What Should My Next Pitch Be?
Pitchers are eager, determined, and quick to learn by nature. Every single pitcher will start their pitching career by learning a Fastball. The fastball needs to be learned and mastered first because of a few reasons. First, pitchers need to master the correct body mechanics of pitching, and the fastball does an excellent job of allowing a pitcher to feel and understand the movements of her body. Second, the number one job of a pitcher is to throw strikes. The fastball motion and release point is setting the pitcher up on the Powerline, which connects to the center of home plate. Mastering fastballs on the Powerline will lead to accuracy and strikes. Finally, each additional pitch a pitcher learns is based on the fastball mechanics and the powerline.
After pitchers have a handle on the fastball and their body mechanics, the second most important pitch a pitcher will need to learn to throw is the change up. A change up is a pitch that is slower than the fastball. The purpose of the change up is to throw off the hitters timing and to keep them off balanced. Any hitter can catch up to speed; it just may take a few at bats for the hitter to make her adjustment to the fastball. The best pitchers in the college game today are the ones who have command of their hard throwing pitch and a great change up.
Once pitchers have command of their fastball, where they can throw to spots accurately while maintaining good mechanics, and a great change up, then they can explore a third pitch. Every pitcher learns new pitches at their own pace. Some may take longer than others to master the fastball and change-up, and that’s okay! There isn’t a road map or check list on where pitchers should be and what pitches they should have when they reach a certain age level.
So what should that third pitch be? The college game has changed dramatically over the years. Most college coaches will only allow their pitchers to throw three pitches. The first being a fastball that is thrown to spots, the second being a great change up, and the third pitch will be something that moves up or down. College pitching coaches are going away from teaching screw and curve balls if the pitcher can master spotting the fastball to corners.
If you are a college softball pitcher hopeful, my advice on the third pitch would be to stick with something that goes up or down. I am referring to a rise ball or a drop ball. It takes a particular body type and velocity to make a ball rise against gravity, so starting a younger pitcher off with a drop ball as the third pitch might be more beneficial and lead to less frustration. As the pitcher gets older, has mastered her core three pitches, and has developed more strength and speed, then they can give the rise ball another try.
When learning pitches, it is encouraged to meet with a pitching instructor or someone who is an expert in the craft. The instructor or expert will be able to teach the pitcher the correct grip, body positioning, and expectations of the desired pitch. For those pitchers serious about playing in college, talk to the college pitching coach of your choosing and get on the same page with them about what your third and fourth pitch should be. Once you know, get with an instructor, practice, and perfect that pitch. You don’t need seven pitches to be effective or successful in softball. Three to four is the magic number, so buy in, learn, and perfect them!
