec and school levels starting 2 months before tryouts. You will need 4-5 workouts a week for serious travel/club ball starting 3 months before the season. If you live in a warm location you should pitch all year taking 2 weeks off around Christmas and another 2 weeks at the end of your season. When the season is in full swing, if you get a start a week, you can cut your practices down but always have at least two. Here is how to make them fun:
Week one: select the amount of time you should practice and begin. Have your catcher count the number of pitches you throw in the time you selected. Let's say you picked one hour (not including warm up and warm downs) and threw 75 pitches.
Week two: Throw 75 pitches no matter how long it takes but don't try to rush. Have your catcher keep a count of the strikes. Let's say in 75 pitches you threw 43 strikes.
Week three: You will throw 43 strikes in practice no matter how long it takes. As soon as you do your done. Have your catcher keep track of the time it takes you to do this.
Week four: Play 21 outs. Pretend there is a batter, (sometimes left handed) and let your catcher mix up your pitches keeping ball and strike counts. The catcher is the ump for the calls. When you have 21 strike outs you're done no matter how long it takes. Have your catcher keep track of the time it takes you to do this. CAUTION, this is where arguments can start. If you work a batter to a full count and throw a pitch that you think is a strike and your catcher thinks is a ball it can get testy. So always start this workout with 2 "take overs". You can use the take over to re pitch the full count and that will stop the argument about the last pitch.
Week five: Repeat week one being sure that the time you select is right for your needs and level. It should be at least as long as the time you used in week 3. Have your catcher count the number of pitches you throw in the time you selected. Let's say you picked one hour (not including warm up and warm downs) and threw 79 pitches.
Week six: Throw 79 pitches no matter how long it takes but don't try to rush. Have your catcher keep a count of the strikes. Let's say in 79 pitches you threw 51 strikes.
Week seven: You will throw 51 strikes in practice no matter how long it takes. As soon as you do, your done. Have your catcher keep track of the time it takes you to do this.
Week eight: Play 21 outs. Recall at how long it took you to get 21 outs in week 4 and try to do better. Have your catcher keep track of the total pitches you needed to get the 21 outs. The next time you have a 21 out practice week you will want to try to throw fewer pitches to get the outs.
Week nine and on: Just keep repeating these 4 week cycles adjusting the numbers as you go. THE END OF EVERY PRACTICE: Throw 5 fast balls to your catcher letting them know that one of these will be a change up. It can be the first or any other of the five. The catcher's job is to call the pitch before it leaves your hand. If they can, your change is not good enough and needs special practice. Now throw a fastball strike with your eyes closed. Take 5 try's, your done when the first strike is thrown or you get to 5 attempts. Soon you will be able to throw a strike in the first or second pitch, eyes closed, every practice, believe it or not.
COMMENTS:
Week one: Pitchers have a tendency to work slowly when it is a timed practice without a lot of attention to effectiveness and the strike zone.
Week two: Pitchers tend to work fast when the practice is a pitch count, without a lot of attention to effectiveness and the strike zone.
Week three: Pitchers will try very hard to get into the strike zone if the length of practice is the strike count
Week four: Pitchers will treat it like a game and will want the pitch selection to be their "OUT" pitch when the count is 2-2. Even in practice, pitchers do not like to walk batters pretend of not.
Practice end: A change up is not a slow pitch. It is an illusion of a fast pitch. The pitcher must do EVERYTHING the same for the illusion to work. A good change will even fool an ump. We often throw our change in the strike zone to get the call. When the pitcher realizes they can throw strikes with their eyes closed it will no longer be a problem intentionally taking a batter to 3-0. Confidence in their own ability is built right here. Each of these weeks has a flaw in its way of addressing a practice. Can you guess what the flaw is for each week? The flaws are canceled out by differences in the other 3 weeks. Questions please!!!!!
Posted on Fri, Apr 17, 2009
NOVICE PITCHERS:
Set up a schedule for you and your catcher to work out 3 times a week for about an hour including warm up and down, be sure transportation is available. It is best if the location and time are always the same to develop the routine make sure to consider a backup location for bad weather days. Make sure you see your pitching instructor every week. Tell them your problems, report your improvements and outline your physical condition if it becomes troubling. In the beginning boredom is not too big of a problem because you will see yourself gain accuracy and speed. You will also be taught new pitches which will help keep the workout interesting. At some point (assuming you are 12 or older) you should know how to throw 4 or more pitches. Practice each pitch in a group of maybe 15-20 deliveries looking for accuracy and movement. After you have practiced all of the versions go back to the one that was your worse and do another 15. This should do it for you so finish up with a fastball in the strike zone. Sometime its fun to see if you can knock a glove off the catchers pail (assuming a Mom or Dad is catching you while seated on a pail). Count how many pitches it takes to do this and keep trying to lower the number. Now its time to join a team and get some game pitching time. Find a good rec league and go to try outs. Keep up your practice schedule and DO NOT ASSUME you will get practice time during your team's practices. Soon you will be in your first game which we will discuss later on this season. Finish off the entire season no matter what! After the season is over you must once again ask yourself all the important questions that you first answered. If you still want to go ahead you have become an intermediate pitcher. Now you need to decide if you want to stay at your current level which would include more rec league seasons, possibly all stars and eventually school ball or go deeper into the sport and look for a club or travel ball team try out. In either case practice will lose its excitement and become less a sport and more a job. We invented a program to make practice not only endurable but somewhat enjoyable. Next week we will show you how it works and what other benefits we found. We are hoping to hear your comments and questions they help us keep stay motivated to add more to the blog!!
Posted on Mon, Apr 06, 2009
Practice is the place to build your advantage over the competition. The better your practice is, the more of an advantage you will have. So, practicing a lot should do it, right? Not necessarily! Many long term pitchers have lackluster, boring practices that succeed only in burning up time. In fact, practice pushes more athletics away from pitching than any other factor. Additionally, most young pitchers have a family member catch them. Sooner or later a disagreement will occur. If this happens often enough the whole family is effected. When we worked on pitching, practice was 5 days a week and there were weekend games. A typical practice including warm up and warm down, along with travel to and from the practice site cost about 2 hours each day. I live in So Cal so weather allowed me to practice outside most of the time. The only real break would be if we had rain. When that happened we would go to a batting cage and buy an hour there. That made the workout about a half an hour shorter. Overall that is about 600 hours (including game time) a year, about 30,000 practice pitches annually. Here are comments for pitchers of all levels to consider starting with rookies.
BEGINNING ROOKIE PITCHERS: If you think you may want to pitch, start at least 4 months before your season begins. The most important part of beginning as a pitcher is to ask yourself HONESTLY if you want to invest time into the position. Ask those that know you if they think you have the temperament. Think about the local organization for the sport; is it active enough to be worth your investment in time and energy. Are you OK medically; asthma, allergy's, endurance, size and vision need to be within workable guidelines. If all is fine then it is time to find a good pitching coach and take a beginner's lesson. Practice 3 days a week for about a 1/2 hour, working on motion and accuracy only. Do it in a private, well lighted area if possible and be sure to use the ball you will be throwing if you continue as a pitcher. Once you have the motion to a point where you don't have to think about it, take your next lesson. Continue on the 3 day schedule, a 1/2 hour each time plus warm up and warm down. Take another lesson and repeat the practice schedule. After one month it's time to decide if this MIGHT be for you. Ask your pitching coach to give you an honest and realistic evaluation. Do they think you are talented enough to make pitching a career? If they say yes, ask your self the same question listed in the beginning again. Also ask your family if they are willing to help you with your commitment. If you decide to continue you have graduated into the novice pitcher class. Things will begin to change now. Check with us next week fore the next installment for practices. If you have any comments put them here and we will respond.
Posted on Wed, Apr 01, 2009
Warm ups are the 2nd most forgotten element in pitching. Only warm downs are more neglected. WARM UPS: DO NOT RUSH YOUR WARM UP. If the pitcher is starting in the game the warm up should be timed to end just before the game begins, giving the pitcher enough time to get to the diamond without running. The catcher should have a backstop and catching equipment. Nothing ruins a warm up more than a break caused when the ball gets by a catcher who now has to run (walk #@%$%##) to retrieve it. If this isn't possible the catcher should have a few extra balls available. The pitcher should have a rubber. The distance should be exactly correct. The ball should be exactly the same as a new game ball. The ball should be dry and a towel should be available to keep it dry. It would be nice if the catcher knows the pitcher's capabilities in movement, speed and location. Warm ups should start at a relaxed pace with only enough effort to allow the ball to reach the catcher. The pitcher may want to start closer to the catcher to be sure nothing is overstressed until the warm up is well along. The pitcher may also want to start using just arm rotation before going to a full body motion. The effort and distance should be increased as the pitcher feels more loose. Ultimately throwing at full strength from full distance. As soon as the full effort level is reached the pitcher should throw enough of each of their pitches to feel like all is working fine. Please, no radar guns here. Once the warm up is completed the pitcher should put on a jacket to keep the arm fully warm NO MATTER how hot the day is. There is no set time for the length of a warm up, it will depend entirely on the pitcher and their soreness or stiffness level. Some will be done in 10 minutes, some will take 30 minutes, BUT if the correct amount of time is used the probability of muscle injury is dramatically lowered. The catchers should make ONLY positive comments to the pitcher during the warm up. After it is complete (if the relationship between the warm up catcher and pitcher is strong enough) the catcher may want to tell the pitcher what is and isn't working and how the speed seems. That same report should go the coach calling the pitches. If the pitcher is back-up for the game they should also go through a complete warm up and keep the jacket on. If the pitcher is not suppose to pitch we suggest they also warm up just to the full effort, full distance level. The reason is you never know what might happen. If your warm up time is 20 minutes and because of some unexpected set of events you suddenly have to pitch, the 5 to 10 pitches the umpire gives you will be WAY TOO FEW! THE WARM UP SHOW: People will be watching, now is the time to impress them! You don't have to throw hard to impress, just act very professional and assured. Do not show anger, nervousness, or seem anxious. Don't ask for any instructions. If it is a night game you will seem faster, use that to your advantage. If you have an awesome change up, throw it as few times as possible in warm up. We always suggest that the catcher's glove produce the loudest possible noise when a ball arrives. Treating the glove with oil and being sure it is properly conditioned is important to sound. Loud sound is to a pitchers advantage. NEW INNING WARM UP: If its the pre first inning warm up on the field NEVER show your change up. You will get usually 5 pitches, be sure the last is either your best (out pitch) or your fastest. Don't worry if its a little wild, it will make the batter think more. WARM DOWNS: Exactly the same as warm ups but in reverse and somewhat shorter. Pitch until relaxed and stop when you have a calm heart beat. This will help decrease your soreness the next day. If you went several innings we would suggest you ice the front of your shoulder and the lats on the pitching arm side, 20 minutes on, 20 off, repeat 3 times. Next on our topics is tricks to make practice more fun and give a better result. Bad practices drive pitchers out of the game so be sure to check our next blog entry. If you have any comments to this please type them in below. We keep an eye on the blog and will answer your questions.
Posted on Wed, Mar 25, 2009
There is a very narrow difference between the meaning of the words support and pressure within youth sports. There are many reasons why parents support their athlete off spring, here are a few:
1) the parent wants to support the child's interest
2) the child will enjoy the sport more
3) the rest of the team will like them better
4) a way to defer college costs (scholarships)
5) to impress neighbors, friends, relatives, bosses, grandparents, sports writers, coaches and anybody else you can think of
6) the parent wasn't a good athlete so the child's sport becomes the parent's chance to feel better about their selves
As we go down this list the reasons for support become less for the child and more for the parent. Also, please note that, around number 4 on the list, the descriptive word support should be changed to pressure. Parental pressure can drive an athlete out of a sport or if it is support, make them even better that they would otherwise have become. If the pressure takes the fun out of the sport; makes it seem like a job or leads to hate of practice it is too strong! Some kids will perform better than others and there will always be a best performer. If your child is not that best performer remember that neither are 99% of the rest of the kids in the sport. Here are some reasons why a certain child athlete excels:
A) they are bigger
B) started earlier
C) have more interest in the sport (more emotional investment)
D) are just more skilled or coordinated (sorry, we all can't be great)
E) live in an area that is strongly committed to their sport (ice hockey and Quebec)
F) have better family support (moms, dads, brothers or sisters to have help with play time)
G) are in better health (rested and on a good diet)
H) have better coaching (or more GOOD coaching)
I) are on better teams ( teammates always have a share in a players success)
J) have better training equipment (batting cages, pitching machines)
When you start off with your child you will see that there is nothing you can do to control the first 5 of these points. The last 5 you can influence and are where you should put your efforts. This does not necessarily mean become your child's coach. I've seen lots of baseball dads teach their daughters the wrong way to hit a softball and never know the difference and vice versa for a Softball Mom teaching her son to hit a baseball. Beginning pitchers are young emotionally. They don't understand scholarships and competition. The only reason they are in the sport is for the fun of it, (that does not mean glory). Take that fun away and you will have a moody, under performing, unhappy athlete. Most of us want to see our child do better in life than we did. But if that means the parent is living vicariously a sports life through the child the pressures can be too high. You can not apply adult expectations on a child's ability. Be sure your advice to the child is simple, clear, easy to understand, honest, fair and sportsmen like and above all CORRECT. Yelling from the stands "just throw strikes" isn't very helpful: after all what do you think they are trying to do? In fact any cheering from the stands should be either complimentary or positive and NEVER personal. A game situation is not the place to instruct a beginning pitcher on their mechanics. It isn't a place to shout "They can't hit" It isn't a place to belittle an umpire. It is a place to watch your child develop and understand more about not only the sport but how people should behave. If you keep your reason for support numbers "1" or "2" and your method of support from "F" through "J" the pressure you will create will be really support and very beneficial.
Posted on Mon, Mar 16, 2009
SELECTING A PITCHING COACH A COACH'S MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
There are several considerations when choosing a pitching coach, none of which have to do with costs. 1) The coach must have pitched competitively their selves. Anyone who says they are a coach but hasn't pitched in real games can not present several things to the student that are very important. They can't help in how to deal with practice boredom, how to work an umpire, pitch selection, heat, fatigue, uniform fit, cuts and bruises, tightness and blisters and many other issues. 2) They must have good chemistry with the student. Both student and coach MUST respect each other's talents and abilities 3) They must be able to demonstrate each lesson effectively. If they can't throw a drop ball how can they teach it? 4) They must be on time and have a safe environment in which to teach, hopefully private. The area should be well lighted, wind sheltered, of the correct surface w/rubber and plate. The pitching distance must be correct and there has to be enough room behind the pitcher for comfort PITCHING LESSON HINTS 5) The coach should not catch the student for the entire practice, it may be helpful to catch to see movement up close but the coach should be prepared to check the student at all different angles. 6) Lessons should be individual. 7) Lessons from 20 minutes to 40 are right with 30 minutes as ideal especially for a young or starting pitcher. Come early and warm up before the lesson starts. Warm down immediately after it is over 8) A parent should listen to all conversations so they can help the student recall instructions during practices through the week but parents should avoid being overly involved. 9) A lesson should not be just a monitored workout. If everything is working well it is time to learn something new. 10) A beginning pitcher should go every week. A well trained pitcher (high school pitchers and older) can go as seldom as only when they develop a problem 11) You should supply a competent catcher who will hustle after passed balls and wild pitches. The catcher is there only as an aid and should not instruct or issue negative comments during the instruction. The catcher should wear catcher's protective gear. 12) NEVER emphases speed with beginning pitchers. Radar guns should be packed away for the beginning of a pitcher's career. 13) Be sure the coach and you understand all pitching regulations so the student is always fully legal. FINDING A COACH 14) Ask other pitchers who is good and why 15) Talk with league members for their references 16) Ask club and travel coaches who they suggest. 17) Check the Internet and yellow pages for pitching schools in your area. 18) Call the national association rep (ASA, NSA, BOBBY SOCKS, TRIPLE CROWN, USSSA, AFA, PONY, LITTLE LEAGUE, CAL RIPKEN etc,) in your area for their suggestions FOLLOW UP Lessons are useless without practice, we will talk about that soon, keep checking back